2011 Off-Campus Interview Opportunities

A few interesting statistics and a little anecdotal evidence underscore the emerging importance of the personal interview in the college admissions process. In the most recent NACAC State of College Admission Report, nearly 33 percent of colleges attached "considerable" to "moderate" importance to the interview. But that’s not all.

More telling may be the number of colleges expanding their off-campus capacity to provide interviews, including those conducted by admissions staff as well as by alumni representatives.

And why would this be? In the same NACAC report, 48 percent of responding colleges placed considerable to moderate importance on an applicant’s “demonstrated interest,” or actions taken to signal whether he or she is likely to attend if admitted.

Because students are taking advantage of application technology and applying to more colleges, schools are having a hard time determining a candidate’s true level of interest, and this has a measurable impact on “yield” or the percent of students ultimately accepting an offer of admissions.

Not only does accuracy in projected yield ensure seats will be filled, but it also helps avoid overcrowding in dorms. Above all, because yield is a factor in determining “best” colleges for some rankings, enrollment management types are very sensitive to data suggesting their invitations are not being accepted.

Since the interview can be an excellent method of gauging true interest, colleges are increasingly turning to these more personal interactions with applicants to supplement information provided on an application. But recognizing that on-campus interviews are not feasible for everyone, accommodations are being made to bring interviewers to candidates.

Here are some of the colleges currently scheduling interviews in the DC area:

Alfred University: October 11 (Holiday Inn, Greenbelt) and November 1 (Holliday Inn Express, Manassas). Appointments are required and may be made by calling the Office of Admissions at 800-541-9229.

Allegheny College: October 17 (McLean) and October 26 (Baltimore). Schedule an appointment by contacting MaryAnn Vrabel at 814-332-4727 or via email at mvrabel@allegheny.edu.

College of Wooster: September 28 (Radisson Cross Keys, Baltimore), October 3 (Hilton Tysons Corner), and October 4 (Chevy Chase Pavilion).

Eckerd College: October 9 for Bethesda area students (Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion) and October 22 for DC area students (Hilton Garden Inn DC). Virginia interviews will be conducted between October 11 and 21. Contact Michael Brown at brownrm@Eckerd.com to schedule an appointment.

Gettysburg College: October 3 (Fairfax), October 4 & 5 (Arlington), and October 20 (Annapolis). For more information, call (800) 431-0803.

Harvey Mudd College: Interviews will be available at the Embassy Suites Hotel at Chevy Chase Pavilion, on Sunday, September 25. Registration information may be found on the Harvey Mudd website.

Juniata College: October 16 (Crowne Plaza Rockville), October 23 (Crowne Plaza Baltimore), and November 1 (Crowne Plaza McLean) Registration is available on the Juniata website.

Lafayette College: Baltimore (October 4 & 6), Richmond (October 18 & 19), and Bethesda (November 1-3). Appointments may be scheduled by emailing Chris La Tempa (latempac@lafayette.edu) or by phone at 610-330-55.

Lawrence University: DC interviews will be conducted on November 3, from 3:00 to 5:00. For more information contact Paris Brown (paris.d.brown@lawrence.edu). Lawrence also offers "GreenInterviews," which is a fancy way of describing interviews conducted by phone or over Skype.

Lehigh University: September 26, from 4:00 to 7:30, at the Annapolis Barnes and Noble and November 12, from 9:15 to 3:00, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. RSVP Required with Ms. Johnnie Whisner (jlw306@lehigh.edu) or 610-758-3100.

LeMoyne College: October 17 (Residence Inn, DC), November 14 (Bethesda Marriott), and November 15 (Spring Hill Suites, Baltimore). Call the Office of Admission at 800-333-4733 for an appointment.

University of Delaware: Interviews will be conducted on November 6th at the Washington DC Dupont Circle Hotel, from 2:00 to 5:00. Students can visit the U Del website for more details.

University of New Haven: Regional interviews will be scheduled in DC on November 12 and in Fairfax on October 17. Contact zrosen@newhaven.edu to schedule an appointment.

University of Rochester: September 29 (DC), October 15 (Alexandria), November 20 (McLean), and January 7 (Bethesda). Register for specific times on the school website.

Whitman College: Interviews may be scheduled with Kevin Dyerly, on October 10 & 11, at the Embassy Suites, Tysons Corner. For more information, visit Whitman's admissions website.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute: September 25 (Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church) and September 26 (Bethesda Marriott).

Note: if you have already had an on campus interview, you do not need to schedule a second off campus interview.