Interview Prep

Do: Not your resume. Lead with what you care about, then connect it to what you do. 60–90 seconds.

Avoid: Reciting your activity list or starting with 'I was born in...'

Do: Name a specific program, professor, or campus resource. Generic praise ('great academics') is a red flag.

Avoid: Rankings, prestige, or anything you could say about any school.

Do: Connect your interest to a specific experience. Show the path from curiosity → action → deeper question.

Avoid: Claiming you've 'always known' or being vague about why.

Do: Pick one where you can describe a specific challenge you solved. Impact > title.

Avoid: Listing all of them or choosing one just because it sounds impressive.

Do: Be genuine. Reading, cooking, hiking — anything that shows you're a real person, not an application machine.

Avoid: Trying to make your hobbies sound like leadership experiences.

Do: Use this to address a gap, add context, or reinforce your spike. Don't waste it on 'No, I think we covered everything.'

Avoid: Repeating something you already said.

Do: Pick something specific and explain what shifted. The quality of your reflection matters more than the title.

Avoid: Picking a book you think sounds smart but didn't actually finish.

Do: This is your spike question. Go deep — show the interviewer you've genuinely explored it.

Avoid: Surface-level answers or picking something generic like 'politics.'

Do: Show intellectual honesty. How did you adapt? What did you learn about how you learn?

Avoid: Making it sound like you easily overcame it. Struggle is the point.

Do: Walk through a real example. Break down your thought process step by step.

Avoid: Vague generalities like 'I research it and ask for help.'

Do: Community can be your family, school, neighborhood, or online space. Focus on consistent, specific impact.

Avoid: One-time volunteer events or listing service hours.

Do: Show you can disagree respectfully and learn from it. The resolution matters more than being right.

Avoid: Making the other person the villain.

Do: Be honest and specific. 'She's the one who always has a plan B' is better than 'They'd say I'm hardworking.'

Avoid: Listing adjectives without evidence.

Do: Real failure, real lesson. Admissions wants to see resilience and self-awareness, not a humble-brag.

Avoid: 'I worked too hard' or any failure that's actually a success.

Do: Research the actual course catalog. Name 2–3 courses and explain why they interest you.

Avoid: Not knowing what kind of curriculum the school has.

Do: Be specific about what you'd start, join, or change. Connect it to your actual interests and skills.

Avoid: Generic 'diversity of thought' answers without substance.

Do: Show you've thought about fit, not just prestige. Focus on what this school offers that others don't.

Avoid: Badmouthing other schools.

Do: Show direction without being rigid. 'I want to work at the intersection of X and Y' is better than a specific job title.

Avoid: Saying 'I don't know' without any follow-up.

Do: Pick someone connected to your interests. Explain what you'd ask them and why it matters to you now.

Avoid: Picking someone just to sound intellectual.

Do: Your answer reveals priorities. It's okay to include rest alongside projects.

Avoid: Making it sound like you'd spend the year padding your resume.

Do: Pick a genuinely contrarian view you can defend thoughtfully. Show independent thinking.

Avoid: Controversial for the sake of being controversial.

Do: Pick something you know deeply and can explain simply. The skill is communication, not the topic.

Avoid: Picking something too complex to explain or too basic to be interesting.