How does Princeton decide who gets an interview?

Once you've submitted your application, you will likely receive an invite to interview with a member of the Princeton Alumni Schools Committee. Your alumni member will be assigned to you based on your location, which means there's a chance you won't be interviewed if there are limited members available near you.

How does Princeton choose who to interview?

The interviews are 30-45 minute informal conversations, where you can discuss the things that are important to you and also ask questions to someone who attended Princeton. We cannot guarantee that every applicant will receive an interview. This will depend on the availability of alumni in your area.

Does Princeton do interviews for regular decision?

The Admission Office has no preference between these two options. We include the interviewer's comments in our review of your application. Interviews aren't required as part of the admission process, but we encourage candidates to accept the invitation.

How do colleges decide who gets an interview?

Colleges may offer interviews as part of their application process and will automatically schedule them for eligible applicants. In other cases, you may need to express interest in an interview or request one through the college's admissions office.

What do Princeton admission officers look for?

We look for students with intellectual curiosity, who have pursued and achieved academic excellence. We also look for students with strong personal and extracurricular accomplishments.

College Interview Advice from Princeton Interviewer

Does Princeton give interviews to everyone?

The Purpose of the Princeton Interview

Not all applicants will receive an interview due to the availability of alumni in their area, and none of the interviews will take place on-campus. Applicants participating in the QuestBridge National College Match will be unable to complete an interview due to the timeline.

Does it mean anything to get a Princeton interview?

No, interviews do not signify that you have made it to the next round of the application cycle. Princeton attempts to interview every applicant. If you get an interview, it only means there was a nearby alumni member available to meet with you either in person or virtually!

Do all Ivy League applicants get interviews?

Hi there! As a parent of a student who went through the college application process, I'd be happy to help answer your question. Ivy League schools do try to interview as many applicants as possible, but it's not always feasible for them to interview everyone.

Are college interviews randomly selected?

Interviews are assigned at random to alumni interviewers usually in the student's hometown area. Some colleges will say that a student's chances of getting an interview increase the sooner they submit their application, but this doesn't hold true for a lot of places.

Can a college interview hurt your chances?

Acing a college admissions interview can be just what you need to give your application that extra boost. But having a bad interview can also harm your chances of being accepted. Don't fall into the latter category.

How many people get interviews at Princeton?

To your question, Princeton does its best to offer interviews to all applicants, so a lot of students will have that opportunity. However, whether you get an interview can sometimes depend on the availability of alumni interviewers in your area.

Does Princeton defer a lot of applicants?

Princeton has long been known for having a staggering deferral rate. They are not unique for this, as many of the top colleges in the US use deferral as a way of beefing up their regular decision pool. This trend has likely continued, with Princeton deferring far more early applicants than they reject.

How should I dress for a Princeton interview?

Don't forget to thank your interviewer for their time, arrive at your chosen destination a few minutes early, and be friendly throughout your conversation. While there's no need to dress formally, make sure to choose a polished outfit that makes you feel both comfortable and confident.

Does Princeton rea increase chances?

Currently, Princeton, along with Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, do not allow their early-round applicants to apply to other private schools. Because of REA, choosing Princeton early means sacrificing the opportunity to capitalize on higher acceptance rates at a range of schools through traditional EA and ED processes.

How is valedictorian chosen at Princeton?

The Valedictory and the Latin Salutatory are awarded by vote of the faculty to two of the highest-ranking members of the graduating class. The special qualifications of a student as valedictorian or salutatorian are taken into account as well as scholastic standing.

How many people does Princeton defer?

In recent years, Princeton has liked to play coy about its admissions statistics. But before the school ceased releasing Early Action figures, in the first half of the 2010s, around 78.9% of Early Action applicants to the Ivy League institution received deferrals and 21.1% received outright rejections.

Is it good if a college wants to interview you?

While interviews are most often not the deciding factor in whether a college will accept you, they offer an opportunity for you to represent yourself in ways that might not have come through in your application thus far. It's expressed most often as a chance for the college to get to know you better.

Does not getting a college interview mean anything?

Interviews will only rarely be a determining factor in your admissions process. That being said, there are some unique scenarios in which interviews are an important part of the admissions process to a particular program within the institution as a whole.

Does an Ivy League interview mean anything?

Aka a great interview cannot save a bad application. But through this process, the admissions office gets a better sense of who you are, your personality, and how you would fit in at the school. Interviews, at the Ivies, are optional, but if you get the opportunity to do one, you absolutely should.

How do you ace an Ivy League interview?

Think conversation, not interrogation. A college interview will feel much more like a chat so come ready to exchange information and thoughts. Your interviewer will do the same. Be prepared to talk about your academic and extracurricular life and the interests you'd like to pursue in college, including reasons why.

Is getting an Ivy interview good?

Do Ivy Interviews Matter? Interviews help you learn more about the school you're applying to and can help you better position yourself as the ultimate applicant. If you're offered an alumni interview or can request one, attending is always in your best interest!

Does everyone who applied to Yale get an interview?

An interview is not a required part of the application process. Because of limited interviewing capacity, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions prioritizes interviews for students for whom the Admissions Committee needs more information.

Are Princeton interviews rare?

They try to give everyone an interview. Those who are in an area where there aren't enough alumni volunteers, I think it's more of a random process. So I wouldn't read much into it. Consider the interview an opportunity to get to know more about Princeton, to help you make a decision if you make it in.

Does Princeton look at demonstrated interest?

As a reminder, Princeton does not track demonstrated interest. Please select a date from the calendar below to begin the registration process.

What GPA do you need to get into Princeton?

Applicants' GPA when applying to Princeton should ideally be between 3.8 - 4.0 to be strong candidates. While there are no official Princeton GPA requirements, the bulk of applicants—usually around 90%—have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.75.