Interviews for High School Seniors
Interviews are a great way to show off your personality and connect with current students. They are completely optional with only 20% of applicants taking part. If you don’t do an interview, don’t worry! This will not hinder your application.
Interview Tips
- Keep your answers conversational. The interviews are conducted by current W&M seniors. They were in your shoes, so just talk with them.
- Be prepared to talk about yourself (this is about you).
- Look sharp! (We recommend not wearing sweats or pajamas.)
- Arrive early. It’s always better to be early than late.
Sample Questions
- What extracurricular activities have you been involved with?
- About which are you most passionate? (If you’re not asked why, the “why” is implied)
- Talk about your high school.
- How would you describe yourself as a student? In what kind of academic setting do you thrive? (The “why” is implied)
- If you could take a class in any subject that’s not offered at your high school, what subject would you take a class in? (What’s the “why”? Oh yes, it’s implied)
- Talk about a challenge you’ve faced and how you worked through it.
- What is the accomplishment about which you are the most proud? (Do we even have to mention the “why” again?)
- If there was a newspaper article published about you in the past year, what would the headline be?
- How would your friends describe you? (Don’t forget the “why”)
- Why are you interested in William & Mary? (Yes, elaborate with the “why”)
- If you were given a plane ticket and you could fill in the destination, where would you go?
- If you were to have a personal mascot, what it be?
A More Personal Side of W&M
"I believe this opportunity allowed me to articulate qualities about myself that a paper application just cannot convey. This experience really allowed me to add something substantive to my application and allowed me to get a more intimate feel for the university. The interviewer answered all of my questions and really allowed me to see a more personal side of William & Mary!" – W&M summer interviewee
