Carleton / Interview
The Carleton interview
Optional interview, and it carries minor weight in the decision. Here is how it works and how to prepare.
Optional interview
Optional alumni interview, ~30-45 min, virtual or in your area; arranged through the alumni network after application submission
How to prepare for Carleton
- Carleton alumni interviewers tend to be curious, intellectually engaged people , come ready to talk about ideas, not just achievements. They want to see genuine intellectual enthusiasm, not a rehearsed pitch.
- The 300-word supplement asks why Carleton specifically; be ready to discuss what drew you to Carleton's particular culture (the term system, size, collaborative ethos) in your own words during the interview.
- Carleton is permanently test-optional and essay-driven, so the interview is a chance to add texture the application can't show , bring in something real about how you think or learn rather than restating your resume.
- If you are not offered or cannot do an interview, it will not hurt you; the interview is informational for both sides and carries little formal weight in the decision.
Practice before the real thing
Rehearse real admissions-interview questions and get an honest read on your answers, what an interviewer hears, where you sound generic, and what to sharpen. We coach you; we never script you.
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