Cooper Union / Interview
The Cooper Union interview
No admissions interview. Here is how it works and how to prepare.
No admissions interview
No interviews offered; admissions decisions based on portfolio/Hometest (Art), portfolio review (Architecture), and academic record/test scores (Engineering)
How to prepare for Cooper Union
- For Art applicants, the Hometest is the centerpiece , treat it as seriously as any portfolio piece, since it reveals your creative process and thinking under constraints.
- Architecture applicants should ensure their portfolio shows both technical drafting ability and conceptual thinking; the admissions committee reads portfolios closely as a substitute for any in-person evaluation.
- Engineering applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores; this is one of the few remaining test-required schools, so strong scores carry real weight in lieu of an interview.
- Visit campus or attend an information session if possible , Cooper Union does hold on-campus information sessions, and demonstrating genuine knowledge of the school's mission (free/low-cost education, arts-engineering integration) strengthens your essays.
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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