Preparing for your college interview: A quick guide for prospective students

Find out everything you need to know about your college interview with our informative guide for applicants.

For many students, applying to college is one of those key moments when you get to determine your future. You’ve looked at different colleges and researched a range of courses before sending in your college application. The next step often involves an interview, but how do you know what to expect if you’ve never had an interview before?

At Capital City College (CCC), we invite all prospective students to an informal interview. It’s not a test of your knowledge or abilities but a chance for us to get to know you better and help make sure you’re applying for a course that suits your needs and abilities.

To help you find out more about what to expect at your college interview, we’ve put together some key information and interview tips to help you prepare.

Why do we interview students?

At CCC, we interview students so that we can find out more about them. It’s a chance for us to have an informal chat with you and learn more about you and your hopes for the future. 

We want to make sure that you’re on the most appropriate course for your needs so the interview is a great way for us to tell you more about your course and highlight any alternative courses or pathways that may be available to you.

What happens at the interview?

During your CCC interview, we’ll ask you about yourself and tell you more about the course you’ve applied for. We’ll ask why you’ve chosen the course and you can tell us about any aspirations that you have for your work or studies in the future. Your interview will usually last around 15 to 20 minutes.

It’s important to remember that the interview is not a pass or fail assessment and we don’t use interviews to determine who is accepted onto a course. Think of it as a personalised information and career support session that will help you make the best next step in your academic or professional life.

Who is in the interview?

A subject teacher will conduct your interview at one of our college centres. They’ll help to make sure that you have applied for the right course for your needs and can answer any questions you may have.

You’re welcome to ask a family member, guardian or friend to come with you to the college, but the interview itself usually just involves you and the interviewer. If you would like someone else to be in the room with you, please let us know as we can take special considerations into account. 

What sort of interview questions can I expect?

During the interview, you’ll be asked about your interests, the course and subject(s) you’ve chosen and your career aspirations. The focus will be on what you hope to achieve in the future rather than your previous school records or achievements. 

Common interview questions for students could include:

• Why have you chosen this subject?
• What led you to choose this course?
• What would you like to do in the future?

These questions aren’t intended to catch you out – they’re more about making sure you’ve picked the right subject and course for your personal aims.

When is my interview?

That’s up to you. After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll be invited to attend an interview. If you’ve applied for more than one course at the college, you’ll be invited to separate interviews for each course.

You can book a time and date that works for you using your MyCollege account. If you don’t book an interview, one will automatically be booked for you and you can amend the time and date to suit your schedule.

Once you’ve got your interview booked, don’t forget to put it into your calendar with the correct time and location. You should receive a reminder via email or message before your interview. 

Can I rearrange my interview?

We understand that sometimes students need to rearrange interviews for a variety of reasons. You can easily rearrange your interview using your MyCollege account.

Does the interview cover additional learning needs?

At CCC, we’re strongly committed to offering every student the opportunity to follow their career path to the fullest. Applicants with additional learning needs are invited to a separate in-person interview with our dedicated Additional Learning Support (ALS) team. We want to do everything possible to support your studies and that starts with knowing what your needs are.

If you mentioned in your college application that you have a significant support need, you’ll be interviewed by a specialist from our Inclusive Learning team.

Can I change my course?

Yes! The whole point of the interview is to make sure you’re on the right pathway, so it’s the perfect time and place to think about what’s on offer. At CCC, we offer a wide range of courses at different levels, so if you feel that another course might be a better fit, you can explore those options during the interview.

Do I need to prepare for the interview?

We want to get to know the real you, so don’t feel that you need to prepare for the interview and simply come as you are. Be yourself and try to relax and enjoy the experience.

Our main interview advice would be this:

• Try to talk about your own interests, goals and any achievements that you’re particularly proud of.
• Feel free to ask as many questions as you need to about the course, pathways, employment opportunities and further study.

What should I wear to a sixth form/college interview?

There are no hard and fast rules about what you should wear to college. It’s important that you feel comfortable during your college interview, so wear clothes that make you feel confident and relaxed. There’s no need to wear formal clothes or a suit unless you particularly want to.

What should I bring to the interview?

The interview is a great time for you to ask questions about the course, so bring along any thoughts or queries that you have. We don’t ask applicants to bring specific documents at this stage – just turn up with any questions and show us who you are.

What happens after the interview?

Once you’ve attended your interview, you’ll receive an offer email: 

• A conditional offer means that you need to meet certain conditions such as getting minimum GCSE grades.
• An unconditional offer means that you’ve already met the entry criteria and can progress directly onto the course when it starts.

To ensure you keep your place, follow the instructions in the email to accept your offer.

When you enrol in the college in August, you’ll have another chance to discuss your choices and intended pathway for work or studies. This helps us to ensure that you’re on the best course to help you achieve your personal goals. In the meantime, it’s never too early to start preparing and college can be very different from school, so take time to read about what to expect when you start college.

At CCC, our students are at the heart of our college community. We’re excited to get to know you and welcome you onto your college course!

If you have any further questions about your college interview, you can read more about the interview process or contact us with any queries and we’ll be happy to help!

Thinking about going to college this year but haven’t chosen your course? Take a look at our wide range of courses and apply now!

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