Submitted by Pam Proctor, Sep 5, 2007 09:53

The Ivies may have backed away from on-campus interviews, but for students who are lining up for interviews with alumni, there are some important rules of thumb they should follow. These include bringing a resume that features test scores and highlights the "hook" -- a special passion, interest, or activitiy that sets an applicant apart from the pack. This is just one of the tips offered in a chapter on interviews in my new book on college admissions, The College Hook: Packaging Yourself to Win the College Admissions Game. The book's interview chapter features advice from an alumni interviewer from a top university where alumni interviews still count.

Beyond the Ivies, interviews can tip the scales in a student's favor at some small liberal arts colleges. At one college, a student whose hook was her passion for ancient history was such a great "schmoozer" that the admissions office overlooked unspectacular SAT scores and admitted her. "Her interview was the best I've had in five years," an admissions officer later told her family.

What's more, students who are applying to accelerated and combined medical programs need to bone up on their interview skills if they are among the lucky few given the nod for a face-to-face meeting as a prelude to final selection.

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