Meeting Rochester Off Campus
Don’t have time to visit campus? No worries—there are tons of ways to “meet” Rochester without traveling far away!
The admissions interview
During my interview at the off-campus admissions event in New Jersey, I broke into a coughing fit. I was so nervous that I choked on my own words! Let my experience be a lesson to you: don’t stress one bit. Your interview alone will not make or break your application decision. If anything, it will help you make a more educated decision about where you want to study for the next four years. An admissions interview is just an opportunity for you to ask questions and express your individuality.
What is it like?
My mom and I drove to a hotel about 45 minutes away from my hometown for my off-campus interview. We were greeted by lots of friendly faces and refreshments while I waited for my turn. After a few minutes, my interviewer came into the waiting room and introduced herself. She led me to a small table for the two of us to sit together in a room full of other nervous high school seniors having their interviews. I found that the background noise of other interviews helped take the pressure off. We spent about half an hour speaking about my hopes for college and my questions about the University.
So bring on the questions!
At these interviews, you have the chance to get some great answers to questions about campus you can’t find online. Admissions interviewers range from current students to faculty to alumni. You can learn about a broad range of different experiences and opinions.
Be yourself.
Use your interview as an opportunity to show off your uniqueness that may not shine through on your application. There is more to you than what your Common Application tells! Explaining your specific interests and ideas will give you a chance learn more about opportunities on campus that are meaningful to you. For example, I explained to my interviewer, a recent alumna, that I wanted to keep dancing in college. She told me about the dance courses offered on campus. Her insight helped me to imagine myself at the University of Rochester. It is always valuable to see if your interests have a special place on campus.
The off-campus interviews enable you have an interview without traveling all the way to Rochester. There are also ways to schedule Skype or phone interviews. The University is willing to work with you to give you this awesome opportunity.
Rochester also organizes high school visits, information sessions, and attends college fairs, and they’re likely coming to an area near you.