Our ACE Model:School Interview Preparation for Students
Often students think that a school interview is when they will be interrogated by the admission team. Although that’s not true, there’s plenty of opportunity for students to ask the school everything they want to know about academics, community and extracurriculars.
We like to frame their conversation using our ACE acronym: Academics, Community and Extracurriculars (ACE). Encourage your student to ACE their interview by sharing about themselves and asking questions about the school in each of these ACE areas! It’s an easy word to remember to help ground any student as they shape what they want to ask or say.
Here are a few questions students can ask to make the most of their interview time with the school’s admission team using our ACE model.
Academics
It’s no surprise your student will have questions about the school's academics. Here are a few questions they can bring to their interview:
On average, how much time per week should I expect to be involved with academic commitments? How much time each night do kids spend on homework?
Are classes largely focused on individual or group work?
Are there opportunities for me to have ‘office hours’ or one-on-one sessions with my teachers? Is this common for students at this school?
What academic or learning support resources are available to me?
What resources on campus do you recommend I take advantage of during my first year?
Are tutors accessible? How many kids are meeting with tutors?
Can students do independent studies if they’re interested in something special?
Community
No matter what school your student chooses, they have to love the community! Asking these questions will help your student get an idea of what not only their daily life will look like at this school, but how they might fit in and what they will remember about their experience.
Are there any mandatory school events?
What type of community service do students get involved with?
When do students go into the town and what do they do there?
What are some of your favorite school traditions?
What is dorm life like? Are students living with kids in all grades or just their grade?
What kind of voice do students have at your school? How are students shaping the environment at this school?
As a student, how will I be involved with the campus community? How do new students get involved?
Can you share examples of how this school feels diverse and inclusive as a community?
Extracurriculars
Even if your student doesn’t think they are interested in joining an extracurricular activity, encourage them to ask anyway. It’s likely they will find a club, activity, or event that they would find interesting as many schools have some wonderful club activities.
They can ask:
When do students participate in extracurriculars?
What extracurriculars are available? Can you realistically do more than one activity?
What are the most popular hobbies of students at this school?
How do students here spend their free time?
How many extracurriculars do you recommend I join?
How much time is there for students outside of academics to engage in extracurriculars?
How do kids balance both athletics and other interests, such as the performing arts?
Once your student has done research on the school and chosen a few of these questions to discover the answers to, they are ready to dive in! Firsthand impressions from student tour guides/ambassadors and the admissions team will build your student’s understanding of whether or not they see themselves there. Nothing beats word of mouth talking through and having that live conversation!
Personalizing your student’s school visit experience is important! What other aspects of a school would you want your student to ask about?