We experienced all three interview formats—in-person on campus, in-person at a semi-local hub, and virtual. My daughter felt all formats were largely interchangeable; however, both she and I noticed experiential differences, none of which she felt negatively impacted her interview experience.
In this article, I explain about each interview format and offer my observations about pros & cons, when the format may make sense, and our experience.
Interview Format Overview
This content is included here for convenience, but is otherwise a copy from our main interview preparation article.
Most schools offer in-person and virtual formats—with two flavors of the in-person format.
In-person on campus: interviews are typically conducted on campus, directly following a scheduled tour. These conversations happen in a cozy office setting.
In-person local hub: some schools run 'off-campus' semi-local interviews in major city hubs, such as New York/New Jersey, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Houston, or key international cities. Semi-local interviews are offered during fall and early winter. They're designed for families who cannot easily get to campus but still want the personal feel of a live, face-to-face conversation. These conversations likely happen in a makeshift 'office' in the conference/business center area of a hotel.
Virtual: interviews are widely accepted—especially for international students or families who would otherwise need to travel far distances.
Note: Choate exclusively holds virtual interviews only (i.e., no in-person interviews). Their rationale is to ensure the same experience for all students—regardless of whether a student has scheduled a tour, where the student lives, or what time zone they're in.
Neither format (in-person vs. virtual) is considered 'better' by schools; but the experience does differ, which can shape how comfortably your child presents themselves.
That said, practically speaking, there are other considerations beyond how your child may feel, such as cost and juggling siblings / work / school schedules. It's most important for your family to choose the format that works best on the whole.
And it's also important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all model. You may choose to do virtual for some schools, and for others, in-person either on campus or at a semi-local hub. You can also decouple the tour and interview if you're trying to squeeze in campus tours but don't want to feel time-pressed into also having to prepare for the interview (which was our experience).
In-Person On-Campus Interviews
What This Format Is
- Traditional full campus visit, followed by an interview
- Tours are led by students; interviews are held by Admissions Officers
- The tour + interview combo is a c.2-hour commitment, end-to-end (c.40 minutes for the tour, followed by a c.45-minute interview (inclusive of a brief conversation with the parent), plus some wait time in between)
Pros
- Richest sense of campus culture, vibe, and student life
- Allows the student to 'feel' if the school fits
- Tour guides give you a lot of generally helpful information, and will also give you candid answers to any question you may have
- Students may feel more excited or inspired—naturally, by being physically on campus
Cons
- Requires travel time, cost, and scheduling flexibility
- High-energy environment, which can overwhelm some students
- Can feel higher-pressure, because it may feel more 'real'
- Weather, if inclement, or unexpected logistical challenges can add stress to an already mildly stressful experience
- Especially if all weekend availability has already been snapped up, making time for in-person on-campus visits will likely require doing them during school holidays or having to miss school days (as was the case for my daughter)
When This Format Makes Sense
- Families who want to fully evaluate culture, community, and a school's facilities / resources
- Students who thrive in immersive environments
- Families able to combine tour + interview efficiently
Format-Specific Tips
- Arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled tour (Note: I was never challenged to find the parking area or a spot)
- You should feel free to arrive earlier or stay after to continue exploring the campus
- Bring a notebook for observations / questions
- Dress accordingly (New England gets cold beginning in mid / late October)
Personal Experience
We found the in-person on campus experience intimidating—especially at first. While my husband is familiar with the boarding school experience as an Exeter alumn, neither my daughter nor I had familiarity with this world. Personally, I was generally surprised by how many kids came with both parents / guardians present. And my daughter and I were generally intimidated by an internal, unsubstantiated feeling that the other families dressed and looked like they 'belonged' there. Many boys donned khakis, a sport coat, and tie; girls typically wore a blouse / sweater, and skirt or trousers. My daughter wore a blouse of mine that fit her, and a skort over black leggings. I wore a sweater and jeans—but embarrassingly enough for Choate, wore a sweatshirt, thinking I'd have my winter coat over it, except that I'd forgotten my coat.
In-Person Semi-Local Hub Interviews
What This Format Is
- Admissions Officers travel to major domestic and international cities
- Interviews are conducted in hotel conference rooms or something similar
- No campus tour; conversation only
Pros
- Same Admissions Officers; same weight as on-campus and virtual interviews
- Less travel/likely easier scheduling required
- Some students may find this format feels lower pressure
Cons
- If you're not also doing a campus tour, there is obviously no opportunity through this format to get that in-person campus feel, and therefore also may be harder to ask school-specific questions without first-hand impressions
- No tour-guide interactions to help break the ice; your child will go right into their interview
- Some students may find this setting sterile or overly formal
When This Format Makes Sense
- Families who cannot travel to a campus for whatever reason, but who would still prefer an in-person conversation
- Applicants applying to many schools, and needing efficient scheduling
- Families planning to bifurcate the tour vs. interview experience
Format-Specific Tips
- These are not weekly occurrences and are scheduled events—meaning, similar to in-person on-campus availability, these options may also fill up quickly
- You may not need it, but have your child think about why they're excited about the school if they have not visited (yet)
- As part of questions your child prepares, think about questions tied to programs / facilities you cannot see in person
- Since your child will not have had the opportunity to 'warm up' their interaction / conversation skills via a campus tour, consider practicing small-talk concepts to ease possible 'sit down and begin' dynamics (though I doubt Admissions Officers would ever let this dynamic happen)
Personal Experience
My daughter did this format for Exeter. Due to scheduling constraints, we could not fit in an Exeter tour prior to the interview, and justified our decision with the fact that our daughter at least knows what the campus looks like from having done Exeter Summer.
I cannot personally attest to the difference in experience, as my husband drove my daughter to/from this interview. But based on their comments, the in-person semi-local interview generally felt less warm and fuzzy, and more in and out. My husband mentioned there was only one Admissions Officer—who seemed to have stuck around from having done an Excel event / panel at Princeton the day before. My husband also noted the Admissions Officer's schedule seemed pretty back-to-back and packed. Important to emphasize: this is a single data point, so I would not put much stock into this experience being representative of other semi-local interview experiences.
Virtual Interviews
What This Format Is
- Conducted via Zoom or similar platform
- Student meets with Admissions Officer—usually from home
Pros
- Zero travel, zero cost
- Comfortable, familiar environment
- Ideal for international families or those juggling busy schedules
- Allows students to structure their day without disruption
- Schools are adept at operating virtually (thanks, COVID)
Cons
- Possibly harder to build rapport, due to screen-mediated communication
- Technical glitches can interrupt flow
- Other cons, similar to the 'in-person semi-local hub' format
When This Format Makes Sense
- Students who feel genuinely most relaxed in familiar environments
- Families with complex schedules and/or younger siblings or other family obligations to juggle
- Applicants applying to many schools, and needing efficient scheduling
- International students or those far from New England
Format-Specific Tips
- Test lighting, audio, and camera angle ahead of time
- Position the camera at eye level
- Choose a quiet, neutral background (or keep the background area that is in view of the camera reasonably kempt)
- Consider being slightly more expressive with facial cues and voice tone
- Have a back-up device ready
Personal Experience
We experienced an audio hiccup at the beginning of my daughter's Choate interview (issue on our end). Our Admissions Officer was a pro, and was able to help us troubleshoot and resolve the issue quickly, and was super understanding and kind about it. Still a tad embarrassing and nerve-wracking.
Choosing the Right Format for Your Family
Questions to Ask When Determining Which Format Works Best
- Does my child gain energy from being physically in an environment?
- Do they get anxious in unfamiliar spaces?
- Is travel realistic for our family?
- Are we trying to see multiple schools in a single trip?
- Will we have an opportunity to either tour later, or visit (if admitted) during 'Revisit' days?
Exceptionally Generalized Guidance
- If you want maximum insight into environment and sense for vibe → On-campus / In-person
- Lower-pressure / Lesser logistical requirements → Semi-local / In-person
- Familiarity, efficiency, and the least logistically complicated → Virtual
- And remember this isn't one-size-fits-all; you can mix and match tour and/or interview formats