Why should I interview?
An interview gives voice to all the parts of your application. It gives us an opportunity to engage with you, and it gives you the opportunity to add one more facet, one more distinguishing feature, to your application. It is also a time for you to ask questions about the College and take the time to assess if Lafayette is the right fit for you. Interviews at Lafayette are informational and evaluative.
Rarely, if ever, does an interview affect a student’s application in a negative way and in many cases, the interview is what made us decide to admit a student to Lafayette.
Who will interview me when I sign up for a virtual interview?
If you request an interview, you will be interviewed by one of the following
- Admissions Director, a member of the admissions staff.
- Senior Interviewer, a student who is a senior at Lafayette and has been trained to interview prospective students.
- Alum of Lafayette. Alumni interviews are only available in late fall and early winter, usually in November, December, and January. To request an alumni interview, you need to submit your application first and not have completed a previous interview.
What is the difference between an on-campus and virtual interview?
In the application process, all types of interviews carry the same weight. No matter who interviews you or where your interview takes place, the purpose is to get to know you as person who had ideas, thoughts, dreams, and goals.
- On-campus Interview: This will take place in an on-campus location with a senior interviewer or admissions director. We will conduct a 25-30 minute chat with you and also take a few minutes to chat with any family members/guardians/counselors who accompany you to campus. An on-campus interview can occur before or after you apply to Lafayette.
- Virtual Interview: We use an online platform to interview you through video conferencing. Find a comfortable place where you will have few disturbances for your interview. The interview is approximately 25-30 minutes long. A virtual interview can occur before or after you apply to Lafayette.
- Regional interview: As our admissions counselors travel the world in the fall, they often offer in-person interviews near you. Check the off-campus interviews to see if any are available near you.
- Alumni interview: Interviews with alumni of Lafayette College occur virtually. Unlike the other interview types, you must have already submitted your application in order to request an alumni interview. Alumni interviews are available in late fall.
- Community-based organization interviews. Lafayette maintains relationships with a variety of community-based organizations, such as Posse, Upward Bound, OppNet, and more. Our admissions counselors may offer in-person or virtual interviews to students associate with these types of organizations.
Can I sign up for an interview before I have submitted my application?
Yes. Students may conduct an interview before submitting their applications. In fact, this is a great way to decide if you want to apply to Lafayette as you gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities available to you at the College.
The exception to this is the alumni interviews. We want to maximize the time our alumni volunteer. Therefore a student must have applied to Lafayette in order to request an alumni interview.
Is an interview required as part of my application?
An interview is not required, but it is recommended. Please note that considerable weight is given to the interview when we review candidates for Marquis Awards.
When are interviews offered?
Seniors in high school and transfer student can register for interviews from late June through January 14. We do not offer interviews after our Regular Decision deadline of January 15. Note that you must sign up for an interview at least 36 hours before the interview time.
If I interviewed during the summer between junior and senior year, can I interview again in the fall? Or if I did a virtual interview and now I will be on campus, can I interview again?
No. High school students are granted one interview per admissions cycle, whether that is an in-person interview, virtual interview, or interview through a community-based organization. If you have something to add to your application after you have applied and interviewed, please email the information to admissions@lafayette.edu.
If I interviewed as a high school student and took a gap year or I am a transfer student, can I interview again?
Yes. Transfer students and gap-year students who interviewed when they were in high school may interview again as part of a new application to Lafayette College.
Can I interview when I visit campus?
Yes. We offer in-person interviews on campus. You must sign up ahead of time through our visit website to secure an interview slot.
Should you plan to visit campus on a day we do not have interviews scheduled, you can request an interview. If we have the staff availability, we will provide an interview.
If you can’t make it to campus or don’t have time when you visit, feel free to interview with us via a virtual interview.