Common college interview questions you should prepare for:

Icebreaker Questions

Tell us something about yourself.

Tell me about your family.

Why do you want to pursue further studies?

What did you do last summer?

What do you like to do most/what do you do best?

Have you ever traveled to a foreign country before? What did you learn there?

General Questions

What are your educational/career goals?

How do you think this course will help you in your future career plans?

Where do you think you will be doing 5/10/15 years from now?

Who in your idol/ hero/ has influenced you most?

How will you contribute to the college community/society, if you are selected?

Tell us about your achievements/most memorable student experiences?

Who has helped you most to reach where you are today?

What subjects seemed most challenging/ interesting to you?

Why have you chosen to go to this country for this study program, instead of

doing it from India itself?

Questions based on your Degree and University Choice

Why have you chosen this major/ subject/ focus area?

Have you been accepted in any other graduate schools yet?

Is there a particular faculty member you want to work with?

Why are you interested in this particular college?

Personality Assessment Questions

Outside your academic interests, what do you do for fun?

Tell me about your success story/ or challenges that you have overcome in the

past?

Does your academic record accurately reflect your efforts and abilities well?

Recommend me a good book/ movie/ song.

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

What are your weaknesses/ the areas that you need to improve upon?

What do you think has influenced your life goals/career aspirations most?

How do you define success?

What makes you special/unique?

Questions based on your religious or political beliefs or other sensitive

issues

What philosophy do you have about life?

What do you think about latest news that was on TV about _________?

What do you think about ?

Do you think cultural norms of your national should be more flexible?

What do you think about the stance of on ?

Quickly advice Prime Minister of India/ U.S. on how to end terrorism/ religious

violence/ racism?

Document-based Questions

You wrote in your personal statement that you read poetry/ classics. What kind

of poetry/ novels do you read? Which one have you read recently and

liked/didn't like?

You have scored less/ took an odd course in your academic resume. Please tell

me more about it.

You are fluent in ________. Can you translate this for me?

One of your recommendations has been written by your high school Principal.

Didn't you find someone who has been associated with you more recently to

write recommendation for you?

One of your advisers has researched a lot on ________. Do you agree with

him?

Subject-based Questions

Give me some most recent studies in the field of your chosen subject?

Which methods or techniques do you intend to use in your research work?

If you were an ambassador in another country and some citizens of your

country are concerned about their safety, how will you handle the situation?

Scholarship or Fellowship Questions

How will this scholarship help you in your future goals?

Why do you deserve this scholarship more than other candidates?

What will you do if you don't receive the fellowship?

Do you know who founded this scholarship and what was its purpose? How do

you fit the criteria?

Immigration-based Questions

After completing your studies, do you wish to settle down in our country?

If you want to come back to India, why do you want to pursue studies abroad?

Open-ended Questions

Do tell us about something else?

Do you want to know anything about our college or course you want to

pursue?

Is there anything you want to ask us?