Forget the old-school model of a terrifying formal interview. At Sewanee, we view the interview as a conversation to learn more about you and how you might fit with our campus community.

Counselor Appointment Details
  • Appointments are open to seniors in high school, admitted students, and transfer students. Parents of any of these groups are also welcome to register for an appointment.
  • Schedule an appointment with a member of the admission staff. We do not offer appointments during our reading season of early November to early March.
  • Appointments are approximately 20-25 minutes. 
  • These are not interviews with structured questions, but rather a two way conversation to learn as much about you as you will about Sewanee. Below are a set of tips to help best showcase yourself and make your appointment a breeze. Now breathe, relax, and enjoy the conversation! We’re excited to get to know you. 

tips

  • Be your authentic self!
    Don’t be afraid to wear your passions on your sleeve. We’re excited to get to know the real you, so get ready to share what you’re truly excited about.
  • We know what you’re going through.
    Talking with an Admission staff member can be scary! Know that we are on your side and want to make you feel as comfortable as possible. We promise not to ask you trick questions, and we’ll have no problem rephrasing a question if you’re feeling stumped.
  • Talk about things that aren’t in your application.
    If you’ve already chosen your essay topic, talk about something different! This could be a great time to highlight the activities you do outside of school, hobbies that don’t make it into your application, or certain academic triumphs that are only given limited space in your application.
  • A little goes a long way.
    One of our current Senior Interviewers put it perfectly: “I would rather talk for 30 minutes about that one thing a student is in love with then talk about the 15 different clubs they’re only kind of involved in.”
  • That being said …
    Be prepared to talk about a variety of interests. Our questions will help you out here! If you catch yourself focusing solely on philosophy or Legos or your DNA research, we’re going to think that’s the only thing worth knowing about you. We know there’s more, so don’t be afraid to share.
  • Pauses are okay.
    We may ask you a question that causes you to think before you answer—and that’s okay. Feel free to take a beat or two before you answer, as long as that’s what feels most comfortable to you. And if you’re ready to answer right away? Jump right in.
  • How you listen says a lot.
    Try to be an active and engaged listener when the person conducting your appointment is sharing information about Sewanee or themselves. 
  • Be yourself!
    We promise we’re not too scary, and we’re on your team. We know that the appointment is not the end all be all, so have fun with it!