How do Cornell and Yale college interviews differ in format and purpose?

Yale’s interview is more likely to be evaluative, while Cornell’s is often informational and depends heavily on the specific undergraduate college. At Yale, interviews are typically alumni conversations used to add context to your application, and not every applicant is offered one. At Cornell, many applicants either do not interview at all or complete a less evaluative contact such as an informational meeting.

For Yale, the interview usually functions as part of the admissions process rather than just a courtesy chat. It is usually relaxed in tone, but its purpose is still to give admissions another perspective on your character, communication, and intellectual presence.

For Cornell, the biggest differentiator is that interview policy varies by school. For many other Cornell applicants, there may be no interview at all, or the interaction may be a non-evaluative alumni conversation intended to help you learn about Cornell rather than help Cornell judge you.

In practice, that means you should prepare differently. For Yale, expect more reflective questions and be ready to discuss your academic interests, values, and how you participate in a community. For Cornell, first check the policy of the exact undergraduate college you are applying to, because the format could range from no interview to an informational alumni meeting.