How do Northwestern and Columbia college interviews typically work?

The biggest practical difference is that Northwestern’s interview process is usually more consistently alumni-based and evaluative in tone, while Columbia’s process is more limited by availability and often framed as one small piece of the application rather than a major factor. At both schools, interviews are typically optional and depend on interviewer availability, so not getting one usually does not mean anything negative. In both cases, you should expect a conversational format rather than a high-pressure interrogation.

Northwestern has long used alumni interviews as part of its application process, and applicants who request or are offered one usually meet with an alumnus either virtually or in person. The conversation often covers why Northwestern, academic interests, extracurricular involvement, and what kind of campus community you are looking for. It is evaluative, meaning the interviewer usually submits notes or a report to the admissions office, but it is still meant to be friendly and relatively informal.

Columbia also uses alumni interviews, but they are less predictable because they depend heavily on alumni availability by region and application volume. If you are offered one, it is typically with an alumnus and is also evaluative in the sense that feedback is sent back to admissions.

For structure, both schools usually run around 30 to 60 minutes and include standard questions about your interests, activities, and reasons for applying. Columbia interviewers may spend a bit more time probing how you would engage with the Core Curriculum, New York City, or Columbia-specific academic opportunities. Northwestern interviewers often focus closely on fit with the school’s collaborative culture, quarter system, and cross-disciplinary flexibility.

So in practice, expect alumni-led, conversational interviews at both places, with Northwestern’s feeling slightly more built into the admissions rhythm and Columbia’s feeling a bit more contingent and supplementary.