How should I prepare for a college interview for Northwestern or Duke?

Prepare by knowing your own story well and by having a few school-specific reasons ready for each place. For Northwestern and Duke, the interview is usually evaluative in a light, conversational way and often led by alumni, so the strongest preparation is not memorizing scripts but practicing clear, natural answers about what you care about, how you spend your time, and why that university fits you. You want to sound reflective, curious, and specific.

For Northwestern, it helps to come across as someone who would really use the school’s flexibility. Northwestern is especially known for letting students explore across disciplines, so be ready to talk about academic interests that connect in interesting ways, such as combining journalism with political science, theater with economics, or engineering with design. If you mention Northwestern, reference things that match how you learn, like interdisciplinary options, undergraduate research, student media, performance groups, or specific programs that actually line up with your interests.

For Duke, a strong interview often highlights both intellectual energy and engagement beyond class. Duke tends to appeal to students who like a collaborative environment with strong school spirit, research, and service, so it helps to speak concretely about the kind of community you want to join. Good Duke-specific preparation might include knowing what kinds of campus organizations interest you, and how programs tied to research, public service, global experiences, or team-based learning connect to what you already do.

For either school, prepare core stories rather than full answers. Have one about an activity that matters to you, one challenge or setback, one moment of growth, one academic interest, one community contribution, and one reason you are excited about that particular college. Practice saying them out loud in a way that feels conversational, so you can adapt naturally instead of reciting.

Also prepare thoughtful questions. Avoid asking things easily found on the website. Better questions for alumni are things like how they found their community, what surprised them most, or how they used opportunities outside their major.