There are many, many components to the college admissions process. We like to think of each aspect as an opportunity to stand out amongst the crowd. Interviews are one of them! They are usually conducted by volunteers, often alumni and they’re optional. (Though, if you know us at all, you know we’re going to tell you nothing is optional). Here is our guide to preparing for a college interview:

Preparing for interviews can be anxiety-inducing. In addition to getting clear about what you’re looking for in a school and how you’ll be contributing to life on campus, you’ll also need to navigate your personality. We all have strengths and weaknesses, obviously, and we’ve found that most people who consider themselves to be extroverted are generally less nervous about the prospect of a college interview. Even still, it’s incredibly important to prepare! Keep reading for three tips for extroverts during the interview process:

College interviews can be scary for anyone, especially if you struggle to put yourself out there. But we come to you with good news: Colleges aren’t just looking for diversity in terms of what students on campus are studying. They’re also looking for all different kinds of people with varying personality traits. It’s easy to trick yourself into thinking that colleges are looking for every kind of student besides yourself, but fear not! Your reserved nature is not a bad thing. And while we’re on the topic of good news, let’s discuss the college interview. Attending one will show that you’re dedicated and interested in the school. But it’s just as much for you as it is for the school. We totally understand that it feels like you’re sitting in the hot seat, and in some ways, you are, but it’s also a great opportunity for you to learn more about the school and decide if you want to attend. If you consider yourself an introvert, keep reading for three tips on how to prepare:

We get SO many questions about interviews that we’ve decided to consolidate some of our advice. Interviews are not the most important part of your application, so above all else: RELAX.

By the time kids get to the interview, there are so many strenuous, variable parts of the operation, that they are usually just ready to assert control over what they can—namely, the essay and the interview. While we fully understand the desire to work hard at an area of the application where you can exert some effort with the objective of producing a result, unfortunately, no matter how much you put into the interview, it’s just not going to have much bearing on your admission. While essays can make or break an acceptance, interviews are also an exercise in you getting to learn about the school.

There’s a lot to think (and stress) about when it comes to preparing for a college interview, but your outfit doesn’t have to be one of them. At the end of the day, the interviewer is not there to judge your outfit. They just want to get to know you a little better and put a face to the application.

Although we’ve written in the past to give you a run-down about on-campus interviews and if you should schedule them, we thought…hey, it’s spring. You might need a refresher as well as a guidebook on where they’re even an option and if you should start thinking about these elusive on-campus interviews. Here we go: