2025-2026 Purdue University Career Success Handbook

Tips for Professional School Interviews

Do your research.

Dress for success.

Always be polite.

Each program has its own method of conducting interviews. Learn all you can about your schools’ methods to feel confident and prepared on interview day.

Wear clothes that are non distracting for interviewers and that present you in a professional manner. Even if the interview is virtual, you need to dress as if it was in person.

Whether you are communicating with an administrative assistant, a receptionist, a faculty member or an admissions representative, always be polite and professional. Anyone you interact with may report back to the Admissions committee so be sure to always be courteous and thoughtful.

Prepare for common interview questions.

Use personal examples and be specific with answers.

Think ahead about questions likely to come up during an interview and spend time framing your answers. No matter the program, you should prepare answers for:

Strong interview answers aren’t philosophical debates on how you might respond to a given scenario but should instead apply your actual previous experiences to the question. Think ahead about your experiences and how you can use them as examples to provide evidence for your answers.

Tell me about yourself.

» »

Why do you want to go into this field? » Why do you want to attend our program?

Be mindful of body language.

Practice the interview process.

Conduct mock interviews with your peers, advisors, or faculty to practice developing responses using specific examples from your life and experiences. Use the format you will encounter on interview day. Practice online with Big Interview. Then schedule a PPA mock interview. Scheduling and resources can be found at:

When in an interview, we communicate with more than just our verbal answers. Be sure to convey confidence and attentiveness to the interviewer-- make regular eye contact with your interviewers, keep an open posture, and smile when appropriate to show friendliness.

Manage any nerves.

Ask questions.

Be yourself.

For any interview, the goal is to make a connection with your interviewers and to show them who you are. When you are nervous, this can be more difficult. We can offer techniques to help you focus on questions, answer genuinely, and feel more grounded.

Prepare questions ahead of time for your interviews. Asking questions allows you to convey your interest and enthusiasm for a program, as well as gain insight from someone already within the program/field.

You know yourself best, so let that shine during the interview. No one is better equipped to talk about your educational and career goals than you.

18 Career Success