Colleges with Interviews Where Demonstrated Interest is Important (Class of 2030)

Editorial team Jun 19, 2025 · 4 min read
College Kickstart
Categories
Your College List Class of 2030
Tags
Air Force Allegheny College Baldwin-Wallace Bowdoin Bryn Mawr Christopher Newport
49 more tags
Claremont McKenna Clark Class of 2030 College of the Atlantic Colorado College Cornell DePauw Drew Elmira Georgetown Gettysburg Grinnell Hamilton Hamline Hartwick Harvey Mudd Hillsdale Hobart and William Smith Holy Cross Iona Juniata Knox Lake Forest Manhattanville Mount Holyoke Muhlenberg Naval Academy Occidental Olin Pitt Point Loma Nazarene Sacred Heart Saint John's - MD Saint John's - NM Saint Lawrence Saint Louis University Saint Mary's College Sewanee Simmons Skidmore Southwestern University of Rochester University of Tulsa Wake Forest Washington and Lee West Point Westminster - PA Westmont Yeshiva

interviewWith the fall 2025-26 application cycle approaching, it's important to keep an eye on interview requirements for the schools on your list—especially if they're looking for evidence of demonstrated interest.  

For example in cases like Hillsdale College where interviews are encouraged and demonstrated interest is very important, it's a good bet that taking advantage of an optional interview — in-person or virtual — is worth your time and may more strongly weigh on your candidacy for admission.

To compile this list, we first surveyed every school in our coverage universe where the latest Common Data Set entry for "level of applicant's interest" was reported as important or very important.  We then identified the schools where interviews are offered, encouraged, or required. 

 The devil is in the details, so to help you figure out your strategy we've also included a link to each listed school's interview policy.  Do keep in mind that interview requirements may often vary by major.   Also note that the Common Data set defines four options—very important, important, considered and not considered—and that inconsistencies are likely to exist in the way colleges define these terms.

This information is current as of 6/10/2025.

College Kickstart subscribers: this information is already available to you in the Summary and Requirements views.

 

Click on Continue Reading for the list.

 

Colleges with Interviews Where Demonstrated Interest is Important

Class of 2030

College Kickstart LLC

InstitutionInterview ImportanceDemonstrated InterestLink
Assumption University Encouraged Important
Bates College Optional, Non-evaluative Important
Bentley University Encouraged Important
Dickinson College Optional Very important
Fairfield University Encouraged Important
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Required (during Candidate Weekend for all candidate students) Very important
Gonzaga University Encouraged Important
Guilford College Encouraged Important
Hillsdale College Strongly encouraged Important
Kenyon College Recommended Important
Lehigh University Optional Important
Marymount Manhattan College Required for Visual/Performing Arts, Academic Access Program, Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) Very important
Pitzer College Optional Important
Quinnipiac University Optional Important
Rochester Institute of Technology Optional but encouraged Important
Roger Williams University Optional but may be recommended by invitation from reviewer or admissions committee for home-schooled students Important
Rollins College Required for international students applying ED; by invitation for Alfond Scholarships, increased Dean’s Scholarships, Cram Scholarships, and invitations to the Honors Degree Program Important
Sacred Heart University Optional but strongly recommended Very important
St. John’s College - MD Optional but strongly recommended Important
St. John’s College - NM Optional but strongly recommended Important
St. Olaf College Optional Important
Seton Hall University Optional Very important
Southwestern University Optional but highly encouraged; by invitation; required if choose test-optional path; required for scholarships Important
Syracuse University Optional; Required for School of Art’s B.F.A. programs, the School of Design’s B.F.A. and B.I.D. programs, the Department of Film and Media Arts, the Department of Drama, or the Setnor School of Music Important
Trinity College Optional but encouraged Important
Tulane University Optional Important
University of Rochester Optional but strongly recommended, especially for merit-based scholarships Important
Virginia Military Institute Optional Important
Wabash College Optional but recommended official campus visit with admissions interview Very important
Wheaton College - MA Optional Important
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Required Important
Eckerd College Encouraged Important
Christopher Newport University Encouraged; Required for President's Leadership and Honor Programs Important
Florida Institute of Technology Highly recommended; Sometimes required upon request Important
University of Tulsa Optional but strongly encouraged; by invitation as needed; required for students designated as National Merit Semifinalists pursuing the The University of Tulsa’s full ride National Merit Semifinalist Package Important
Merrimack College Recommended Important
Washington College Optional Important
Augustana College Encouraged; Required for ED Very important
Pratt Institute Optional; By invitation for HEOP Applicants Very important
United States Air Force Academy Required Very important
United States Military Academy Required Important
United States Naval Academy Required Very important
Roanoke College Optional but encouraged Important
Hanover College Optional Very important
Oglethorpe University Optional Important
Florida Southern College Encouraged Important
Rutgers University - Camden Required of all Mason Gross School of the Arts applicants by invitation Important
Bridgewater State University Optional Important
Champlain College Optional Important
Iona University Encouraged Important
Manhattanville College Encouraged, Required in some cases Very important
Utica University Optional but strongly encouraged to visit the campus for a personal interview with the admissions staff; required or early admission (after high school junior year); By invitation for HEOP Important
Mount St. Mary’s University - MD Optional Important
Western Carolina University Required for School of Stage and Screen Important
Antioch College Encouraged Very important
Moravian University Optional Important
DeSales University Sometimes requested for test optional students Important
Grove City College Recommended Very important
Western Connecticut State University Optional Important
Bethel University - MN Recommended Important
University of the Incarnate Word Optional/by invitation for transfer students and if needed for more information Important