Q: My son will be applying to colleges in the fall. My question is about college interviews. Are college interviews given randomly or are they primarily given if the college is not quite sure about accepting the applicant? Is it just Ivy League schools who interview students or do many colleges request them?

A: As one admissions staff member told me, "An application is two-dimensional, but an interview is in 3-D." The college interview is a positive thing -- another way for an admissions committee to gain information about the applicant, another opportunity for an applicant to shine. There are different types of interviews, and not every college will have them as part of the admissions process.

While most Ivy League colleges do have interviews, not every applicant is offered one. And interviews are definitely not limited to the Ivy league. Many colleges want to interview candidates, but in general these are smaller schools. Large universities -- for instance, state universities -- do not offer interviews because there are too many candidates and the process would become unwieldy.<!--more-->

Some interviews are held on-campus by members of the admissions staff. If your son is planning any campus visits he ought to see if he can arrange in advance for an interview while he is there. In some cases, admissions staff have current college students do the interviewing. it would be a mistake to see this as not a "real" interview -- these students will take notes and report back to the admissions staff. And having a chat with a current student is also a positive opportunity -- your son could ask questions, too. This is a chance for him to interview the college. What does the student like best about being at the college? What is one thing he might wish to improve? What is a typical weekend like? How accessible are the professors?

Then there are the off-campus interviews. These are generally arranged by the admissions office with a network of alumni representatives around the country. These alumni are happy to do something to help their alma mater and they usually truly enjoy meeting prospective applicants. They, also, will send notes back to the colleges. Again, it would be a mistake to think that because the interview is not with an admissions officer that it is unimportant. No opportunity to make a positive impression is wasted.

But do all these interviews really count? Some are more valuable than others. Having a wonderful interview where the student and the interviewer really hit it off and have a sparkling friendly conversation is no guarantee of admission. Can a fantastic interview make up for a weak GPA? No. Being nervous at an interview and fumbling a couple of questions does not mean a student has just killed his chances at admission. Will a less-than-perfect interview -- or no interview at all -- negate an otherwise powerful application? No.

Bottom line:Your son should try to arrange for an interview with each college he is serious about.