How does a bad college interview affect your admission chances?

I'm worried I messed up my college interview. If you don't do well in an interview, how much can it hurt your chances of getting accepted? Should I try to do anything to recover from it?

It's natural to feel anxious after an interview, especially when it's for something as important as college admissions. Keep in mind, though, that most college interviews have a relatively small impact on admissions decisions, especially as admissions officers understand that applicants are young and might not have lots of interview experience. For most colleges, interviews tend to be 'informative' rather than 'evaluative'—meaning they're designed more to give you a platform to ask questions and learn about the school, rather than as a make-or-break part of your application.

While a truly bad interview might have a slight negative impact, generally, your interview performance would need to be significantly concerning (for example, if you were disrespectful or dishonest) to heavily pull down your application. Conversely, a simply stellar performance can help an application stand out, though it won't make up for deficiencies in GPA, standardized test scores, or essays.

As for recovering from a subpar interview, there might be limited opportunities to fix errors or clarify misunderstandings. However, if you believe there has been a significant misunderstanding or miscommunication that might reflect badly on you, you should consider sending a follow-up email or a letter to the admissions office politely explaining the situation. If you're worried that you didn't articulate something well during the interview, you could also consider touching upon those points further in a 'Thank You' email to your interviewer (if appropriate).

Remember, at the end of the day, your interview is just one piece of your larger application. Your transcript, essays, recommendation letters, and extracurricular involvement are all crucial factors that will play larger roles in admission decisions than one interview.