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The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

516: Inside the Application (Part 2): Developing the Personal Statement, Supplemental Essays, and College List with Cassidy, HS Senior

Sep 3, 2024

Today’s episode is part two of our series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Ethan and Cassidy will be walking step-by-step through the college application process as it unfolds this school year....

515: Inside the Application Part 1: Brainstorming, Outlining, and Drafting with Cassidy, HS Senior

Aug 20, 2024

Today’s episode kicks off a new series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Ethan and Cassidy will be walking step-by-step through the college application process as it unfolds this school year. In episode...

514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective

Aug 6, 2024

Welcome to the final episode to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications. In Episode 3, Ethan’s guest is Emi Nietfeld , author of Acceptance (Penguin Press '22), a critically-acclaimed memoir of her high school journey through foster care, homelessness, and the troubled teen...

513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective with Christina Lopez

Jul 25, 2024

Welcome to the next episode to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications.  In Episode 2, Ethan is joined by Christina Lopez, Dean of Enrollment Management at Barnard College. They cover, among other things:  

• Why is this topic important—both generally, but also personally, for...

512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective

Jul 11, 2024

Welcome to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications.  To kick things off, Ethan interviews Chris Loo, Director of College Counseling at The Stony Brook School, where Chris has been working to help students navigate mental health disclosures in their applications for years. In...

About the Podcast

Practical, up-to-date interviews with experts in college admissions, financial aid, personal statements, test prep and more. Ethan Sawyer (aka College Essay Guy), interviews deans of admission, financial aid experts, and veterans of the admissions field to extract, then distill their advice into practical steps for students and those guiding them through the process. From creating an awesome college list to appealing a financial aid letter, Ethan skips the general advice and gets right to the action items, all in an effort to bring more ease, joy and purpose into the college admissions process.

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The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

• UPDATED MONTHLY

Practical, up-to-date interviews with experts in college admissions, financial aid, personal statements, test prep and more. Ethan Sawyer (aka College Essay Guy), interviews deans of admission, financial aid experts, and veterans of the admissions field to extract, then distill their advice into practical steps for students and those guiding them through the process. From creating an awesome college list to appealing a financial aid letter, Ethan skips the general advice and gets right to the action items, all in an effort to bring more ease, joy and purpose into the college admissions process.

516: Inside the Application (Part 2): Developing the Personal Statement, Supplemental Essays, and College List with Cassidy, HS Senior

Today’s episode is part two of our series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Ethan and Cassidy will be walking step-by-step through the college application process as it unfolds this school year. In episode 2, they get into:  How is Cassidy’s personal statement coming along? What does Cassidy want colleges to know about her? How is Cassidy approaching her supplemental essays? What is Cassidy looking for in a college and how did she develop her list? And more Stay tuned for future episodes where Ethan and Cassidy continue the conversation! This series is a bit different in that, normally, we share episodes-in-a-series consecutively. For these, we’re releasing them pretty much as we record them, so you’ll notice them interspersed among other topics we’ll be covering. We’ll continue to check in with Cassidy to see how things are going, and you’ll find out how it turned out a few months from now. Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, knows a lot about Biology, and identifies as a “yapper”—more on that in our conversation.  We hope you enjoy!    Play-by-play 1:36 - What has Cassidy been working on since last episode? 3:28 - Cassidy reads draft two of her personal statement  7:51 - Cassidy shares her thoughts on her draft 9:18 - Ethan gives feedback and shares suggestions for the next draft  12:57 -  Ethan reviews Cassidy’s "Everything I Want Colleges to Know About Me" list 21:38 - Ethan reviews Cassidy’s CommonApp Activities List and Additional Info sections 26:09 - What is Cassidy looking for in a college and how did she develop her list? 25:00 - Ethan reads the supplemental prompts from Cassidy’s college list tracker  35:56  - What is a “super topic" and how might it help Cassidy? 50:50 - What is the Roles and Identities exercise? 58:55 - What are Cassidy’s next steps in her drafting process?    Resources Part 1 of this series, Inside the Application Cassidy’s brainstorming and second draft The "Everything I Want Colleges to Know About Me" List: A Brainstorm Exercise 8 First Choices: An Expert's Strategies for Getting into College by Joyce Slayton Mitchell How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours) College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources Learn How to Write Great Supplemental College Essays College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise Funko Pops

515: Inside the Application Part 1: Brainstorming, Outlining, and Drafting with Cassidy, HS Senior

Today’s episode kicks off a new series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Ethan and Cassidy will be walking step-by-step through the college application process as it unfolds this school year. In episode 1, they get into:  How did Cassidy approach brainstorming and outlining for her personal statement?  What brainstorming activities helped Cassidy pick her topic? Cassidy’s first draft of her personal statement  Ethan’s suggestions for revision  And more This series will also be different in that, normally, we share episodes-in-a-series consecutively. For these, we’re releasing them pretty much as we record them, so you’ll notice them interspersed among other topics we’ll be covering.  Stay tuned for future episodes where Ethan and Cassidy continue the conversation! They’ll revisit her personal statement, talk about supplemental essays, go over how Cassidy developed her college list, and even talk a little bit about the activities list and the additional information section. We’ll continue to check in with Cassidy to see how things are going, and you’ll find out how it turned out a few months from now. Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, knows a lot about Biology, and identifies as a “yapper”—more on that in our conversation.  We hope you enjoy!    Play-by-play:  2:57 - Getting to know Cassidy through her brainstorming materials 3:27 - Cassidy’s social identities 4:29 - Cassidy’s values 7:05 - Cassidy’s superpower 8:12 - Cassidy’s islands of personality 8:40 - What were some of the topics Cassidy considered for her essay? 13:51 - Cassidy walks through her essay outline and examples 16:01 - How did outlining make things easier for Cassidy?  18:48 - Cassidy reads the first draft of her personal statement  22:42 - Cassidy shares her thoughts on her draft 26:04 - Ethan gives feedback  39:18 - Ethan shares suggestions for the next draft  41:52 - Closing thoughts     Resources Cassidy’s brainstorming and first draft College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub Funko Pops

514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective

Welcome to the final episode to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications. In Episode 3, Ethan’s guest is Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance (Penguin Press '22), a critically-acclaimed memoir of her high school journey through foster care, homelessness, and the troubled teen industry to attend college at Harvard. In this frank conversation, Emi opens up about, among other things: How the notion of disclosing (or not disclosing) may actually be somewhat problematic The difference between writing about challenges in general… and writing about them for the purposes of the college application The role she believes high school counselors can play in supporting students with mental health challenges during the college application process Takeaways for college admissions officers evaluating applications that include mental health disclosures And more   Play-by-Play 2:14 - Emi shares her background and story  3:50 - What advice would Emi  give to students about whether or not to disclose? 9:20 - What did Emi write about in her book, Acceptance? 11:55 - What was the college application process like for Emi? 14:24 - How did Emi’s college essay change from the first to final draft? 19:49 - Where else in the application are there opportunities to disclose? 23:38 - What did the rest of Emi’s application look like? 30:00 - How has writing helped Emi process her experiences? 33:17 - How can high school counselors help their students navigate this process? 36:11 - What advice would Emi give to college admission readers? 42:29 - How has Emi’s life been different since writing Acceptance?  46:40 - What are Emi’s hopes for the future of mental health disclosures in college applications?   Resources Emi’s book, Acceptance Blog post linked to this episode: Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)? Part 1 of this series – Episode 512: The Counselor Perspective Part 2 of this series – Episode 513: The Admission Officer Perspective How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples How to Brainstorm 7 Different Personal Statement Ideas Episode 406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective with Christina Lopez

Welcome to the next episode to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications.  In Episode 2, Ethan is joined by Christina Lopez, Dean of Enrollment Management at Barnard College. They cover, among other things:   Why is this topic important—both generally, but also personally, for Christina? What advice would Christina give to students about whether or not to disclose? What does Christina look for in a personal statement?  How can college counselors and parents help their students navigate this process? And more  Christina Lopez has served in college admissions for 18 years. She attended New York University Tisch School of the Arts and majored in Drama and later received her M.Ed. from NYU Steinhardt in Higher Education Administration. After graduating she worked in television and film casting and realized she enjoyed working with students. Her first admissions job was at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC.  During her time at NYU, she read for the Stern School of Business and managed the admissions process for Tisch School of the Arts. She joined Barnard’s admissions team in 2014 as the Associate Director for Multicultural Recruitment and now serves as the Dean of Enrollment Management, providing oversight to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.  During her career in higher education, Christina has served as an Executive Board Member for New York State Association of College Admissions Counseling (NYSACAC) and Co-Chair of the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools (ABAFAOILSS). As an advocate for access and equity within higher education, she has previously served on the board of Go To College NYC and Minds Matter, two Community-Based Organizations in NYC that serve under-resourced students as they navigate the college process. We hope you enjoy the conversation.   Play-by-Play: 2:29 - Why is this topic important—both generally, but also personally, for Christina? 4:05 - Christina shares her background  15:27 - What advice would Christina give to students about whether or not to disclose? 20:36 - What are some different options for where students can disclose if they choose to? 23:33 - What information might not be as helpful to disclose? 26:00 - What does Christina look for in a personal statement?  33:45 - Christina shares some memorable college essays 38:22 - How can college counselors help their students navigate this process? 40:38 - What should students and families keep in mind during the college admission process? 50:31 - Closing thoughts   Resources: Blog post linked to this episode: Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)? Part 1 of this series: Episode 512, Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective Your College Bound Kid Podcast: Christina Lopez on “Mental Health”’ How to Brainstorm 7 Different Personal Statement Ideas Episode 406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective

Welcome to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications.  To kick things off, Ethan interviews Chris Loo, Director of College Counseling at The Stony Brook School, where Chris has been working to help students navigate mental health disclosures in their applications for years. In this episode, they explore: Which student populations does Chris see struggle with mental health challenges? When to disclose mental health issues and when it might not be necessary How and where in their applications students can disclose, from their additional info section to the counselor recommendation letter to the personal statement Advice for counselors and an exploration of the question: "Are we discussing this too much?" This episode is informed by conversations with many admission officers over the years and by direct work with students. If you’d like to hear from an admission officer directly, check out episode two in this series with Christina Lopez, Dean of Enrollment Management at Barnard College, and episode three with Emi Nietfeld, who discusses what it was like to navigate mental health disclosures from the student perspective.  Chris Loo immigrated from South Korea at the age of 5 with her parents. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in American History and received her Masters in Clinical Social Work. She has also worked as a music teacher, a campus chaplain and a mental health counselor at a refugee resettlement organization. She also serves as a board director for the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC).  We hope you enjoy the conversation.     Play-by-Play 2:24 - Chris’ background in mental health and college counseling 6:11 - Should students disclose mental health challenges in their college application? 10:20 - What questions can students ask themselves to help decide? 15:08 - What is the Additional Information section and how could it be used to disclose mental health challenges? 17:20 - Chris and Ethan review an example disclosure from the Additional Information section 24:06 - What information could be shared through the counselor letter of recommendation? 24:42 - Chris shares a sample counselor letter example  34:33 - Ethan reads a personal statement sample where a student chose to disclose  47:15 - What is the role of the counselor in this process for students? 54:44 - Are we talking about mental health too much?  57:27 - Closing thoughts for students and families     Resources Blog post inspired by this episode: Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)? How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples CEG Podcast Episode 507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families CEG Podcast Episode 508: What Colleges Want (Part 7B): Recommendation Letter Crash Courses for Counselors and Teachers NYTimes Article: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

511: Identity, Self-Care, and the Future of College Admission w/ NACAC CEO Angel Pérez

In today's episode, Ethan connects with Angel Pérez (CEO of the National Association of College Admission Counselors) to discuss identity, his personal journey with self-care, and where he sees the college admission profession heading.  On the episode, you’ll hear Angel and Ethan discuss: Angel’s brainstorming work for his own imagined college essay (yes, really) What Angel’s core values have to do with his self-care journey Strategies and techniques Angel (and Ethan) use for self care How does Angel see the US college landscape (and/or admissions process) changing in the next 5 years?  Fun fact: You’ll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel. Check out last year’s conversation, CEG Podcast Episode 401: Self-care for counselors, leaders, and professionals in helping roles. If you haven’t met Angel Pérez, he is CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In this role, he represents more than 25,000 admission and counseling professionals worldwide committed to postsecondary access and success. Named by a Forbes article in 2019 as the most influential voice in college admissions, he strives to build an educational ecosystem that better represents today’s society. Prior to joining NACAC in July of 2020, Dr. Pérez served in secondary and higher education leadership positions across America, most recently, as Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College in Connecticut. He is an advocate for counselors everywhere, an important ally in the work of increasing access to higher education, and I’m so lucky to call him my friend… Hope you enjoy this episode.    Play-by-Play 2:43 - Introductions and welcome 4:15 - Values Exercise 9:13 - Social Identities Exercise 11:47 - What life experiences have influenced Angel’s identities?  19:58 - How do Angel’s core values connect to identity?  22:46 - How has self-care for Angel and Ethan evolved since their conversation last year? 27:06 - What are Angel and Ethan still working on for self-care? 33:39 - Accountability, pausing, and intention in self-care  39:24 - How does Angel see the US college landscape (and/or admissions process) changing in the next 5 years?  44:14 - How has the ban on race-conscious admission impacted students?  46:07 - Advice for students  48:20 - Is college still worth the cost? 50:56 - Advice for counselors and admission professionals 53:23 - Closing thoughts   Resources YouTube video version of this episode (511) Values Exercise Social Identities Exercise Counting Up vs. Counting Down by Duncan Sabien   30-Day Phone Breakup Course (Catherine Price) Rocket Fuel by Mark C. Winters, Gino Wickman CEG Podcast Episode 401: Self-care for counselors, leaders, and professionals in helping roles CEG Podcast Episode 406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

What Colleges Want (Part 9): A Crash Course in Standardized Testing

Today’s episode concludes our 9-part “What Colleges Want” series, where we’ve been walking through the results of the report released by the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) regarding the factors that colleges deem important. Ethan is joined by Jay Rosner (Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation) to talk about standardized testing.  In this episode they get into:  What are the origins of the SAT? What’s changed in the testing landscape in the last year or two?  Does test optional really mean test optional? How much standardized tests matter for colleges? How do students figure out their preparation timeline and which test to take?  Why might testing be considered problematic? As the Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation, Jay Rosner has developed programs jointly with such organizations as the NAACP, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, College and Graduate Horizons (serving Native American students) and the Asian Pacific Fund. Jay's career has combined education and law, with an emphasis on student advocacy. He has testified before state legislative committees in California, Texas, Illinois and New Jersey, and as an expert witness in cases involving testing. Before attending law school, Jay was a public high school math teacher. Jay holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from Widener University, and is the proud father of two grown daughters.   Hope you enjoy!    Play-by-play 2:16 - How does Jay know so much about standardized tests?  4:23 - What are the origins of the SAT? 6:40 - How has standardized testing changed in recent years? 11:25 - Is test-optional really optional?  13:26 - How much do standardized tests matter in the application review? 14:49 - Who should take standardized tests? 20:24 - Is it better to take the SAT or the ACT? 23:30 - What are the benefits of quality test prep?  27:10 - How can students reach their best score?  33:54 - How do students know if they should submit their scores or not?  38:40 - Advice for counselors working with students in marginalized populations   42:05 - Why do some folks find standardized testing to be problematic? 45:00 - Closing advice for students and counselors    Resources List of test-optional and test-free schools CEG's Crash Course to Standardized Testing Add’l Info Sample on Testing

What Colleges Want (Part 8): Extracurricular Activities Deep Dive: How Getting Involved In and Out of School Can Boost Your Application

On today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Carolyn Starks, a former Pomona and Bates admissions officer and Associate Director of College Counseling at Oakwood School (North Hollywood, CA) at the time of recording, to talk about extracurricular activities and the activities list on college applications. They get into, among other things: What are some of the benefits of getting involved in your school community? How can students explore activities outside of their high schools? How do admission officers evaluate a student’s activities list? Frequently asked questions about activities and summer programs And more!  But first, let’s meet Carolyn:  Carolyn Starks followed her father’s footsteps and attended Rhodes College in Memphis, TN where she studied English and Africana Studies. After graduation, she moved to Portland, ME to work at Bates College where she focused on supporting first-generation-to-college, BIPOC, and/or low-income students through the admissions process. After two years, she landed a job at Pomona College’s Office of Admissions where she joined the Access Team, ran the College’s diversity fly-in programs, and learned to be justice oriented in her approach to educational equity. Though at the time of recording Carolyn was Oakwood School in North Hollywood’s Associate Director of College Counseling, she will soon be moving to serve as Co-Director of College Counseling at Santa Fe Prep in Santa Fe, NM. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys indulging in local cuisine and watching Bravo with her husband and her dog, Ms. Pecan Pie.    We hope you enjoy the episode.    Play-by-Play 4:48 - What is Carolyn’s background?  6:20 - What activities was Carolyn involved in during high school? 8:36 - What activities did Tom participate in during high school?  10:45 - How can students learn about the opportunities at their school? 16:50 - Why should students get involved within their school community? 23:09 - How can students be involved in extracurriculars outside their school?  29:57 - What should students keep in mind when applying to highly selective schools? 36:13 - Do colleges have preferred activities or summer experiences? 36:41 - Does placement on an activities list matter? 37:37 - How many years should students participate in an activity?  39:05 - How important is having formal leadership roles?  42:18 - What might not be worth putting on your activities list?  46:25 - How many activities is enough?  51:22 - How can students maintain a balance between their home life, academic, and extracurricular activities? 55:47 - Closing thoughts  Resources Extracurricular Activities: A comprehensive guide with 400+ examples and ideas How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List A List of Activities You May Not Have Considered Including—But That Count! 80+ Real Examples for Writing Your Extracurricular Activity List

Ratings & Reviews

This is the best podcast for understanding these topics.

Thank for such well done podcasts - they have really helped me understand both the college admissions topics and other things to think about as a parent of a soon-to-be high schooler. Also kudos for making it easy and fun to listen to!

Exhausting to listen to.

Good content but the host frequently goes on long monologues instead of letting the guest speak.

Great, great, information!!

tiffany.etzel

I’m so grateful I found your podcast!! I’m going back to school and I’m soaking up so much from you! Thank you so much!

Paradox and hypocrisy- that’s college admissions

podcastjunkie.LC

This podcast deserves 5-stars because it is an honest and useful guide to writing essays that will get a kid admitted into a good college. The downside is also its honesty. - Be authentic, unless you’re “privileged.” (“Privilege” defined: rich, or even middle class, or god forbid a two parent home. Or, if you know what gender you are, and have never been confused about it...etc) - Make sure you visit the schools that you want to attend, to demonstrate interest and garner material for your essays. Nevermind the fact that you’re supposed to be too poor to be able to afford these visits, and should not have reliable adults in your life to take you. - Don’t include any political topics or religious topics in your essays unless you have an extreme liberal bent or unless you’re a member of a religion that is popular with liberalism. If you communicate anything in your essays that hints at anything other than classic American Liberalism— that will be a BIG red flag to colleges that you are closed minded, and they don’t want closed minds on college campuses. - Be sure to buy the “how to write college essay” books and purchase the workshops we sell— because you need all of the tips we have to offer. But definitely be too poor to buy these books. Thanks for the honesty!!

Information

• Creator Ethan Sawyer
• Years Active 2017 - 2024
• Episodes 72
• Rating Clean
• Copyright © Copyright College Essay Guy LLC
• Show Website The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

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How to Master College Interviews: 25 Essential Questions and Tips

College interviews are an important part of the admissions process, providing you with an opportunity to showcase your uniqueness and authenticity. While it’s tempting to simply regurgitate what’s already in your application , these interviews are an opportunity to delve deeper and share aspects of your life that can truly make you stand out.

To help you prepare for your college interviews, we’ve compiled a list of 25 essential questions that many interviewers use, along with some expert tips to help you craft memorable and impactful responses.

1. Tell me about yourself.

This question offers you a chance to provide a brief overview of who you are, highlighting key aspects of your background, interests, and experiences.

It’s important to strike a balance between being concise and providing enough detail to showcase your personality.

2. What is your home life like?

This question allows interviewers to gain insight into your family dynamics and the role your home life plays in shaping your values and aspirations.

Be genuine and share unique anecdotes that provide a glimpse into your upbringing and the values you hold dear.

3. What would you do differently about high school if you had to do it again?

Reflecting on your high school experience and identifying areas for growth demonstrates maturity and self-awareness.

Focus on meaningful lessons you’ve learned and how they have shaped your personal and academic development.

4. What are your favorite subjects in school?

Highlighting your academic interests not only showcases your passion but also allows interviewers to gauge your intellectual curiosity.

Discuss specific subjects or areas of study that genuinely excite you, and explain why they resonate with you.

5. What do you like to do in your free time?

This question provides a glimpse into your hobbies and extracurricular activities, revealing a well-rounded perspective that extends beyond the classroom.

Emphasize activities that have had a significant impact on your personal growth and highlight any leadership roles or notable achievements.

6. What are some extracurriculars you are passionate about?

Building on the previous question, this query delves deeper into your involvement in extracurricular activities.

Discuss clubs, sports teams, community service, or any other pursuit you’re passionate about, and highlight the skills you’ve developed or the impact you’ve made through these activities.

7. What are your strengths?

This question provides an opportunity to showcase your self-awareness and highlight your strongest attributes.

Choose a few key strengths that align with the values and qualities colleges are looking for, and support your claims with specific examples or anecdotes.

8. What are your weaknesses?

When discussing your weaknesses, focus on areas where you have recognized your limitations and have actively worked towards personal growth.

Emphasize how you’ve sought improvement and provide examples of specific steps you’ve taken to overcome these challenges.

9. What do you do to remedy those weaknesses?

Follow up on the previous question by elaborating on the strategies and actions you’ve taken to address your weaknesses.

Whether it’s seeking mentorship, taking relevant courses, or honing specific skills, demonstrate your commitment to personal growth and continuous improvement.

10. Describe yourself in 1-3 words.

Summarizing your essence in a few words can be a challenging task. Choose adjectives that encapsulate your personality, values, and strengths.

It’s important to support these adjectives with brief explanations or examples to bring them to life.

11. Describe something you have done that displays your character.

This question provides an opportunity to share a personal story that showcases your character and integrity.

Choose an experience that has had a profound impact on you and highlight the qualities or values that were tested or demonstrated through this experience.

12. What does the term leadership mean to you?

Demonstrate your understanding of leadership by providing a thoughtful and personal definition.

Discuss key attributes and values associated with effective leadership and provide examples of instances where you have exhibited leadership qualities.

See also: How To Display Leadership To Your Admission Officers

13. Who has encouraged or inspired you?

Identify individuals who have had a significant impact on your life and explain how their support or inspiration has shaped your values, goals, or aspirations. This could include mentors, family members, teachers, or role models.

14. Be prepared to talk about “supplemental essay” questions:

Colleges often require supplemental essays as part of the application process. Familiarize yourself with these essay prompts and be prepared to discuss them during your interview.

Highlight the uniqueness of your response and articulate how these essay topics resonate with you personally.

• Your favorite X (author, mentor, person, etc.)
• An obstacle in your life you’ve overcome.
• What has influenced you the most in your life?
• Talk about a time when you had to resolve a conflict.
• Talk about a time you’ve demonstrated leadership, etc.

15. What are you reading right now? Watching right now? Why do you like it?

Demonstrate your intellectual curiosity and cultural awareness by discussing books, movies, or shows that have captured your interest.

Explain why these works resonate with you personally and how they have influenced your perspective or understanding of the world.

16. Why do you want to study X?

This is your opportunity to explain why you have chosen a particular field of study. Discuss your passion for the subject, any relevant experiences or influences that have shaped your interest, and how pursuing this field aligns with your long-term goals.

17. Why X College?

Research the college thoroughly and identify specific aspects that attract you to their institution. Highlight unique programs, professors, or opportunities that align with your academic and personal interests.

Demonstrate your fit by emphasizing why this college is the ideal environment for your growth and contribution.

18. What stuck out to you during your tour?

If you’ve had the chance to visit the college campus, share your impressions and memorable experiences. Discuss facilities, interactions with current students or faculty, or any other details that left a lasting impact on you. This demonstrates your genuine interest and engagement with the college.

19. What are 2 attributes that make you a good fit for our school?

Display your familiarity with the college’s values, culture, and mission by highlighting two key attributes that align with their ideals.

Provide specific examples or experiences that illustrate these attributes and emphasize how they would contribute to the college community.

20. How do you feel about moving away from home?

Colleges often want to know whether prospective students are prepared for the transition from home life to the college environment.

Be honest about your feelings and demonstrate your adaptability, independence, and readiness to explore new experiences and environments.

21. What are your plans after college?

While it’s not necessary to have a thorough plan for your post-college life, it’s important to showcase your aspirations and ambition.

Discuss the general field or industry you are interested in, and provide a few ideas or possibilities you have in mind, highlighting the reasons behind your choices.

22. If an alien offered to take you on an epic space journey, but you could never see your friends and family on Earth again, would you go?

Sometimes interviewers like to throw weird or unexpected questions at you just for fun.

These questions test your ability to think on your feet and respond to unexpected scenarios. Consider the implications of this hypothetical situation, weighing the potential excitement of an epic space journey against the emotional connections you have with your loved ones. Provide a thoughtful response that reveals your values and priorities.

23. Is there something you are so excited about it keeps you up at night?

Demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm by sharing something that truly excites you. It could be an academic pursuit, a personal project, or a cause you care deeply about. Emphasize how this passion motivates and drives you to pursue excellence.

24. What are some issues you’re passionate about?

Colleges often seek individuals who are actively engaged in social issues and are motivated to make a positive impact. Identify a few issues that are meaningful to you and explain why they resonate with you personally.

Discuss any initiatives, community work, or advocacy you have been involved in.

25. What is something you want to tell us but haven’t gotten a chance to mention?

This open-ended question allows you to share any additional information that you believe is important for the interviewer to know. It could be a unique accomplishment, a distinctive perspective, or anything else that adds depth to your application and character.

Mastering college interviews requires thoughtful preparation and practice. Remember to approach these questions with authenticity and a genuine desire to share your unique story. By showcasing your personality, values, and passions, you will leave a lasting impression on the interviewers and increase your chances of securing a spot at your dream college.

Review these 25 essential questions, reflect on your own experiences, and formulate genuine and captivating responses. Good luck with your college interviews!

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6 Top College Interview Tips: How to Prepare Effectively

Many of the top colleges either recommend or require interviews. To give yourself the best opportunity to make a good impression in your interviews, and to improve your chances of getting accepted to these schools, you should absolutely prepare for your interviews.

In this article, I'll explain exactly how prepare for a college interview, and I'll give you detailed college interview tips that should make you more comfortable and confident during the interview process.

Introduction to College Interviews

  An interview provides the college with an opportunity to give you more information about the school and answer any of your questions about the school and the application process. Additionally, the interview gives the school an opportunity to learn more about you, your interests, and how you’ll be able to contribute to the school .

Only a small percentage of colleges recommend or require an interview. Most large public universities don’t offer interviews because they simply have too many applicants. Typically, the colleges that offer interviews are very selective private colleges . Check a college's website or contact the admission office to determine if interviews are offered and how to schedule one.

Interviews can be on-campus, usually with an admissions representative, or off-campus near where you live, usually with a graduate of the college. Also, they can be evaluative, meaning that your interview impacts admission decisions, or they can be informational, meaning that they’re just designed to provide you with more information about the school or one of its programs. Two schools that offer evaluative interviews are Harvard and Princeton while Cornell and Vassar have informational interviews.

Which Colleges Require Interviews?

Check out  the complete list of colleges that require interviews to learn about all of the schools that recommend or require interviews. All of the Ivy League schools outside of Cornell either recommend or require interviews .

Other colleges that recommend or require interviews include Duke, Emory, Bowdoin, University of Chicago, MIT, and Georgetown. Some colleges that offer optional interviews include Stanford, Tufts, Vanderbilt, and Vassar.

Duke recommends interviews, and it has updated the look of its mascot. ( Duke University Archives /Flickr)

How to Set Up a College Interview

Once you decide which schools you’re applying to, find out if they offer interviews. Also, you need to make a note of how and when to set up interviews. For schools that give interviews, you’ll often be contacted after you submit your application with information about setting up an interview. Generally, interviews are conducted in the fall if you're applying early , and they're conducted in the winter if you apply under regular decision. If you're given the option of having an interview, you should interview . Interviewing shows the school that you're genuinely interested in attending, and demonstrating interest can help your chances of gaining admission. Also, the interview gives the school an opportunity to learn more about you outside of what's in your application, and you get to learn more about the school.

Why Do You Need to Prepare For an Interview?

Most colleges stress that interviews are opportunities for the school to get to know more about you and for you to get to know more about the school. You may assume that because you know about yourself, there’s no real need to prepare. You may think that all you have to do is honestly answer the questions you’re asked. While it's true that you primarily just have to candidly answer questions about yourself, preparation can help you appear more confident and give more thoughtful answers .

Also, if you prepare, you'll be able to ask questions that demonstrate your interest in the school and show that you've done substantial research. Some additional preparation can help separate you from the thousands of students who are interviewing for these selective schools .

If you prepare, you can be as confident as this guy.

How to Prepare for a College Interview

Your preparation for your interviews consists of three major components: research, practicing answers to questions, and preparing questions to ask the interviewer . I’ll explain how to do all three and how they’ll benefit you during your interview.

Step 1: Research the School

Well before your interview, you should research as much about the school as possible. Focus your research on why the school would be a good fit for you and your needs . Because you should have done extensive research before you decided to apply, this should be mostly review and shouldn’t be too time-consuming. Consider how the school will be able to meet your needs and what you're looking for in a college. You can research anything of interest to you, whether it's related to academics, campus life, extracurriculars, study abroad programs, or athletics.

If you want to pursue a specific major, you can learn about its course requirements, professors, and any special programs for students in that major. Use the school's website, college finders , search websites , and guidebooks to help you learn about the school. Your research will help you prepare for questions you may be asked, and it will help you come up with questions for your interviewer.

Step 2: Prepare for Your Interview Answer

Check out this article for a specific guide on the questions you should prepare for . Some common ones include:

• Why are you interested in this college?
• What are your academic strengths?
• What do you plan to be doing ten years from now?

The questions you'll be asked pertain to your personality, character, goals, and why you think the school would be a good fit for you. To prepare, you should jot down some notes and practice your responses to the most common interview questions.

Remember that the school wants to learn about what makes you unique . So, if you're asked about your greatest strength, don't just say that you're hardworking. That's a response that could be given by thousands of students. If you think you're especially diligent, you can reveal an anecdote that demonstrates your exceptional work ethic. Being able to give specific examples will make your answers much stronger and more believable.

While it's not a bad idea to practice answering common questions, you don't want to try to memorize your answers or write them out word for word . You should appear conversational in the interview, and you don't want to have to stress about remembering the exact words of your prepared answers.

Incorporate information from your research into your answer about why the school would be a good fit for you. Try to include information that's not too superficial or obvious. Don't just say you want to be a doctor and the school has a good pre-med program. Go into more depth. What about the pre-med program makes it a good program for you? What resources or classes that the school offers appeal to you?

You can do a mock interview with a teacher, counselor, parent, or friend. Have somebody ask you common interview questions and practice responding as if you were in the interview.

Step 3: Prepare Questions for Your Interviewer

Remember that the interview is not only an opportunity for the interviewer to learn about you; it’s also an opportunity for you to learn more about the school. Asking questions shows you’re engaged and that you’re taking the college selection process seriously . Refer to this post for good questions to ask in an interview . I recommend preparing at least 2-3 questions. Here are a couple of examples of good questions:

• What advice would you have for me as an incoming freshman?
• I heard about (insert name of on-campus event). Have you participated? What's it like?

Your questions should either be related to your research about the school, personal questions for the interviewer (but not inappropriately personal), or related to something the interviewer said or revealed during the interview.

When you prepare questions, don't come up with questions that can be easily answered through basic research . Don't ask where the school is located or if it has a certain major. You should know the answers to those questions before the interview. Just like your answers to interview questions, your questions for the interviewer should be deeper and demonstrate thought.

3 College Interview Tips for the Day Of

By the day of your college interview, you should be extremely knowledgeable about the school, prepared to answer common interview questions, and have a few questions prepared for your interviewer. Here are some college interview tips to follow the day you interview. By this point, your hard work is mostly done, and now you get a chance to learn more about the school and show what a superstar you are.

Tip 1: Dress Well

When it comes to college interview attire, it’s better to err on the side of looking too formal than too casual. You want to appear like you’re taking the interview seriously, and you want to present yourself in a professional manner.

Tip 2: Be Punctual

I assume this goes without saying, but make sure you’re on time. Nothing gives a worse first impression than showing up late to a meeting. If something out of your control happens and you’re running late, contact the interviewer to let him/her know.

Tip 3: Relax

If you’ve made basic preparations and you’re polite to your interviewer, most likely, your interview will only be able to help your chances of admission. Also, so you don't stress too much, remember that the interview is only a minor factor in determining whether or not you're accepted to a school . Try your best to just be yourself. These colleges want to learn about you, so don't be overly worried about giving the "right" answers to questions. Give genuine answers and feel free to show your personality.

What's Next?

As you continue to research colleges and the college application process, make sure you know the complete application timeline and how many colleges to apply to .

If you're striving to get into the most prestigious colleges, learn helpful tips from a Harvard graduate.

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Many colleges encourage you to interview with an admissions representative or alumnus as part of the college application process , either on campus or in your hometown. Admissions officers will consider the interview when evaluating your application (although they'll be much more interested in your grades , test scores , and college essays ). A few schools require interviews or have a specific process for them.

In most cases, the interview will not make or break you, but if you do arrange an interview, take it seriously. It’s a chance to show off the unique personality traits you can bring to campus, and build a personal relationship with the admissions gatekeepers. Our college interview tips will help you get prepped for the big day.

1. Bring specific questions.

Your interviewer will expect you to ask some questions about the school and talk about why you want to go there. Put some energy into coming up with creative questions with answers that cannot be easily found on the college's website

2. Practice like a prizefighter.

Being interviewed is a skill, and it requires practice. Sit down with one of your parents, a teacher, a college counselor , or a friend and have him or her ask you their best college interview questions. Answer them honestly and seriously. Then ask your "interviewer" how you came across. You'll also get better after each college interview, so try to arrange your schedule so that your last interviews are with the schools you care about most.

3. Prepare for common college interview questions.

Interviewers tend to ask about the same topics. If you’re prepared to answer the following interview questions, you’ll be golden.

• Why do you want to attend this college/university? (Hint: Specific examples are always key! Your interviewer wants you to be as excited as they were–and are!—about their college).
• What’s your favorite subject in high school?
• What do you want to study in college?
• What do you enjoy doing when you’re not in class?
• What are three interesting things about you that I wouldn’t know from your application?
• What’s an example of an obstacle, a failure, or a mistake that you learned from?

Read More: Do Colleges Check Out Applicants on Social Media?

4. Be yourself…

Remember, the key to getting admitted (and being happy at college) is finding your best fit school . You want to be yourself so that the person interviewing you can discern what you would add to the campus community. Before your interview, think about why the school appeals to you, what you want to study, and what you might do after graduation.

5. …but be your best self.

You have many sides, so showcase the side of yourself that is professional, mature and poised.  Don't show up looking like you just peeled yourself off the couch—wear what makes you feel comfortable and and confident. Smile, and remember your interviewer wants the interview to go well too!

6. Stop worrying about the clock.

Most interviews run approximately 30 minutes to an hour. Students are sometimes told that the sign of a good interview is a long one. But on-campus interviews are usually scheduled back-to-back, and off-campus interviews are usually performed by alumni who are working professionals—so your interviewer is likely on a tight schedule. If you notice them checking the time, it's not (necessarily) because they think you're boring.

7. Be thankful.

Send a thank-you note. If there's something about the interview that was helpful to you, let your interviewer know. If you connected with your interviewer over a book, common experience, or a band you’re both into, then mention it!

Otherwise, simply express your continued interest in the school and thank your interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. (Read our advice on e-mail etiquette before you hit send).

Check out our video on how to ace the college interview:

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College Interviews: Practice Questions and Strategies

Strategies for answering college interview questions, why is a college interview important.

An interview is a chance for you to meet with someone representing the college. It's an opportunity to express interest in the college, start a relationship with people there, and show what you're all about. Schools develop useful questions to ask in a college interview. They’re a way for colleges to find out what type of student you'll be and what you can bring to the table.

Not every college uses interviews as part of the application process. But if the schools you're interested in attending do use interviews, knowing what to expect and how to prepare can make a big difference.

Common College Interview Questions

Although you’ll find that every interview will be unique, you can expect to hear certain questions at each one. Here are some of the most common.

1. Interviewer Questions About a Student's "Fit" With a College

Interviewers may ask questions like these:

• Why do you want to attend our college?
• What can you contribute to our college campus?

Why they ask: This is one of the best questions for high school students because it shows that you're genuinely interested in their school. Interviewers also want to know what makes you stand out and what you can bring to the campus.

Student Answer Strategy for College-Fit Questions:

Talk about what you've learned about the college and why you feel it's the right place for you. (Remember that you must research the college ahead of time to answer this type of question well.) Discuss extracurricular activities and achievements that show your interests and passions.

2. Interviewer Questions About a Student's Personality

• What 3 adjectives best describe you?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Why they ask: This is one of the more common questions asked in a college interview. It comes up because they want to see that you can think and speak about yourself.

Student Answer Strategy for Personality Questions

Give examples of how your chosen adjectives describe you. Discuss how you've used your strengths to accomplish something. Talk about how you overcome your weaknesses. For example, you can say, "Because I have a hard time learning new languages, I set aside time to study them."

3. Interviewer Questions About Student Activities, Interests, and Goals

• What activities do you find most rewarding?
• What’s your favorite book?
• What do you want to do after graduating from college?

Why they ask: Interviewers ask this question because they want to get to know you better and learn what's important to you.

Student Answer Strategy for Interests Questions

Make sure to answer questions about personal interests and hobbies during college interview sessions. It’s not always about academics. To form an answer, think about the "why."

Why are those activities the most rewarding? Why is a book your favorite? If you have a major in mind, talk about why you're interested in that subject. Discuss how you think college can help you meet your goals. Be sincere and honest in your answer. Don’t say things just to impress the interviewer.

4. Unusual College Interview Questions

Schools may develop broader questions to ask in college interview sessions. Some examples include:

• If you had a thousand dollars to give away, what would you do with it?
• What’s your opinion on a current event that’s of interest to you or that you feel passionate about?
• If you could change 1 thing about your school, what would it be?

Why they ask: These questions, which can seem random, come up because interviewers want to see that you’re an informed, curious, and careful thinker.

Student Answer Strategy for Unusual Questions

These are unexpected questions that might be asked during a college interview. They often catch students off guard. Are you enthusiastic about certain issues? Can you explain your position? Try to think about what matters to you and what you care about, and how that applies to the question being asked.

More Interview Tips for College Admission

• Have a conversation. Don’t appear as if you’ve rehearsed excessively. Don’t try to memorize a script.
• Ask questions. Express your interest in the college. Create your own list of questions to ask a college interviewer while you have their attention. Most interviewers are alumni/ae. They can share what their experience was like.
• Be yourself. Don't try to answer questions based on what you think the interviewer wants to hear.
• Prepare. Practice interviews with friends or family. Take turns asking questions.

For more tips on preparing for your interview, answering challenging questions, and coming up with new questions to ask your college interviewer, visit What to Do Before and After Your College Interview .

How should I prepare for a college interview?

The best way to prepare for a college interview is to do your research. Look into the schools you're interviewing for, learn as much as possible, and consider why you want to attend them. Practice responses. Create a list of questions to ask college interviewers. You can even do a mock interview with your counselor, a teacher, or a family member.

How long are college interviews?

Expect these conversations to last between 30 minutes and an hour. However, the interview length depends on the school and the interviewer’s schedule.

How should I introduce myself in a college interview?

A strong and confident introduction is always a plus. Be respectful, make eye contact, address the interviewer by their appropriate titles, shake hands when appropriate, and smile. You can also prepare a solid answer to the "tell me about yourself" college interview question. It's often the first to come up after personal introductions.

Do colleges require an interview?

It depends on the college. College interviews are more common among selective institutions. Do your research about target schools to see if you need interview prep.

Remember that some schools might not request an interview for general admission. However, there could be interviews for certain scholarships and academic or in-demand programs.

Do all college applicants get an interview?

It depends on the school. In many cases, colleges offer interviews to every applicant but make them optional. It’s worth it to consider an interview, when possible, to help yourself stand out. Some schools only offer limited interview opportunities. For more information, reach out to the admissions office of schools you’re interested in applying to.

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What Admissions Officers Look for in Your College Essay?

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Anna Smist, a Yale Admissions Officer, i n a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Writing about specific moments.

• Appealing to Admissions Officers

When it comes time to submit these essays, you will either be applying through QuestBridge , the coalition application , or the common application . Essays are one of the most important portions of a student’s college application. They present an irreplaceable opportunity to paint a picture for the admissions officers of who you are. College essays do pose their unique set of challenges, but there are tricks to help students with this process. 

To get started, think about the purpose behind these essays. A student has about 500 words or less to convey their story to admissions officers. When you’re writing, your topic doesn’t have to be about anything specific; it can be more general. Some of the best essays students have submitted were not about detailed descriptions of their interests but an experience.

You can start with a general topic, such as your interests or extracurricular activities, and then dive deeper into a specific experience you had in one of those topics. An example could be writing about a relationship that you have with someone, but, instead of talking about the relationship, you can reflect on a conversation you had with them. This will bring a personal aspect to the essay and make the reader feel more connected to you as the writer. Similar things can be done with places. If you want to write about a place that has meaning to you, you can dive into a particular event that happened at that location and why it has meaning to you. Your essays are all about bringing the reader into your life, and the best way to accomplish that is by writing about specific events.

Appealing To Admissions Officers

Making your story unique.

Students shouldn’t write about anything too general, and there are no cookie-cutter expectations for students’ essay topics. When you approach your essays, try to write about something only you can talk about. There are thousands of students writing about the same topic as you are, so you have to find a way to differentiate yourself from the others. This is what admissions officers are looking for in your essays. They want to read about a unique story or memory that no other student could have written about except for you. 

Let Your Voice Shine Through

Ultimately, when it comes from your voice or your view, it’s going to sound unique and different. Think about books and movies. Many are over the same topic, but the way the story is told matters a lot. When you read a novel from the first-person perspective, you get inside that person’s head for a moment and get to see how they think. Reading essays is something admissions officers really like because they get to know the student. When you are writing your essay, make sure your voice comes through . Admissions officers want to know what kind of student you are and how you will fit into their campus community. The best way for them to understand this is through your essays. 

Students often share topics or stories that the admissions officers might not be familiar with. For example, when writing about your diverse experience in terms of sexuality, gender, or race, the admissions officer reading it might not be familiar with your exact experience. No matter your topic, make sure you provide some context to your essays so that no matter who the admissions officer is, your story will come across.

If you’re looking for some examples of college essays to help get you started, check out this post: 19 Stellar Common App Essay Examples .

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Harris Baits Trump: Inside Their Fiery Debate

Commentators, even republicans, concluded that the vice president succeeded in provoking the former president..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Today, in their first and possibly only presidential debate, Kamala Harris dominated and enraged Donald Trump and made a night that could have been about her record instead into a night about his temperament. My colleague, political correspondent Jonathan Swan, walks us through how it unfolded. It’s Wednesday, September 11.

Jonathan, good evening.

Michael, how are you?

I’m OK. I mean, it’s late. It’s very late. It is damn near midnight. And we appreciate you being willing to stay up with us.

Always happy to be here.

So, Jonathan, this debate was described beforehand by you in the paper of record, in “The Times,” as the most important 90 minutes in American politics in generations. So I just want to ask you why, even before it began, in your estimation, it merited that string of superlatives?

Well, now you say it, I think we might have gone a bit overboard on that because the Biden debate knocked him out, and he dropped out. So probably that one goes down as the — you know? No, but I’m being a little facetious.

Look, the reason it was so unusually important is that so rarely these days do you have a candidate that there are so many voters who are still curious about them and haven’t made up their minds about them and, what more, are hungry for more information about them that they’re still very malleable in terms of voter opinion, as Kamala Harris is right now.

That you cannot find a voter in America who doesn’t have an opinion about Donald Trump. It’s very, very hard to anyway. But somewhere in the realm of 30 percent of voters want to know more about Kamala Harris, are curious about her, want to see if she presents as plausible as a commander-in-chief, want to see what her ideas are for dealing with inflation and the economy, and are generally up for grabs.

So both sides, both the Trump campaign and the Harris campaign, viewed this debate in almost exactly the same way, which was, it is an opportunity to define Kamala Harris for that slice of undecided voters in the seven key battleground states that are going to decide this election.

And how, in your mind, were each of these candidates hoping to do that very specific task — define Vice President Harris here?

Well, the Trump team had a very clear goal. He spent quite a lot of time preparing for this debate. Their goal was to force Kamala Harris to own her partnership with Joe Biden, a very unpopular president, and force her to own the most unpopular aspects of his record, of their record in office, in particular, high prices, the situation at the southern border, chaos around the world.

What they were trying to avoid is for her to present herself as the change candidate. They want her to be seen as the incumbent, as someone who is a fixture of the current leadership in this country, that undecided voters are very, very frustrated with.

On her side, their job was to present the exact opposite, was to present herself without throwing Joe Biden under the bus completely, but a break, something new, the future, an optimistic breath of fresh air. Trump is the past, a change candidate in a change election, and also to present herself as someone that people could see as being a president or a commander-in-chief, someone who passes what Trump advisors thought of as the plausibility test. So that’s how each side saw the debate going into it.

And I wonder who you think accomplished those objectives best.

That’s about as short an answer as I’ve ever received on the show. And we’re going to make you explain that. So let’s talk about what actually happened during these 90 minutes of this debate and how those two strategies, in her case, it seems, did play out and his perhaps didn’t. Take us into the debate room.

So let’s now welcome the candidates to the stage, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump.

Well, the first moment that struck me was right at the beginning when she walked over to Donald Trump —

Kamala Harris. It’s so good to be —

Nice to see you. Have fun.

— and shook his hand.

Welcome to you both. It’s wonderful to have you. It’s an honor to have you both here tonight.

Which might seem unremarkable, but in the context of Trump and debates, it was sort of a power move.

There was all of this discussion behind the scenes before Trump’s debate with Biden, where Trump was discussing with his advisors, should I shake his hand? Shouldn’t I shake his hand?

I mean, Trump is someone who thinks a lot about visuals, about optics, about domination, things like that. So it’s definitely something that he would have thought about. I don’t know what his thinking was going into this particular debate, but that was a move that I thought, oh, interesting. She’s come here to play and perhaps also come here to try to get under his skin a little bit.

Right. From the get-go, literally before a word is uttered.

Yeah. And then we get the first question.

I want to begin tonight with the issue that voters repeatedly say is their number one issue, and that is the economy and the cost of living in this country.

The ABC moderator, David Muir, asks Kamala Harris the question that Donald Trump really wants — or his team, going into this, wanted it to be the question that defined the whole night, which is —

Your opponent on the stage here tonight often asks his supporters, are you better off than you were four years ago?

— would you say that voters are better off now than they were four years ago?

When it comes to the economy, do you believe Americans are better off than they were four years ago?

So I was raised as a middle class kid.

Kamala Harris, she starts out, her voice is sort of a little jittery. She sounds nervous.

We know that we have a shortage of homes and housing. And the cost of housing is too expensive for far too many people.

And she basically avoids the question.

My passion, one of them is small businesses. I was actually — my mother raised my sister and me, but there was a woman who helped raise us. We call her our second mother. She was a small business owner. I love our small businesses.

She starts with what sounds like a really canned remarks about I was raised as a middle class kid.

I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people.

Very clichéd sort of political rhetoric.

And that is why I imagine and have actually a plan to build what I call an opportunity economy.

And she starts rattling off some of her policies.

My plan is to give a $50,000 tax deduction to start up small businesses, knowing they are part of the backbone of America’s economy.

And you sort of think, OK, where’s she going with this? And then she sort of pivots to this attack against Trump at the end —

My opponent, on the other hand, his plan is to do what he has done before, which is to provide a tax cut for billionaires and big corporations —

— as the guy who’s only out for rich people. He wants to cut taxes for billionaires. And that’s where her first answer ends.

Economists have said that that Trump sales tax would actually result for middle class families in about $4,000 more a year because of his policies and his ideas about what should be the backs of middle class people paying for tax cuts for billionaires.

I mean, what she’s trying to do here is, she’s trying to present Donald Trump as a guy who’s fighting for only himself and his rich friends and contrast herself as someone who grew up middle class, who’s fighting for the middle class, and who cares about you, the voter.

Mm-hmm. And as you said, this is her objective in this debate, to begin to clearly define herself on her own terms.

Which, in this case, also means not wanting to talk about whether the economy is better now than it was four years ago.

What she’s doing is tap dancing. She’s tap dancing around it and trying to find an angle to turn this back on offense.

And what about Trump’s answer on this key issue of the economy? What does he have to say?

Trump started out fine. It was a rambling answer, but he basically hit her on the things that we’ve come to expect him to attack her on.

We’ve had a terrible economy because inflation has — which is really known as a country buster. It breaks up. countries.

He attacked her on inflation. He defended his tariffs, being tough on China.

I took in billions and billions of dollars, as you know, from China. In fact, they never took the tariff off because it was so much money, they can’t.

And then he pivoted to immigration.

On top of that, we have millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums.

Started attacking her, yes, with hyperbolic claims about criminality and the dangers of undocumented migrants —

They are taking over the towns. They’re taking over buildings. They’re going in violently.

— and also hyperbolic claims about his own economic record.

I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country. I’ll do it again and even better.

But it was delivered in a fairly calm manner and exactly the kind of messages that his team has been hoping that he would make.

Mm-hmm. And then we get to the issue of abortion.

I want to turn to the issue of abortion. President Trump, you’ve often touted that you were able to kill Roe v. Wade.

This was the first turning point in the debate. Trump gets the first question on abortion.

Vice President Harris says that women shouldn’t trust you on the issue of abortion because you’ve changed your position so many times. Therefore, why should they trust you?

Well, the reason I’m doing that vote is because the plan is, as you know, the vote is, they have abortion in the ninth month.

And you can see he’s very uncomfortable with it.

They even have — and you can look at the governor of West Virginia, the previous governor of West Virginia — not the current governor, who’s doing an excellent job, but the governor before.

It’s an issue that he’s told people privately he thinks could cost him the election. And he starts pivoting around, talking about —

He said the baby will be born, and we will decide what to do with the baby. In other words, we’ll execute the baby.

— babies being executed after they’re born. Then he sort of rolls back around into a states’ rights argument.

Now, Ohio, the vote was somewhat liberal. Kansas, the vote was somewhat liberal, much more liberal than people would have thought. But each individual state is voting.

He’s kind of all over the place. And then the follow-up question goes to Kamala Harris.

There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born. Madam Vice President, I want to get your response to President Trump.

Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade. And they did exactly as he intended. And now, in over 20 states, there are Trump abortion bans, which make it criminal for a doctor or nurse to provide health care in one state. It provides prison for life.

At this point in the debate, I sort of started to think, OK, she’s really finding her footing. You could see the confidence come through in her voice.

You want to talk about this is what people wanted? Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because the health care providers are afraid they might go to jail? And she’s bleeding out in a car and —

And she pretty quickly went to personal stories. She was not talking in an academic way about this issue.

A 12 or 13-year-old survivor of incest being forced to carry a pregnancy to term? They don’t want that.

She was emotional in the way she talked about it, talking about a government that would be monitoring your miscarriages.

Understand in his Project 2025, there would be a national abortion — a monitor that would be monitoring your pregnancies, your miscarriages.

And she reframed the issue as an issue of freedom —

I think the American people believe that certain freedoms, in particular the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body, should not be made by the government.

— which is another word that the Democrats have been trying to reclaim for themselves from Republicans.

Would you veto a national abortion ban if it came —

Well, I won’t have to because, again, two things. Number one, she said —

The other thing that happened here that was really notable is Trump is asked a direct question whether he would veto a national abortion ban if it came to his desk. And the questioner, Linsey Davis, says —

But if I could just get a yes or no. Because your running mate, JD Vance, has said that you would veto if it did come to your desk.

— your running mate, JD Vance, said that you would veto it if it came to your desk.

Well, I didn’t discuss it with JD, in all fairness.

And Trump says, well, wait a second, I didn’t discuss it with JD.

And I don’t mind if he has a certain view, but I think he was speaking for me, but I really didn’t. Look, we don’t have to discuss it —

Because Trump sort of starts wriggling around, and suddenly it’s Trump that’s uncomfortable. And the dynamic seems to have shifted.

Right, so this is the moment when it feels like Vice President Harris’s debate prep has been very extensive and is starting to emerge on the stage.

Yeah, and you really see this in the next line of questioning.

We’re going to turn now to immigration and border security. We know it’s an issue that’s —

Harris is asked a tough question about immigration, which is obviously one of the most unpopular aspects of the Biden and Harris administration.

This past June, President Biden imposed tough new asylum restrictions. We know the numbers since then have dropped significantly. But my question to you tonight is why did the administration wait until six months before the election to act? And would you have done anything differently from President Biden on this?

So I’m the only person on this stage who has —

She does two things very quickly. She goes straight onto offense. She talks about how she’s the only person on this stage who’s prosecuted transnational criminal organizations. Then she attacks Trump for getting Republicans to kill an immigration bill that would have put more border agents on the border.

Donald Trump got on the phone, called up some folks in Congress, and said, kill the bill. And you know why? Because he’d prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. And understand —

And then she introduces this very interesting line where she talks about Trump’s rallies and some of the strange things he mentions at his rallies, like he talks about Hannibal Lecter and windmills causing cancer. And she drops this line, which is just a clear, blatant troll.

And what you will also notice is that people start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.

She says people start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom. And you can see Trump sort of twitching. Trump is — and I’ve covered him since 2015. He’s not exactly a sort of psychologically complicated character. It takes about two minutes of observing him to know that one of the things he cares most about are his crowd sizes.

And he just takes the bait.

Explain that.

He takes the bait. Well, there’s a follow-up question that’s put to him about why he tried to kill the border bill.

First, let me respond as to the rallies.

She said people start leaving. People don’t go to her rallies. There’s no reason to go.

And the first thing he says is, well, let me respond on the rallies. And he says people don’t go to her rallies, and they like going to my rallies. And we have the biggest and the most incredible. But from that moment on, he starts on this rant.

What they have done to our country by allowing these millions and millions of people to come into our country —

— that is infused with anger and irritation.

A lot of towns don’t want to talk about it because they’re so embarrassed by it.

And it leads him into undisciplined territory.

In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country. And it’s a shame.

So in that same answer, he starts talking about how Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating dogs and cats, which is a debunked Facebook rumor that has been flying around right-wing circles. And he actually gets fact-checked.

I just want to clarify here. You bring up Springfield, Ohio, and ABC News did reach out to the city manager there. He told us there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or —

And Trump doubles down on it.

The people on television say my dog was taken and used for food. So maybe he said that, and maybe that’s a good thing to say for a city manager.

One of the key goals of the Harris team was to get under Trump’s skin and to bring out the more unhinged version of himself to remind voters why they voted him out in 2020. And this moment was the first time in the debate where I thought, oh, she’s actually succeeding.

Mm, right. I mean, and it’s worth noting that he’s become derailed at a time when he’s being offered a chance to talk about one of the strongest issues for him in this campaign, immigration, and in the process, ends up doing the very thing Harris has warned the audience that he does at his rallies, which is make these completely outlandish, unfounded claims about migrants eating domestic pets.

It is an extraordinary moment because on an issue where Trump should be dominant, she has managed to get under his skin, and he ends up doing great damage to himself. And she sees the moment.

[LAUGHS]: Talk about extreme.

And she says, “Talk about extreme.” This is perfectly teed up moment for her to say, look how extreme this guy is. And what’s clear at this still fairly early point in the debate is that she’s gotten under his skin, and she’s running the debate on her terms.

We’ll be right back.

Jonathan, it really feels like this theme of Kamala Harris trying to — and succeeding — in getting under Donald Trump’s skin really ends up kind of permeating the rest of this debate.

Yeah, so they continue on the theme of immigration.

Let me continue on immigration. It was what you wanted to talk about earlier. So let’s get back to your deportation proposal.

And David Muir asks Trump about what he’s called the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.

How would you deport 11 million undocumented immigrants?

He basically asks him, how are you going to do this? You say you’re going to deport 11 million people.

Will authorities be going door to door in this country?

Yeah, it is much higher because of them. They allowed criminals, many, many millions of criminals —

And Trump doesn’t really answer the question. Says it’s this really huge number of migrants, many, many millions more than anyone thinks. And then he starts talking about how crime is through the roof. And then he gets fact-checked again.

President Trump, as you know, the FBI says, overall, violent crime is actually coming down in this country.

Excuse me, the FBI defrauded — they were defrauding statements.

And Trump gets derailed a little here. He says that the FBI figures are fraudulent. And then Kamala Harris seizes the opportunity. She’s clearly prepared for this.

Well, I think this is so rich, coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference, has been found liable for sexual assault. And his next big court appearance is in November at his own criminal sentencing.

She seizes the opportunity to bring up all of Trump’s indictments.

Now, this is something that Trump had prepared for. In his private sessions, he’d been doing them with some of his aides. Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman, had been needling Trump, bringing up his criminal convictions, doing exactly what she does here. But you can see, I think — I mean, I don’t want to get too much inside Trump’s head, but just watching him, he was still so angry about the crowd size comment and everything that had come before, he was basically angry Trump.

But those are cases, it’s called weaponization. Never happened in this country. They weaponized the Justice Department. Everyone —

And he then says, well, no, this is all a weaponization of justice. Biden and Harris are responsible for every single prosecution against him.

Which we should say is factually inaccurate.

Right, there’s no evidence whatsoever that they’ve had any involvement in any of the cases.

This is the one that weaponized, not me. She weaponized. I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me.

And he ends this section by basically blaming Biden and Harris for the assassination attempt against him.

A pretty extraordinary, completely unsubstantiated claim.

Right, and there’s no evidence that the shooter was motivated by any Democratic claims that he heard about Donald Trump.

And so he’s kind of, at this point, angry Trump, as you have labeled him. He’s kind of lost the plot here in his effort to define her.

Yeah, he’s lashing out. But nowhere in this section of questioning has he made a coherent case that she owns the Biden record, that she’s responsible for inflation. He’s getting trapped in all of these little cul de sacs that she keeps drawing for him.

And the moderators would seem to do Trump a favor in this section of the debate. They ask her about her history of changing positions.

Vice President Harris, in your last run for president, you said you wanted to ban fracking. Now you don’t. You wanted mandatory government buyback programs for assault weapons. Now your campaign says you don’t.

And once again, she doesn’t really answer the question.

I know you say that your values have not changed. So then why have so many of your policy positions changed?

So my values have not changed. And I’m going to —

Right. Kamala Harris has come up with this very sort of gauzy, clichéd answer. My values haven’t changed, and at no time has she actually explained why she changed those positions. And instead of really pressing this issue on her, Trump gets caught up in something that she slipped into that answer, again, to get under his skin.

The values I bring to the importance of home ownership, knowing not everybody got handed $400 million on a silver platter and then filed bankruptcy six times —

She talks about how Trump was given all this money by his father on a silver platter and whatever. And of course, that’s the thing that Trump opens his answer with.

President Trump —

Well, first of all, I wasn’t given $400 million. I wish I was. My father was a Brooklyn builder, Brooklyn, Queens, and a great father. And I learned a lot from him. But I was given a fraction of that, a tiny fraction.

And it takes him four or five sentences to even get to fracking.

So we don’t have to talk about that. Fracking? She’s been against it for 12 years.

So, again, she’s just putting these little nuggets in her answers, which are just designed to trigger Trump. And time and time again, it’s working.

Linsey, thank you. We have an election in just 56 days. And I want to talk about the peaceful transfer of power, which, of course —

And so this anger from Trump really permeates the rest of the debate. In particular, he gets asked about January 6.

Is there anything you regret about what you did on that day? Yes or no?

I had nothing to do with that other than they asked me to make a speech. I showed up for a speech. I said —

He’s pressed on whether he regrets anything about that day. He doesn’t say that.

It would have never happened if Nancy Pelosi and the mayor of Washington did their jobs.

He sort of rewrites the history of January 6. He then gets caught up on an issue where his aides never want him to talk about —

Mr. President, for 3 and 1/2 years after you lost the 2020 election, you repeatedly falsely claimed that you won, many times saying you won in a landslide. In the past couple of weeks leading up to this debate, you have said, quote, “lost by a whisker —”

— which is relitigating the results of the 2020 election.

Are you now acknowledging that you lost in 2020?

No, I don’t acknowledge that at all. I say that sarcastically. You know that. It was said, oh, we lost by a whisker. That was said sarcastically. Look, there’s so much proof. All you have to do is look at it. And they should have sent it back to the legislatures —

Not conceding that he lost. And it culminates in this moment —

You talk about a threat to democracy. He got 14 million votes, and they threw him out of office.

— where he accuses her of being a threat to democracy by overthrowing Biden.

And you know what? I’ll give you a little secret. He hates her. He can’t stand her.

And he makes this wild assertion that Biden hates her. It sort of comes out of nowhere. But it’s been building for a while, and it sort of reaches, I guess, a point of absurdity at that moment.

Right, and it’s here, at the peak of Trump’s kind of personal fury at Harris that he’s given a chance to change this approach.

Mr. President, you recently said of Vice President Harris, quote, “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black.”

The moderators ask him about remarks he has made in the past, which everyone understands to be problematic, about her racial identity.

I want to ask a bigger picture question here tonight. Why do you believe it’s appropriate to weigh in on the racial identity of your opponent?

Yeah, so he gets asked this question by David Muir. And Trump knows this question is coming. I mean, I was at a press conference with him in Mar-a-Lago a few weeks ago, and I asked him this question. And he was irritated by it. And he knows it’s bad politically, so he quickly moved on. And here, tonight in the debate, he starts out by sort of brushing it off.

I don’t care what she is. I don’t care. You make a big deal out of something. I couldn’t care less. Whatever she wants to be is OK with me.

You’re making a big deal about it. I don’t care. And then he trips up.

I don’t know. I mean, all I can say is I read where she was not Black, that she put out.

He falls back into it, and he says, I read somewhere she was not Black.

And then I read that she was Black. And that’s OK. Either one was OK with me. That’s up to her.

So even in this moment where it’s perfectly teed up for him, he just goes back into these self-destructive patterns.

Vice President Harris, your thoughts on this.

I think it’s — I mean, honestly, I think it’s a tragedy that we have someone who wants to be president who has consistently, over the course of his career, attempted to use race to divide the American people.

I thought Harris’s answer here was really interesting because until tonight, when she’s asked about this, she has this canned line where she brushes it off. She says, oh, it’s just the same tired playbook from Trump. But tonight, she actually seized the moment to make another point, a different point, which was, it’s a tragedy that he’s tried to use race to divide the American people.

He was investigated because he refused to rent property to Black families.

And she brought up the DOJ case against the Trump business for refusing to rent property to Black families. She brings up his full page ad in “The New York Times” calling for the execution of the five young Black and Latino boys who were innocent, the Central Park Five.

This is the same individual who spread birther lies about the first Black president of the United States.

She brings up the birther claims about Barack Obama. And she kind of closes with this idea —

We don’t want a leader who is constantly trying to have Americans point their fingers at each other.

— a very sort of Barack Obama type message about we all have the same dreams and aspirations and tries to present herself as the unifier there.

So what are you thinking at this point?

Well, I was sort of thinking that at this point, she’s sort of pulled off a coup, which is that she’s avoided basically answering any substantive questions about her own policy backflips, about her association with Biden, about their economic record.

She’s gone on offense on every issue, and she’s managed to catch Trump in a trap on pretty much every question. Pretty much every response, she’s embedded something in there, a sentence or a line that has unraveled Trump and got him on an angry tear. And so you get to basically the end of the debate.

I built one of the greatest economies in the history of the world, and I’m going to build it again.

And you see Donald Trump sort of remember why he was there in the first place.

But they’re destroying our economy. They have no idea what a good economy is.

Which is, oh, whoops, I have to actually remind people that this is Kamala Harris’s administration, too.

And remember, this. She is Biden. She’s trying to get away from Biden. I don’t know the gentleman, she says. She is Biden.

So he makes this last ditch effort where he says she is Biden. She is Biden. He repeats it.

And at this last moment, remembers to tie her to Joe Biden and all these other parts of the Biden administration that are unpopular.

But at this point, it’s kind of late in the game for Trump to figure out what, as you said, he was originally supposed to be up to from the start.

The worst president, the worst vice president in the history of our country.

President Trump, thank you. And that is our ABC News presidential debate from here in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. I’m Linsey Davis.

And I’m David Muir. Thank you for watching here in the US and all over the world and from all of us here at ABC News. Good night.

And when you look at the debate overall, he was fine for the first 15 minutes. He was angry and unraveling for, let’s call it the middle 40 at least, and then sort of got his footing back at the end. I think there’ll be a lot of analysis saying how catastrophic it was.

Really? That word? Do you think will be used?

I think you are already seeing a lot of commentary to that effect. I don’t see it quite like that. I see it as basically a huge missed opportunity for Trump.

This was Trump’s chance to define Kamala Harris — might be his only chance, by the way. We still don’t know if the Harris and Trump teams will agree on the terms of another debate. So it was a huge missed opportunity for Donald Trump.

And even Trump allies privately, I don’t think this — I know this — will acknowledge that she passed that minimum test that she needed to present herself as a plausible president. And he missed the opportunity to define her as a radical leftist, as someone who owns every bit of the Biden record that you don’t like.

Hmm. I guess this explains why you so crisply assessed this very early on as a debate where she achieved her goal and he not so much.

I spent so much time talking to, particularly, the Trump people before the debate. I knew how they thought about this debate. And I could tell within probably half an hour that this was not going how they wanted it to go.

Just think about it from their perspective.

There’s eight weeks left in this race. It’s an absolute toss-up of a race. And there’s a huge number of undecided voters who are up for being shaped about their view of Kamala Harris.

They’re never going to have potentially another opportunity like this. At best, they’ll get one more close to the election. But this was their opportunity before a huge audience to define her, and he flubbed it.

Well, Jonathan, thank you very much.

Thank you, Michael.

Here’s what else you need to know today. Moments after Tuesday night’s debate, Kamala Harris was endorsed by one of the country’s most celebrated and influential pop culture icons, Taylor Swift. Swift called Harris a gifted leader and, in a jab at Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance, signed her endorsement as, quote, “childless cat lady,” a reference to comments made by Vance about women without children.

And the European Union’s highest court has delivered a major defeat to both Apple and Google. It ordered Apple to pay more than $14 billion in unpaid taxes to the government of Ireland and ordered Google to pay a fine of more than $2 billion for giving preferential treatment to its own products over that of its rivals. The rulings were a victory for European governments in a years’ long campaign to regulate big tech, a battle that American regulators are just beginning to wage.

Today’s episode was produced by Carlos Prieto, Stella Tan, Mooj Zadie, and Michael Simon Johnson. It was edited by Devon Taylor, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Rowan Niemisto, and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley and Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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In their first and possibly only presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris dominated and enraged former President Donald J. Trump.

Jonathan Swan, who covers politics and the Trump campaign for The Times, explains how a night that could have been about Ms. Harris’s record instead became about Mr. Trump’s temperament.

On today’s episode

Jonathan Swan , a political correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading

Read The Times’s live coverage of the debate as it happened .

Who won? Here’s a sampling of the reaction .

And here’s a fact-check on Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris .

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Michael Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

An earlier version of this episode misidentified which moderator first fact-checked Donald J. Trump in the presidential debate and which topic was addressed. It was Linsey Davis addressing a misstatement on abortion, not David Muir addressing Mr. Trump’s comments on Haitian immigrants.

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Jonathan Swan is a political reporter covering the 2024 presidential election and Donald Trump’s campaign. More about Jonathan Swan

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