In today's world of engaging video games and the Internet, many students don't read that many books. However, they should develop the habit of reading and have read three or so age-appropriate books that they can speak about thoughtfully in the interview. While it's acceptable to speak about books students have read in school, they should also have read some books outside of class.

While many students devour a steady diet of fantasy, the admissions committees often prefer students to speak about classic fiction, high-grade novels, and difficult non-fiction books. Here is a list of books to inspire you. Students should develop an idea of why these books interest them. For example, are they about a compelling topic? Do they have an interesting protagonist? Do they explain more about a fascinating event in history? Are they written in an engaging and suspenseful way? Applicants can think about how they might answer this question in advance.