Success in the Research Analyst interview process requires a balanced preparation strategy that addresses both your technical capabilities and your communication style. Interviewers are looking for structured thinkers who can clearly articulate the "why" behind their data.

Analytical Rigor – You must demonstrate a strong command of research design principles, whether your background is primarily quantitative or qualitative. Be prepared to explain your methodological choices, defend your assumptions, and discuss how you address data limitations.

Structured Problem Solving – During case interviews, the team evaluates how you break down ambiguous problems. Focus on creating clear, logical frameworks rather than memorizing standard business consulting frameworks; your structures should be highly tailored to educational and operational challenges.

Written Communication – Because translating complex data into clear narratives is a core responsibility, your ability to synthesize information under tight time constraints is heavily evaluated. Focus on clarity, brevity, and actionable insights in all written exercises.

Mission Alignment – The College Board is mission-driven. You should be prepared to discuss current trends in education policy, equity in college access, and how data can be leveraged to close opportunity gaps.

The interview process for the Research Analyst position is structured to evaluate your end-to-end analytical capabilities, from initial screening to deep-dive problem-solving. It is a rigorous but collaborative experience designed to simulate the actual day-to-day challenges of the role.

The journey begins with an initial conversational screen to discuss your background and interest in education. This is followed by a timed written assessment and a series of case and behavioral interviews with members of the research department. The final rounds typically involve back-to-back interviews with senior leadership, where the focus shifts toward strategic thinking and advanced problem-solving.

This visual timeline illustrates the typical progression from your initial application to the final decision. Most candidates complete the entire process within 3 to 5 weeks, depending on scheduling availability. While the core stages remain consistent, the specific focus of the case studies may be tailored to the target research team.

Written Analysis and Synthesis

The timed written assessment is a critical component of the evaluation process. It simulates the real-world pressure of analyzing a policy or program issue and drafting a concise, professional briefing for leadership.

Be ready to go over:

• Information synthesis – Extracting key themes and data points from dense background materials.
• Strategic recommendations – Formulating logical, data-supported action steps based on your analysis.
• Professional formatting – Structuring your document with clear headings, executive summaries, and bullet points for maximum readability.

Advanced concepts (less common):

• Rapid policy brief drafting
• Quantitative data interpretation under strict time limits

Example scenarios:

• "You are given 90 minutes to read a dossier on higher education enrollment trends and write a memo recommending a new recruitment strategy."
• "Analyze a brief qualitative dataset regarding student satisfaction and write a summary of the key pain points and proposed interventions."

Case Study Analysis

Case interviews at The College Board do not focus on complex mental math or market-sizing estimations. Instead, they evaluate your logic, business acumen, and ability to structure an inquiry into an ambiguous problem.

Be ready to go over:

• Framework design – Breaking down a broad question into mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive (MECE) categories.
• Hypothesis generation – Identifying potential root causes of an issue before diving deep into the data.
• Stakeholder analysis – Identifying whose perspectives and data points are required to build a complete picture.

Advanced concepts (less common):

• Resource allocation models (RCM) in higher education
• Pricing strategy for educational assessments

Example scenarios:

• "A school district wants to improve its AP exam participation rates. What factors would you investigate to identify the barriers to entry?"
• "Walk us through how you would evaluate whether a new online tutoring tool is actually improving student outcomes."

Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology

You will be asked to demonstrate how you translate research theories into practical project plans. This area tests your hands-on experience managing research lifecycles.

Be ready to go over:

• Survey design and sampling – How to construct unbiased questions and select representative samples.
• Data cleaning protocols – Your approach to handling missing values, outliers, and data anomalies.
• Mixed-methods integration – How you use qualitative findings to add context to quantitative trends.

Advanced concepts (less common):

• Quasi-experimental research designs (e.g., propensity score matching)
• Longitudinal data analysis

Example scenarios:

• "Describe a time when your quantitative data showed a trend, but you needed qualitative interviews to understand the 'why' behind it."
• "How would you design a study to measure the impact of an educational program when a randomized controlled trial is not feasible?"

As a Research Analyst, your day-to-day work is highly dynamic, bridging rigorous academic inquiry with practical business execution. You will be responsible for managing research projects from their initial scoping phases through to final delivery.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Designing and executing qualitative and quantitative research studies to evaluate the impact of The College Board's programs.
• Analyzing large-scale educational databases to identify trends in college readiness, enrollment, and completion.
• Drafting high-quality research briefs, policy memos, and reports for internal and external audiences.
• Collaborating with cross-functional partners, including psychometricians, product managers, and government relations teams, to ensure research aligns with organizational priorities.
• Presenting complex research findings clearly and persuasively to non-technical stakeholders and educational leaders.