Flickr user John Mettraux
Feeling nervous at the thought of your upcoming college admission interview? You don’t have to be. Think of the interview as an opportunity to let the admissions officer get to know more about you beyond the academic and personal details you provided on their application form. These few tips will help you be more prepared and soothe your nerves as the day of the admission interview approaches.
Read Everything You Can About The School
Go through the school’s website in detail. Take a good look at the campus and make note of features and facilities that interest you. Check out all the academic, athletic, and cultural programs that the school offers. Taking the time to learn as much as you can about the college demonstrates your keen interest and enthusiasm to attend the school, which will weigh heavily in your favor.
Think About Your Answers To Some Of The More Common Interview Questions
There are a few questions that almost always get asked at all college interviews. Read up on common college interview questions and give some thought to how you are going to answer them. Rehearsing your replies to tricky questions (for e.g. Why this school? What do you want to pursue this particular program?), will help you answer more confidently at the interview without stumbling and fumbling.
Do a Practice Admission Interview Session
In fact, do more than one practice session. Ask a teacher, your advisor, parents, or a friend to interview you. Take these practice sessions seriously. Dress formally. Answer all questions seriously and honestly, get feedback on how you performed and work on improving your weak areas.
Think of at Least One or Two Questions to Ask the Interviewers
After they’ve finished asking you a whole bunch of questions, the interviewing panel will ask you if you have any questions. Asking relevant questions shows that you have done your research and you are very interested in attending their college. Is there an academic program that you are particularly interested in and would like to know more about? That may be a good question to ask the panel.
Get Everything Ready For The Admission Interview
Don’t keep everything for the last minute. You are more likely to forget something when you are rushing through everything at the last minute. Put all of the documents that you need to take along (if you need any at all) in a file and keep it ready in advance. You’ll have one less thing to worry about.
Also, decide what you are going to wear to the interview ahead of time. Iron a set of conservative clothes and hang it in your closet at least a couple of days before the interview day. First impressions count and what you wear will have a huge impact on the impression you create as you walk into the interview room.
Be On Time For The Interview
Whether you are driving down or commuting by bus or train, make sure to leave enough buffer time for unexpected delays. You do not want to be late for this interview.
Being well prepared for your admission interview is the best way to shore up your confidence for this exciting event. The school would have intimated you about your interview date well in advance so you should have plenty of time to prepare for it.
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