1. If you are shy you should skip the interview. This is wrong. The admission committee is trying to get to know you. Most students light up when they are talking about something they are passionate about.
2. The more charming you are, the higher your rating will be. It does not hurt to be charming but the interviewer is looking for certain qualities. Substance is worth more than a superficial personality.
3. Interviews are formal and you should dress up. It probably will be summer and a suit will be too hot. If you dress up too much the admission committee might think you are hiding something or making up for some inadequacy. Some schools require you to be formal but most want a balance in between dressy and casual.
4. Interviewers want to intimidate you. Most interviews want to make you feel comfortable to see your true personality. However, there are a few who like to see you under stress. These are few and far between.
5. Short interviews are bad and long interviews are good. The length of the interview depends on the interviewer’s schedule. Remember that the interviewer has to write you up before the next student comes. This requires time. They may only be able to spend 15 – 30 minutes with you.
6. You should not say anything controversial. Most students are scared to say anything negative about their school or classes. This makes for a boring interview. Try to make negatives into positives by learning from the situation. If you do not say anything negative it will turn into a cookie cutter interview.
7. You are ruined if the interview asks a question you can’t answer. If this occurs just say, “I have to give that question a little more thought before answering” or “That is an excellent question but I have to admit I simply do not have an answer.”
8. It is bad to ask the interviewer questions about the school. The purpose of the interview is to get to know you and for you to get to know the school. Be sure to do your research on the school before the interview.
9. If the interviewer is encouraging the interview went well. It is the interviewer’s job to make the applicant feel like the interview went well.
10. If the interviewer is unfriendly or business-like the interview went poorly. This is not true. Some interviewers have a poker-face when interviewing. Be careful not to judge the interviewers by a superficial reaction. What matter is what the interviewer writes about you.
Kat Trio is a college admissions consultant and tutor in the Hamburg, Michigan area. For more information, please contact her at 1on1collegeadmissions@gmail.com
College Admission Consultant
Prepared/provided college admission timeline, conducted career and college search, attended campus visits, assisted with school selections process, assisted with applications and related essays, prepared students for interview and interview skills, consulted on resume writing, mediated between college and student, assisted with financial aid forms, analyzed award statements, assisted with budget planning, college payment options, scholarship search and related essays, researched college savings plans, assisted with PSAT, SAT, and ACT test prep
College Tutoring: General Studies
Read/analyzed assignments, assisted with essay writing and presentations, taught computer support/training and test prep
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