If you are reading this, you have probably been selected by the university of your dreams for the interview round. From an applicant pool of around 24,000, prestigious colleges like Oxford university normally interview only around 10,000 applicants. So, congratulations on this feat. But this is where most students get cold feet.
College admission interviews are conducted with the purpose of identifying the qualities that set the student apart. The admission interview panel conduct several hundred interviews, so it is important for the student to stand out from the rest by putting their best foot forward.
Here are some demonstrated tips and tricks that will help you come out victorious from the college interview that has been giving you sleepless nights:
Punctuality
There’s nothing more important than displaying important life skills and virtues. The interviewers want to see how serious you are about your admission. So, the best way to tell them that this interview matters to you is by arriving early. Plan the day properly by knowing in advance where you need to reach and how much it takes to arrive.
Dress sharply
Your college admission interview no less formal than a job interview. Wear smart, snappy, comfortable clothes to the interview. Taking extra care to dress up nicely is another way to show your respect to the admission panel and demonstrate your seriousness towards getting admission.
Re- read your SOP well
The interview panel tends to keep going back to the things you have mentioned in your personal statement or statement of purpose, especially if you have mentioned any sport, skill or hobby. Go through the achievements that you have mentioned there. And be prepared for questions related to the same. The panel may ask you about your journey, the challenges you may have faced etc.
Know your strengths well
The interview panel wants to see the qualities that make you an outstanding candidate. But before they identify your strengths, it’s important for you to know your strengths well and demonstrate the same in front of the panel. The first question invariably in any interview is “tell us about yourself”. Prepare an answer that makes you memorable. Talk honestly and unpretentiously about your passion, ambition, qualities and more. Show them that you are an independent, creative thinker.
Know what you are getting into
Nothing’s more disappointing than appearing unprepared about the college and the course you are applying for. Go through the university prospectus or website. Research thoroughly about what makes the college special. Know your course curriculum well. This is again a great way to show your interest and passion about the course and the college. Know what you want from the college and how it can help you achieve your goals. Come out as a planned, focused individual, who knows what he is doing.
Smile confidently and pause when needed
Lastly, but most importantly, an interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. While you should have clarity about who you are, the college you are getting into and the course you are opting for, you should memorize your answers or try to repeat them in your head. Smile, relax and have a casual conversation with the panel with confidence. At tight spots, feel free to take a pause, think and then reply. Don’t repeat what your AP profile shows already. Talk about the qualities that the panel does not know. Why have you chosen that particular country for your undergraduate course? What do you feel about your homeland? Break the ice and steer the interview in your favor.
College admission interview is the first time the admission panel meets you in person (or virtually through videocall). Needless to say, it’s a deal breaker. But like everything else, proper guidance and preparation will help you ace it.
Book a consultation with us to know what all it takes to glide through the interviews in the university of your dreams.