Making TEA
The Admissions Interview - How to Make a GREAT Impression!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Admissions Interview - How to Make a GREAT Impression!
Seniors are in the final stages of their marathon event-the search for the colleges that are the best matches for them... Many students are doing interviews right now...In fact, I’ll be doing some conversations with high school seniors for Clark University in the next few weeks-giving students a better idea of what drew me to Clark and what it has to offer to students today...
Interviews... an event feared and loathed by many-because, I believe, teens and adults make it out to be something bigger than it really is... I would define an interview as an exchange of information between individuals-really a conversation-and most of us have conversations about what matters to us, all the time. A college interview is similar!
While there’s no doubt that a college interview is an exchange of information with someone new and different, it’s really an opportunity for teens to further describe or reveal themselves to admissions office personnel-it’s an extension of your application-and the chance to further connect with people who are interested in teens and discovering who may be a fit for their school.
I read articles and books, and listen closely to interviews about interviewing. There’s great advice available about being prepared and engaging in the process. Here is a Top Ten list that will serve your teen.
Top Steps to a Great Interview!
1. Do research on each college, so that you go in feeling confident and can ask smart questions during your conversation
2. Prepare talking points-what you want to be sure to tell the interviewer about yourself and your experiences-and practice!
3. Bring a folder with you-of your work, articles about you in the school or local newspaper, awards you have won, letters of recommendation from jobs you have had
4. RELAX-it’s a conversation... BREATHE
5. Engage with the interviewer-have a conversation
6. Elaborate on your answers-Be sure to talk in full sentences
7. Show your passion-talk about what is important and meaningful to you... subjects in school, extracurriculars - sports, music, volunteer work
8. Be an interviewer! This is an opportunity to learn about the interviewer’s experience at the school
9. Afterwards-reflect on your conversation... what you did well and what you can improve for your next interview
10. Write a thank you note-on stationery.
Now that you know what to do to make the best impression during an interview, it’s time to talk with your teen and perhaps help with the practice of interviewing-it’s a skill, and knowing what to do doesn’t mean knowing how to do it... When I coach teens we spend at least one session getting clear about:
-the points to be discussed with the interviewer
-the specific questions to be asked about each campus
-the language to use to best convey her or himself.
Absolutely no one should walk in cold to an interview!
I want to share one story about a nice young man I interviewed. We were talking about his interest in schools and I asked why he was pursuing admission at the university I was representing. He answered that his guidance counselor told him to add another school to his list and so that’s why he was applying.
Now imagine for a moment that you are me... what would you think as the interviewer?
These are the thoughts that ran through my mind...
This young man is without guile - which is appealing
He hasn’t done any research and has no idea what the school is about
I can’t recommend him for admission - as he hasn’t demonstrated his interest in the school - much less whether he is a fit.
When I share this story with groups of teens, sometimes I hear students say, Well at least he was honest!
My response is...Quite frankly I expect honesty from everyone I interview-and it is the work of interviewees to prepare for the interview-so that they do not waste their time and mine.
I hope that making the time to reflect on the interview process serves your teen-as it is can be an asset to the application.
Major in You
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Seniors are in the final stages of their marathon event-the search for the colleges that are the best matches for them... Many students are doing interviews right now...In fact, I’ll be doing some conversations with high school seniors for Clark University in the next few weeks-giving students a better idea of what drew me to Clark and what it has to offer to students today...
Interviews... an event feared and loathed by many-because, I believe, teens and adults make it out to be something bigger than it really is... I would define an interview as an exchange of information between individuals-really a conversation-and most of us have conversations about what matters to us, all the time. A college interview is similar!
While there’s no doubt that a college interview is an exchange of information with someone new and different, it’s really an opportunity for teens to further describe or reveal themselves to admissions office personnel-it’s an extension of your application-and the chance to further connect with people who are interested in teens and discovering who may be a fit for their school.
I read articles and books, and listen closely to interviews about interviewing. There’s great advice available about being prepared and engaging in the process. Here is a Top Ten list that will serve your teen.
Top Steps to a Great Interview!
1. Do research on each college, so that you go in feeling confident and can ask smart questions during your conversation
2. Prepare talking points-what you want to be sure to tell the interviewer about yourself and your experiences-and practice!
3. Bring a folder with you-of your work, articles about you in the school or local newspaper, awards you have won, letters of recommendation from jobs you have had
4. RELAX-it’s a conversation... BREATHE
5. Engage with the interviewer-have a conversation
6. Elaborate on your answers-Be sure to talk in full sentences
7. Show your passion-talk about what is important and meaningful to you... subjects in school, extracurriculars - sports, music, volunteer work
8. Be an interviewer! This is an opportunity to learn about the interviewer’s experience at the school
9. Afterwards-reflect on your conversation... what you did well and what you can improve for your next interview
10. Write a thank you note-on stationery.
Now that you know what to do to make the best impression during an interview, it’s time to talk with your teen and perhaps help with the practice of interviewing-it’s a skill, and knowing what to do doesn’t mean knowing how to do it... When I coach teens we spend at least one session getting clear about:
-the points to be discussed with the interviewer
-the specific questions to be asked about each campus
-the language to use to best convey her or himself.
Absolutely no one should walk in cold to an interview!
I want to share one story about a nice young man I interviewed. We were talking about his interest in schools and I asked why he was pursuing admission at the university I was representing. He answered that his guidance counselor told him to add another school to his list and so that’s why he was applying.
Now imagine for a moment that you are me... what would you think as the interviewer?
These are the thoughts that ran through my mind...
This young man is without guile - which is appealing
He hasn’t done any research and has no idea what the school is about
I can’t recommend him for admission - as he hasn’t demonstrated his interest in the school - much less whether he is a fit.
When I share this story with groups of teens, sometimes I hear students say, Well at least he was honest!
My response is...Quite frankly I expect honesty from everyone I interview-and it is the work of interviewees to prepare for the interview-so that they do not waste their time and mine.
I hope that making the time to reflect on the interview process serves your teen-as it is can be an asset to the application.
Major in You
blog her
Friend Jill
Tweet with Jill
