You’ve done it: you completed high school, tossed your graduation cap in the air, and finally grasped that well-earned diploma. If you plan to attend college next, however, there are still several remaining hurdles to overcome. One of these is college interview preparation, which is why we’ve gathered our best tips right here in one convenient place.
Here are our top 5 tips for college interview prep at Educational Attainment Services.
#1: Prepare Specific Questions
You might be surprised to learn that the college interview process is two-sided. Yes, you’re being interviewed, but in a very real sense, you’re also interviewing the interviewer, determining whether this college is a good personal and academic fit for your needs.
Always do your research before heading to your first college interview. Go through the university’s website. Read about their faculty, degree programs, history, and more. Then use that knowledge to prepare specific questions for the person interviewing you.
Questions worth asking might include:
- Details about your intended degree program.
- Intended trajectory for the college’s future.
- Reasons why the college is a step ahead of its competitors.
#2: Know What Questions To Expect
Of course, you’re also going to be asked a lot of questions during a college interview. These can range from personal questions (“What do you like to do with your free time?”) to strictly academic questions (“What was your GPA when you graduated?”) to institution-specific questions (“Why do you want to attend our university?”).
Some other common questions include:
- "What degree do you want to pursue?"
- "Tell me something interesting about yourself."
- "What’s an example of a failure that you learned from?"
- "What would you say is your biggest achievement so far?"
- "What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?"
#3: Practice, Practice, Practice
You only get one chance at the formal college interview, but you can practice in the comfort of your own home. Ask a friend or family member to play the part of the interviewer, and rehearse responding to some of the questions listed above, as well as asking questions of your own.
You don’t have to memorize a word-for-word answer to every question, but you do want to have a general idea of what to say. Practice allows you to memorize your key points while also avoiding excessively stilted, overly formal speech patterns.
#4: Be Professional
A college interview is much like a job interview. Since you only have one chance to make a first impression, you want to present as mature, put-together, and prepared.
Dress the part in clothes you would wear to work, make sure you’ve taken good care of yourself before arriving, get enough sleep the night before, and our last tip...
#5: Bring Your
Résumé
Not every college interviewer will ask you to bring a résumé. On the other hand, no college interviewer will ever be disappointed that you did bring your résumé. Having a properly formatted résumé furthers your professional appearance and makes a lasting impression on your interviewer.
For more strategies on getting accepted to your dream college, contact us at Educational Attainment Services.
