JUNIOR COLLEGE PREP 2/19/16

INTERVIEWS  Few colleges require an interview  Many colleges offer evaluative or informational interviews  Some colleges do not offer interviews at all

WHEN & WHERE  When  Late spring of Junior year  Senior year  Where  On campus  Off campus  The college may match up applicants with alumni interviewers who live in the same area  Skype

BENEFITS OF INTERVIEWING  If interviewing is an option, it is to your benefit to do it  Interviewing is a way for you to display a strong interest in a college  Interviewing lets the interviewer get to know your personality behind the grades and test scores  Interviewing is a chance for borderline students to present themselves as winning candidates by their sincerity and personality  Interviewing is an opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances that affected academic performance  Interviewing is an opportunity to describe the ways you will contribute to the college

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS  Evaluative interview - intended to help the institution assess the student as a candidate. The interviewer speaks with the student, takes notes and reports all impressions to the admission committee. This evaluation becomes part of the student's application file. Interviewers are often admission officers but may be faculty members or alumni.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS Informational interview - intended to give the student information about the institution. This can be a one-on-one talk with a college representative or a group information session for applicants. Interviewers may be admission officers but might also be faculty members, alumni or even current students at the college. Although the informational interview's main purpose is to answer student questions about the college, it is quite possible that the college representative will also evaluate the student and pass an opinion on to the admission committee. Students should therefore always be aware of the impression they are making.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW  Make an interview appointment  Research the college by checking out its website  Make notes about why you want to attend the college  Make notes about your academic background and high school experiences  Make notes about your life outside the classroom, including activities, community service and hobbies  Get familiar with common interview questions and do some practice interviews with a friend or family member. Take turns being the interviewee and the interviewer  Prepare questions about the school to ask the interviewer  Get directions to the interview  Gather documents you might need, such as test scores and your high school transcript

HOW TO DRESS - GUYS  Khakis or jeans in excellent repair  Wear your pants with a belt and keep underwear hidden from public view  No shorts  Collared shirt, nice polo, or sweater  No t-shirts  Wear a tie only if you are used to it and won’t fidget  Nothing worn or frayed  No flip flops or ratty sneakers  Leave hats and sunglasses at home

GUYS - YES

GUYS - NO

HOW TO DRESS - GIRLS  Dress pants or moderate length skirt or dress  No mini-skirts/dresses  Blouse or sweater - nothing revealing  Simple, professional shoes  No flip flops or ratty sneakers  Keep hair and make up neat and simple  Modest jewelry – anything showy can be distracting  No huge purses  Leave hats and sunglasses at home

GIRLS - YES

GIRLS - NO

INTERVIEWING SKILLS  Eye contact  Posture  Smiling  Hand shake

TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO ANTICIPATE  College Fit Questions  Why do you want to attend our college?  What can you contribute to our college campus?  Answer Strategy  Talk about what you've learned about the college and why you feel it's the right place for you. (Remember that you have to research a college ahead of time to answer this type of question well.)  Discuss your extracurricular activities and achievements that show your character.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO ANTICIPATE  Personality Questions  What three adjectives best describe you?  What are your strengths and weaknesses?  Answer Strategy  Give examples of how your chosen adjectives describe you.  Talk about how you've used your strengths to accomplish something.  Talk about how you overcome your weaknesses. For example, you can say, "I have a hard time learning new languages, so I set aside more time to study them."

TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO ANTICIPATE  Activities, Interests, & Goals Questions  What activities do you find most rewarding?  What is your favorite book?  What do you want to do after graduating from college?  Answer Strategy  Think about the why: Why are those activities the most rewarding? Why is a book your favorite? If you have a major in mind, talk about why you're interested in that subject. Discuss how you think college can help you meet your goals. Be sincere and honest in your answer — don't say things just to impress the interviewer.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO ANTICIPATE  Wide Ranging Questions  If you had a thousand dollars to give away, what would you do with it?  What's your opinion on the immigration debate (or another topic in the news)?  If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?  Answer Strategy  Stay up-to-date on news and current events. Do you have strong opinions on certain issues? Can you explain your position? Try to spell out your system of values to yourself and think about how you apply it.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER  If the interviewer is an alum, ask why they chose the college over others.  What does the college do to assist students with career planning, internships, and future job placement?  What do you wish you could change about the school?  Why should I choose your college?

TIPS ON ASKING QUESTIONS  Don’t ask questions that you can find on the school website, especially if they're incredibly specific questions about a certain department or program your interviewer might not know how to answer.  Don’t bombard the interviewer with questions. You want to be enthusiastic, not aggressive.  Don’t ask questions just to impress your interviewer. Ask the questions that interest you.

WHAT NOT TO DO  Don't try to memorize a script. Just have a conversation.  Don't try to answer questions based on what you think the interviewer wants to hear. Just be yourself.  Don’t talk too little.  Don’t bring your parents to the interview.  Don’t lie.  Don’t be rude.  Don’t overuse the word “like”  Don’t slouch in your seat

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE INTERVIEW  Make notes about the interview  File away any business cards with contact information that the interviewer and other admission staff offer  Send a thank-you note to the interviewer. Thank the person for his or her time and refer to something specific you discussed