Ace the interview

You’ve put on your best suit, checked the freshness of your breath and mastered the prefect handshake. This is important, after all. Most colleges and universities only give applicants one shot at nailing their entrance interview. How well you conduct yourself at the interview could be worth 10 to 20 percent of your total admissions score.

Nervous yet? Don’t fret. Instead, read on for how to make the right impression and present yourself as the best candidate for admission.

BE YOURSELF
As an admissions volunteer for my alma mater, I have interviewed lots of high school seniors. Interviewers expect you to present unique opinions and react to questions and proposed situations in your own way. The college wants to know that you have a personality, and that you will be successful on campus.

BE CONFIDENT
The interview is your attempt to sell yourself to the school. Present yourself in a positive light. Emphasize your strengths. This is your chance to let them know about your accomplishments. Be careful not to appear overly confident or arrogant, though—no matter whom you know or how great your GPA is, never imply that you’re an automatic choice for the school. Nothing will put interviewers in combat mode faster than a superiority complex.

DON'T BE SORRY
Be careful of sounding apologetic of any mistakes you made in high school. This is the time to make a great impression—not the time to bring up that C- in biology. Instead of dwelling on your mistakes, describe how you turned those bad experiences into valuable life lessons. One student shopped her credit card way over its limit. To pay off the debt and clean up her credit, she had to get a part-time job for the first time in her life. She began working and presented the situation as how she came to appreciate the value of money.

KNOW YOUR STUFF
Make sure you research the institution before you schedule your interview. If possible, take a tour of the campus. Interviewers love to see candidates who are familiar with their school. Speak highly of the school, even if it is not your first choice. And don’t dwell on other colleges for long—interviewers are there to represent their universities, not their rivals!

STAY ON TRACK
Entrance interviewers love to ask strange questions to see how you hold up under pressure. I often ask students about their most challenging writing assignments or what qualities make great teachers. If you are asked an unexpected question, answer in the most lucid, co-herent and honest way you can manage.

MIND YOUR MANNERS
First appearances count! Be sure to dress appropriately. A nice smile, a firm handshake and frequent eye contact will show the interviewer that you are focused and interested in the conversation. Interviewers want to know that neither of you is wasting time, so stay animated and attentive. And be punctual.

GET YOUR POINT ACROSS
Don’t repeat what you’ve already written on your application, and don’t just list off the courses you’ve taken or your extracurricular activities. Rather, talk about your interests and anything that is unique or exceptional about you. Interviewers are not there to grill or criticize you—they simply want to see who you are, and in return convey their impressions to the admissions office. Keep in mind that acquiring great interview skills at this stage of your life will benefit you later. After all, college is only the beginning!

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