Since many of the girls already talked about what we did in class today, I just wanted to share an event held for the people in my hall.
- be sure to look up information about the college
- know exactly why you want to attend
- keep eye contact with the interviewer
- when asked a question, take some time to think of the answer rather than starting and then gathering your thoughts in the middle of answering
- whenever you are asked about a time when you acted as a leader or resolved a conflict, talk about the experience, relate it to yourself and your qualities, and then try to explain how you would use these characteristics for the school you're applying to
- try to make the interview seem like a conversation instead of a question and answer routine
- always be prepared to ask a question at the end!
I definitely like how here at Brown there are several activities planned to help answer questions about college or the application process. Attending these events will be helpful for me in the future, and the information I share with others will be useful if they have an questions about applications or interviewing.
1 comment:
Courtney,
I liked this little exercise. Book learning is just fine but throwing in some practical applications has some real merit.
A few things I'd like to add to the recommendations already provided:
• Physical appearances are important. Even if you don't dress in your Sunday finest, at least dress sharply and dress appropriately. At the very least, make sure your clothes are clean and pressed.
• Brush your teeth before attending the interview. Need I go into details about how that piece of spinach between your front teeth might not impress your interviewer?
• Consider removing some of the appliances from your face. While that bone through your nose may get you some great action on a Friday night in Berkeley, it may not impress your interviewer in a positive manner.
• Consider turning your hair back to all one color, Like the facial appliances, multi colored neon shaded hair may not have the affect you're looking for.
• Sit up in the chair and get reasonably close to the interviewer. When we conducted some of the interviews for the ILC earlier this year we had a couple of interviewees who sat slumped on the edge of their chair and their chair was about three feet away from the table. It was NOT an impressive sight.
• Following up with the last suggestion, sit up straight. Save the slouching for when you're with your buds watching TV.
• Become animated. Gesticulate with your hands. Move your head about so you're alternating looking directly into the eyes of the interviewers.
• Speak up. Leave the mumbling for when you’re responding to a directive from your folks.
• Enunciate and leave the street talk outside of the interview.
• Shake the hand of your interviewer when you first meet and again when you depart. There’s a whole art to the shaking of the hands and while shaking a woman’s hand you may want to avoid demonstrating your strength, the very last thing you want when shaking a hand is to use the “dead fish” approach. Extend your hand, wait until your hands are fully locked with each other and then gently grasp it for a couple of brief movements (thus the name: handshake). Then let go and retreat. Don’t hang onto it unless you really want to gross out the other person and don’t grasp it with the other hand in a two handed shake. And most importantly, leave the street greetings out on the street. This is grown-up real world time.
• Smile and look confident.
It won’t matter what you actually say if you screw up the points I’ve mentioned here. Likewise, if you follow all of my suggestions and can’t verbalize your responses, you may as well stay at home and save everyone some time.
Try practicing amongst people who aren’t your friends and relatives. Friends and relatives may not be completely honest in their evaluations. A mother ALWAYS sees their child as perfect.
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