Interviewing For Success

EATIC Workshop

The college application process is about hard numbers — GPA, SAT, ACT, class rank, AP test scores, years in an extracurricular, and more. And while those are extremely important, they can also seem a little…impersonal. It can be hard to show off what makes you unique; your maturity, your drive, your commitment, your passion. But a college interview is the perfect chance for you to show off YOU! These interviews are a chance for you to meet with someone who represents the school to see if it’s a good fit. But they’re also a great way to show your interest, network with the people there, and a chance for you to show what you’re all about.

Interviews can be intimidating for a lot of prospective applicants (even virtually, as the case may be now). But with the right amount of preparation, it doesn’t have to be. Harmony Plus’s Extracurricular Activity, Trainee, and Internship Club (EATIC)

met on Nov. 29 to discuss tips on how to interview successfully for colleges. Here’s what they learned about interviews:

1. Types of Questions Asked

A self-introduction is a really common first question in an interview. They’ll say, “Tell me about yourself.” Don’t blank! Instead, come up with an elevator pitch like this:

“My name is (name), I’m a (grade) at (school). I’m interested in (your interests). I want to attend (the school you’re applying to) because (reason).”

While this is a pretty basic template, you can customize it to better suit yourself and/or the school you’re interviewing at. Try including a prospective career path or a personal role model and why you look up to them. But keep it short — it’s an elevator pitch, not an essay.

Typically, the interviewer will ask two kinds of questions: Personal and societal. General and specific are two types of personal questions you’ll be asked. General questions are just that — questions that could be asked to anyone. They might be, “Why are you interested in our school?” or “What are your goals?” Whereas specific questions are ones that directly relate to you or your application. Examples of this are: “I see you play the violin, why did you decide to take it up?” or, “You’re involved in three different sports, which one do you like most?” Be prepared to answer these in your interview.

Societal questions typically have to do with a world issue, usually, one that affects you in some way. Some popular subjects for these questions could be Coronavirus, climate change, elections, social media, etc. While societal questions may not be a huge focus in your interview, those types of questions do provide helpful strategies with which to ace your interview.

2. Question Answering Strategies

Don’t be like 2007’s Miss South Carolina, who when asked why one-fifth of Americans can’t find the U.S. on a map responded with, “I believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don’t have maps.” Yikes! Even if an interview question catches you off-guard, there are strategies you can have in your back pocket to make sure you have the perfect answer. Restating the question is a good way to help you answer questions. If you’re asked, “What are some of your favorite extracurricular activities?” you could answer with: “Some of my favorite extracurricular activities are…” Remember, be careful to not just restate what you wrote on your application. This interview is a time for the college to learn new things about you.

There are other general strategies for interview questions. One is to keep your answers short. Try to keep your answers between 30 seconds and one minute. If it’s a little over, that’s fine but be careful of rambling! If you feel like you may have rambled, end your response with a summary sentence. You should also keep your answers positive and honest, especially if it’s regarding a past issue or shortcoming. Never be insulting in your answers — it could make you look bad.

EATIC also discussed a strategy called R.A.C.E. which stands for: Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain. This strategy is perfect for societal-type questions such as, “Should endangered animals in zoos be set free?” To answer this question using the R.A.C.E. strategy you would:

• Restate the question — “Endangered animals in the zoo…”
• Answer the question — “…should NOT be set free.”
• Cite evidence — “Zoologists believe these animals have become too reliant on zookeeper care and would not be able to survive in the wild.”
• Explain how your evidence supports your answer — “Therefore, releasing the captive animals into the wild would only cause the species to become even more endangered.”

And just like that, you’ve answered a pretty tough question and sounded like you know a lot about the topic (even if you don’t).

3. How To Ask Your Own Questions

“There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers,” the famous saying goes. Even if you feel like it might be rude or awkward to ask questions at your interview, don’t! Always ask questions. But be prepared to ask good questions, not bad ones.

Good questions show you’ve researched the school, whereas bad ones can be easily answered or seem vague. A good question could be: “What do most students pick for their semester elective?” versus a bad one: “How many students go to your school?” The first question is school-specific, where the latter can be answered by Google. Good questions solicit the interviewer’s opinion like, “Why did you choose to work at this school?” Good questions are also the perfect chance to show your ambition like, “If I wanted to start a club, how would I do it?” School-specific and ambitious? Check and check!

Having questions ready can help you feel more at ease and better prepared. Plus, if you already know what type of questions to ask, you can come up with smarter questions on the spot. By not asking questions, it may give the interviewer the impression you do not care or are not interested. In the end, it’s better to ask a bad question than no question at all.

4. Interview Etiquette

As with any social situation, there is an etiquette that goes along with interviews. In general, be well-dressed. For many interviews, this means business attire, with a suit and collared shirt and even a tie. Try to make consistent eye contact throughout the interview. If this is hard for you, pick a point directly behind the person’s head to focus on. Make sure you have an appropriate virtual background with clean lighting, so you look professional. Finally, clear your room of all distractions — interviewers will be able to tell if you aren’t paying attention! So turn off your notifications, video games, etc., and turn your focus entirely to the interview.

Depending on who your interviewer is, there is specific etiquette to go along with them. During a college interview, you will either have a staff member or alumni interviewing you. With a college staff member, you can think of the interview more as a casual conversation. If you know who you’re interviewing with in advance, do some research on them! It helps to be extra prepared and have a few personal questions ready to ask. During the interview with them, strive to show your intellectualism and drive — two big personalizing factors in college decisions.

With an alumni interview, remember: They are not an admissions officer. Their job is to interview you and submit a write-up. So to put yourself at ease and think of the interview as another essay on your application. As with a staff member, research the interviewer and incorporate your findings in your questions. Alumni interviewers give you the chance to provide background context for school developments since they graduated, which shows you are serious about the school. Plus, you can ask them for details about the school from when they attended.

No matter who your interviewer is, be sure to thank them for their time at the end. Showing your appreciation lets them know how grateful you are to have had the opportunity and how sincere you are about it. Also, ask for their contact information. This way, you can be sure to send a thank-you note to them. Don’t wait more than 24 hours to do this, though — you want to be fresh in their minds so when they read your note, they remember all your positive attributes.

Interview preparation is tantamount to acing your interview. If you aren’t prepared, be prepared to fail. But by taking the time to learn and ready yourself for interviews, you will be successful. Whether you’re preparing for school, college, or your first job, EATIC has the exclusive tips and tricks to help you excel. EATIC workshops are on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month from 2–3 pm. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to harmonyplus.com and sign up now!