Omniac Attack!

Hey Seniors!

Once again, we understand that it's only a few weeks into the school year, but application deadlines will be here before you know it.  And before those deadlines hit, you'll be sure to have an interview or three with your top college choices. 

College interviews can be tricky.  Even though they account for a relative minor part of your overall application, it's not unheard of for a borderline acceptable student to be pushed down to the wait-list because of a poor interview.  You obviously don't want to be that guy or gal!

Fortunately, we have a short list of things to help you rock your interviews and leave colleges begging for more of the tasty awesomeness that is YOU!

 
Interviewers get fed the same generic crap every single day; they've become quite good at seeing it for what it is.  Don't give them more of it!

 

For example, if the interviewer asks what your favorite book is (and they probably will), don't try to lie and say it's Paradise Lost.  Now, if you have a passion for Milton, that's one thing, but, assuming you don't, don't try to fake it because you think it'll make you look smarter.  

A much better answer for a lot of students would be Twilight.  It's true that the interviewer will probably have heard that before, but if you're a die-hard Team Edward member (or Team Jacob), your passion will outweigh your slight unoriginality.  And besides, most people will ignore this advice and still try to BS some book they got assigned in school anyway, so you'll be a step ahead of them!

 
You're Awesome!  You have to be; if you're not Awesome, then the college is going to pass you up in favor of someone who is Awesome.  A common mistake is that otherwise Awesome students will just gloss over their Awesomeness during their interview.  

Outside of lying, this is the worst thing you can do.  Forget humility and modesty.  The meek may inherit the earth, but they certainly won't get into a selective school!  The only way your interviewer will have a proper appreciation for the sheer amount of Awesome you bring to the table is for you to show them.  Because if you don't, we can guarantee that no one else will.

 
While it's true that every interview is different, it's equally true that every interview has a LOT of things in common.  You can expect to be asked several standard questions like, "Why do you want to go to this school?", or "What will you add to campus life?" or "What's your favorite book and why?"  

A quick Google search will yield several others.  It pays to familiarize yourself with these questions, and at least have a vague understanding of how you'd answer them.  

There's a catch though!  Having a script that you've just memorized is just as bad as not having an answer at all.  Don't practice your answers.  Practice the act of answering.  There's a difference!

What should you do if you get a question completely out of left field?  Simple...you think about for a few seconds and then knock it out of the park.  Because that's how Awesome people roll, and we've already established that you're Awesome!  Don't be afraid to take the time to think before you talk...

 
Perhaps the most commonly asked question at an interview is, "Do you have any questions?"  "No" is the worst answer that you can give.  Having at least a few questions for the interviewer shows that you care about the school, which will obviously be a point in your favor, so make sure that you have some.  

Some questions are a little more equal than others though.  Don't ask questions about the application process, at this stage of it, there shouldn't be much you don't already know.  Also don't ask things that you can find out from the school's website, do that research before the interview.  And try not to ask yes/no questions, or if you do, ask a follow up afterwards.  

Good questions to ask would be ones about specific programs the university offers.  If you want to major in English, for example, look up some of the faculty from the website beforehand and ask questions about them.  Same thing is applicable if you want to try out for the band, or the theatre, or any campus activity.  Pick something you'll be interested in once you get to campus and ask about that.  That will not only give you plenty of questions to ask, but will also show the interviewer a little more about your passions.

 
Interviewers are a lot like teachers giving out recommendations: this may be part of their job, but it's a small part of their job.  If you recognize that, and show some appreciation for it, the interviewer will look at you a little more favorably.  If you're gracious to your interviewer and take the time out to send them a nice card afterward, that WILL go into your file, favorably.  Of course, this is a relatively small factor of a relatively small part of the admissions process, but that doesn't matter.  Every little bit counts, especially if you're straddling the line between acceptance and wait-list.  Besides, admissions officers are people too, and everyone likes to be appreciated!

Interviews can be scary, they can be nerve-wracking, and they can be a giant nuisance.  But with these tips and a little prep work, you should be more than able to rock your interview like it's never been rocked before.  And if all else fails, then you can always try imagining the interviewer naked.