FAQ #3: What should I do when I arrive at the interview place?

ANSWER: To begin with, be sure to arrive at the interview place on time, if not 10-15 minutes early. Nothing gives a worse impression than showing up late for an appointment. Before you walk into the office, turn off your cell phone, take out your chewing gum, and look in a mirror to make sure nothing is awry. Stand up straight, take a deep breath, and walk into the admissions office with a smile on your face.

Walk up to the receptionist, smile, and tell him/her your name and that you have an appointment for an interview at the time you have been given. If your parents are with you, they should either find a place to sit or leave the office once they know you are settled. You will probably be told to sit down in the reception area. It’s important for you to make a good impression from the moment you enter until the time you leave. Smile; nod to people when they come into the room; if someone speaks to you, respond. If people in the waiting area speak to you, respond. Taking deep breaths will help to relax you.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE INTERVIEW?
When your interviewer comes out to meet you, stand up; offer your hand for a good, firm handshake. If your parents are in the room, say, “I’d like to introduce you to my parents” (or mother or father), and identify their first and last names. It’s almost unheard of for parents to be invited in for an interview. Occasionally an interviewer will ask if they have any questions. It’s perfectly appropriate to ask one, maybe two. (Parents: don’t go on and on because that will take time away from your student.) Once the introductions have been made, the interviewer will then lead you to the appointed interview office.

As you sit down in the interview office, give him/her a copy of your activities resume, and say, “I brought along a copy of my activities resume so that you can know something about me, my academic background and activities.” Sit up straight, and take deep breaths.

adMISSION POSSIBLE® TIP! A good way of thinking about the admissions interview is that it is just a conversation between you and another person, not some painful, grueling “third degree” that is going to determine whether or not you’re accepted to the college. Like you, interviewers are flesh and blood, human beings. It’s useful to remind yourself of this before and during the interview.

Remember, the first three or four minutes of any interview are the most important! This is the time when the interviewer forms his or her first impression.

The interviewer will probably start things off by commenting on the weather, or asking you how your trip was (if you have come a long way). Simply reply, but with more than just a word such as “OK.” Say a few words about the weather or the trip. After the niceties are over, he/she will start the more formal part of the interview and ask you questions such as are noted in the Appendix.