Name: John Allen Darnell, III

Subject: English

Period: 1st

Date: July 17th, 2009

Approximate Time: 100 minutes

Objectives: TSW effectively participate and answer questions in college interviews (LA 3.f, DOK 3).

Materials/: Handout sheets with interview questions, transparencies, overhead projector, timer

Do Now: Write down which college you would like to attend and why you want to go there.

Set: TTW act as the admissions board of the colleges mentioned in the “do now” to ask interview questions like: What do think you will add to this college? Why should we give you a scholarship over someone with the same qualifications? Then, TTW lead into the lesson on college interviews. By the end of the class, TSW be able to effectively respond to college interview questions.

Procedures:

1. Do Now (3 min) 2. Set (5 min) 3. TTW introduce the interview process for colleges (15 min) a. How to get an interview, questions asked, what the colleges are looking for 4. TTW model a great interview and a bad interview (10 min) 5. TSW break into groups of two and be interviewed by the teachers. (40 min) a. TTW ask the students questions and explain other ways to answer them after they’ve completed each interview. b. TSW rotate between groups of teachers. 6. TSW come back into one whole group for a “de-briefing” of the interview process and take students’ questions about interviews. (10 min) 7. Closure. (5 min) Closure: TTW discuss interviews with the class and review the objectives.

Assessment/Evaluation:

Objective: TSW effectively participate and answer questions in college interviews (LA 3.f, DOK 3).

Informal: TTW monitor students during mock interviews (M) on their answers and non-verbal skills (C).

Formal: TSW take an exam (M) that includes interview questions (C) that will be recorded for a grade (D). 1. Tell me about yourself. This question seems easier than it is. How do you reduce your whole life to a few sentences? And it's hard to avoid commonplace answers like "I'm friendly" or "I'm a good student." Of course you want to demonstrate that you're friendly and studious, but try also to say something memorable here that really makes you different from other college applicants. Can you hold your breath longer than anyone in your school? Do you have a huge collection of Pez dispensers? Do you have unusual cravings for sushi?

2. Why are you interested in our college? Be specific when answering this, and show that you've done your research. Also, avoid answers like "I want to make a lot of money" or "Graduates of your college get good job placement." You want to highlight your intellectual interests, not your materialistic desires. What specifically about the college distinguishes it from other schools you're considering? 3. What can I tell you about our college? You can almost guarantee that your interviewer will provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. Make sure you have some, and make sure your questions are thoughtful and specific to the particular college. Avoid questions like "when is the application deadline?" or "how many majors do you have?" This information is both uninteresting and readily available on the school's webpage. Come up with some probing and focused questions: "What would graduates of your college say was the most valuable thing about their four years here?" "I read that you offer a major in interdisciplinary studies. Could you tell me more about that?" 4. Who in your life has most influenced you? There are other variations of this question: Who's your hero? What historical or fictional character would you most like to be like? This can be an awkward question if you haven't thought about it, so spend a few minutes considering how you would answer. Identify a few real, historical, and fictional characters you admire, and be prepared to articulate WHY you admire them. 5. Why do you want to major in ______? Realize that you don't need to have decided upon a major when you apply to college, and your interviewer will not be disappointed if you say you have many interests and you need to take more classes before choosing a major. However, if you have identified a potential major, be prepared to explain why. Avoid saying that you want to major in something because you'll make a lot of money -- your passion for a subject will make you a good college student, not your greed. 6. What will you contribute to our campus community? You'll want to be specific when answering this question. An answer like "I'm hard-working" is rather bland and generic. Think about what it is that makes you uniquely you. What exactly will you bring to diversify the college's community? 7. Tell my about a challenge that you overcame. This question is designed to see what kind of problem solver you are. When confronted with a challenge, how do you handle the situation? College will be full of challenges, so the college wants to make sure they enroll students who can handle them. 8. What do you do for fun in your free time? "Hangin' out and chillin'" is a weak answer for this question. College life obviously isn't all work, so the admissions folks want students who will do interesting and productive things even when they aren't studying. Do you write? hike? play tennis? Use a question such as this one to show that you are well-rounded with a variety of interests. 9. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now? You don't need to pretend that you have your life figured out if you get a question like this. Very few students entering college could accurately predict their future professions. However, your interviewer does want to see that you think ahead. If you can see yourself doing three different things, say so -- honesty and open-mindedness will play in your favor. 10. Does your high school record accurately reflect your effort and ability? In the interview or on your application, you often have an opportunity to explain a bad grade or a bad semester. Be careful with this issue -- you don't want to come across as as a whiner or as someone who blames others for a low grade. However, if you really did have extenuating circumstances, let the college know. 11. Recommend a good book to me. The interviewer is trying to accomplish a few things with this question. First, the question asks whether or not you've actually read much. Second, it asks you to apply some critical skills as you articulate why a book is worth reading. And finally, your interviewer might get a good book recommendation! 12. If you could do one thing in high school differently, what would it be? A question like this can turn sour if you make the mistake of dwelling on things you regret. Try to put a positive spin on it. Perhaps you've always wondered if you would have enjoyed acting or music. Maybe you would have liked to give the student newspaper a try. Maybe, in retrospect, studying Chinese might have been more in line with your career goals than Spanish. A good answer shows that you didn't have the time in high school to explore everything that is of interest to you. The college interview probably isn't the most important part of your application, but it can help you if you make a good impression. A bad impression can hurt your chances of getting accepted.

During the interview, DO NOT...

1. Be Late Your interviewers are busy people. Alumni interviewers are probably taking time out of their full-time jobs to meet with you, and campus admissions folks often have back-to-back appointments scheduled. Lateness disrupts schedules and shows irresponsibility on your part.

2. Underdress Business casual is your safest bet, but the main thing is to look neat and put-together. You'll look like you don’t care if you show up wearing ripped jeans or saran wrap. 3. Talk Too Little Your interviewer wants to get to know you. If you answer every question with a "yes," "no," or a grunt, you're not impressing anyone, and you're not demonstrating that you can contribute to the intellectual life of the campus. 4. Make a Prepared Speech You want to sound like yourself during your interview. If you have prepared answers to questions, you might come off sounding artificial and insincere. 5. Chew Gum It's distracting and annoying. 6. Bring Your Parents Your interviewer wants to get to know you, not your parents. Also, it's hard to look like you're mature enough for college if Dad is asking all the questions for you. 7. Show Disinterest This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised what some students will say. A comment like "you're my back-up school" or "I'm here because my parents told me to apply" is an easy way to lose points during the interview. 8. Fail to Research the College If you ask questions that could easily be answered by the college's website, you'll send the message that you don't care enough about the school to do a little research. Ask questions that show you know the place: "I'm interested in your Honors Program; could you tell me more about it?" 9. Lie This should be obvious, but some students do get themselves in trouble by fabricating half truths or exaggerating during the interview. 10. Be Rude Good manners go a long way. Shake hands. Address your interviewer by name. Say "thank you." Introduce your parents if they are in the waiting area. Say "thank you" again. Send a thank you note. College Interview Questions List 1

Tell me about your experiences at your high school. Is there a particular experience you had there that stands out?

What would you change about your school if you had the power to do so?

What might your teachers say is your greatest strength as a person and as a student, and what are your weaknesses in each area?

What has been the most important person or event in your own self-development?

What magazines and newspapers do you like to read?

What sort of things do you like to do outside of school?

What books or articles have you read in the last year that have had special meaning for you?

What do you want to do in the future?

If you had a time machine and could go back anytime and change history, what time period would you go to and what would you do?

Tell me about your family. Evaluation of non-verbal signals

GREAT GOOD POOR COMMENTS

Eye contact

Posture

Smiled

Didn't fidget

Voice volume

Voice speed

Grammar

Confidence

Sincerity

Enthusiasm

The interview is not an adversarial situation. Admissions folks want to like you, have you like them and like their school. Treat the interview as a conversation. Don’t just give yes and no answers. It’s O.K. to ask questions. It shows interest in the college and what the admission officer has to say. Have a positive attitude. Smile and maintain eye contact. It is all right to take a moment to think about an answer before replying. Some people feel uncomfortable about talking of their achievements but it is not boastful to talk about them. Highlight the good things from your academic past and put a positive spin on your background. Never memorize your answers by rote. Rehearse for the interview with family, friends or a coach so that you can answer in a spontaneous natural fashion and let your personality shine through.

Practice your handshake. When you meet the interviewer you should introduce yourself, shake hands and smile. Make sure that you have a good handshake by getting feedback about your handshake from relatives and friends.

Keep up on current events. Read a newspaper to keep informed. The interviewer may ask you your opinion about a current event.

Never refuse an interview. Your refusal will usually be noted.

DON’T EVER BRING A PARENT INTO THE INTERVIEW. It will make you look as if you can’t think or listen on your own.

Do your research about the college. Not looking as if you are interested in the college is a huge mistake and if you haven’t done any research you will look disinterested. You will almost certainly be asked why you are interested in the college and what sparked your interest in it. Do not say anything negative about the college. Never tell a school it’s your safety.

Prepare some questions to ask the interviewer. Ask questions that show your interest in the college. Have them prepared beforehand. Don’t ask questions that could easily be answered by looking at the college brochures, course catalogue or their website because that will make you look as if you have not done your homework.

Prepare for common interview questions. Prepare by thinking about your answers to common interview questions and by rehearsing for the interview with family, friends or an interview coach. Do not memorize these answers by rote.

Review your essay because you might be asked questions about it in the interview to break the ice.

Wear what you would wear to dinner at a good restaurant. Do not wear jeans or baseball caps. Avoid lots of jewelry, makeup and perfume. Don’t chew gum! Don’t swear!

Take any documents you might need such as test scores and a copy of your high school transcript.

Arrive on time! Plan to be there waiting 15 minutes before the interview.

Make eye contact with the interviewer. A surprising number of candidates do not look the interviewer in the eye!

Regard the interview as a CONVERSATION. Making it into a conversation means feeling free to ask the interviewer something that relates to the answer you have just given. Example: If an interviewer asks, "Why did you choose Florida University?" reply to her question and then say: "What do you think draws students here?" This sort of question exchange builds rapport because you are engaging the interviewer in a conversation instead of just waiting for the interviewer to ask you the next question on the list.

Don’t try and sneak test scores into the conversation. One of the most boring and predictable things you can do in an interview is try to sneak in your SAT scores. Some students will use any and every annoying tactic to get in a mention of how great their scores were. It is very irritating to the interviewer when candidates try to contrive their answers so that their test scores can be mentioned. It sounds false and makes the interviewer feel as if the candidate is not interested in having a real conversation.

Always follow up with a thank you note to the interviewer. After you leave the interview, jot down something that you discussed so that you can mention it later in the thank you letter.

To give you an idea of what kind of questions you will be asked we have compiled a list of the most commonly asked interview questions. Try to develop answers to these questions for yourself and use them in your mock interviews.

Why do you want to attend X university?

What is your strongest/weakest point?

What have you done to prepare for college?

What has been your greatest experience in high school?

What do you want to do in the future?

Tell me about yourself. (You should focus on about three things.)

Tell me about your interests.

Tell me about your involvement in extracurricular activities.

Tell me about your family.

What do you think about (insert a current event of the past week)?

What is your favorite book? Who is your favorite author?

Which of your accomplishments are you the most proud of?

If you could meet any important figure in the past or present, who would it be and what would you talk about?

If you could be any animal what would you be? Why?