<p>I am applying to five day prep high schools, and as you may already know, an admissions interview is required at all of them (I will be interviewed this fall and winter). I'm not really sure what to expect. Can anyone please offer me some wise tips, advice, and suggestions to doing well during one? What makes one applicant do better than another during an interview? In other words, what is the key to doing very well in an admissions interview? Thank you so much for your help.</p>
<p>I think the all time most important and key thing in an admissions interview is to show your personality and always have eye contact (but don't gaze at them with piercing eyes:D) Where something nice, but not overly dressy, I wore a sweater, nice jeans, and nice schoes and all of my interviews went great. Two out of the three interviewers I had wore the same thing. They'll probably asked the basics "What do you do over the summer?," "What kind of grades do you make?," "How do you spend your spare time?," "How do you think you will fit into/What do you think you can contribute to XYZ Academy?, etc,etc,"
PM me if you have anymore questions.:)</p>
<p>I haven't interviewed for prep school, but I can tell you how to interview for an elite music program.</p>
<p>I went in wearing what I always wear. I answered their questions, and then said the key line.</p>
<p>You must say, "Thank you very much for the opportunity to interview with you." It makes them feel special, makes them feel like you liked them and were impressed.</p>
<p>Don't slouch in your chair. Be confident. Pronounce your words correctly. Elaborate freely on what you say... interviewers love to get the whole image of a person. know yourself, what you like, what your goals are, and information about your current school.</p>
<p>If they ask you how you are, do not say "I'm good." Say, "I am very well."</p>
<p>What Superior Child said, just make sure you are proper and articulate. Also, don't answer questions exactly and directly. Just talk about what they ask, and talk about things. Pretend it is a conversation, but with someone who is not a peer and whom you must respect more.</p>
<p>bump :):):)</p>
<p>Do a little bit of research about the school you are being interviewed for...it will impress the interviewer and show that you really do want to go.</p>
<p>Knowing about the school definitely impresses the interviewer. Also be prepared to ask unusual questions...</p>
<p>^ Haha...unusual questions...I am a bit of a musical theatre geek, as you might see from my screename ( Seasons of Love is a song from the musical RENT) and I put that on my questionnare and the interviewer and I got to talking about RENT. We also talked about my best friend who attends there and our relationship. Her computer was also broken and made a loud whirring noise the entire time, causing her to yell " I WANT TO JUST THROW MYSELF OUT A WINDOW!" at one point in the interview. </p>
<p>Relax, try and be yourself, and be ready for the strange questions. However, this is what I remember from my interview and my friends interview which was for the same school, and happened right before mine.</p>
<p>" Do you like to read?"
" What are your grades normally like?"
" What sports do you enjoy?"
" What do you do in your spare time?"
" Do you play an instrument? If so, for how long?"
We talked about my sister, who graduated the school two years before, and she ended up being a friend of my interviewers sister...JUST EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! Especially if you are a legacy or have another association with the school.</p>
<p>Also they ask you these questions to</p>
<p>"Why do you want to go to this school?"
"What are your hobbies?" Then when you answer what your hobbies were they'll be like
"What is (hobby) about?" oO; For ex. I told the director I was into Taekwondo he answered what the color belts were etc etc etc
"What subject do you like the best?"
"What are your weak subjects?"</p>
<p>Unless you're transferring to a different HS here are the questions they ask you</p>
<p>"Why are you transferring?"
"What's the difference btwn (your HS) and (this HS)?"</p>
<p>:] Hope this helps.</p>
<p>O yeah; they will also ask what you believe the best qualities of your current school is and how that school has impacted your personality.</p>
<p>The most important thing is to talk to your interviewer not as if he/she is a god, but a person you just met who wants to get to know you. Thus, there is nothing restricting you from getting to know your interviewer back. Show some curiosity. Try to relate to your interviewer. I think my interviews went pretty well, and I ended up getting into both schools I applied to. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Firm handshake, have a copy of your application with you, or review what you said. SOmetimes they will look at that to refresh memory. </p>
<p>Also, its okay to say, well, I am not sure, but I have thought about....</p>
<p>As well, have some ideas of what new areas you want to explore- clubs, drama, newspaper, etc</p>
<p>Don't say anything too cliched ie: well, things I admire about my self is my dedication, come up with something fresh, and think about before hand some things you might want to change about yourself, someone will ask that</p>
<p>My D was asked for a scholarship- in ten years, how would you change the world for the better...</p>
<p>Explore websites again before interview to refresh memory and to not confuse schools (easy to do)</p>
<p>Do not bad mouth anyone, any school, any teacher- say yes, there are differences, ie size, but don't say, well, its such a small schoo
Be sure and thank them when its over, don't sit before they do, shake hands again, turn off cell phone, look interviewers in the eye, sit up straight, no matter how they sit. Speak up.</p>
<p>Also, I wouldn't make a list of 20+ questions you might be asked and go over your answer to each question. Unless you play it off well, you'll look like a fake and your interview wont be natural. I just thought of my answers to questions like, "Why do you want to go to boarding school" and "What do you like to do in your free time?" Don't worry about all the other questions you might be asked, because chances are you wont be asked them and you'll go through all that trouble for nothing.</p>
<p>ANd they are not trying to trick you. THey are usually very nice people. But its okay to think ahead of time, but a the poster said, you want to sound fresh and not too practiced.</p>
<p>DOn't be nervous, be sure and check teeth for food. What my Ds do is brush their teeth just before. It feels good and wakes them up and is a kind of ritual.</p>
<p>You will do fine, just relax, but be a little prepared</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, do they look at your application before the interview?</p>
<p>Umm aren't prep-school interviews at least 6 months away?</p>
<p>lol, yeah they are. But I guess punkett just wanted to get his (her?) questions out of the way... there is nothing wrong with prepping for interviews no matter how far away they might be.</p>
<p>a question i asked the guy interviewing me was "what qualities about ________ school made you want to work here?" it got the conversation really going.</p>