<p>Hello.
I’m not sure if this is the correct forum to pose this question, so I’m sorry if I have done something wrong.</p>
<p>I am a high school senior living in MI and I applied to MSU and U of M. Fortunately, I have been selected for scholarship consideration at both schools. I, however, have little to no interview experience. </p>
<p>With MSU’s ADS program, they do a phone interview (I believe that's easier than a face-to-face interview, correct?), which I have done already. I do not know how well I did in the scholarship interview since results have not been disclosed as of yet, but I would still want to learn more about how to perform well in scholarship interviews. At Michigan, I’m being considered for the Shipman scholarship and I would love to excel at the interview for this dream of an opportunity.</p>
<p>Moreover, I didn't apply to Ivy Leagues or other prestigious out-of-state schools because of costs, so I have also never had a "college admissions interview" either. I’m also the first one in my family to apply to college in the US so all this stuff has been really foreign and new for me.</p>
<p>If you know anything about how Shipman interviews are conducted and advice for it, or advice in general about scholarship interviews and how to succeed in them, I would be very grateful.</p>
<p>Thank you very much!</p>
<p>I forgot to mention that, sometimes when I get nervous while speaking, I may stutter or make inappropriate gasps for air in the midst of saying a word or a sentence (not because I'm not comfortable with answering a question or with the material, but moreso I'm nervous about the situation or worried about how my answer reflects me). Do you have any suggestions for calming anxiety/jitters for interviews?</p>
<p>You might just do a Google search for interviewing tips. If you sent a resume, be sure that you have responses that can expand on your activities. </p>
<p>Something I have heard twice this week, and never before, is to do ten push-ups or jumping jacks before an interview. </p>
<p>If you get really nervous about this sort of stuff see if you can enlist a friend or family member to give you a mock interview. Don’t forget to start with a firm handshake. I actually think phone interviews are harder, but I have a hard time understanding people on the phone and have a bit of a phone phobia.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t try to worry too much about it. I’m sure they interview nervous students all the time. While you can’t get rid of your anxiety, you can learn how to control it.</p>
<p>The night before the interview, get your interview clothes ready and put all your papers near the door so that you can just grab them and go. This will eliminate as many potential delays as possible.</p>
<p>Plan to wake up even a little earlier than usual to prevent a nervous and rushed leaving the house and trip to the interview. If you will be driving to the interview, check the traffic reports and plan your route to avoid traffic surprises.</p>
<p>Although you might think staying cool depends on your preparation for questions and body language during the interview itself, and it does, the fewer distractions you have getting to the interview will put you in the right mood.</p>
<p>The most important part of staying calm during the interview comes with preparation. Of course you have to answer plenty of questions and worry about body language. That never goes away. But if you’ve practiced your answers, thought about your posture and eye contact, and done your research on the school, the hard part’s over. Now you’re just answering questions that you’ve prepared for.</p>
<p>Realize that a little nervousness is expected and that you only need to be calm enough to look competent and confident of your abilities. If you find yourself feeling overly anxious, stop to think a question over and take a few deep breaths. After all, the interviewer knows you’re anxious.</p>
<p>If you have a good guidance counselor or college counselor at your HS, make an appointment with them. My Ds had great college person who would mock interview them and give them a heads up about the type of questions asked…some very specific if she since she was familiar with the colleges and scholarships.</p>
<p>Other than that, be sure you have a good answer for why you want to attend and what you can contribute. May be asked about your weakness. Assume they have any essays you wrote for admittance in front of them and be able to expand on it.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your answers. I really appreciate it. I’m going to try my best to prepare for this. Are there any specific suggestions for group interviews?</p>
<p>In group interviews, I would say make sure you speak-- but not too much. I had an interview for a full-ride at a large state school, and we had a group interview with five people. Of the five of us in that group, two of us spoke frequently, one not as much-- of the other two, one spoke frequently, and one not at all.</p>
<p>When I do group interviews (or group discussions of any sort), I try to think about what I say before I say it (a little more important in group situations where others can respond than in individual ones). Be courteous of others, and try to reference their comments in you own: “I agree with x a little, especially because…,” “I don’t agree entirely with what y said, because…” Show you’re paying attention. Once you’ve spoken once or twice (in a row), I tend to let others respond first and wait. It’s okay to not answer one or two questions, but I wouldn’t go too long with out speaking/contributing. If you have multiple interviewers, make eye contact with both. Watch others when they are speaking.</p>
<p>purpleacorn, those are great, insightful ideas! Thank you very much. </p>
<p>Klanders, I don’t know. The itinerary shows an emphasis for group activities and discussions, but there might also be an individual interview. Like I said, I’m the first in my family to go through this entire process from college admissions to scholarships so, to an extent, I’m going in blind. :)</p>