<p>yes i know theres already a tasp thread...but i thought it would be more manageable to have a separate thread on the interview.</p>
<p>so, any tips, former taspers?</p>
<p>I am so happy I am a finalist! I said a prayer to God in order to thank him! I also heard the interview is grueling! :)</p>
<p>uhhhh. Be yourself and don't pretend to be what you're not
Dont overdress
Be cordial
Don't chew gum
Look interviewer in the face
PLEASE don't answer questions in one word replies
Remember to smile and don't be boring
You can ask questions too; it's not an interrogation</p>
<p>That's all I got. Interviews are soooo easy.</p>
<p>is there just one interviewer? i had heard there was more than one person. also, by overdress, do you mean no business attire-esque clothing? so are we saying...somewhere between jeans and dresses?</p>
<p>Ok, first of all: this interview was the hardest hour and a half of my life, even with my experience as a relatively prolific public speaker. Prepare for nothing less than a thorough grilling. This is not your typical alumni interview.</p>
<p>I had my interview with a panel of three Telluride associates; some my fellow TASPers had interviews with one or two people. It depends on your geographical region and the abundance of associates/lack thereof. The interviewers will have received copies of the essays you submitted to the TA, and they will have read and annotate the essays so that they can ask you questions about your general interests, the logical flow of your argumentation, your word choice, your moral beliefs, your convictions, etc.</p>
<p>The best advice I have is to read up on current events so you have a comfortable grasp on issues in which lively intellectuals are likely to take interest, and to read over your essays again so you can defend them intelligently and reasonably.</p>
<p>Try to demonstrate that you are unique, thoughtful, and generally an asset to have at a TASP. Psst: the best TASPers are intelligent, motivated, and extremely bright, but also hopelessly lively and quirky. Convince them that they'd want to spend six weeks with you.</p>
<p>They're nice people. You'll have fun, but it'll be draining.</p>
<p>im thinking that the ny-area (long island) will have plenty of associates...</p>
<p>personally, i like talking and i like talking about these kind of topics.
unfortunately, ive never been much of one for current events, so im going to have to start reading the newspaper more.</p>
<p>did they ask about books on the book list too>?</p>
<p>Yes. But in reference to the points you make, if that makes sense.</p>
<p>bkoolkido, where was your interview held. Did you have to travel far?
Was it on a weekday or weekend? What kind of questions did YOU ask?</p>
<p>My interview was held in a private room in a public library. I took the subway there, so no, I didn't travel much at all. It was at six on a weekday.</p>
<p>The first question I asked them was "What do you look for in a potential TASPer?" Their answer was that they were really looking for interesting conversations - ones that didn't dwindle and die a silent, painful death, and similarly, a student who could carry on a conversation and be lively and intelligent throughout. </p>
<p>I will freely admit that I was very obsessed with the entire process, so I had few questions about TASP itself.. I might have asked about the typical TASP day, and how they assign TASPs. I think a bunch of former TASPers and I have answered the first question on the other thread. (For those curious ducklings wondering about the latter, TASPs are assigned by the TASP committee at a large committee meeting.)</p>
<p>I also shot back questions about my interviewers' argumentation, if that counts for anything.</p>
<p>bkool is most definately right...it will be one of the hardest interviews of your life.</p>
<p>Like bkool, said, read over your essays, dig into them a little bit. Lots of what you will talk about will be tangential topics and your thoughts on group living...so do be prepared for that...</p>
<p>The nice thing was, I remember walking to chemistry class from my interview, exhausted and enervated. And then I was like, that was one of the most interesting conversations of my life.</p>
<p>Ah, one of our TASPers (RJSmith, hes around here somewhere) had ellen baer in his panel of interviewers. yikes!</p>
<p>is it difficult to keep the conversation flowing?</p>
<p>oh yeah, be knowledgeable about current news, world affairs, and just THINGS in general, but don't come off as nerdy or brainy. Just act like a normal human being.</p>
<p>eek, dont know if im capable of that but i guess ill have to try...</p>
<p>
[quote]
oh yeah, be knowledgeable about current news, world affairs, and just THINGS in general, but don't come off as nerdy or brainy. Just act like a normal human being.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Have you been to TASP? Just curious.
Because the majority of kids that end up there are, yes, "nerdy" and "brainy." They are remarkable intellects from all over the place, who are interested in outsider art and ancient Greek texts, and who enjoy, more than anything else, sharing the "nerdiness" and "braininess" that make them so unique. Intelligence and likability are not opposing values.</p>
<p>Please don't be afraid to be intelligent.</p>
<p>I'm sorry to bust your bubble, but one can be intelligent while not acting like a total dork/nerd/geek/whatever.</p>
<p>'Have you been to TASP? Just curious."
No, but I have done interviews for many things before, such as getting into a great private school, and plenty of job interviews. Youd don't have to have attended TASP or TASS to give advice. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. TASP could have 4371 interviewers, if you follow my tips listed in this topic, you can ace any interview. It's basically just common sense. Be intelligent and well-rounded on world news/current events/etc., just don't come off as a pure academic dork. Nobody likes dorks. You don't have to watch CNN all day to be accepted into TASP.</p>
<p>An overconfident display of intelligence (pretending that you know everything, acting like there is an answer to every question that only you know, answering EVERY question a teacher asks before he/she finishes the question are all examples) is nerdish. Sorry, but most people don't like nerds. You don't need to be a nerd to attend TASP. That's just utterly ridiculous.</p>
<p>I'm sorry that your exposure to intelligence has been so negative. TASP is less an interview and more of a test of being put on the spot - it's a highly intellectually-oriented exercise that requires a certain amount of confidence in one's opinion and stance.</p>
<p>Your advice may apply well to interviews in general, but I think it's safe to say that a TASP interview is different from general ones.</p>
<p>not so different that you have to sound like a human almanac when you answer the interviewer's questions. A potential TASP candidate must have LIFE, not sound like a total drone. Though TASP is academically oriented, the orchestrators of the entire experience want actual people, not just brainiacs that can endlessly recite facts about History or current events.</p>
<p>"bkool is most definately right...it will be one of the hardest interviews of your life."
-Please?! As if! This will not be one of the hardest interviews in your life.</p>
<p>You'll note that I pointed out that likability and intelligence aren't opposing values. I think we're both advocating intelligence in association with human warmth. You're right - it's important to be interesting as a person, but I think it's just as important (in this program) to be extremely intellectually gifted, and to be able to demonstrate that capacity in the interview.</p>
<p>My experience with TASPers has been that truly intellectual people sound "brainy" in interviews without sounding "like a human almanac." I think an understanding and accurate utilization of current events enriches conversations and allows for increased facilitation of thought. I also think demonstration of one's understanding of one's moral conviction and one's ability to demonstrate such an understanding shows thoughtfulness and maturity on the part of the applicant.</p>
<p>In all, I think every debate (especially one that centers on a group of documents that you authored) is an excellent opportunity to show demonstrate intellectual ferocity as well as personality. Because TASP interviews are geared towards the more argumentative element of a person, I'd say that the interviewers are expecting a lively but intellectually nimble applicant who is not only ready to demonstrate their contribution to group living, but also to the intellectual environment of the group.</p>
<p>And yes, it is a difficult interview. No, really.</p>
<p>for those whove had interviews, would you say its more difficult with one person, 2 or 3? is it difficult to keep the conversation moving, or not?</p>