tasp interview tips

Pre-College Issues High School Life
81

<p>Yes, I do find the numbers to be reassuring, and I think you should, too. (Sorry, I've been home the past couple days sick and I've been thinking about TASP a lot.) </p>

<p>Here's my logic:</p>

<p>Out of the 165, at least 5 people probably have other plans for the summer that were made after they submitted their application. For example, their parents scheduling a trip to Europe, or maybe an internship - something they see as better (although I'm not sure anything really COULD be better than TASP...)</p>

<p>Out of the 160 left, I'd say at least 30 are socially inept and/or will not be able to defend their essays due to having not written them independantly or lying in them. I don't mean this to be mean, and I don't mean this to be about any of you guys (obviously you're relatively articulate if you seek out like-minded individuals on the internet as a form of, well, support group). </p>

<p>Yes, these 20 wrote some great essays, but does that mean they are "people people"? No. Does it mean they wrote the essays all by themselves, without the help of encouraging english/history teachers or parents? No. Yes, they wrote down some great tomes of classic literature for their book list, but does that mean they actually read the books? No.</p>

<p>So, that brings it down to 80/130, which is about a 62% acceptance rate. That means you have to be more endearing and more quick-thinking than only 50 other people. That doesn't seem so bad to me.</p>

<p>Maybe my reasoning is wrong and all 165 of the candidates at this point are really hyper-articulate prodigies, but I doubt it. I've come up with this as a means of trying to calm myself down and assure myself I have a shot at this, because, like you guys I'm sure, I really really want it. I just feel that if I am rejected at this point it will be a direct judgement on my personality. </p>

<p>Like "otherwise, you're qualified; we just didn't like you in person."</p>

<p>=(</p>

82

<p>a note on the book list thing....my s listed a whole lot of books too, because he reads a ton. He said during the interview, they have a way of evaluating if you really read the books you said you did- his interviewer was very subtle about it and they don't ask you picky details. If you are well read, it shows.
He did have a friend who listed a book that she did not read completely ( it was a short story compilation) and her interviewer asked something about one of the stories she DIDN'T read... but she got in anyway.</p>

83

<p>I listed all of the books I could remember, which was quite a bit, like 50 or something. Some of them I had read a good bit of time ago so I am reading summaries of the really well-known ones. Example: I am going over Catch-22, but not Psychohistorical Crisis, even though I remember essential the same amount.</p>

<p>I guess my biggest worry is that, for my issue paper, I didn't exactly choose a very heavy issue. I talked about the prejudices of the academic world against speculative fiction (aka, sci-fi/fantasy). Ugh. The idea was to choose something familiar and exremely important to me (a spec fic writer). In hindsight, probably should have written something more volatile.</p>

<p>Oh well, does being passionate about something count?</p>

84

<p>Good call on reading the summaries of the books! I should get on that.</p>

<p>I wouldn't worry about your issue essay. Obviously they liked it. I think it's really interesting you picked something other than the typical issues of the day, and they probably appreciated that as well. I'm sure your passion will show through in your interview as it did in your essay. =)</p>

85

<p>i wouldnt worry about it. i mean, i wrote about the difficulties involved in a good translation, and thats not an esp volatile topic either</p>

86

<p>The interviews can have a variety of tones, but they are rarely completely serious. Most interviewers have interviewed dozens of people for various Telluride programs, so they understand that you're nervous. I can't promise you that your specific interviewers won't be overly serious, but most are not. We understand when to back off, when to crack a joke, and when to let you talk about yourself rather then the intricate details of whatever you wrote about in your application. </p>

<p>Finally, no, we are not attempting to make you crack under pressure (this seems like it would be extremely emotionally taxing for all involved, and just sounds absolutely terrible from my standpoint). I won't lie to you - some have cried during or after their interviews, but I really believe that this is mostly a result of nerves and frustration due to the rather difficult nature of the discussion during the interview. </p>

<p>PS - Don't worry about having emailed Ellen. She's really nice and definitely used to it, and it'll probably get your interviewer moving.</p>

87

<p>Real quick about what you chose to write about: </p>

<p>Passion counts for a lot, as does quirky topics, believe it or not. Those evaluating TASP applications have read hundreds, so a unique topic handled very well can carry you pretty far. Also, the breadth of topics extends far beyond the more "traditional" choices centering on volatile current issues and politics. </p>

<p>About the book list:</p>

<p>Different people evaluate this differently, but I've seen people list anywhere from 10 or 15 books all the way to close to 300, so I'm sure most of you fall in the average range. </p>

<p>Also, different people care more or less about the list. Personally, it's not something that I use in the interview unless I happen to see that an applicant has read a book that I particularly like, dislike, have challenged, etc. You'll need to know more than the summaries of the books. We don't care about whether or not you can regurgitate the plot summary from SparkNotes, but instead that you are critically evaluating books, poems, and short stories as you read them, and that you can defend whatever stance you take on main issues related to these books.</p>

88

<p>Thanks, richard and t-rider, that makes me feel better. I always choose really bizarre topics (some more so than others) and it works out only like 73% of the time. Hope this was one of them.</p>

<p>As to the summary thing, what I think we should be doing is reminding ourselves of major themes, etc. I couldn't remember Yossarian's name from Catch-22 (hated the book, loved Slaughterhouse Five), which wouldn't bode well for talking about it. ("And then...you know...that guy said he had to fly more missions because he was sane for triying to be insane...") yeah.</p>

<p>But summaries are no exception to the book. It's always funny to see kids who've only read SparkNotes squirm in English class when the teacher calls on them!</p>

89

<p>ps-I meant to thank blurblurblur too. that sounds like a really COOL topic. I'd love to read that essay.</p>

90

<p>haha, same here. i think i actually began an essay last year about how the common perception of the scifi/novel is that it's pulp/trash, not helped by the often frighteningly dungeons and dragons style covers they put out...</p>

91

<p>T-rider: first of all, thank you soooo much for giving more insight into the TASP interview, I feel (a little) less nervous now than I did. I just hope that I won't cry after my interview. </p>

<p>I'm so glad I chose "quirky" topics (my issues essay linked a well-known and controversial art show from 1999 to freedom of speech, my analysis essay was a poem from Thomas Lux about class inequality, and my career essay of why I want to be an art director was linked to how a Jackson Pollock exhibit made me interested in modern art). </p>

<p>Did anyone else make horrible and glaring grammatical errors on their essays only to only now realize that you've made them? I'm so embarrassed by them ("we exploring"???)! </p>

<p>T-rider: could we send (via snail or e-mail) our grammatically-fixed essays to the TASP selection committee? I'm sure that you guys understand what I was saying, butI just don't want you guys to think that I didn't proof read my essays; I read over them endlessly but somehow forgot to look for the nitpicky stuff.</p>

92

<p>Gobias Ind: </p>

<p>I also realized this when I was applying to live in one of the houses, and I was similarly upset. It's pretty common, and most interviewers and members of the selection committee are generally forgiving and care more about your ideas and writing instead of your grammar, which is of distant secondary importance. </p>

<p>If you want to fix the problems and bring a copy with you to your interview, the interviewer will most likely tell you it doesn't really matter and then decline the copy, but s/he might mention your concern and care to the selection committee.</p>

93

<p>gah, gobias, i can totally relate. in my TASS application, i chose to analyze a passage from Ayn Rand's Anthem, and i included multiple references to "Equality 7-2521." while writing the essay, i forgot the numbers, so i thought, hey, i'll just type "Equality" and replace it later. so i used the "search and replace" function on Microsoft Word to "Equality" with "Equality 7-2521" throughout my essays. </p>

<p>i forgot, however, that i included a note about my interest in gender equality. so somewhere in my essay about future education, there's a sentence along the lines of "I am interested in women's Equality 7-2521 in society." GAH.</p>

94

<p>Hm, still waiting for the call... </p>

<p>Anyone have their interview yet? What was it like?</p>

95

<p>mines on sunday...ill be sure to post about it afterwards</p>

96

<p>I had an interview few days ago. My interview told me he was very pleased. I also received very positive feedback from him. He asked me few questions based on applications. However, 90% of the interview was based on current events and international and national politics. It was nothing but fun for hour and half.</p>

97

<p>an hour and a half? the letter for TASS said 45 minutes. is TASP different? is it normal to go overtime?</p>

98

<p>Interviews can go anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours. I'd say the average is between 1.25 and 1.75 hours, though. I've only heard of longer than that for one of my friends, and he said that after the first few minutes it was more like a conversation than an actual interview.</p>

99

<p>so i just had my interview. first, id like to qualify by saying that i think interviews will vary widely based on WHO is interviewing. i had a very nice current college student interview me. the interview was just a touch over an hour. we talked about my application, especially the issue of translation--which was an overlying theme to all my essays. one of the books i had listed was her favorite book, and i didn't remember it completely, but i just owned up to it and she didnt seem to mind. to finish, we talked about the choices i had made for program selection. i had changed my mind, so she marked that down, and gave me some insight into the type of programs they would be. i think that a lot of what she asked me had to do with connection--with seeing themes and comparisons between what i said and what i wrote. for me, this was pretty simple, because my esssays were very firmly tied together. it might be more difficult for others, depending on what you wrote, but i would recommend thinking critically about your application in total. really, dont be too worried, in the end (unless you get extreme stage fright) you should be able to express who you are and uphold the ideas you put down.</p>

<p>my interviewer also gave me some insight into the progress of judging applicants. after the interview, the interviewer sends their report, where it is discussed at length by a group of people. this discussion apparently takes a long time, and is an extremely thoughtful, critical process. afterwards, they decide what program admittees should be sent to.</p>

<p>good luck everyone, and dont be too scared. i had a good time, and im sure most of you will as well.</p>

100

<p>oh, and if anyone has any questions, please just ask</p>