DD had two college interviews this week. One was a pretty typical one, but the other the interviewer really just wanted to talk about homeschooling, and not about my daughter’s interests, activities, etc. She’s got a couple more interviews to do, and It seems like it would be a good idea to talk about ways a student could steer an interview on to other topics.
Suggestions?
I hardly feel like I’m in any position to give you advice, but I think I owe you it by now.
Encourage your daughter to take control of the interview - not in an aggressive manner, but if she’s asked about homeschooling, she could put the emphasis on, say, how homeschooling:
Taught her self-discipline so that she’s now fully capable of studying independently without needing someone breathing down her back,
Gave her the opportunity to pursue her passions and experience a variety of things,
Allowed her to engage in xyz activities that she might not have had time for in a regular school (and of course, she should elaborate on those activities).
The interviewer is really just there to ask questions, your daughter should be doing most of the talking, and it’s up to her to talk about what matters. It goes without saying she shouldn’t ignore specific questions such as “how did you manage to study while dealing with siblings and other home-related distractions?”
As a homeschooled kid who has been through her fair share of interviews, I must say from personal experience that homeschooling is actually a GREAT topic to discuss. It really provides a unique aspect that can make the interview fun. Overall, you have to remember people don’t know that much about homeschooling. They really are just curious and want to know more about it. Especially how it’s shaped your daughter, how it’s affected her etc. It really is the perfect opportunity for her to push herself as a great candidate.
One point I’ve learned is that it’s really great for an interview to seem like a conversation. Like something super natural and not forced. Your daughter may feel like she’s in the hot seat and be extremely nervous (which is quite common) but she actually is 100% in control of the interview. With the proper wording and thinking before speaking, she can easily segue from homeschooling into an interest, achievement, activity etc.