What to/not to do in an interview...

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>For those who don’t interview well , here are some tips/things to try and keep in mind</p>

<li><p>Don’t fidget too much. When fidgeting is just a normal habit I guess its fine, but it can be a big sign of nervousness. </p></li>
<li><p>Talk Slow. A lot of times you already have things pre planned in your head, like what your going to say if you’re asked about this or that… Don’t try and push all the information out at once. Talking slowly and breathing slowly will level out any nerves</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t “suck up”. Its fine to make compliments like " wow the art’s building is incredible!", but try to avoid things like “this is the best school ever like omg it is so amazing and pretty and it really really is and omg i wish all schools could be like this”</p></li>
<li><p>Posture. Definitely try to sit up ( I know this isn’t always possible, at one school i sat on a couch)</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t be boring. 99% of the time you will be asked about your activities and interests. That is the time to show your true GENUINE excitement. If your asked about an activity that your not crazy about, mention it. For example I was asked about Winter Indoor Track. I said " Indoor track isn’t my favorite thing but I like keeping in good shape. Participating in it is really helpful when spring arrives and lacrosse starts up." I went on to tell my interviewer that lax was where my passion was and so on.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t drink the hot chocolate in the waiting room. Caffine + jitters = incredibly uncomfortable situation.</p></li>
<li><p>I’ve seen at least two individuals go into the interviews with a poland spring type of water bottle. I don’t think this is a big deal but it could be a potential distraction. I know water actually helps some people with nerves/talking for a long time so maybe someone else wants to comment on this. </p></li>
<li><p>Know the school. Know it past its prestige and reputation and matriculation. Know about its strengths, things you would want to get involved in. Ask about things that concern you even if its as simple as “can i take this class as a freshmen”. </p></li>
<li><p>Dress a tiny bit more formal than what the norm is at the school. For example for schools with no dress code, wear something like a nice polo shirt and no jeans. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Hope this helps ! Be free to add to the list… </p>

<p>3 Interviews done, 1 to go</p>

2

<p>DON'T SAY THE WORD QUIT! says my friend (who currently goes to Exeter like me).
At her St. Paul's interview, she told the interviewer about a bunch of things that she used to do but quit later at, and apparently, that didn't go over too well.</p>

<p>Also, at my Andover interview, at the end of the interview, my interviewer asked me, "So, do you have any questions?" I really couldn't think of any, so I just went, "What's philosophy?" because I just genuinely didn't know what the heck it was. And obviously, I wasn't accepted and got waitlisted, which means a rejection at Andover.</p>

3

<p>Remember that for every question they ask, there is a one-word answer, a sentence answer, and a paragraph answer. I tried to remind my daughter of this before her interviews, so that when the interviewer said, "So I see you play field hockey," she said more than "Yes."</p>