<p>I'm still a Junior but I stress about getting into Harvard almost daily. Now I'm worrying that the way I talk will affect my chances at getting into my dream school, Harvard-or any other schools I interview for for that matter. I don't have a speech problem... I'm just a valley girl in the truest sense of the world. I can't eradicate "like" from my jargon no matter how hard I try! And my voice has that raspy Kim K. sound... And I say "nvm", "omgsh" and "idk" on accident constantly. Then other things like "cray cray" "totes" and "def"... the list goes on and on! Anything you'd imagine a stereotypical California girl saying I say. I'm trying to improve but I can't seem to! My writing doesn't reflect the way I talk but will my interviewer assume I'm an airhead just because I talk like one?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Interviewers have seen worse. Try not to say “like” too much in your interview because that does give off an airhead vibe. Interviewers are looking for kids who are well-spoken. </p>
<p>Well it’s probably time you start erasing those things from your vocabulary…try practicing simple sentences, read aloud from books, script some answers to potential questions. I actually don’t buy the premise that you have to use words like cray cray and totes…those are totally a choice you make. The “like” is a habit to work on…and the raspy Kim K sound is called “vocal fry” - get rid of all of it- you will be judged.</p>
<p>Two points: “I stress about getting into Harvard almost daily.” To be blunt, that’s cray cray. You’re deluded if you think that stressing on being part of the 6% of applicants who are admitted next year is even close to being rational. I’m not saying you shouldn’ t apply to top programs – I know nothing about your credentials. But to actually worry about it? May I direct you to some of the results pages here on CC and see the people who are admitted/rejected. I hope this exercise chastens you to the reality of top school admissions. By all means, stay focused and apply if you wish next year. To stress about it now is a waste of energy and emotion.</p>
<p>and 2). You will be judged if you present yourself as air-headed, not serious about your scholarship and service or as socially mimicking some of the tackier sides of pop culture. This will happen at your college interviews, your job interviews, etc. In some fields, this won’t be a hindrance. In many, it will.</p>
<p>You will need to drop these affectations from your speech or you will NEVER get past a phone or skype interview to the real thing for the rest of your life, at least for professional positions.</p>
<p>@snarlatron I’m not sure why you consider those features of speech “affectations”. It sounds like OP is a native speaker of the dialect. Of course it may be necessary to master a more formal/mainstream/prestigious register to succeed in the professional world, but that would be the affected way of speaking, not the other way around.</p>
<p>It’s never too early to start to develop your “professional” voice. The way you speak to your friends doesn’t necessarily have to be the way you would speak to a professor, boss, or interviewer. In most cases, it shouldn’t be–from the words you choose, to your tone and cadence, to the slang you use. I may swear in front of my friends or ramble and overuse the word “like,” but I wouldn’t speak the same way to my boss or a professor or a client I’m working with. The more you have to speak formally, the easier it will become. When you’re in a professional situation, speak like a grown up. Just because it’s not the way you normally speak doesn’t mean that you are incapable of it.</p>
<p>But for this kind of interview, it probably won’t be that big of a deal. They won’t think you are an airhead unless what you actually say makes you sound like an airhead. They’ll weight what you say more than how you say it.</p>
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<p>Short answer, yes.</p>
<p>There is a reason why SNL does Kardashian sketches and ex-porn star sketches. We are laughing at them not with them.</p>
<p>Fortunately, college interviews do not have a major impact on admissions, Interviews for internships and jobs are real, and should be treated as such.</p>
<p>Never use slang in an interview. Ever. Use the correct verb; don’t say, “and then Stacy goes” when you want to say “and then Stacy said.” Enunciate your words. The trailing last syllable is annoying to 99% of us.</p>
<p>The nasal thing is out of your control. If you have the $, get an accent reduction coach .</p>
<p>I usually listen for content and operational knowledge. I consider the rest as a veneer that isn’t relevant unless you’re interviewing for a broadcaster or public relations role and whatnot. So, like, from my perspective, just be yourself in this context. (Using bad language excluded, 'natch.)</p>
<p>@T26E4- With all due respect, I have to say something. I have seen you many times saying Harvard is tough to get in and you shouldn’t stress over it. This is a great advice only when the OP is overly confident about his/her chances at Harvard, but when the questioner mentions nothing about his/her chances of admissions and is asking something else, it becomes irritating to read the same advice. This has been going a lot on CC, especially by Senior members. I kid you not, it gets super frustrating. I am sorry, the OP never asked for your views on whether she is rational or not; so I think you should refrain from mentioning this.
I remember posting a query- “Which is more generous for international aid- Northwestern or Brown” You know what I got as replies? I got “both are difficult to get in, you should have safeties”. The same thought by 3 different senior members (one was thumper1, I think). I didn’t ask for ANYTHING else but the question. I don’t get it why people are so keen to give advice to people!
Please, don’t think I have anything against you (or any other members, for that matter). I respect you a lot for the amount of knowledge you have. No offence intended 
OP- Yes this would have somewhat negative impact on interviewer. Good for you, they don’t have much bearing on admissions!</p>
<p>@BetterThanBest: thanks for that. I see that I can miss the forest for the trees. No need to pile that advice – at least before answering the main question at hand. Your post is very helpful to me!</p>
<p>@T26E4 -I, truly, didn’t decipher what you wanted to write. Please pardon because english is my second language.
Can you please please retype, in easy words, you just meant? I got only the last and first line :P</p>
<p>The idiom “missing the forest for the trees” refers to someone focusing on something small while missing the larger picture. You advised me to stay on the question asked. That’s good advice!</p>
<p>She put it out there that she is ‘stressing almost daily’, and it is fair game to point out that is, like, rilly rilly silly! I too think she should not stress over it. I think she should focus on what are her safety schools and match schools and consider the reaches, put effort into the applications, but not stress daily. I don’t think that can be repeated enough how unproductive such an attitude is, and all the baggage that comes with it. You might have read longer time posters advice before but she hasn’t. I don’t know why people think they should tell others what not to post on an open discussion board.</p>
<p>Sabrina, I think it is going to be a matter of degree. If you do this to an extent that it is distracting from conversation it may well be off-putting depending on your interviewer. </p>
<p>Thanks for clarifying @T26E4. I thought you were being sarcastic in your first comment.
@Brownparent: there is freedom of speech, so one can speak whatever he/she wants. It holds true for everyone. It was a mere suggestion from me. But some things irritate certain people. can you tell me why many people on Cc frown upon chance me threads? Why many knowledgeable people ask people to stop creating chance threads? If people can tell applicants not to create chance me threads, I guess I too can mention my rather trivial opinions.
Please note that I have nothing against any poster :)</p>
<p>Let’s stay on topic please. </p>
<p>OK. 10char.</p>
<p>I would try to stay away from words like “totes” and “cray cray.” That might give the wrong impression. As for saying “like,” it depends on how excessively you use it. To be honest, I wouldn’t worry about this two much. And anyway, you are a junior so have months, maybe even all most a year, until your interview. Between now and then, you could ask some people you respect about how your language can be perceived. The problem is probably not as big as you think. Otherwise, as long as the content of what you say in the interview is good, the way you speak should be secondary. </p>
<p>Valspeak, the quotative “like,” uptalk, the vocal fry, etc, are affectations and mannerisms in wide use across the US, especially among young women. They are not dialects and one cannot be a native speaker. They are at best sociolects resulting from imitating pop culture figures or peers. The OP, if not a ■■■■■, deserves straight talk. Talking like a Valley Girl has the potential to torpedo any interview. The same for wearing a Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt with a Confederate flag or giving answers in Pig Latin. Professional standards may seem unfair to some but they are real.</p>
<p>If you are smart enough to get into Harvard, you are smart enough to change the way you speak.</p>