What Are the Important Tips for Acing the College Interview?

After facing lots of hardships and clearing the SATs, you will be facing interviews that test your knowledge, personality, wits, and interests. It is a good thing because then you can be provided with proper mentors and tutoring for your further education. Clearing the interviews is a crucial step towards getting admission in college. The interviewer checks for various traits like behavior, personality and based on these factors take the decision.

The following tips must be kept in mind to crack the interview smoothly:

1) Dress Appropriately:

Dressing in casual clothes often portrays the casual approach of the individual towards the opportunity. In this case, this kind of negative first impression could be disastrous. So, don’t make the mistake of wearing anything casual. Wear formals, being well dressed is the first step towards cracking the interview. Have everything on you placed neat and tidy. Be a perfect gentleman and be presentable before going in front of the interviewer. If the interviewer stands up to shake hands, give him a firm handshake with confidence. Remember it’s all about creating the best first impression.

2) Converse:

Be polite while talking to the interviewer but don’t be intimidated. Have confidence. Remember the fact that you are already selected, and you give the interviewer reason to reject you. So by being confident, you increase your chances to be chosen by leaps and bounds. The most important part of any conversation is listening, so listen to the question or topic carefully. While answering do not make any haste to answer the question, or you may end up answering it wrongly or inappropriately. Think the answer through and then speak. Interviews are not all about testing your knowledge but also about personality. So there will not be only questions and answers but also some general discussion on some specific topics. Your opinions and thoughts might be asked. You need not agree with the interviewer but if you have a difference of views then state it calmly and politely. You might be required to do some ad-lib speaking on the topics, so have some general knowledge.

3) Be Honest:

Don’t lie to your interviewer. An interviewer can see right through it and this can leave an atrocious impression on the interviewer. Being evasive about your flaws will not help in the interview. Being confident and knowing them, on the other hand, can come out as a strong suit. Be true to yourself and save yourself from future troubles. Don’t try to change the topic of conversation either and try to answer in brief as well as to the point with some right content. It will put you in a better perspective in front of the interviewer.

4) Prepare:

Preparation for an interview helps a lot because you get a rough idea of what is going to happen and how you could possibly react to various situations. It reduces the load of thinking everything at that instant. Preparation of an interview could be done by researching about the Institute and the interviewers and their backgrounds or by reading favorite interview questions that have been asked. Prepare your body language so that you are felt vibrant, upbeat and energetic. Don’t look sluggish, lazy or sleepy. Your energy must create an energetic ambiance in the room and then you can start selling yourself. Having positive body language like sitting straight and looking straight towards the interviewer with occasional smiles and avoiding bad habits like nodding needlessly can help to create the perfect communication environment.

5) Ask Questions:

Be attentive during the interview and if permitted to ask questions then you can ask very few but insightful questions. It will boost your image in front of the interviewer as a smart and proactive candidate rather than a passive or a shy one. If nicely done, this could be one more feather in your cap. Again don’t be irritating by asking unnecessary questions just to flaunt your proactive nature. Questions can also be targeted that clear any doubt or prove a certain point. But asking questions frequently can seem a bit off. In most of the interviews, candidates are given a particular slot when the interviewer allows candidates to ask questions, such kind of moments are golden opportunities to hit the home run.

Many students come across the question–does college grades matter during an interview? Although everybody gets nervous at the beginning, feeling confident over the content prepared and getting over that anxiety is the key to cracking any interview.