Ace The Admission Interview and Earn Significant Scholarships ($44,000, in this case).

Recently I spoke with a college-bound senior who took the time to prepare for her admission interview at a top west coast regional university. She followed the MyCollegeCalendar guidance for interview preparation to maximize her chance for admission; she only had a 3.4 cumulative GPA and needed every advantage possible.

Using the internet, she looked up some facts about the school and the department of her intended major (education) and shared these facts and her passion for teaching with the interviewing admissions officer. When asked why she wanted to attend the university, she gave what I would call a “near perfect answer.”

Her answer included how the university was a great fit for her because they offer two different types of teaching credentials, one designed for elementary teaching and the other for middle and high school teaching. She went on to discuss the curriculum for each credential and how the university’s freshman-year general education classes will help her decide which credential will best serve her pursuit of a teaching career.

Further, she discussed two of the department chair’s research projects and how they match her interests and how she would love to contribute to the research. As the interview progressed, the admissions officer commented more than once on how focused the student was on academic interests and how informed she was about the university.

The interview clearly demonstrated the student’s interest in both earning an education degree and attending the university – two important factors used in the decision to accept or reject student applicants. What resulted was not just admission to the student’s dream school, but the award of a recruitment scholarship in the amount of $44,000 over four years . . . to a student with only a 3.4 GPA!

My advice for seniors with upcoming interviews, and juniors who will have interviews next year, is to adequately prepare for interviews. Learn and share facts to demonstrate your interests and maturity. A little prep time will go a long way with interviewers and may get you a lot of free money for college.

For more information visit MyCollegeCalendar.org