Being invited to an interview at a college might elicit two emotions: enthusiasm and anxiousness. It’s great that a university is contemplating accepting your application, but if you’re nervous, being prepped is one of the best ways of coping. While each university has its own interviewing style, there are a number of questions that are most likely to be asked regardless of which college you interview with.
The most important thing a recruiter wants to see is that you can provide careful and deliberate responses, so walk them through your line of thinking as you work out the answer. Don’t be hesitant to ask them to repeat a question or explain a point and avoid becoming distracted by unexpected queries. Simply take a big breath and respond slowly. Here are some questions you could be asked during college admissions interview as shared by Times Higher Education:
Why do you want to study at this university?
Among the first questions you’ll be asked is why you want to study at this particular university. Explain that you did some study on possible institutions and that you thoroughly weighed your decision. Discuss your thought process and the primary aspects that drew you to the university, such as course content, reputation, campus, or student culture.
Why have you chosen this course?
There will very certainly be some inquiries regarding your choice of course and what you want to achieve from it. In terms of explaining why you choose your course, show your study, and articulate your reasoning for selecting your subject. Depending on the course you’re applying for, this may be difficult. If you choose your course based on your future job goals (such as medicine or law), discuss how you believe this specific course at this specific school will assist you after you graduate.
If it is not as obviously related to a career, such as history or philosophy, consider the areas of the subject that you are interested in learning more about, how the course at this university caters to that, how you hope to develop your knowledge, and perhaps (if you have already considered this) the careers that you could pursue after graduation.
What are you motivated by?
This is a really personal question, yet it goes to the heart of what makes you click. Answer honestly, whether it is your enthusiasm for the subject, a desire to accomplish a certain profession, or other more emotional reasons.
What are your strengths & weaknesses?
This question might be phrased in a variety of ways, such as “What is your finest quality?” or “How would your friends and family describe you?” The goal of this inquiry, no matter how it is stated, is to discover more about you. Indeed, the interviewer may simply ask, “Tell me about yourself.” These sorts of personal questions are sometimes the most challenging to answer since you want to be able to highlight the positive elements of your personality and achievements without appearing boastful.
Consider what you are good at and what you are not so good at and consider how those aspects would be seen by someone who does not know you very well. Remember that while it is necessary to be honest about your weaknesses, you don’t want to say something too harsh, since this may cause an interviewer to mark you negatively. Try to put a positive light on them or detail how you plan to address them.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
This is another opportunity for the interviewer to learn more about you. They want to know about your hobbies and passions outside of academia to get an idea of how well-rounded you are. While it may be tempting to attempt to connect your pastime to your chosen subject (and it’s fantastic if it does), it’s not an issue if they don’t overlap with each other.
Discuss any sports teams or music clubs you are a member of, any areas of literature you are interested in, and whether you love cooking, going to the theater, or attending gigs. This is your opportunity to discuss your favorite topics.
Subject-specific and personal statement-related questions
These may differ based on the subject, but you will almost certainly be given some few questions to show your understanding of your subject. You can be asked a theoretical topic, or you might be asked to offer your thoughts on a recent news event or a research paper.
Don’t fear, this question isn’t always about determining how well you know a subject. It’s about observing how you think about replies and can provide insightful insights into a certain issue. It is possible that there is no proper answer (unless the question is about math or physics) and that the interviewer is more curious in how you can apply what you do know about a subject to an actual scenario. Don’t be concerned if you believe a solution is too clear. Follow your gut feeling as long as you can justify it.
Hope this guide helped you prepare for your future interviews! Feel free to ask any questions you may have to the interviewer at the end of the interview, as it will help you choose your colleges better.
