By unigoofficeWhat are the 5 biggest DONT’s in a college interview?, Dr Carol Langlois 1) Don’t go in unprepared. Know about the school, your major, the student body and why you want to go there. 2) Don’t chew gum. It’s rude, loud and distracting. 3) Don’t look at your phone or hold your phone during the interview. Shut the phone off and put it away. No text, call or email is so important that you would need to take it during this 20/30 min interview. In addition, the interviewer doesn’t want to hear it buzz, chirp or vibrate from your pocket or purse. 4) Don’t dress like you are going to the gym. Leave the sneakers, hats, sweatpants and leggings at home. Dress like you would to go to a nice dinner with your parents or a high school graduation. Dress pants, khakis, or skirt paired with nice blouse or shirt with a collar are a few good options. 5) Don’t say IDK or rather “Hum… I don’t know.” to the interviewer. I understand that this statement is sometimes just a space filler or a nervous response for teens, but train yourself not to say it in the interview. Please! — If a student thinks they “really blew it” during the interview, is there anything they can actively do to redeem themselves? Well, live and learn. Hopefully you can correct your mistake in time for the next interview, so it doesn’t happen again. It’s always a good idea to ask the interviewing for their business card at the end of the interview. Send him/her a thank you card immediately for the interview, but you can also say something about a particular response that you were not happy with during the interview. Also, if their school is your first choice, please be sure to tell them in the thank you card, if you didn’t during the interview. How can you help students prepare for their admissions interview? Practice, practice, practice. Like an oral report, you need to practice out loud. Have your mom or dad ask you questions like an admissions counselor would while you are driving in the car together. Role play with your guidance counselor, who should also be able to give you tips about your delivery. Practice in front of a mirror. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become. Last piece of advice, you may be nervous during the interview(s) but maintain eye contact, speak slowly, and always smile. * Dr Carol is a former University Dean and Associate Provost, trained therapist, researcher, educational consultant and author. Her primary research focus is female self-esteem development among teens. She is presently working on her second book called Girrl Up! Full E-steem Ahead, which is a compilation of interviews with teens girls on the topic of self-esteem while offering an effective and practical system designed to RAISE (Resilience, Attitude, Independence, Self-Respect & Empowerment) teen self-esteem.Dr Carol Langlois on Unigo