• Colleges
    • Get Matched To Colleges
    • Explore All Colleges
    • Colleges By State
    • Online Colleges
    • Review a College
  • Scholarships
    • Explore College Scholarships
    • Scholarship Match
    • Unigo Scholarships
    • $10K Scholarship
    • Unigo Scholarship Winners
  • Easy Scholarships
  • Unigo Scholarships
  • Student Loans
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Expert Admissions Advice
    • Get Ready for College
    • How to Pay for College
    • In College Tips
  • Log In
  • My Account
    • My Colleges
    • My Scholarships
    • My Account
    • Log out
  • Sign Up!
  • Home
  • get to college
  • college application
  • never do these 5 things in a college interview

How to Ace College Interview: Never Do These 5 Things in a College Interview

Posted byUnigo Staff May 29, 2015March 1, 2022

By unigooffice

What are the 5 biggest DONT’s in a college interview? 

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

Post navigation

Previous Post Previous post:
College Admission Interview: 7 Tips to Present Your Best Self on Phone Interviews
Next Post Next post:
Crafting an Effective Personal Statement

Scholarships

  • Athletic Scholarships
  • College-Specific Scholarships
  • Company-Sponsored Scholarships
  • Grants for College
  • Merit-Based Scholarships
  • Minority Scholarships
  • Our Scholarships
  • Scholarship Contests & Sweepstakes
  • Scholarships By Major
  • Scholarships By State
  • Scholarships By Type
  • Scholarships For Graduate Students
  • Scholarships For High School Students
  • Scholarships For Undergraduate Students
  • Weird Scholarships
Unigo Scholarship Database

© 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scholarship Providers
  • Add a Scholarship
  • Expedite My Scholarship
  • Promote My Scholarship
  • Start a Scholarship
Resources
  • Job Board
  • Student Deals
  • For Parents
  • For Counselors
TAKE ACTION
  • Review A College
  • College Match
  • Scholarship Match
  • Find a Loan
Social
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. The information on this site is for informational and research purposes only and is not an assurance of financial aid.

Privacy Policy   |    Terms of Use   |    FAQs   |    About Us   |    Disclosure: “What Determines Top/Best?”    |    Do Not Sell My Personal Information (CA and NV residents)

Disclosure: EducationDynamics receive compensation for the featured schools on our websites (see “Sponsored Schools” or “Sponsored Listings” or “Sponsored Results”). So what does this mean for you? Compensation may impact where the Sponsored Schools appear on our websites, including whether they appear as a match through our education matching services tool, the order in which they appear in a listing, and/or their ranking. Our websites do not provide, nor are they intended to provide, a comprehensive list of all schools (a) in the United States (b) located in a specific geographic area or (c) that offer a particular program of study. By providing information or agreeing to be contacted by a Sponsored School, you are in no way obligated to apply to or enroll with the school.

The sources for school statistics and data is the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

This is an offer for educational opportunities that may lead to employment and not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum.

×

Sponsored Meaning Explained

EducationDynamics receives compensation for the featured schools on our websites (see “Sponsored Ad” or “Sponsored Listings” or “Sponsored Results”). So what does this mean for you? Compensation may impact where the Sponsored Schools appear on our websites, including whether they appear as a match through our education matching services tool, the order in which they appear in a listing, and/or their ranking. Our websites do not provide, nor are they intended to provide, a comprehensive list of all schools (a) in the United States (b) located in a specific geographic area or (c) that offer a particular program of study. By providing information or agreeing to be contacted by a Sponsored School, you are in no way obligated to apply to or enroll with the school. Your trust is our priority. We at EducationDynamics believe you should make decisions about your education with confidence. that’s why EducationDynamicsis also proud to offer free information on its websites, which has been used by millions of prospective students to explore their education goals and interests.

close

Featured Ad

Niche Scholarhship

Enter the $2,000 Scholarship from Niche.

Last day to enter is May 31st!

Featured Ad

2022 Relief Fund From Scholly - Apply to receive $1,000!

Last day to enter is June1st!

Cash assistance for vital expenses

Featured Ad

Don't miss out on this easy scholarship! Enter the $2,000 Scholarship from Nitro.

Last day to enter is May 31st!

All eligible high school students, college students, student parents, and others should apply