Interview Tips

             

Will you have an interview with an Admissions Officer?
If so, check out some tips here:

Do 
• Find out whether the college recommends that students come for an interview. • Inquire as to whether the interview is informative or evaluative. • See if an alumni representative in your area can grant an interview if you cannot travel to the school. • Arrive 10 minutes early and dress the part. Know where the interview will be held and dress on the conservative side. • Demonstrate what you will bring to the campus community through examples. • Reveal who you really are. Admissions officers want to get to know you as a person, not a set of statistics. • Highlight your passions and interests – discuss why your accomplishments were meaningful and what you got out of them.
• Review a list of frequently asked questions and think through the issues ahead of time. • Review your application materials before you go. They may reference something that you wrote – make sure it is fresh in your mind. • Be true to yourself, who you really are and what you believe in. • Ask the interviewer about their experiences at the college.

Don’t
• Show up unannounced and expect an interview. • Be too early. • Sound like you have rehearsed a speech. The interview should be like a conversation. Be natural, be yourself and be optimistic. • Be afraid to show your sense of humor. • Show up with no knowledge of the school and it’s programs.
• Come unprepared without questions & impressions about the college. • Forget to get the name and title of the person interviewing you and follow-up with a well-written thank you note, not an email.
• Tell the interviewer why the college will be lucky to have a brilliant student, such as you. • Overdo the makeup, cologne, or jewelry and don’t chew gum. • Answer questions with just a yes or no. Try to keep your answers as conversational as possible. • Focus on your negatives. Remember that problems can be viewed as challenges – demonstrate how you overcame adversity if necessary. • Ask general questions that can be found on the website.

Be yourself and enjoy the process!

Financial Aid Tips

It is important out fill out all financial aid forms early and completely. Now that the financial aid timeline has been moved up, file early and adjust the information later as need be. Even if you doubt that you will receive financial aid, some colleges require that you complete the forms for scholarship consideration.

Here are some financial aid websites to refer to:

FAFSA: https://fafsa.ed.gov
CSS Profile: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org
NYS STEM Scholarship: http://on.ny.gov/1CXvrSi
NYS Excelsior Scholarship: http://on.ny.gov/2o6ZOzL