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Don't know
what to say? It may cost ya'!
Get Prepped for the Scholarship Interview
By Feona Sharhran Huff
December 2000
The CollegeBound Network NewsClick --
Alicia was in the running for a $10,000 scholarship
sponsored by a non-profit organization. Since
the committee members were impressed with her
application package, her next step was an in-person
interview. But, Alicia's head was in "Cloud
Nine," and she didn't bother to prepare.
All she knew about the scholarship was that it
was offering mega bucks and she wanted the money.
When the day came for Alicia
to be interviewed, she did poorly. She couldn't
remember what she had written on her app', and
her answers to specific scholarship questions
were unclear. She didn't have anything to add
about herself at the conclusion of the interview.
Two weeks later, Alicia received a rejection letter
in the mail. Although the committee was initially
impressed, her poor interview session caused them
to have a change of heart.
This happens all the time
when scholarship candidates don't prepare themselves
for their interviews, says Benjamin R. Kaplan,
author of How To Go To College Almost For Free:
The Secrets Of Winning Scholarship Money (Waggle
Dancer Books, 2000). What you do before you even
show up for an interview contributes to more than
50 percent of your overall performance. So how
can you prepare for the big day?
* Do Your Homework
- What do you know about the people who will be
interviewing you? If your answer is "nada" (that's
Spanish for 'nothing'), you'd better get on the
ball. Remember, your interview is fast-approaching.
Kaplan, who had his share of scholarship interviews
(he scored nearly $90,000 in awards himself!),
says it's to your advantage to get background
on the people who stand between you and the cash.
"If you understand where
the interviewer is coming from, you'll be able
to anticipate where he or she will go with the
questions -- allowing you to formulate answers
that are likely to get a good response," he cites.
* Prepare a few key points
- "Interviews allow judges to discover more dimensions
of you than they can on the written page," says
Kaplan. That's why you have to go into the interview
with key points that will convince the decision-makers
that you're the one who deserves the award. For
instance, if you are passionate about working
at the YMCA, talk about how good it feels when
one of the kids comes up to you and says 'thanks'
for taking the time to bond with them. A piece
of paper isn't going to be able to express the
emotions as will your face and eyes.
Anticipate Interview Questions
- Don't go into an interview without first preparing
yourself with questions you might be asked, says
Kaplan. For example, if a sorority is offering
the scholarship, expect questions related to your
involvement with their causes. Kaplan offers a
few common interview questions to get your brain
thinking:
* Where
do you see yourself in 20 years?
* Who is someone
that you admire and why?
* What has been
your greatest accomplishment?
* Why do you want to go to college?
* Why should we award you this scholarship?
Prepare Questions to
Ask the Interviewer - If you think an interview
will be all one-sided, think again, says Kaplan.
"At the conclusion of an interview, I've often
been asked if there was anything I'd like to ask
the interviewer," he recalls. He prepared questions
to ask the potential money-givers; you should,
too. It shows that you care about the organization
-- not just the money. Plus, asking these questions
will allow you to flex your knowledge of them.
Reread and review your
written application - It can take anywhere
from two weeks to several months before you are
called on for an interview, says Kaplan. By then,
you could have forgotten everything you wrote
on the scholarship application. Warning: "During
interviews, judges often ask you specific questions
about things you've included on the form," says
Kaplan. That's why it's crucial to refresh yourself
with the app'. Otherwise, you may say something
entirely different from what you wrote -- blowing
your chances of getting shown the money.
Remember, if you prepare
yourself beforehand, you'll feel comfortable,
confident, and victorious. This may just get you
the money you're after, too!
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