Who this book is for: Students who will apply to college this year or in the future.
What you will learn: This book will help you prepare for your college interviews. It will help you select the best impressions, opinions, and anecdotes to share with your college interviewer. You’ll also learn:
–Questions you might hear in your interview
–50 essential questions, 8 bonus questions, and 24 tips
–Topics you should be knowledgeable and confident talking about
–The “Winning Technique” for creating complex and thoughtful answers–the kind your interviewer will love
–Useful and achievable interview strategy from a college interview pro
–How to avoid being awkward and stilted and how to have an enjoyable and rewarding chat that flows
–How to make a distinctive positive impression
–Why the biggest cliché in interview prep is actually true
–Why the interviewer might be asking particular questions
–What to do if you don’t want to or can’t answer a question
About your guide: I’ve been interviewing high school seniors applying to college since the early 2000s, first as part of an admissions office and then as an alumni interviewer. I have three Ivy League degrees and I care deeply about helping students succeed. I can’t go back and advise you which classes to take, whether you should start a new club or rise up the ranks of an old club, whether you should spend every summer working or if you can afford to relax after your sophomore year. (And I wouldn’t be qualified to do that. My expertise is interviews.) All that I can do is help you take everything you’ve learned and accomplished, and some of what life has dealt you, and convey that smartly, strategically and engagingly to your interviewer.
Why preparing is better than winging it: You might be the rare bird that can successfully wing things while remaining a convincing charmer. If you are, congrats! I foresee a brilliant career for you as a psychic. But if you’re like the rest of us, if you haven’t given the interview at least a little thought when you walk in, you might end up thinking on the spot and coming up short–or worse, panicking. You have many shots at success in life–the good news– but you only only get one interview with each school. Good luck making the best of this precious opportunity!
