Poolesville | College Apps & Interviews
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Transcript of Poolesville | College Apps & Interviews
College Applications & Interviews
by, Fay Yu, David Guhl, Asheel Kakkad, & Mike Gao[Poolesville Branch]
CompassPoint
Choosing Your Colleges
FACTORS TO CONSIDER Size Public/Private Location Price Majors offered
FACTORS TO AVOID
A significant other Following friends Parental pressure
How Many?
Start with list of 15 and narrow down 3 Reach schools
Highly selective schools that will be your top choice
3 Match schools Schools at which your stats stack up
favorably 2 Safety schools
Schools which you are very likely to get into
Essays
Your application and scores already show how smart you are and how hard you work so this is not the purpose of your essay
Essays need to reveal something about your character
If there is no word limit, 500 is the rule of thumb
Keep your focus narrow and personal Stay in line with your topic
Be specific, use vivid details, and avoid clichés
Essays (Picking a Topic)
Picking a topic is one of the hardest components of writing a college essay
Easy ways to start: Significant interest or experience Where do you see yourself, career wise, 10
years from now? Describe your most rewarding experience Evaluate a specific experience or risk you have
taken and its impact on you Whatever the topic is write about something
you can write with passionate about
College Interviews
Many top tier schools include interviews in their application (including both 1 on 1 & group interviews) If interview is optional, definitely request for one to
bolster your application You will likely receive an interview request via
email from a school alumni Have an appropriate email address (i.e.
[email protected]) Respond promptly to interview invitations and use
proper email etiquette Appear as professional as possible
Preparing for the interview Do research about the school & your
interviewer (if possible) Prepare specific questions for your
interviewer about classes/campus clubs/intended field of study
Ask questions about your interviewer’s school experience
Don’t hesitate to email interviewer questions if anything is unclear about the time/location
During the Interview
Arrive 10 min. early Introduce yourself with a firm
handshake Relax! The interview should be a
conversation Maintain eye contact Don’t chew gum Smile/ Show positive emotion
throughout Attire: Business Casual (Better to be
overdressed than underdressed)
Sample Interview Questions
Why do you want to attend XYZ university?
What are you passionate about? What are some activities you do in
your spare time? What separates you from other
applicants? How will you contribute to the
diversity of the student body of XYZ university if you’re accepted?
Group interview
Prepare a 30 sec. elevator pitch that would set you apart from other potential candidates This pitch should highlight your interests and
accomplishments as well as what you are looking for in the school. Memorize the speech by heart and learn to deliver it with confidence.
Don’t be overly aggressive in asking questions to the interviewer, let other applicants have their time too
Establish rapport with your mentor by finding commonalities
Stay after to thank your interviewer and ask any additional questions if necessary
After the Interview
One day post-interview, follow up with a thank you email & mention something you learned /thought was interesting
Email your interviewer after college decisions come out to let him/her know your final choice
Contact Information
Michael Gao ([email protected])
UMD-CP, 2015David Guhl (
[email protected]) Cornell University, 2014Asheel Kakkad (
[email protected]) UMD-CP, 2014Fay Yu ([email protected]) UMD-CP, 2014