Preparation for the Interview

As a prior Interviewer for Harvard University’s admissions, I have had the privilege of talking to many qualified and brilliant Harvard candidates. In the wake of the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard lawsuit, some of the practices taught to Harvard alumni Interviewers in terms of what they should look for and how applicants are rated have been made public. However, the purpose of today’s article is to not dig into specifics revolving around Harvard University’s particular interview practices or revelations found in the recent court case. Instead, we will be focusing on what high school students should keep in mind when preparing for the college interviews. As many high school students will start receiving interview requests from the many public and private schools that they have applied to, here are some tips and thoughts to help ease students into the interview process and ensure they have as smooth an experience as possible.

Do NOT be scared or nervous.

Even though this may be easier to state than do for many students, this was something that is particularly emphasized to alum interviewers (from my personal experiences and from other interviewers’ accounts that I talked to). The main purpose of these interviews is to get to know the student better in aspects that are not covered in their written application. Students that walk into interviews overly anxious will oftentimes find themselves unable to speak or responding to questions with little elaboration.  As a result of this, interviewers are told to be friendly to help students calm down, so that the student can act and feel natural when responding to the interview questions. Students should realize that most interviewers aren’t there to cast judgement. They are there simply to get to know their applicants better.

Not ALL interviews are important, but some are.

Many times, there is contradictory discussions that interviews will make or break a student’s chance for getting into a specific university. This is not at all the case, as the weight of the interview or even the role of the interview is different dependent on the university. Some universities like Harvard see it as another part of the applicant’s admissions portfolio, allowing the Admissions Officers to understand the personality and thoughts of the applicant better. In other universities, the interview process is purely an opportunity for the student to ask questions to the alum (and has no scoring metric or report to the university). In the end, interviews usually will never make or break the student’s application unless there are severe cases that may raise red flags for the interviewer.

Definitely know your scores (GPA, SAT / ACT, AP’s, etc.).

It may come to a surprise to some, but alum interviewers are usually not informed about the students’ records or background. This practice may vary based on each university, but expect that the interviewer will only know the student’s name and high school that they attend. During the interview process, I have seen students who do not know their scores at all. This provides a subtle negative impression to interviewers, as some may assume that students does not focus on their academic performance. It is best if students review and memorize their scores before going into the interviews.

Why do you want to come to our school?

This question is a common essay topic that some of the private schools ask when students are applying for admissions. That being stated, not all of them ask this question in their supplement, and interviewers sometimes ask this question. In particular, the purpose of this question is to screen applicants who are applying purely for the branding of schools, and to also understand the deeper motivations in the student. Even if the answer is not 100% perfect, the student should have a solid answer that should distinguish their specific interest in the university compared to others.  Even a little preparation can go a long way towards helping create a desirable answer.

Trick question(s).

As a prior interviewer, I along with some of the interviewers have the tendency to ask an uncommon question to students. This is not to cause the student to panic or be concerned, but rather to see the student’s true personality. Many times, I am able to tell if students has done a lot preparation before the interview, making students seem disingenuous or systematic in responses. By creating a question such as -- “Tell me one time that you failed, and what did you do to change?” -- it allows me to see the students’ maturity and get more insight into students’ perspectives on life.

In the end of the day, it is important for students to be genuine with their responses and to not overprep. I wish students the best of luck with their interviews and their college decisions.

In Royal Education, we dedicate our college counseling services to build students to be happy and successful in their college path and beyond. Feel free to reach out to us through the following outlets if you have any questions about our services, or if you want us to write articles about a particular topic:

Website: www.royaled.net

Phone Number: (818)-275-3424

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High School Plan for Second Semester

January is the start to a new semester for all students, and it is also marks an important month for high school students. Regardless of what year the student is in, it indicates a new start for not only grades in classes, but also an emphasis on preparing for the next steps. This article will summarize some things that students in each year of high school should start thinking about, and also provides some reminders and warnings for each year.

9th Grade

It is common for students first entering High School to simply take courses that are recommended by their counselors. However, oftentimes these recommendations do not take into consideration the school’s own prerequisites for Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate courses.  Instead most recommended classes are chosen to instead prioritize the various prerequisites for graduation (i.e. Physical Education, Life Sciences, etc) without considerations for the need of future flexibility.

While it may seem perfectly fine to passively accept default class schedules, current 9th grade students must take the time to plan ahead for classes they wish to take in the coming years as well as seriously consider whether or not they are prepared for the rigor of more difficult courses.  AP and IB courses are not courses to be taken lightly, as they are considered the introduction to college level academic material. The positives for taking such courses include increased GPA, credit that can be counted during college, and stronger preparation for actual college when the time comes. Even with such benefits, it is best to start looking into the curriculum of the AP and IB courses available at the student’s respective high school in order to see if the student would be able to handle the course load. It must also be emphasized the possible importance of previewing the AP or IB content during the summer, so that the student has an easier transition going into 10th grade.

Even with such preparation, students tend to underestimate the rigor and time needed in order to do well in an AP and IB classes. Many times, I have seen students, after taking their first exam without preparation, start with a Fail or D in their first test. It is important to start learning the study habits and train for the mental endurance necessary to start strong in the AP or IB course. Royal Education understands and works to provide this type of guidance to all of its students.

Also, it is recommended that students, if they are not already involved in extracurricular activities, start being involved in multiple organizations. It will not only allow 9th grade students to grow as individuals, but also give them the opportunity to start working towards gaining leadership positions and responsibilities.

10th Grade:

10th grade is the year that most students first become exposed to the rigors of AP or IB courses. It is important to adapt study habits and courses loads based on how students did during their first semester of 10th grade. For example, if the student did not do well in their AP or IB History course, then it is recommended that the student consider transitioning to Honors History the year afterwards. Such decisions will allow the student to be able to focus on doing better in the courses that they are stronger in, while having more time to lead or grow in outside activities and extracurricular ventures.

It is also highly recommended that sophomore students immediately work to get involved in extracurricular activities if they have not started to do so yet. The time window for leadership positions in most activities close after the sophomore year. By being involved in these activities, it gives students the chance to be exposed to different fields and solidify what they may be passionate in. This can provide them more direction as to what major they would want to do in college, and potentially as a career.

11th Grade:

In this semester, 11th grade students should have adapted to the rigor of the coursework along with extracurriculars they are involved in. Also, the planning for 12th grade curriculum tends to become more straightforward as specific courses such as Government / Economics are usually required in the school. It becomes important that juniors continue to work hard to get good grades and to push towards getting leadership roles in organizations they have been committed to since their earlier years.

Asides from this, it is also important to start planning for the complexities of 12th grade. As 12th grade students tend to max out their possible workload with AP or IB courses along with leadership positions in extracurriculars, it is still important for students to start planning out their college plans. I highly recommend that students start looking over potential colleges they may be interested in, and to even start familiarizing themselves with the college application process. The college application process is long and sometimes tedious, involving selecting colleges that match the student’s interests, filling out applications, and working on multiple essays. It is recommended that during the summer that upcoming 12th grade students get college counseling, and Royal Education is proud of its record and the work that we have done to support students to be successful in the college process.

12th Grade:

During the second semester of 12th grade, there tends to be a common trend that occurs among seniors. Oftentimes referred to as “senioritis,” it usually occurs when students in their senior year end finally finish all of their college and scholarship applications. Many 12th grade students end up unmotivated and unwilling to put their full effort into their second semester classes, believing that they are all set for colleges. At times, it is also due to the burn out from taking on many rigorous courses, extracurriculars, and college applications at the same time.

Even though it is understandable why “senioritis” occurs, this is a huge and possibly fatal mistake. It cannot be stressed enough that 12th grade students must still put their full effort in their courses and extracurriculars. Even though it may be the case that college decisions come out during the second semester before their grades are even reported, colleges still reserve the right to reject students based on their second semester academic record.

In the University of California (UC) website, the conditions for admissions to a UC has a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 for California residents. This also includes the assumed expectation that students do not receive a D or Fail in any courses unless extenuating circumstances arise, which requires students to report it to the university in advance. In other schools, the assumption is made that students accepted to their respective university are expected to maintain a GPA similar to what was submitted for admissions. If these conditions are not met, universities are allowed to rescind their admissions during the summer after the student has graduated from high school.

Royal Education hopes that these suggestions and warnings were helpful for your child. If your child is struggling in any academic courses or needs advising to prepare for the college application process, we believe that we can do the best job in supporting your child. If you have any questions or want to schedule a meeting, feel free to reach out to us in the following social media. We hope to hear from you!

Website: www.royaled.net

Phone Number: (818)-275-3424

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