Student Interview Questions and How to Answer Them – Part I
University interviews can be intimidating. Students often mistake interviews to be some rapid-fire game. One could find them preparing to tackle all questions like they are a hurdle to cross. Truth be told, there is no questioning and answering. Good interviews are good conversations. When this is a chance for the admission committee to know you, it is a chance for you to know if they are the right fit too. As much as you need them to grow, they need you too. It’s the investment of both that is involved and both that is counted. Time, resources and money.
In either case, some sort of preparation is required. You cannot barge in leaving it all to faith. If that is something you believe in? Why do we ask? Because your views are measured with each word that you say. In your head, out loud, at the interview. To save you from indefinite soul-searching, we have compiled some common questions and answers asked during a typical international student interview.
Personal Details
Introductory questions are ice-breakers. Interviewers start off easy with personal questions to ease the student into the interview. The trick to ace this is not to match the details in your application but to give information that goes beyond that. Where did you go to school? It is the question that implements you tell them the quality of education you have had. You could tell them about the experiences the school offers. Personal details build personal connections. Keep your answers as narrative as possible to build a strong connection. The CV as well as the application helps them know your grades and study background. The interview is to familiarise with the person behind that piece of paper.
“Tell us about yourself”
What are the 4 pillars that support your being? If you were to interview us, we might tell you about what we do (introduction), our team, our story and our goals. In effect, let’s take a look at the below answer.
I grew up in a simple family, residing in a small town. My father is a government employee while my mother took care of me and my sister, as well as the house. One of the perks of my father’s job was the annual trips. His company rewarded its top performers with trips within India, and sometimes outside. In fact, almost all the trips I have been to were with them. When travelling, we would explore the heritage, adventures, art and food the cities offered. All of them kept wanting us to go out more. As I grew up, I realised how these trips redefined our lives bit by bit. I guess, it was then that I knew that I wanted to see more. See what the world has to offer?
“What are your hobbies?”
Yes, we are aware that your hobbies are sleeping and binge-watching an entire season overnight on Netflix. But no, you cannot say that. Or maybe you can? This is how:
It is a part of my daily routine – journaling. I have been keeping a journal for as long as I can remember. I like to explore ideas. As a hobby, I chase stories. Stories in all forms. Books, movies, series, art, theories. I have been known to finish an entire novel in days. An indulging series on Netflix doesn’t take me too long to finish. I hope to explore the allure of (the location of the university) too during the weekends.
You could quote down the question mentioning a few places in the city that have been on your bucket list. In essence, add a discovery in the subject you wish to pursue in the form of a story. If you can find a connection between a great mind and the university or its location, this would be a good time to use it to shine.
“What book are you reading currently?” or “Which is your favourite book?”
Hold your horses! It is not the question you need to excitedly answer for. If you are not a reader, it is okay if you cannot recall any book read in the past decade too. Every so often, your answer could begin with a wit.
Well, honestly, IELTS books are all I have been reading for the past few months. As much as I love reading, I knew that my focus was needed elsewhere. The last book that I read was..
And then you talk about an inspirational book or character. Believe it or not, we are what we read. Evidently, Chicken Soup for the Soul is not something to mention here. Hey, we are not judging. Okay, maybe just a little bit.
.. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. In fact, all of his work is exceptional. But the character of Mariam is deeply engraved in my heart. The story is built around the wounded era of Afghanistan. The time when the Taliban came into power and demolished the little of what women’s rights the country had. It is a pleasure to read the book. But at the same time, I regret reading it too. I never knew the world to be so cruel. I go through books like a worm. It only takes me days to complete it. A Thousand Splendid Suns, on the other hand, took me 2 months. With Mr. Hosseini’s writing, I felt that I was with Mariam experiencing everything. I could only read a chapter or two until it overwhelmed me.
“What are you most excited about in your country?”
The world knows India. Our good, our bad. Indeed, this is one of those easy questions.
India has a lot to offer. Each of our states has its own culture, traditions, clothing and cuisines. Some we introduced, some we developed. The recent decades have seen a lot of modern thoughts and ideas. But while we are developing, we stay true to our values and history. As weird as it might sound, I am the most excited about our people. We have a population of over 1.4 billion. And all of us have great ideas. From engineering to literature to astronomy to politics, we all have opinions of everything.
“What areas do you seek improvement?”
We all have flaws. Don’t try to sugarcoat them by saying how ‘too’ honest you are. By all means, you might as well walk out of the door, Mr. Harishchandra. It is okay to your address. In fact, it only exhibits self-awareness. If your flaw isn’t a lack of academic concentration or hidden criminal characteristics, think you are good.
I need to improve my time management. As a school student, I tried to be more involved in the co-curriculum as much as I could. I didn’t have much responsibilities. Moreover, I didn’t have my responsibility. But studying in (the university name), I would want to improve my time management. I wish to excel in my course and make this time in (the university country) as fruitful as I can.
So far so good? Head to Part 2 to discover questions on Background and more.
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