America's Best Colleges for B Students - Tamra B. Orr

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questions covered by the college catalog

       Chew gum

       Wear lots of cologne or perfume

       Swear or use too much slang

       Be arrogant—there's a fine line between being confident and boasting

       Lie—it will come back to haunt you

       Respond with only “yes” or “no” answers

       Tell the school it's your safety or last choice

       Be rude to the receptionist or any other staff you meet

       Bring a parent into the interview

       Refuse an interview

      During the interview, more than your words count. While you don't have to come to the interview in a suit and tie or wear a dress, you shouldn't show up in shorts and tank top either. Be professional in your appearance. As you talk to the interviewer, sit up straight and don't fidget. Be sure to make eye contact. Never interrupt, and shake hands at the beginning and the end.

      Your college interview is also a chance for you to ask questions. By doing so, you often show initiative and curiosity—two traits most colleges are looking for in their students. Ask if the officer has any advice for you, ask a question about your potential major or ask about dorm activities and college lifestyle. Find out if there will be a new student orientation program, what activities are available for freshmen, what part-time job opportunities there are in the area or end with a zinger like, “Is there anything you would like to know about me in order to help you make a fair and final decision about my application?”

      The interview is a unique opportunity to establish rapport with a person who previously only knew you as numbers and words on paper. Use it wisely and show the interviewer(s) what a fantastic person you really are!

      Remember those college brochures filled with pictures, statistics and text cultivating dust balls under your bed? Dig them out before your interview and do something really radical—read them! It is not necessary to read them cover to cover, but knowing such basic facts as where the school is located, what kind of environment it has, some of the courses it offers and some of the activities you may choose to participate in is a good idea. It does not impress interviewers to discover that students who are applying to their beloved alma mater do not even know what state it is located in or that the college is single sex. (There was an applicant who actually made it to the interview before he learned that the college he was applying to was an all-women school!)

      Try to talk to relatives or friends who attend or have attended the college. They can give you insights into the college that are not found in the glossy brochures. The more you know the better.

      Doing your homework will allow you to be able to ask intelligent questions. You are making the most important decision of your life so far. It makes sense that you would have a question or two about it. Having prepared questions not only helps create the two-way conversation dynamic, but it also demonstrates that you are serious about attending the college.

      Not all questions are good questions, and in particular, avoid asking those obvious ones where the answers are on the first page of the college's brochure. Instead, the best questions to ask your interviewers are those that make them reflect on their own experiences, require them to do a little thinking and elicit an opinion. Making your interviewers think or express their opinions makes the interviews more interesting for them and makes your question seem insightful and probing. Some examples:

       What do you think about the X department?

       How did the small/large class size affect your education?

       How did X college prepare you for your career?

       What was the best opportunity you felt X university provided you?

       What is the best/worst aspect of X university or X city?

       If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?

      Think of some more questions like these and write them on a list with the most interesting ones at the top. Take this list into the interviews and refer to them when the conversation begins to stall and when your interviewers ask you if you have any questions.

       Reprinted with permission from Get into Any College by Gen and Kelly Tanabe

      What happens when the admissions officer asks you, “How do you explain the fact that your SAT score or GPA is a little less than wonderful?” First, expect it. That way you can prepare for it. If it doesn't happen, then whew! you are off the hook. If it does, you're ready. Second, be honest. Don't say there was a computer error or you really did better than that. Third, don't place blame. Don't try and put those numbers off on rotten teachers, stupid tests or unfair grading. On the other hand, you can explain with a truthful assessment of factors that have affected your life. Was there a crisis during that time? Did you have to work extra hours that cut into study time? Were you heavily involved with sports or other extracurricular activities? Did you find high school boring or stifling? Without accusing others, tell the interviewer why you believe those numbers do not represent your real potential.

      What should you do if the admissions officer does not ask about your numbers? That's a judgment call, and the answer rests with your gut instinct. If the interview has gone really well and you feel like you have established a good rapport with the officer, explaining those numbers without being asked can be seen as admirable. If you have not clicked with the officer, however, and the interview has had some awkward pauses, you might want to just skip this so things don't go downhill.

SECTION THREE

      CHAPTER SIX

      B STUDENTS CAN WIN SCHOLARSHIPS TOO

      “My GPA is not that hot…and my SAT scores were lousy because I had a temperature/didn't get enough sleep/forgot to prepare/had an argument with my boyfriend, so I wonder if I can even get into college. But heck, college costs thousands and thousands of dollars and my family cannot afford that. Why even apply? My parents don't have the money and scholarships only go to the straight A students anyway…”

      Have you had that conversation with yourself? If so, you aren't the first and certainly won't be the last to do so. But be advised: Such thinking is a big mistake.

      Without question, college costs a lot, and most families struggle to find enough money to pay for it. But those scholarships you keep hearing about are not just for the eggheads or overachievers who excelled in everything from U.S. history to trigonometry.

      So who exactly gets scholarships besides those with high numbers? Let's take a look.

      And you thought growing up without a Porsche in the driveway was a bad thing? Scholarships were originally set up for these very students. They were put into place to support students’ families financially so that college could be possible for many more than just those who can afford it. If your family has a genuine need to help you attend college, many scholarships may be available for you. The key to snatching one of them is simple: be honest about ALL your numbers, including finances; don't try to fudge those income levels. That isn't honest, and you will get caught. Also be prepared to show any extenuating circumstances behind those numbers. Was your mother laid off? Was there a medical emergency? Does your family have three kids in college already? These are important factors to include.

      Not that you would wish for one, but if you happen to have a documented disability or illness, there is assistance for you because of it. A number of organizations support students with

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