University admission interviews can often seem daunting and intimidating as a young student that’s about to enroll.”What questions will they ask?” “What if I answer wrong?”
Don’t worry, university interviews are often not half as bad as you imagine. In fact, they’re a great way for you to touch base with those already working at the university and set expectations for what you will get out of the course, in terms of growth and future prospects.
To help you navigate these questions and come out on top, here are some of the most common interview questions asked during university admissions –
1. Why have you chosen this university?
This isn’t a trick question or an opportunity for the candidate to appease the interviewers. Instead, it’s a genuine chance to explain why you chose the specific university you’re interviewing for, and what makes it special as compared to the other choices out there.
It could be as simple as the fact that it is relatively close to where you reside, or because they offer a specific program that you’re looking for.
Either way, make sure to be open and honest about the reason why you have chosen this particular university, and you should be good to go!
2. How did you enjoy high school?
Interviewers ask this question for many reasons. Firstly, they would like to get to know a little background about you and how you fared during high school, from your point of view.
Secondly, they are looking to hear about your general perception of educational institutions to get an idea of how you might perceive universities in the future.
Remember to be careful about your criticism, and definitely avoid bad-mouthing your high school, as these are red flags to university admission interviewers.
3. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses
This is an interesting question that can reveal a lot about you. Avoid the worn-out, “I’m a perfectionist” and “I work too hard”, answers that the interviewers have heard before.
Instead, choose, to be honest about your weaknesses and come forward with a truthful answer like, “I struggle with deadlines”. They will appreciate it much more, and you won’t feel like you’ve had to lie in an interview.
4. Do you have a role model?
Here’s an interesting question that will allow you to speak more about the people you look up to. Maybe you’re pursuing a literature course and greatly look up to a renowned author.
This is your chance to show the interviewer that you have role models in line with your aspirations, making it far more likely that you will complete the course and pursue a career in your chosen field.
5. What are your goals?
This is your chance to be open and honest with the university about what you aim to achieve with your time there. Remember to leave nothing on the table and be clear about your dreams and goals, no matter how outlandish they may be.
You never know how many candidates before you might have shared similar goals as you have now. You might even hear interesting accounts of past alumni that have already achieved the goals that you currently aspire to.
6. Where do you see yourself on completion of this course?
This a very important question that you can definitely expect to be asked during your interview. With this question, interviewers are looking to find out what your endgame is, and how you plan to progress after you’ve graduated from the university.
This is where they will get a chance to set your expectations straight if needed and find out how motivated to complete the course you are. Also, they’re looking to understand whether or not you are trying to pursue a career in a field related to the course of your study.
7. How do you wish to expand your skills with this course?
This question might be a little more challenging to answer, considering you are likely a candidate that is just starting with the university.
However, it is an opportunity for the interviewer to understand how you wish to grow and learn during your university study.
Feel free, to be honest, and speak about the things that you would like to improve about yourself, and try and tie this into any weaknesses you might have mentioned about yourself earlier as a way to negate them.
Conclusion
While Universities don’t expect you to have all the answers upfront, make sure you do your due diligence by researching topics related to these questions.
You want to come across as someone who is well prepared and informed about the university and their own goals and aspirations about the course you’re enrolling into.
The more knowledgeable you appear, the more likely you are to ace the interview and land a seat in the university of your dreams.
And to get you better prepared, EduFund is here to bring you the best education counselors in the country. They do their best to get you confident about the interview along with helping you with all the insider knowledge to give you an edge.
FAQs
What are some good questions that I can ask a university during admissions?
You can ask questions about the diversity on the college campus; its achievements in sports, science, or any other field of your interest; the number of graduates attending the college, the school rating, their anti-ragging policies, etc.
How can I impress a university during admissions?
To impress a university during admissions, you have to be prepared. Research your course and school well; compile all the relevant documents well; show your previous work/ internship/ volunteering experience; have a sound statement of purpose; show originality in your application; add or improve on your relevant skills, etc.
What do universities look for in a student?
The answer varies from university to university. However, there are a few characteristics that every university wants in its students. Universities want students who either excel or show signs of excelling in their fields.
They look for students who are dedicated to their field of education and show great promise. For a detailed answer, it would be a good idea to ask this question to your interviewer at the end of the interview.
