Finding the perfect education path for yourself can take a lot of time. A considerable amount of time is also required to crack the interview for the graduate school and program you have shortlisted. To help you crack the interview, we have mentioned the top graduate school interview tips right here. They will help you be prepared in advance for anything the interviewer might come up with.
Before the Interview
Make sure you get ample sleep and don't
stay up half the night!
Don't be nervous and stay calm. You can
meditate to calm your mind or even listen to good music. Whatever works!
Be yourself. Don't pretend to be an
extrovert if you are an introvert and vice versa.
Research the Interviewers and know what
kind of people they are and where their interests lie.
Groom yourself so that you feel more
confident.
Make eye contact with the interviewers and
have open body language.
Questions You Need to Prepare
When hoping to do well in a top graduate
school interview, remember the following commonly asked questions and the
possible answers.
Ø Question- Tell me about yourself?
Answer this question with the truth about
who you are, where you came from, what you want to be, and how you can help the
college. Highlight what makes you different from other aspirants, your academic
achievements, and your role in extracurricular activities.
Ø Question- Why did you choose our school/program?
Don't answer this question with how amazing
the college or program is. They already know that. Instead, focus on what you
like about the school, what you like about the course, and why you want to be
taught by specific teachers/professors?
Ø Question- Which major trends in your field of study are you aware
of?
This question is focused on evaluating your
expertise. So, you need to make sure that you back your answer with facts and
statistics. You must study research papers and relevant data to answer this
question confidently.
Ø Question- Why did you choose this course?
Again, you don't need to focus on how great
the course is or how many people have done it in the past. Instead, it would
help to focus on how this course will help you form your career or enhance it.
What do you like about the course? For example, You might like the initial
exposure offered as a part of the course. Also, talk about what you would like
to do after completing the course and how it would help shape your future.
Prepare Your Own Questions
After the interviewer is done talking about
you and asking you questions, they will almost certainly ask you whether you
have any questions for them. Don't answer with- "I don't want to ask
anything." Instead, do your research and ask relevant questions. You can
ask about what's new in the course this year, how they plan to enhance the
course, What extracurricular activities the college gets involved in, and many
others. Engaging in this conversation might often lead to more interesting
conversations that would impact the interviewer and help increase your chances
of success.
Read about top universities in Canada here.
Learn more about the top universities in the world over here.
Sources:
https://www.gradschoolcenter.com/grad-school-interview-tips/
https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/blog/graduate-school-interview-questions
https://www.gradschools.com/get-informed/admissions/graduate-school-interview-questions