Following are some tips you'll want to know about:

A. Be Neat. Your appearance is important. A conservative, modest suit is a good choice of what to wear.

B. Be Punctual. Punctuality demonstrates courtesy to the interviewer. It also reflects your professional character. If there is a valid reason for being late , call and let the interviewer know your situation.

Committee interviews are usually held in the faculty or professional person's office. Know where it is before planning your day. You will receive a letter from the advising office informing you of the date, time and place for your committee interviews.

C. Meet the interviewer with a firm, friendly handshake. Maintain comfortable eye contact and body language...SMILE...SMILE...SMILE.

D. Pronunciation of Names. Pronounce the interviewer's name correctly. Ask to have it repeated if you're not certain.

E. Eye Contact. Maintain eye contact when speaking to or being spoken to. Eye contact is reflective of being assertive and self-confident. This is particularly important while discussing your personal attributes, skills, interests, and abilities.

F. Be assertive, but not aggressive. When asked a general question, be prepared to take the lead and highlight specific qualifications.

G. Give examples. Substantiate your skills with specific achievements.

H. Be precise. Avoid the "I want to work with people/animals" syndrome.

I. Be honest. If you can't answer that question, say so - with an explanation.

J. Don't volunteer negative information about yourself or others. If asked about weaknesses, answer truthfully , then show how you are making efforts to overcome weaknesses. Highlight your strengths.

K. Avoid the "uh", "ah", "you know", "well", problem. Practice speaking.

L. Hands. Feel free to gesture with your hands. you may fold them on the table or in your lap. Do not use them to prop your chin. This often applies pressure to the jaw and inhibits lucid enunciation.

M. Prepare a Question. Quite often, applicants are asked if they have any questions. In terms of strategy, it may be worthwhile to form one or two questions just in case! Such questions may be:

1. What do you consider to be the salient features of your school and its curriculum?

2. How is my application processed after this interview?

(You should develop some of your own.)

N. When the interviewer ends your meeting, leave with a warm handshake and a THANK YOU. You should also write a short thank-you note to at least one person in each school that you interview. You may have a general thank you formulated on your computer before the interview. After the interview, add somethin specific about your meeting and mail it the same day. You may be one in a hundred people thoughtful enough to do so.

You are on your way to a successful interview. Keep in mind that you are prepared. Practice relaxation!

I am eager to hear about your interview experiences. Please share them with me when you return. Good Luck!

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Disclaimer:The statements found on the College of Sciences are for informational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure that this information is up to date and accurate, official information can be found in the University publications.