Hello everyone,
I have my first interview coming up in 5 days and I can’t seem to get over my anxiety. Any good tips on getting over interview anxiety? Thank you in advance.
Well, under the category of controlling what I can, I did the following as interview prep to decrease my anxiety.
Reread your primary application essay and your secondary essays for this school the day before. That way you have fresh in your mind what you have already said. If there is anything you wish you could have elaborated on but didn’t have room for, if they ask you about it, you’ll know your starting place.
Also, take a moment when asked to think whether you can give an example from your life or tell a story rather than answer in general terms.
If the interview includes ethical dilemma questions, there is not a “right” answer. THe question is whether you can support your answer with a strong argument.
I also think it’s helpful to review the school’s website beforehand, and remind yourself of why you decided to apply to that school. So you can answer the “why here?” question! 
Also, make a list of about 5 questions to ask in the interview. That way, even after the information they may give you, you will probably still have about 2 or 3 questions to ask about their institution. I asked “is it alright if I take notes?” Then use my folder with a paper, on which I wrote the questions, to write the answers. My biggest fear was my mind going blank, and that bit of “insurance” combined with the prep to be as well prepared as possible made me much less anxious.
Finally --start with a smile. Fools your limbic system into thinking you are enjoying it
Kate
I can only give you advice based on job interviews
The night before set multiple alarms, and have a wake up call from the front desk setup. This eliminates self-imposed nerves about sleeping through a single alarm and being late. Get all your clothes laid out and ironed earlier in the day, to work off nervous energy. Bring a stress ball if you can get it past airport security. 
Go out and buy yourself dinner, make it carb heavy so you go into a food coma. I go for either steak & lots of bread, or Italian food. Have dessert if you can, because it will make you happy and even sleepier.
Get cozy in the bed and crash out.
As for the real interview part… my advisor recommends being prepared. I intend to use the SDN interview database and school-specific forums to see all the questions that have been/are being asked. Don’t memorize answers, but think about them and maybe even type/write them out. I plan to read the questions on the plane, in the hotel the day before the interview, and once before I go for dinner. I won’t look at them after dinner, but I might peek at them the morning before I go to the interview.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes in the interview review forum!!!
I have only been on one so far, but if you have had job interviews it is really nothing different. Most of what they ask you pertains to your application so as long as you didn’t completey lie on the whole thing, you answers should come accros as sincere. I mean I wrote about my life’s expereince, I know my story like the back of my hand and can rattle off any part pretty easy.
FRom what I hear most interviewers are there to be your advocates for the admissions committee, so most fo them know you are nervous and most of them want you to succeed, so most of them aren’t hardcases.
Like I said earlier it really is nothing harder than a job interview. I think most traditional students have never had an interview of any sort so they idea of having to answer questions about their application seems foreign so they get antsy about it. Plus, the generation we are talking about are mostly those kids who have been told from birth that they are special and have no clue why.
- BaileyPup Said:
Plus, the generation we are talking about are mostly those kids who have been told from birth that they are special and have no clue why.
Laughed so hard at that. My mom still says I'm special, Bailey.
- BaileyPup Said:
the generation we are talking about are mostly those kids who have been told from birth that they are special and have no clue why.
Wh...wh...whaaat? =) I'm with Pixie... I got a good chuckle out of that one!
I think I'll be really excited if I can just get interviews. I agree with Bailey--I feel like the interview is where we, as nontrads, can really shine. Part of my current job is to interview potential employees who want to work on my team, so I've actually been trained in good interviewing techniques. I would imagine that most people on this forum have been afforded the opportunity to finesse those communication/sales skills in some way--at least quite a bit more than your average college grad!
Just relax and be yourself! You'll do wonderfully...
Okay so I have an even funnier thing that just happened in my interview with Nova. I just remembered it and thought I would share since me and Mrs. BP have been laughing all night about it. Oh you will do this post interview where you will remember the off the wall things that occured during the interview.
So:
We were almost done with the interview and the faculty member interviewing me asked how I had prepared for the interview.
I started out telling how I had researched the school on the net, and I had read over my app the night before and gotten a good nights rest when the light bulb went off in my head and I said: “And I stayed in a Holiday Inn last night…” luckily the guy had a sense of humor.
NICE. =)
Maybe pretend everyone is naked? hahaha.