How to Succeed in a Scholarship Interview
Show up 10 minutes early., Dress nicely., Be friendly and warm., Do your absolute best to sit up straight and be still while you are being interviewed., Work the room., Don’t be afraid of silence., Be consistent with your responses., Let your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Show up 10 minutes early.
Know how you are going to get there and where you are going to park, and leave yourself time to find the room. -
Step 2: Dress nicely.
Avoid shorts, jeans, etc.
Brush your hair and freshen your makeup if you wear it.
Interviewers always notice your shoes.
Make sure they are appropriate, clean, and in good repair.
Take fashion risks at your own peril. , First impressions make a big difference.
When you come into the room, smile, shake everyone’s hand, and introduce yourself. , If you are carrying anything, set it down beside you.
It’s hard to know what to do with your hands.
Folded in your lap is best if you aren’t gesturing.
Do not sit on your hands, pick at your hands, fiddle with your jewelry, or grip the side of the chair.
Legs crossed or both feet flat on the floor is fine.
Hold your head up and don’t slouch. , If you are being interviewed by more than one person at a time, be sure to make eye contact and engage with each of them.
Focus on the person who has asked the question you are responding to at the time, without ignoring the others. , It is not your responsibility to fill every gap in the conversation.
If you have finished answering a question and no one says anything, let it be.
Give the interviewers a chance to absorb what you said and come up with the next question.
When you are nervous, a ten second silence can seem like forever, but it isn’t.
Not jumping to fill every pause shows your confidence and poise.
Learn to carry on a conversation without using crutches like "like" and "um."
Be sure that you review your application before the interview so that you do not accidentally contradict yourself. , If in answer to a question, you can think of a personal story that demonstrates your answer, by all means tell it.
Interviewers are trying to get to know you, and relevant personal stories let them do that best.
Don’t go on and on, be concise, yet complete. , The best way to do that is to listen and focus very carefully on the questions, so that you are responding as exactly as possible.
Answer thoroughly what you have been asked, and no more.
Let the interviewer ask a follow up question if they are interested in knowing more.
Again, a short silence is your friend. , If the scholarship is based at all on need, you will be asked about your financial situation.
Come prepared to be open about that.
Expect to be asked about the cost of colleges you are considering, whether you have been offered any other scholarships, and what resources you have.
If you don’t know exactly, try to find out.
The interviewer will understand if you haven’t gotten a complete financial aid package offer yet, but you should know how much is saved for your education, and what you have been offered from other sources so far.
These questions may seem very personal, but if the scholarship is based on need, they are fair to ask. , You will probably be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer.
Ask something relevant to the scholarship itself or the organization.
You can think of this beforehand. , If the scholarship is from the Irish Society, for example, be prepared to discuss how being Irish has affected your life and what it means to you.
The scholarship will go to someone with a strong connection to the focus of the organization. , You will probably be asked about your accomplishments.
If you have a story about how those helped you become a better person or overcome some adversity, work that in to the conversation.
The interviewers would love to hear a tale about how you took control of a situation and solved a problem and learned something from that, especially if it relates to the organization's goals. , You may not get every scholarship, and that's okay.
All you can do is put your best foot forwards, present yourself professionally, and hope for the best. -
Step 3: Be friendly and warm.
-
Step 4: Do your absolute best to sit up straight and be still while you are being interviewed.
-
Step 5: Work the room.
-
Step 6: Don’t be afraid of silence.
-
Step 7: Be consistent with your responses.
-
Step 8: Let your personality shine through.
-
Step 9: Think on your feet.
-
Step 10: Prepare for financial questions.
-
Step 11: Prepare any questions you have.
-
Step 12: Be prepared to discuss any activity or aspect of your life that relates to the organization.
-
Step 13: just a little.
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Step 14: Roll with the results.
Detailed Guide
Know how you are going to get there and where you are going to park, and leave yourself time to find the room.
Avoid shorts, jeans, etc.
Brush your hair and freshen your makeup if you wear it.
Interviewers always notice your shoes.
Make sure they are appropriate, clean, and in good repair.
Take fashion risks at your own peril. , First impressions make a big difference.
When you come into the room, smile, shake everyone’s hand, and introduce yourself. , If you are carrying anything, set it down beside you.
It’s hard to know what to do with your hands.
Folded in your lap is best if you aren’t gesturing.
Do not sit on your hands, pick at your hands, fiddle with your jewelry, or grip the side of the chair.
Legs crossed or both feet flat on the floor is fine.
Hold your head up and don’t slouch. , If you are being interviewed by more than one person at a time, be sure to make eye contact and engage with each of them.
Focus on the person who has asked the question you are responding to at the time, without ignoring the others. , It is not your responsibility to fill every gap in the conversation.
If you have finished answering a question and no one says anything, let it be.
Give the interviewers a chance to absorb what you said and come up with the next question.
When you are nervous, a ten second silence can seem like forever, but it isn’t.
Not jumping to fill every pause shows your confidence and poise.
Learn to carry on a conversation without using crutches like "like" and "um."
Be sure that you review your application before the interview so that you do not accidentally contradict yourself. , If in answer to a question, you can think of a personal story that demonstrates your answer, by all means tell it.
Interviewers are trying to get to know you, and relevant personal stories let them do that best.
Don’t go on and on, be concise, yet complete. , The best way to do that is to listen and focus very carefully on the questions, so that you are responding as exactly as possible.
Answer thoroughly what you have been asked, and no more.
Let the interviewer ask a follow up question if they are interested in knowing more.
Again, a short silence is your friend. , If the scholarship is based at all on need, you will be asked about your financial situation.
Come prepared to be open about that.
Expect to be asked about the cost of colleges you are considering, whether you have been offered any other scholarships, and what resources you have.
If you don’t know exactly, try to find out.
The interviewer will understand if you haven’t gotten a complete financial aid package offer yet, but you should know how much is saved for your education, and what you have been offered from other sources so far.
These questions may seem very personal, but if the scholarship is based on need, they are fair to ask. , You will probably be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer.
Ask something relevant to the scholarship itself or the organization.
You can think of this beforehand. , If the scholarship is from the Irish Society, for example, be prepared to discuss how being Irish has affected your life and what it means to you.
The scholarship will go to someone with a strong connection to the focus of the organization. , You will probably be asked about your accomplishments.
If you have a story about how those helped you become a better person or overcome some adversity, work that in to the conversation.
The interviewers would love to hear a tale about how you took control of a situation and solved a problem and learned something from that, especially if it relates to the organization's goals. , You may not get every scholarship, and that's okay.
All you can do is put your best foot forwards, present yourself professionally, and hope for the best.
About the Author
Frank Perry
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
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