Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels
College applications can be stressful and exciting in equal measure for teens. This time in their lives signals that they are close to adulthood, and are starting the next chapter of their lives by investing in further education. Your teen might be nervous and overwhelmed by the idea of leaving and going to college, while simultaneously bursting at the seams with excitement!
One thing that your teen is likely to be nervous about is the interview process. If the college they have applied to orchestrates interviews for potential students, your teen will be expected to dress right, act right, and say the right things in one of the most intimidating settings they’ve ever been in. In short, it can be daunting for them.
In today’s post, you will learn how to be their guide through the college interview process – without getting too heavily involved!
Let’s get started, shall we?
Practicing the correct interview technique
As an adult who has been in the world of work for some time, you have likely nailed down a pretty good interview technique. Even if you aren’t super-confident in your interview skills, you need to remember that your teen has probably never done an interview in their life, so they won’t even know where to start.
To help them gain knowledge on how to act in an interview, you could stage some practice interviews and give them feedback. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself – or perhaps your teen is resistant to the idea of you seeing them in interview mode! – you could consult a professional tutor.
A pre-college tutor can give your teen the low-down on what to expect, especially for an Ivy League school that will have high standards. Harvard admission interviews, for example, will be rigorous – so you want to ensure your teen is prepared for what will be thrown at them!
Teaching your teen to expect the unexpected
Part of being an adult is learning to expect the unexpected. The best-laid plans of your life don’t always work out exactly how you thought, and this includes interviews, whether it be for a job or a place at college.
One of the greatest lessons you can teach your teen as they apply for college is that the interview process won’t be what they expect. There will always be curveball questions that they haven’t prepared for – and the skill of thinking on your feet, rather than the answer you give, is often what impresses colleges the most.
Every new experience is a lesson!
At the end of the day, your teen will soon learn that not everything will go their way. However, every experience, good or bad, can be a lesson in how to be a resilient, fully functioning adult. By teaching them a great attitude towards both success and failure, you are setting your teen up for a great time at college, no matter where they go.
Final thoughts…
If your teenager is preparing for college interviews, help them out by using this key advice!
