I remember driving to my oldest child’s first secondary school interview. He was very verbal and used to talking with adults, so I assumed that he would interview very well. But when I gave him a practice question in the car, asking what his favorite class was, he gave a one-word answer, “English.”
Uh-oh.
Few things in the admissions process cause as much angst among parents and students as the interview. From my 25 years of preparing Fay students for this process—and going through it with my own three children—I understand both the anxiety and the opportunity that it presents.
I have seen interviews weigh heavily in the decision process either for or against a candidate. The underprepared student can find him or herself in an interview that is one-sided, stilted, and uncomfortable, while the over-prepared student runs the risk of seeming scripted and inauthentic. However, there’s no reason to view the interview with dread. With the right kind of preparation, the interview can be a real asset to your child’s application. Here are some tips for sending your child into interviews ready to make a great impression.
