TOP 10 Tips for Virtual Admissions Interviews

College interviews are a mega important event in the life of a student. As a rule, the preference of the college admission jury is given to those students who showcase their personality along with achievements, passions, and interests during interviews. 

A great conversation in the interview would propel you ahead even if there are many rivals on exam results. 

With such great weight of college admission interviews, you should be aware of the factors that make them successful. So, read on to find out how to get ready for a virtual interview that will land you a place in your dream college. 

Are There Benefits of Video Interviews?

Remote interviews have a lot of benefits, including greater convenience, reduced stress, being on the cutting edge, etc. 

In many ways, they’re even simpler than offline meetings – one doesn’t need to spend time on the road to the destination, can take an interview from home sitting in their favorite armchair, and so on.  

All in all, this interview is simpler to schedule and is more relaxed for the applicant. 

How to Get Ready for Virtual Interview: 10 Tips to Make You Confident 

With the only difference in the means of conducting a meeting, the virtual interview is essentially the same in content as the face-to-face interview. A student needs to answer the same questions about their previous achievements, the classes they took, favorite extracurriculars, activities they aspire, and more. 

They’re also likely to show analytic skills and critical thinking. If that’s what you feel lacking, and there’s still some time to prepare, partnering with a decent critical thinking essay writing service will help. 

However, one needs to consider the nuances of the technical side as well as prepare a transcript and necessary files. The jury assumes you have a quiet meeting place with no distractions. That will be your stage for the interview. 

Check in advance if the device to hold a meeting is charged, prepare your video call space, check if the lighting is good, and the background isn’t cluttered. But that’s not all. 

Take a closer look at pieces of advice to nail your interview. 

• Set the right lighting. 

While you shouldn’t act like a blogger who wants to look in a more flattering light, it’s crucial that your face is seen and the picture is neither too bright nor dark. If your lamp is moveable, try to position it in different ways. Try various monitor venues to make a balanced picture. Here is more on how actually to look good in a video interview. 

• Ensure great sound. 

Apart from finding a place where nothing and no one can interrupt, take care of your microphone and computer settings. If the built-in microphone isn’t good enough, try to bring an additional one or use small earphones. 

Practice speaking with someone, ideally, through the same tool the interview will be conducted (Google Meet, Zoom, etc.). Use your normal speaking volume. 

• Have your Internet connection tested. 

It’s vital since putting off an interview wouldn’t always be easy. What is more, check if the link to the online conference works. If not, report to the sender side about this issue (by email) and wait for their instructions. 

Bonus tip: have a ‘Plan-B’ device to use as a safety pillow in case one of your devices crashes, suddenly runs out of battery, or gets lost. 

• Locate the camera at your eye level. 

This is often overlooked in regular online classes. Your whole face should be seen, and the look should be directed at the camera without having to make extra movements with your head or body. 

From a psychological viewpoint, looking upwards (when locating the camera too high) would make you confident, while looking down from the place you sit wouldn’t be pleasant for interviewers. 

• Dress up. 

That is just a reminder to dress formally rather than casually. Find a good shirt and dress smart, at least from the waistline. This shows your good etiquette and respect for the jury and the whole situation. 

• Prepare answers to typical questions. 

Put true information into your words and be genuine in answering why you would like to study at this college, how and in which spheres you are going to contribute, which job you’d like to land after college, tell me about yourself what inspired you to pursue higher education, etc. Be ready to discuss your academic and non-academic gains and interests.

• Balance accuracy & fluency in your answers. 

Now, a college admission interview isn’t supposed to get answers from you under pressure, as if you’re a crime suspect. Instead, view it as an informative conversation where the other side is curious about what you did previously, your strengths, and what you dream of accomplishing. 

Having some answers written down as phrases is okay but don’t overdo it. Otherwise, you will sound like you are reciting a learnt-by-heart poem. This drops the speaker’s authenticity. So, no matter how strong the temptation is, being free from your notes is always better.  

• Keep eye contact. 

In offline meetings, it’s definitely easier. What most people unawarely do in video conferences and classes is looking at how the camera mirrors them. 

Paying attention to how you act is also important but let’s agree you leave it to the preparation stage, okay? Keep a good and confident posture, be friendly, and maintain a healthy amount of emotions and gestures. 

In the meeting, maintain eye contact and look at the interviewer(s). That’s important and demonstrates your communication skills.  

• Be ready to expand on the points.

That is where fluency and the ability to move spontaneously shine. For instance, if an interviewer asks you to tell more about your passion for music, stop for a second remember those times, motivate yourself and be free to include any significant details, like who introduced you to this art and what exciting experiences you had.  

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. 

Surely, an interview is a time for you to answer questions. But that doesn’t mean you can’t. If there is something important you’re curious about concerning the college or university, go ahead and formulate a clear question. Interviewers like inquisitive young people. 

Now You are Ready for Your Virtual Admission Interview

As a closure of the conversation, express gratitude for the time and effort spent. Be ready to send interviewers any documents by email, such as test papers, certificates, etc. 

You also need to be available via telephone and email after the interview for the college to be able to get in touch with you to render information about their decision and other crucial admission details.  

Should you have some other tips, feel free to share them in the comments section below, and the most important, I’d like to say – Good luck with your interview, my friend 😉

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