Every student wants to get a scholarship for studies. You complete your scholarship application and select for an interview this is the main step to obtaining a scholarship to finance your studies. As per the 2018 Report, 90% of students failed to pass scholarship interviews why because students think a scholarship interview is the same as another interview.
But remember scholarship interviews and regular job interviews are two different things. Luckily, there are some scholarship interview tips that help you increase your chance of success.
Scholarship interviews can be used in all types of situations, including university scholarships, participation in “Scholarship Days” and timely interviews for external scholarships. Not sure what the difference is between a merit scholarship and a third-party scholarship? To help you to get ready for a scholarship interview here are some scholarship interview tips from the expert.
Scholarship Interview Tips: How To Prepare For a Scholarship Interview?
- Research information for the interview
- Prepare for common interview questions
- Choose the proper Dress
- Plan for the day before the Interview
- Stay relaxed on the day of the Interview!
Ultimately your not going to attend a scholarship interview without preparation, but exactly what kind of preparation is required for a scholarship interview? There are so many scholarship interview tips floating around the internet but one piece of common advice is practice makes perfect.
By taking the time to practice questions you may feel more comfortable with the interview process. It also gives you the opportunity to refine your response making sure the delivery of information is the perfect and complete way.
We will tell you where to find a list of common interview questions in just one minute!
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Scholarship Interview Tip#1: Research Information
Doing a little research is another most important scholarship interview tip you can find.
What should you research? Well, that can vary from one interview to another. However, there are some common starting points that apply in almost all situations.
First, you should review the scholarship requirements, including the essay question options presented. This will generally give you information about the organization’s priorities and can even tell you exactly what they will be asked to do.
Then it is useful to obtain basic information about the organization itself. This may include mission statements, the “About Us” section of the site, and even recent news announcements.
Obtaining a fundamental understanding of the organization is another way to learn about your priorities and can also help you adjust answers to the scholarship interview questions to cover topics that the panel probably appreciates.
Finally, make sure you review the content of the scholarship work. Because this was a crucial part of the application and certainly played an important role in why they have invited you for an interview, updating your memories of what they discussed will help you to speak directly about the content.
If other documents were submitted as part of the application, review that documents because this will also help you a lot.
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Scholarship Interview Tip#2: Prep Common Interview Question
Although you cannot prep all the questions that may be asked, it is almost certain that some questions will arise.
A question such as “tell us about yourself” “give us an example of one of your greatest achievements” “where do you see yourself in five years” and “how do you plan to spend the money if you get the award”.
Often, these scholarship questions have no right or wrong answers, which will probably leave you confused about how to answer.
Common Scholarship Interview Question & Answer
#1. “Tell us about yourself.?”
Don’t waste your time talking about what’s on your resume or scholarship application: they already know all this and want to see what makes you the most different from other applicants! Give them a quick overview of what your interests and abilities are, how it relates to receiving this scholarship and why you be the best person to win.
2. “What’s your greatest strength?”
If you are a good writer, tell your interviewer how much you liked your high school English class or what was your strategy for writing your scholarship essays. If you like to introduce yourself, tell a story about how to help others overcome stage fright. Whatever your strength, always be specific and give examples.
3. “What’s your biggest weakness?”
The key to talking about their weaknesses is to paint them in a positive way. If public speaking is not your strong point, explain how you took a public speaking class, and even if it still makes you nervous, you are working to overcome your fear.
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4. “Why do you deserve this scholarship?”
Explain that you know that there are many deserving candidates for this scholarship, but your unique experiences are a good indicator of your future success, and receiving this scholarship will open the door to many other opportunities.
5. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
You don’t have a whole life planned for the next five years, but the scholarship committee wants to see that you have some kind of game plan. What do you want to achieve while you are in college? What do you see yourself doing after graduation?
6. “Who is your role model?”
When your interviewer asks this question, he is trying to learn more about who you are, not about your role model. If you are a family member, teacher, or celebrity, explain how your actions inspired you or what you learned from them and why.
Scholarship Interview Tip#3: Choose the Proper Dress
As time goes by, you will never have a second chance to make a good first impression, and your cloth is part of that interview.
Simply, you should wear semi-formal clothes. These may include pants and dress shirt, suit and tie, blazer pants, a somewhat conservative dress, or a matching blouse and skirt.
As for shoes, it is generally better to select a dress shoe. However, choosing a comfortable pair is smart, as it will be difficult for them to concentrate if their feet are killing them.
It is also essential to be well-groomed, so take some time to comb your hair, trim and clean your nails, and other basic items are required.
The idea behind this advice for the scholarship interview is to dress in a way that is considered professional, as it shows that you strive to appear presentable to the scholarship interview panel.
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Scholarship Interview Tip#4: Planning For Scholarship Day
The activities that you deal with the day before the scholarship interview put a significant impact on your level of success.
To help you get started here is a scholarship interview checklist to handle
- put your clothes on
- Review all instructions provided by the interviewer, including the time of the interview, where to go, and who to meet when you arrive
- Gather all documents that must be submitted (if applicable)
- Plan your breakfast
- Review and schedule your travel route to the site
- Set several alarms, including one when you need to start preparing and another when you need to start traveling to the meeting place
Being late for a scholarship interview is almost a guaranteed way of not being selected for the award.
To be sure, it is better to plan to arrive at the interview site about 15 minutes before the interview begins. However, if unexpected traffic problems are common or if you are traveling through an unknown area, a larger time may be required.
Scholarship Interview Tip#5: Stay Relax
As you get ready to face an interview, it is vital to be relaxed. Breathe deeply, offer a firm handshake, smile, and keep your head up. The committee already thinks that you are worthy of the prize, or they would not invite you to participate.
Therefore, as long as you behave correctly and follow the above advice, you will have a great chance of being selected.
What To Ask the Scholarship Committee
It is important to ask questions about the organization that sponsors the grant. The questions show that you care about the organization’s mission and you are a good fit for the organization.
You should not force these questions to fit the interview, it is important to keep them natural, but be curious about the organization, how they could get involved now and how they could get involved in the future.
- “What does your organization hope to accomplish in providing this scholarship?” Or “What other programs does your organization sponsor to achieve this mission, and how can I get involved?”
- “What characteristics would your ideal candidate have?” Or “In what ways can I improve my application?”
- “Will I get a mentor to help me stay on track for the goals of the scholarship?” Or “What other academic resources does the scholarship provide?”
- “Does your organization sponsor any programs for job placement or connecting with alumni?” Or “What resources or opportunities are available after I graduate?”
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