The U.S. psychology graduate schools have high admission standards. And the interview appears to be a huge part of it. Admission interviews have some common features regardless of a school you’re applying to. Admission interviewing for psychology graduate schools is a must and there is no way you can avoid it. So better be prepared rather than make up answers on the spot.
Poor performance at the interview for psychology graduate schools may backfire in countless negative ways. It can affect the first impression of you and kill your chance to actually be accepted into the program. But with some tips and ideas you can be safe and sure to avoid costly mistakes in the interview for psychology graduate school. So how to get prepared for an admission interview for psychology graduate schools?
How Should You Behave
Keep to the rule of “3 Cs” in the interview for psychology graduate schools. That means you always, always have to be cool, calm and collected. In other words, keep yourself under control. Pouring your emotions out won’t do you any good. Don’t loose eye contact with the interviewer and always give honest responses. The interview in psychology graduate schools is required for one simple reason - the admission committee has to assess applicants’ eligibility for the profession. The purpose of an interview for psychology graduate schools is to check your personal qualities, communication skills, ability to interact with people. Make sure you’re thoroughly prepared to answer the trickiest questions.
Research Typical Questions to Be Asked
There is a list of questions that are typically asked by the interviewers. Be ready to comment on the questions about your grades and your school choice. These are questions of the type: “Why are you interested in this psychology program?”, “How will the program fit with your future plans?”, “Why have you chosen this particular psychology graduate school?” and many more. You can dig the whole bunch of questions on the Internet.
Double Check Time and Location of The Interview
Being late means being less interested, irresponsible, inattentive… For not being labeled as such you must double check the location, time and format of the interview beforehand. That will allow you to be on time and choose appropriate dress-code for the interview. Casual dress-code is absolutely out of the question. If you choose wrong outfit, first impression of you won’t be the best.
Make Your Speech Flow
Talking to the interviewer as you would to one of your friends is a major mistake. Choose a formal style of communication in the interview for the graduate psychology school. Smooth and confident speech is a sign of intellectual maturity. That’s exactly what you need to impress the interviewers. Make sure your answers are complete and to the point.
Keep this valuable information in mind, especially if you are about to attend an interview in psychology graduate school. Don’t let something important go unnoticed. First impressions are the most lasting!
