How To Ace An Interview To Get A Scholarship
You will inevitably apply to multiple scholarships so you land on at least a few. Each scholarship has a different type of application process. There are additional requirements to each scholarship and you must fulfil them. Whether it is writing an essay, or submitting a video, or giving an interview. While you create a draft of any of the required conditions, remember that you only get one chance to ace it. Don’t worry because, with this story, I will help you with ways on how you can ace an interview.
- Do Your Homework
Many students fill the form because they fit the eligibility criteria. But is that enough? No. You must do your homework right. Understand what you are getting yourself into. Research about the past applications and interviews. You can even go on LinkedIn and learn about the experts that will be interviewing you for the scholarship. Learn about their domains, check out their site and understand their organization in and out so you know what you are up against. Having prepared before can work in your favour. Also, another smart tip is to learn and go through the common interview questions and answers so you are well prepared. Some questions look like: What are your academic goals and aspirations? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in the next 5 or 10 years? Make sure you impress the scholarship committee with your answers.
- Dress It Up
Yes, you heard it right, take your scholarship interview seriously as if you are going for a professional interview. Dress up like a professional. Do not wear a t-shirt or jeans like you are going on a casual outing. Maybe borrow a coat from your pal and look all business-like. You can wear slacks, dresses, collared shirts and even pencil skirts. The more professional you look, the more effect it will have on your personality and the interviewer will take you seriously. That’s the goal, right? Also, wear something comfortable. Especially people who choose to wear heels. You must see that it doesn’t cause you any kind of pain or discomfort that distracts you from the interview. So note down these tiny details because trust me, they make a lot of difference.
- Be Real
Now that you have done your research and dressed professionally, it’s time to answer those questions very authentically. The reason why I stress this is because after doing your research, you might feel that you will have to portray a different kind of personality that the interviewer might like. Don’t do that because they are not looking for people who think like them. They are looking for people who are of strong ethics, values and determination to do something in life. Something that stands you out and makes you extraordinary. And let me tell you, your uniqueness makes you extraordinary. So don’t lose that and be as real as you can. You cannot mess up what you are right? Good luck!
- Be Confident
When you are yourself, confidence is inevitable. You won’t have to force it out of you. Let your personality shine. Let them see what kind of person you are and why you think you are the right candidate for receiving this award. Show them this! Interviewers are experts who have seen tons and tons of applicants so they catch on to people who are confident and outstanding. Let your personality shine through the answers you give.
- Say “Thank You”
Remember that manners and kindness go a long way. Therefore, it is important that you write thank you letters to everyone involved in the process. Your priority is to send a thank you letter to the interviewer. The key here is to not gain anything out of it, it is just a nice gesture and something that makes you a nice person. Show them how much you appreciate their help. Because this is important to you and with their financial help, it can help you fulfil your dreams. You can even go that extra mile of being old school and send physical letters instead of emails because you know how swamps of mail are delivered every day. So maybe a physical letter will actually make a difference.
Final Verdict
We know that a scholarship interview is very important for the candidates as well as their families. Therefore these tips will help you significantly to ace it. Remember that it is ok to be nervous and a little anxious. Even interviewers know that. They will understand that and the most effective interviewers will help you calm down.
Make sure you tell them how this will create a difference in your life. Believe in yourself and your dreams. Go ahead and rock that interview. It will all be worth it in the end. All the best!
