January 2015

Happy New Year from Dunbar Educational Consultants!

The Interview:

For those students who are applying Regular Decision to colleges, or for those who may have been deferred in the Early Decision/Early Action round, and are therefore sending out Regular Decision applications, many colleges may offer you the chance to be interviewed by an alumni representative.

While this interview may not be as significant a part of your application as your transcript, your test scores or your teacher recommendations, you should still take it seriously and do your best to use this opportunity to your advantage.  A glowing, positive report from your alumni representative will only help move your application in a positive direction; conversely, a negative or weak report could be all that is needed to find a reason not to accept you.  Alumni interviews are most commonly used by the more competitive schools and as such, they look for anything to help them make their decisions easier as they consider their large and highly qualified pools of applicants.

So, how can you prepare for these interviews and what can you do during the interview to make a positive impression about yourself to the college in question?

Be positive and enthusiastic about the college or university conducting the interview.

Show respect for the interviewer. This means that you should offer a firm handshake, look your interviewer in the eye and by all means, turn off your phone (or leave it in your car). By doing this, you will communicate to the interviewer that this is the most important thing you are doing right now.  Additionally, this means that you should arrive dressed comfortably, but neatly.

Practice before your interview, preferably not with your parents.

Prepare your answers to likely questions such as, "tell me about yourself" and "why do you want to go to XYZ College?" Be sure you do your homework about each college or university before the interview.

Steer the conversation to what you want to talk about, but still answering the question asked.  When asked, "tell me about yourself" go right to your academic interests and discuss what you are studying now, what you hope to study in college, and your extracurricular or community service activities.

Be prepared to discuss a favorite book or two with your interviewer and be ready to go into some depth if that's where the conversation leads.

You will more than likely be asked, "Do you have any questions about the university that I can answer?"  Be prepared with a question or two about that particular college.  Try not to ask a question that the website could answer.  A question relating to your particular academic interest is good or a thoughtful question such as, "Are there opportunities for undergraduates to do research?" or "What types of students seem to fit in and do well at ___college?"

Most of all, be honest and forthright, and allow the interviewer to get to know you.  The best interviews are like a good conversation. 

If you want to give your resume to your interviewer at the end of the interview so they have a complete record of your interests to use in their report, do so. Be sure to follow up your interview with a thank you note.  While an email note is perfectly acceptable, a handwritten note has a more personal touch.

Final Note: Did you know that how you stand and use your body affects how you feel about yourself? Click here to watch this TED talk by Amy Cuddy and you may find that standing tall and presenting yourself as "bigger" than you are will help in that interview or almost any situation.

Thinking of Transferring?

Each year we hear from a few students who, for a variety of reasons, express an interest in seeking to transfer to another college or university. We hear such reasons as: "I feel as though I need a bigger (or smaller) school;"  "I've decided on my major and feel as though I'd be better served at another school;" "my college is not living up to my expectations" or "I'd really rather be going to a college where the weather is warmer, colder or in a different geographical part of the U.S., or beyond."

Students who are thinking about transferring should carefully consider the following:

* Colleges respect strong academic work done at other colleges. The stronger your college transcript is, the better your transfer chances will be (most colleges will expect at least a B average in previous college work).

* While colleges will also evaluate your high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores, they will place more weight on your college record the longer you are in college. Therefore, it is usually easier to transfer after your sophomore year, although earlier (post-freshman year) transfers are also possible IF the high school and college records are strong.  In some cases, your chances to transfer to your dream college will be better if you stay at your present college for two years, especially if your high school transcript is not as strong as your performance in college.

* While it is possible to transfer to some colleges mid-year, there are usually more spaces available in the fall. Application deadlines for fall transfers vary from college to college but are generally in March and April. Check each college's website for their transfer application deadline and requirements. Historically, the University of California's deadline has been the same as their deadline for first year students, November 30.  For fall 2016, UC extended the transfer application deadline to January 4, 2016, but it may revert back to November 30, for future classes.  If you plan to apply as a transfer student to a University of California campus, please contact the admissions office to confirm the application deadline.    

* The number of transfer applicants and the spaces available will vary from college to college and from year to year, making your acceptance chances difficult to predict. Therefore, unless you are fully prepared to remain at your current college if your transfer application is unsuccessful, it is best to apply to several colleges that represent a range of selectivity.

* Carefully look at all the requirements, deadlines and transfer policies of the colleges to which you are considering applying.

* Your application essay must be an honest, specific statement about your reasons for wanting to transfer to another institution. If you are applying to several colleges through the Common Application, do not mention a specific college in your Personal Essay. You should instead specify your reasons for transferring to a particular college in their writing supplement. Remember, as was said above, colleges have great respect for one another and your essay should be written accordingly. Never speak disparagingly about your current college, its faculty or students. Rather, speak positively and then explain why you think the "next" institution will be more appropriate for your individual pursuits and requirements.

* Colleges will require 1-2 recommendations from professors at your current college. It is important therefore that you do your best to get to know your professors, and vice versa, so that they can write as positively about you as possible.  

* Transferring should be considered carefully and seriously before starting the process. If you are a freshman, give your current college a chance: you and your college are new to each other and college life IS different. The grass is not always greener at another institution and you certainly want to avoid the need to transfer a second time.