Interview Tips for Terry Scholar Candidates

First and foremost, my advice to candidates is to be yourself. It is the simplest advice, yet so many people forget that people who have been in your position before are interviewing you. Most of them are former Terry Scholars, and those that are not have definitely sat through a panel interview. They know that naturally you are going to be a little nervous, but try to remember that if you are receiving an interview you have already beat out many other applicants, so be confident in your potential. The panel wouldn’t waste their time interviewing you if they didn’t think you were worthy of possibly receiving a scholarship. They just want to get to know you better and see how you handle a social situation.

A few tips from a Current Terry Scholar:

·         If you are to receive this scholarship it will pay for the majority of your undergraduate education. That means the Terry Foundation is investing a considerable amount of money into your success, so you need to dress professional. Show them why they should invest in your education and why you are worthy to receive their generous support.

·         Pay close attention to your body language. No shaking, fidgeting, playing with your hair, etc. Although you might be nervous, find a way to calm yourself down without showing you are nervous to the panel. 

·         The best way to prepare for the interview is to know yourself and to be confident in your responses. It might be a wise idea to look over the application you turned in, because the application is the only thing the panel knows about you so far.

·         Know yourself well enough to talk about your previous accomplishments and to express why you are deserving of receiving a scholarship. You aren’t going to be able to think of every possible question they could ask you, which is why if you know yourself well enough to comfortably talk about yourself, then you will feel most prepared.

·         The best interviews are those that flow like conversations. The easiest way to have a conversation with someone is to be genuine and honest. Don’t say things just because you think it is what they want to hear.

·         Don’t forget to smile. Believe it or not, a smile goes a long way.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to email me at lou.salazar@ttu.edu  

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