Uni Entrance Interview Tips

[islande]

hi dear CC-ers!

i'm seeking the help of all those gals who've gone for entrance interviews for universities to offer me tips on how to ace that interview

basically i got shortlisted for SMU interview so far, but NTU has yet to respond. i'm wondering what kind of questions to expect, and most importantly, how can i prepare myself? is there any neccessary reading to be done?

thank you!

[clpersonal]

hi!

Do read up on the latest news and hot topics discussed lately, it will most probably be the topic you will be discussing on during the interview. At SMU, the interviews are conducted in groups of 8, except for accountancy, which is individual.
For the group interviews, you will be given a article to read, which is most probably a recent newspaper article. And after that, the whole group will be interviewed together by 2 lecturers. It is not a traditional interview with Q n A, rather, it is more like a class discussion. All you need to do is to talk about the article you have just read, don't be worried about saying the wrong things. It is better that you speak up than do not say anything at all.
It will be quite competitive, since the no. of applicants have been increasing over the years. So if you manage to talk more, and talk intelligently, you will stand out from the rest of the people in your group and your chances of getting in would be higher. If you keep quiet and do not say much, then it's highly unlikely that you will get in.

In SMU, class participation is a significant percentage of your grade. So learn to speak up and do not be afraid to ask questions. HTH!

[Flowerfairy]

Basically, just let your personality shine and be yourself. I don't think there's readings to be done la, unless you wanna read up about SMU and it's latest happenings. They may ask you about that. Oh, and be honest

[Pauline]

Yup Zhi, i think interviews that are done in groups are made to let people shine through the rest. Voice out your different opinions and don't be afraid to 'show', go for it girl BWT NTU doesn't call for interviews so early...probably end April

[islande]

thanks so much for the tips peeps! really helpful. Pauline, some of my friends are in the first round of NTU interviews already, let's hope my (and yours!) name's on the next batch!

for those SMU essay writing, what are the topics usually asked? geez i'm not too sure i can write a coherent essay still

[rbet]

Bring a portfolio and some reference letters if you have! Good luck dear!

[Xue]

generally, interviewers like people who can think for themselves and have opinions. it doesn't matter whether your opinions are right or wrong, as long as you can argue your case convincingly. they want to be able to see how your mind works and whether you can think logically, rationally and see both sides of an issue.

a good knowledge of current affairs also helps.

and naturally, a big smile! having a positive attitude makes people want to like you.

[Xue]

oh, and i doubt you'd do it, but refrain from monopolising class discussions. teachers usually get quite annoyed if a student keeps speaking when others want to speak. even if others are quiet, sometimes allowing a period of silence to pass gives them enough time to have the courage to speak up. plus, being receptive and respectful of others' opinions really help.

[geekchic]

Originally posted by ataraxia
oh, and i doubt you'd do it, but refrain from monopolising class discussions. teachers usually get quite annoyed if a student keeps speaking when others want to speak. even if others are quiet, sometimes allowing a period of silence to pass gives them enough time to have the courage to speak up. plus, being receptive and respectful of others' opinions really help.

Yup. I recall at my SMU interview session, there was this girl who kept talking and at first, the lecturers gave her lots of space to talk but soon, she was not exactly engaging in an intellectual discussion but ranting about personal anecdotes. Whilst personal anecdotes help emphasise your point and reflect more of the person you are, you can't simply use personal anecdotes and then go "this is me, I'm just expressing who I am", without thought, reflection, engaging other issues at play.

The newspaper report that we were discussing was right out the first page of the Home section of The Straits Times, I recall.

Just relax, discuss freely and with thought, and above all that, have fun!

IIRC, the essay was a 45min-1h long thing. Topics ran from current issues to personal (like "write a page from the biography of your life"..something like that, that's what I recall writing!).

All the best!

[islande]

wow. i really hope they give less current affairs questions for the essay and more personal ones instead. gosh now i'm nervous about the essay

[lumos]

during my time no interviews required. but generally i think the essays they will ask you to write are more of the GP type of questions. so dont worry too much. just write coherently and well, no need to use big words. as long as your arguments are convincing it should be enough

[qiu]

Originally posted by islande
wow. i really hope they give less current affairs questions for the essay and more personal ones instead. gosh now i'm nervous about the essay

I went for SMU's interview last year too and iirc, my essay topic was "A secret which you can never tell anyone".

I think you should be able to do the essays quite easily, so no worries!

[islande]

Originally posted by qiu
I went for SMU's interview last year too and iirc, my essay topic was "A secret which you can never tell anyone".

I think you should be able to do the essays quite easily, so no worries!

aww, thanks Qiu! but that question seems quite challenging!! I mean, if you can never tell anyone that secret, how could you bare it all to the interviewers?!

[qiu]

Oh that wasn't the interview question. That was the essay question.

My interview question was "If you had lots of money, what kind of business would you go into?"

[islande]

okay ! hmm, seems like they ask quite creative-thinking sort of questions as opposed to the usual type of "Why business?" "why mass comm?" kind of questions.

gaahhh wish me luck. it's on Monday morning...