Ok, so you just got invited to interview for a fellowship at the University of Arkansas Honors College. Pretty exciting, right? Believe me, just getting invited is quite an honor, as our applicant pool continues to get more and more competitive each year. I know most of you have a million questions going through your mind. What will the interview be like? What can I do to prepare? Knowing that this can be an anxious time, I wanted to provide a few tips to our finalists:
Before you come to Fellowship Interview Day, take time to review your application to make sure you’re comfortable discussing all of its components. Like any interview setting, a good number of the questions that you will be asked will relate in some way to your application. From my experience, the easiest place for students to trip up is when they are asked about their list of three works. Believe me, if you wrote about The Great Gatsby and you don’t have a clue about who shot Gatsby and how Fitzgerald described Gatsby’s funeral, it can make for an uncomfortable conversation with your interviewers.
Polishing up your interview skills is a great way to prepare for the fellowship interview. To do this, ask you school’s counselor if it would be possible to set up a mock interview for you. Request a similar format to what you’ll see at Fellowship Interview Day: a 15-minute interview with two to four individuals conducting the interview. A few days before, you should share your fellowship application with the practice interviewers so they can formulate some questions.
On the day of the practice interview, dress like you would for the interview. Once it’s completed, ask your interviewers to provide some constructive criticism on everything from your responses to your posture to your handshake. It may sound silly, but every little thing counts when you’re trying to make a first impression, especially in an interview setting. You can also practice with family members at home, especially on the “Tell us about yourself” question that launches many an interview.
Most fellowship finalists in the past have dressed in professional attire, but that decision is left up to the student. We do recommend, however, that you dress in a manner that makes you feel confident for your interview.
After you register to interview, you will be asked to complete an essay that will be submitted prior to your interview. The essay prompts focus on potential experiences you may want to pursue as a fellow at the University of Arkansas. As you will see, we are not trying to trip you up with this essay; we are only wanting to learn more about you and what you hope to accomplish during your time in college.
That said, as with any college essay you submit, please take this seriously. This will be a relatively short essay (about 600 words), but make sure you are answering your chosen prompt in its entirety.
Finally, I would recommend that you review your response prior to your fellowship interview. Our interviewers will receive your essay response, and there is a good chance you may be asked to expand about what you wrote during your interview.
Fellowship mentors are current fellows who have volunteered to be a resource –– use them. Your mentor will be contacting you prior to the event, and if possible, will try to meet up with on the day of the interviews. Your mentor will let you know what it’s like to be a fellow in the University of Arkansas Honors College, and answer any questions you may have about the experience.
Remember, your mentor was in your shoes only a few years before and obviously had a successful fellowship interview. Our recruitment staff is always happy to answer your questions, but do be sure to get the inside perspective from your mentor.
You’ll notice on the schedule that, outside of your scheduled interview, you will have some free time Monday afternoon. During that time, you will have the option to do a number of different things, such as touring Hotz Honors Hall, sitting in a session on study abroad, or even attending an actual class. Take advantage of these opportunities, especially if this is your only chance to visit the University of Arkansas. We want you to be as informed as possible about the opportunities available to you in the Honors College, so that you can pick the school that will be the best fit for you.
I hope these tips a) help you prepare for your fellowship interview. and b) feel a little less stressed about the event. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
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