Entries about abroad

Do you know that there are common interview questions that admission officers ask? Read through this guide if you’re an international student that would soon face an admission interview.

SuperAdmission rounds up the common admission interview questions and the best ways to answer them. They help you understand how the minds of the interviewers work. And how to tell these interviewers what they want to hear.

Because when you excel at an interview, you endear yourself to admission officers and can earn a spot in the school community.

We realized that many international students often shiver at the thought of taking an interview online. But we encourage you to look forward to it. After all, an interview gives you the room to sell yourself to your dream school. So why not make the best use of the privilege?

Study the following interview questions and their corresponding answers to prepare ahead. And earn points for acing the interview most people fail at.

Question #1: Can we meet you?
Interviewers like to ask this question because it helps them do two things. First is to gauge your communication skills and level of intelligence. Second thing is to find out about your personality: Are you responsible? Do you share the beliefs of the school? And so on.

Aim to answer this question in a direct and simple way. Say your full name, age, and educational background. Then briefly mention your hobbies, talents, and recent achievements.

An important thing to note is that you should tailor your answers to fit the school. For example, if this is an art school, it pays to mention your artistic projects and so on.

Question #2: Why do you want to study at this university?
This question is a test to see how well you know the school of choice. Interviewers also ask this question to find out about the genuineness of your application for admission.

As direct and short as possible, talk about the strengths of the university. Is it the one with the highest numbers of professors? Is it the one with the best facilities in your field? Great. Talk about all these.

You can also talk about how easy it is for the school graduates to get jobs or excel in the future. And awards, as well. But do not talk about the cheap tuition or how easy the school admits students.

Also, do not talk about the school’s ranking. At best, other students have talked about the ranking and the affordability of the school’s tuition. But at worst, it is outright shallow to talk about the cheapness of the tuition.

Question #3: What made you choose this course?
A common question to see how deeply you think. And how much thought goes into the major decisions you make in life. The question helps the interviewer find out how seriously you take your future.

The best way to answer this question is to trace your history with the course of choice. Mention your first encounter with it and how it has changed your life since them.

You can mention how this course has been a part of your childhood dreams as well. If this course is your way of fulfilling your destiny, then tell the interviewer. Remember, no two individuals are the same. And you want to try as much as possible to tell a unique but believable story.

Which is why you should avoid talking about the earning potential of the course. And other internet facts like the possible occupation from studying a course. It is likely that someone else had said the same thing. Also, do not mention how easy it is to study the course.

Question #4: What made you choose this country?
Interviewers like to ask international students this question to find out if they truly want to study or merely seek a greener pasture.

The best answers to this question are responses that relate the richness of the curriculum and facilities in the country of choice.

If you are an international student from a developing country, tell the interviewer that you have applied to schools in other developed countries as well. But theirs is your most preferred country.

Talk about the recommendations from fellow compatriots who have graduated from schools in the said country. For example, if you are a Zambian, say that some Zambians graduates from schools in the country recommended studying there.

Hardly should you talk about ease of language, affordable cost of living, and safety of international students. Again, you want to stand out as much as possible.

More importantly, mention that your plans to return to your country after your education. Convince the interviewer that you do not plan to stay in their country. But do not oversell it to avoid doubts.

Question #5: What can you say about your strengths and weaknesses?
Interviewers enjoy asking this question because it can throw you off balance. Many people feel attacked when they hear someone ask them about their weakness.

Do not fret over this. Instead, prepare to talk about your strengths and weaknesses from two points.

Firstly, your strong and low points in the academic area. For instance, you may talk about your passion for writing but your struggle with research.

However, share your efforts in improving your research skills. You may talk about recent online courses that you have enrolled for. And so on.

The second part of the answer is the general angle. Mention your strength and weakness in life as a whole. A good example is saying that your strength is your ability to work without any supervision. But a weakness is struggling with being a team player. Similarly, talk about your efforts in improving in this area of your l

Question #6: Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?
Interviewers use this question to know your level of seriousness. It is not impossible to find prospective international student whose current admission goals do not fit their future plans. This is where you distinguish yourself from the rest of the prospective students.

The best way to ace this question is to connect the dots between your present admission goals and the future.

For instance, you can mention that you plan to see yourself as senior level architect architecture is your dream course.

Conclusion
It is not uncommon for international students to have an online interview before securing an admission. If you plan to apply for admission, take the time to study this interview questions and study their corresponding answers.

Do not worry if the interviewer paraphrases some of these questions. Instead, be quick to identify the similarities and answer then judiciously.

SuperAdmission helps international students secure admission without stress. Contact us today to plan how we can help you study abroad.