Scholarship Interviews

I am not familiar with this scholarship but I can tell you that she should be dressed neatly and have hair / hands / fingernails etc clean. She should not be chewing gum (I know a no brainer lol) and should be prepared to answer any questions that were on the written part of the application. She should be prepared to offer her opinion answer hypothetical questions and in general be able to discuss why she thinks she is the best candidate for this scholarship. What she has to offer. What she thinks the college has to offer her. Good luck to her.

Congratulations to your daughter!
Our daughter also had quite a few of these scholarship interviews..

I agree about her dress. neatly, but comfortably. Do not make her wear something she would not normally wear.

NO CELL PHONE in the interview.. do not even allow her to carry it in there.

Best "natural Manners". One interviewer actually told our daughter, he liked her manners, he told her "she was the only person who seemed to really be natural using them, in all of the interviews he had held."

She need to be prepared to also ask 1 or 2 questions of her own about the college. If she does not ask on her own.. they are going to ask her.. "What questions do you have for us? "

She knows what she is going to take as a person to college, but what is she hoping to get from them .. other than an excellent education? This is what her question can be about.. Or whatever her interest is..

It's been a while (like 15 years) since I did several scholarship interviews. First, congrats to her and good luck. Second, PLEASE make sure she is dressed appropriately. What is "cool" at school and what is appropriate for an important scholarship interview are two different things! I would suggest a suit and heels!

I have never had a scholarship interview, but similar to a job interview I assume it is for both sides to find out whether there is a good fit. The school is not just looking to fill a slot, but to find a person who will make good use of the spot and have something to offer to their reputation once she is done. She is looking to find out if she would like it there. Typical interview questions like: "where do you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now", "what did you like and dislike about your last place", "what do you think your strengths and weaknesses are", "how do you handle frustration", "do you prefer to work independently or in groups", "what fields of study are you interested in and why". She should ask what they are looking for in a scholarship recipient, what the requirements are for receiving it besides her initial qualifications, have they every regretted giving the scholarship to a person they selected and why, who stands out among previous recipients and why. Interviews are all about exchanging information, not just getting it. As one employer said:"I am not looking to hire a job-seeker but a revenue provider". Likewise a school is not looking for a "body" to fill a slot, but a enthusiastic, interested and interesting person to add to their community who will represent it with honor and grace.

I would dress extra conservative since it is ORU. I think having the right attitude is a bid deal in situations like this. They are going to accept students who will fit into their ideal with no signs of non-conformity. I would read all the information on their website and look for key words like Religious studies, conservative, Christian centered values, self discipline, commitment to God and the whole religious experience (Being on fire for God), etc.... She needs to be prepared to utter the phrases they are looking for, she needs to use their key words in her conversations, have a good understanding of what the whole person philosophy is.

I would say you can practice with her. Ask her questions about how she will use her Christian principles in dealing with a roommate issue. How will she manage her time between studies and church, after you read over their mission and goal statement you can come up with much better than these. That way she can be prepared for anything.

I think ORU is one of the best Universities in Oklahoma. I congratulate her on this opportunity.

I second Sherry. I also have no idea what type of scholarship you are talking about but Sherry is right on as far as her answer.

I might add that I would certainly take the teachers up on their offer to help her prepare and follow up afterwards with a nice Starbucks giftcard or some type of token of appreciation.

Good luck

It's been many, many years ago now, but I seem to recall when I interviewed (successfully) for a scholarship, the board was interested in knowing about me - what I wanted from life, how I planned to meet my goals, what my ethics were like, whether I saw myself as the center of the world or served Someone greater. As far as preparing goes, I'm not sure one can, other than to remember to be calm, confident, and courteous. Smile, try to relax, look the interviewers in the eye, and remember that these are people who wish you well and want to see you succeed.