How to Make a Good Impression at a Private High School Interview

Co-authored by Devin Jones

Last Updated: November 12, 2021 References Approved

Every year, many people in the seventh through eleventh grades apply to private high schools. Many of these schools are highly competitive. A lot of things are considered including grades, test scores, extracurricular activities and the interview. Here are a few basic things that'll help you get through this crucial part of the admission process.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:
Looking Impressive

1
Get some sleep and eat well. You want to look healthy, alert, and engaged, so get plenty of sleep the night before.
2
Wear nice clothes. Wear formal clothes. Generally a dress shirt and slacks or a nice skirt (depending on your gender presentation). Your clothes should be ironed.^{[1]
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Research source}^{[2]
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Expert Source

Devin Jones
Career Coach
Expert Interview. 5 April 2019.}
- It's always better to overdressed rather than underdressed!^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Devin Jones
  Career Coach
  Expert Interview. 5 April 2019.}
3
Avoid stains and smells. Make sure there are no stains on your clothes and that they are clean and free of odors. You should also avoid heavy cologne or perfume.
4
Look formal, but not too adult. You should look nice and have a nice appearance, but don't try to look too much like an adult. Girls should go very easy on the makeup and boys should be clean-shaven.
5
Look confident. Stand and sit up straight. Try not to look nervous. Appear to be at ease and happy to be there. This shows that you cope well with stress.^{[4]
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6
Nix the jitters. Don't add to a nervous look by being fidgety.^{[5]
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Research source} Go to the bathroom before your interview and don't drink any coffee that morning.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:
Having a Great Resume

1
Get good grades. Well in advance you should have begun to really focus on getting good grades and working hard in school. Hopefully if your grades are only mediocre, your other qualifications will work in your favor. If you have bad grades, be prepared with a reason.
2
Volunteer. Volunteering in your community looks great on your application or resume. There are lots of local groups to work with, but you can also do online volunteering, like patrolling edits for wikiHow or Wikipedia.
3
Have cool hobbies and interests. Your hobbies and interests are what make you appear to the school as a fully formed human being. Don't pretend you have interests you don't, just in order to impress them. Any hobby can appeal to your potential school, if presented in the right light.
- For example, if you like video games, talk about how studies have show that video games make you a better problem solver and improve dexterity and fine motor control.
4
Be active. Don't be the sort of person that always sits around on the couch. This will show when they ask you about your activities. Find some way to get out of your house and interact with your world, even if it isn't a sport or traditional physical activity.
5
Get recommendations. Recommendation letters are important. You can get these from current and past teachers. Just don't go too far back, and try to get them from academic, rather than elective teachers.
6
Make everything presentable. Your resume, application, and all of the papers that you give them should be clean and unwrinkled. They should also look as nice and professional as possible, in terms of design.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:
Acting the Part

1
Greet the interviewer by shaking his or her hand. Not too firmly (you don't want to break the poor interviewer's hand), not too softly (remember, you're confident).
2
Don't act casual. Don't act like you and the people interviewing you are buds. Act professional, serious, and respectful.^{[6]
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3
Be friendly. Don't be rude or seem like you don't want to be there. Act like a friendly person who enjoys engaging with others.
4
Be humble. Bringing up your family's money or bragging about anything else is in bad form. If they compliment you on something, try to be gracious and acknowledge the people that helped you achieve your goal.
5
Make eye contact. Look them in the eye when you talk to them. This shows confidence and respect.^{[7]
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6
Be polite. Thank them for meeting with you, pay attention when they talk, show interest in what they're saying, and don't interrupt or try to talk over them. Thank them again when the interview is done.^{[8]
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7
Speak intelligently. Avoid colloquial language (slang), bad grammar, and other bad language. Instead, speak as well as you can and try to say things that matter or show that you're thinking about the issue.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:
What to Say

1
Introduce yourself. When you walk into the room or meet them, make sure to introduce yourself. Give a firm (but not hurtful) handshake to show that you are invested in this meeting.
2
Ask questions. Come prepared for your interview. Research the school and ask questions that show that you've done your homework. Ask questions in general because it shows that you are taking this seriously.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Devin Jones
Career Coach
Expert Interview. 5 April 2019.}
3
Have some solid goals to talk about. You will likely be asked what your goals are for the future so think about this ahead of time. Decide on some goals and get a few ideas for how you think you're going to get there. A plan to reach your goals is almost as important as the goals themselves.
4
Familiarize yourself with common questions. Read up on other common questions, as well as the best way to respond to those questions. Common questions include:
- What is your favorite subject? Why?
- Why do you want to come to this school?
- How do you think you would contribute to our team?
5
Talk to them. It's an interview, so talk to them! Don't just give one or two word responses. They don't need you to dictate a whole book to them, but they should get to talk with you a bit.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Devin Jones
Career Coach
Expert Interview. 5 April 2019.}
6
Write a thank you note. When the interview is done, write and send them a thank you note the next day.

Warnings

Don't pretend to be smart and (dis)like certain things only to seem ambitious enough. They just want to know what you're like.

Thanks!
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Do not under any of the circumstances, do any of the following things:
- Pick your nose
- Clean your nails
- Slouch
- Wave to people you know in classes
- Refer to your interviewer by a name other than the one they've used to introduce him/herself
- Stare off into space during your interview
- Interrupt unnecessarily
Thanks!
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