School interview is the most important step in the process of being admitted to a high school in Australia. Before we take you through how you can prepare for your school interview, it’s good to think about what is the purpose of the school interview!
What is the purpose of the school interview?
School interview gives the school or the interviewer the chance to access the student’s interpersonal and communication skills.
School interview gives the school or the interviewer the chance to access the student’s interpersonal and communication skills.
How to Prepare for a School Interview
- Be on time or arrive early
It is better to be arrive early than a minute late. You should make sure you take into account commuting time and possible delays and traffics, so you can arrive on time. If you want to be safe, you should check the weather. This is because traffic is normally worse when it is raining. If you are late, you will leave the interviewer a bad impression.
- Dress to impress and dress appropriately
If you are unsure what is appropriate dress for the school interview, dressing like a student at school is a great option. Your current school uniform will be fine. If you don’t have one, you can consider wearing good casual clothes. You can also research to find the uniform for students at the school and use that to guide your decision. Do you research to find out what the school regulations are i.e. hair length, skirt length and dress similarly.
- Enough sleep before the interview
Getting nervous and stress the night before the school interview could happen to anyone. But the thing is you will feel a lot more relaxed during the school interview if you are well rested. It will allow the answers to come to you more easily. If you are having issues sleeping the night before your school interview, you can try to create an environment to maximise your chances for a restful sleep such as avoiding caffeine a few hours before bed, have a warm bath, meditation or do another relaxing activity.
- Do your research about the school
It is important to take the time to learn everything you can find about the school before your school interview. The more research the better! If you are not sure how, internet would be a good starting point. Read all the information on the school’s website or ask your friends or families you know who have children at the school!
- Be prepared to answer questions
Each interviewer might have a different set of interview questions, but you can work out and prepare answers for some of the commonly asked school interview questions such as what are your weaknesses, what subject do you enjoy most and why, what have you read recently, how do you like to spend your free time, why did you decide to apply to this school, etc. You should explain and elaborate your answers and be calm and articulate!
What to wear to a school interview
Your child can wear something that is simple, clean and well-ironed casual clothes. Wearing something that is comfortable can also help your child to relax and prevent distraction and fidgeting. You can also check out the school’s website as you might find their uniform codes including hair length, you can then follow their regulations and dress in a similar way. Things you might want your child to avoid wearing to your interview such as jewellery and piercings.