How To Answer & Prepare For A High School Interview?

An interview is a chance for every student to show their potential and create an excellent impression. Anyone will aim to give their best to enter the new school with a good opinion. Preparing for a high school interview is more challenging than a kindergarten evaluation. Keep reading to know more about the tips to ace a school interview for CBSE higher secondary schools in Chennai and other top institutions in India.

Understanding The Purpose Of An Interview

A girl student is making a color painting in a board, some water colors and bag can be seen beside her.
An interview is a conversation or meeting to exchange information for evaluation. It is a way to gauge the student's capability, performance, and IQ level. Hence, it acts as a primary step to check whether the candidate is ideal for the grade they've opted for. An interviewer will determine the student's drive into academic and extracurricular activities to gain a concise report on their traits.

The usual format of an interview will include a series of questions for the candidate. Depending on the institution's norms, the administration will organize it before or after the entrance examination. In certain schools, they may have several rounds of interviews to analyze and find out the student's positive qualities and strengths.

School interviews will assess the student entirely and their parents to some extent. By doing so, the interviewer will pay more attention to the behaviors, values, and ethics. This, in turn, will help understand their background and commitment towards studies. By knowing the purpose of an interview, a candidate can prepare better for any IGCSE, IB, ICSE or CBSE higher secondary schools in places like Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore and Delhi.

Let us see more on why an interview is essential.

An interview determines the readiness of the child when applying for kindergarten.
It helps to understand the student beyond the details mentioned on the application form.
Interview acts as a platform for the administration to explain how their system works and is unique from other schools.
It is helpful to determine whether the student has any special requirements and extra support to learn.
The interview will allow the parents to understand the school's enrollment processes.

Also Read: The School Uniform & The Purpose It Serves

Tips To Ace An Interview For CBSE Higher Secondary Schools In Chennai

A parent will want their child to stand out in an interview to prove their skills and talents. Therefore, we have consolidated the tips to prepare for a high school interview to prove your worth. It will help you gain an edge over other highly competitive candidates of the CBSE higher secondary schools in Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, etc.

Be punctual - Keeping up the time is the first impression you will create. Let us quote the famous words of Shakespeare at this point. "It is better to be three hours early than a minute too late". You can effectively reach your interview on time by determining the possible delays and commuting time.
Dressing and grooming - An appropriate dress for the interview is the next impression you will leave on the interviewer's mind about you. Fulfil this criterion by researching their school uniform and expectations towards dressing in advance. Using this guideline, you can visually prove that you are eligible for their school.
Stay calm - It is natural for you to feel butterflies before attending the interview. Take steps to de-stress and reduce anxiety by having good sleep and a healthy meal before the interview.
Prove yourself - Act in the right way always. You can prove yourself by maintaining your posture, creating eye contact and formulating thoughts in advance. Try to avoid 'um' and 'like' during conversations and make composed responses. Ensure that the answers are genuine without saying things you assume what the interviewer wants. By doing so, you will showcase your maturity and your positive traits.
Prepare in advance - Spend time to know the school before appearing for the interview. This will give you an idea to formulate the possible interview questions.
Create good vibes - Follow simple gestures like greeting the interviewer by shaking hands and saying thank you whenever required. Though this might sound conventional, it will prove the point that you are polite. It is natural for human beings to associate themselves with people who have excellent mannerisms, which will create the best impression about you.

Simple Techniques For Parents To Follow During An Interview
Parents play an essential role when taking their child for a school interview, so they must be aware of the dos and don't to succeed in the interview. The first crucial step is to arrive on time for the interview. In the event of any delay, you must contact the school and inform them. Please do not rush to any interview as it will increase anxiety and create unwanted tension for you and your kid. Hence, make arrangements and give ample time for a relaxed journey.

Be transparent with every child's report and information. Without proper disclosure, you will be putting the enrollment procedure at risk. You must understand that the school you are applying to has the right to contact the previous school when they require more clarity. Hence, ensure that you submit all the relevant documents without hiding anything from them.

Ensure to clear the doubts during the interview besides patiently listening to the answers without interrupting the interviewer. Another essential piece of advice for a parent is not to answer the question directed to the child. You will have to let the child be themselves and reply to what they know.

Essential Measures Every Child Must Take During An Interview
A child should have a night of sufficient sleep before the interview to reduce nervousness. Pay attention to your dressing as certain schools have strict grooming regulations, including hair length, color, accessories, etc. Therefore, it is best to wear casual clothes and appear presentably.

A simple hack to dress appropriately determines the school's rules well in advance. The more your research, the better you will be able to perform. You can do this by going through the school's web site, prospectus and consulting with students already studying in that school.

While answering, stay calm and make responses to the point. Do not over-explain and be prepared for all kinds of questions. Avoid slouching, adjusting the hair, fidgeting with things, biting nails or chewing gum during the interview. Ensure that you employ only good manners and try saying please in every possible sentence.

As kids always try to answer the question in some way or the other, it is essential to know that there are no right and wrong answers. If you don't know the answer, be honest and say so. Most importantly, do not fail to address the interviewer as Sir or Ma'am.

Gain Better Knowledge On Common Interview Questions

The questions asked in a school interview will vary from those mentioned below but revolve around the same. They maybe twisted a little or framed differently. Therefore, take time to absorb the question and answer accordingly.

Questions For CBSE Higher Secondary Schools In Chennai

Why did you want to join this school?
What is your favorite subject and why?
What is the subject you don't enjoy studying and why?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What is your hobby or pastime?
Do you have an interest in books? If so, what is the recent book you read?
Have you faced any biggest challenges?
What is your favorite extracurricular activity?
Who is the perfect teacher?
How do your friends describe you?

Questions For Kindergarten
Besides observing the young mind during free play, a few common questions in a kindergarten interview are:

Write your name.
Recognize these colors.
Draw your favorite thing.
Identify the letters and numbers.
Count numbers 1 to 10.

Closure
The best way to ace an interview is to practice answering and behaving in the best possible way while applying for IGCSE, ICSE, IB or CBSE higher secondary schools in Chennai and other reputed institutions. Doing so will decrease the anxiety you will be feeling before an interview. Eventually, this solves most of the problem as staying relaxed and composed will ensure that you focus better on the situation and respond according to it.