It’s interview season at DMU and colleges across the country. Most days you will find young people walking around campus in suits looking nervous or excited.
Before your grad school interview, here are some tips from our admission office for a successful interview:
Before the interview
Practice makes perfect! Have your advisors or professors (or even roommates) do mock interviews with you practicing everything from your handshake and introduction to your goodbye.
Confirm your interview.
Dress professionally. If you don’t have a suit, buy one. Don’t be afraid to be the best-dressed person in the room.
Arrive on time. Don’t be too early (15 minutes early gives you plenty of time to check in and relax, any earlier and we may not be ready), and definitely don’t be late.
Research the school you’re interviewing with prior to your arrival.
Review your application. Anything you said there is fair game for the interview. Be ready to explain any weak points in your application.
During the interview
The most important thing is to be positive and confident! Confident candidates tend to interview well and can easily express why they want to join the profession (and pursue their education at DMU).
Remember to ask questions. You are interviewing the school too and trying to find out if you are a good fit for each other.
Be able to articulate why you want to go into the profession.
Have a good understanding of the profession, and what individuals in that profession do and how they fit in the health care team. Also, be aware of current events in the profession.
Be prepared to discuss any observation experiences you’ve had and how those experiences have shaped your desire to go into health care.
Other tips
If somebody accompanies you on your trip to Des Moines (parent, spouse), please know that these individuals cannot participate in some aspects of your interview day and should be prepared to spend time on their own (bring a book).
Remember that you are “interviewing” all day long. Be on your best behavior, even when you’re not in your interview.
Come visit our beautiful campus at one of our upcoming admissions events.
At these events, you will get a chance to tour campus and meet with current students, admission staff and faculty.
