STUDY ABROAD: A GUIDE FOR WOMENIntroduction • Access to Information • Where to Find Information on Study Abroad
Other Important Considerations • The Testing and Application Process
Selection/Interviewing Issues • Terms and Conditions of Your Scholarship • Going Abroad
Introduction
Not every scholarship program requires an interview. Those that do can present a special challenge for which you may wish to prepare. The format and length of the personal interview vary widely from program to program. Some selection panels are very large, with as many as 20 people, others may have only one or two. Some panels include laypeople and/or program alumni as well as experts in your field. Panels can include people of any nationality, in any combination. They may be all male, all female, or mixed. Some programs provide guidelines and fair, reasonable sample questions for their selectors, but there is no guarantee that all selectors will utilize the guidelines. Most selectors strive to be as professional as possible, but they cannot help but bring their own expectations and biases to the process. Even the most professional selection body is, on some level, subjective.
Preparation
An interview is an inherently dynamic situation, dependent on the interplay of personalities in the room. For this reason, "practice interviews" or "rehearsals" with friends or relatives may not be helpful since they may have no bearing at all on the real thing. But if you are very nervous or shy about being interviewed it might be useful to try out your presentation on a fellow student or faculty member in your field. But no matter how much preparation you do, you should realize that anything can happen and be prepared to expect the unexpected. Remember, the interview is the first (and only) personal impression program selectors will have of you—and your best (and perhaps only) opportunity to present yourself. You have already gotten this far, which is no small achievement. Your best strategy now is to BE CONFIDENT, BE PROFESSIONAL, and BE YOURSELF.
An interview can be a stressful situation, one in which you must think on your feet, often in a language that is not your native tongue. There are, however, a number of ways to make the interview less daunting. Information is power. The more you know and can articulate your own goals and objectives, the more you know about the program, and, if possible, the selectors on the panel, the more relaxed and comfortable you will be.
Research the background of the program and its donor organization—their priorities may be a clue to the kinds of questions you may be asked.
If the program trains people in very specific areas, such as government, be sure to educate yourself on current events—local, national and international.
Research the composition of the selection panel. Will it be academics, business people, civil servants? If possible, find out their interests and past behavior in screening other applicants.
Think about your reasons for wanting this scholarship; practice saying them out loud in a concise and interesting way.
Try to anticipate questions—and your answers—in advance.
Write everything down—it will be easier to recall during the interview if you have an image of a written script in your head—but don't read from notes in the interview itself.
Develop a list of your own questions for the selectors, about the scholarship program or about the field in which they are experts.
Appearance and Demeanor
Given the subjective nature of the interview, it is important to realize that how you present yourself matters. And it may matter to some selectors more than others—you simply cannot know. In general you want to avoid any clothing or behavior that takes away from the substantive issues of the interview.
Think about what you will wear. People will form instant impressions of you from your clothing and how you carry yourself, before your have uttered a single word. Dress naturally, but appropriately to the situation. If you are too casual (jeans) or too formal (an elaborate gown) it may signal a lack of respect—or worse, ignorance—of the process, and of the scholarship.
Wear simple, neat, non-ostentatious clothing. When in doubt opt for the conservative: skirts rather than trousers; longer rather than shorter skirt-length; muted colors; medium-height heels. Be aware that some more tradition-bound panelists may be offended if you appear in Western-style dress—even if you hope to study in a Western country.
If you feel comfortable, look professional, and are well-prepared, you cannot help but project a positive attitude during the interview. And this confidence will do much to help you through any unexpected situation.
The Interview
There is no set formula for a successful interview. You may have to face a long conference table filled with more than a dozen male professors, or a panel of high-powered male and female business executives—or you may have a relatively casual conversation with a local or foreign civil servant and a program alumna.One program even has a three-day interview, so that selectors can evaluate candidates in a variety of professional and social settings. Try to find out in advance, if you possibly can, by asking program staff or former applicants or grantees.
You may have to wait a very long time for the interview to start—delays of up to six or seven hours are not unheard of. Bring reading materials that will divert you if this happens. Obsessing too much on the interview while you are waiting may be counterproductive.
Have faith in yourself. It may hurt your chances if you appear too anxious or desperate for this scholarship. You have already successfully negotiated many hurdles in this process. Remember: although you may want this scholarship very badly, it is not everything. You have many other chances and choices in your life. Recognizing this will help relieve the stress of the interview and may even help you enjoy the process.
If you are not chosen—since these programs are very competitive—it is not the end of the world. You can always apply again, or apply to a different program at another time. The interview experience itself can help train you for the next time, which can only work to your advantage in every subsequent experience.
General Tips
There are several guidelines to keep in mind as you proceed through the interview:
Selectors will have their own agenda—things in which they take a particular interest. Listen closely to all the nuances of their questions before your begin to form your answer.
You may have to deal with some very strong, and perhaps even competing egos among the selectors. Try not to please just one and offend another.
Some situations can require tact. In light of the points above you must be aware of the dynamic in the room and be prepared to be both honest and diplomatic if need be.
You may have laypeople on your panel, whose questions about your work you may consider ill-informed, even "dumb." Be patient, respectful, and gear your answer to the questioner.
You may encounter seemingly hostile questions, such as, "What are you doing here?" Maintain your professionalism and answer as honestly as you can.
Tips for Women
In an ideal world interviews would be gender-neutral, and in many cases they are. While it is natural that interviewers would want to know as much as possible about candidates, both personally and professionally, there are still situations in which women are subjected to completely inappropriate questions—questions that are rarely, if ever, raised when a man is the candidate.
These questions can range from patronizing to absurd, from disrespectful to hostile to downright offensive. In general, no matter what question is thrown at you, your best strategy is to MAINTAIN YOUR PROFESSIONALISM—even if the selectors do not. Most important, know that other women before you have dealt with this situation and gone on to win their scholarships.
Some questions women candidates have faced and for which you should prepare an answer in advance:
Where does a husband fit into your plan?
Why are you not interested in getting married?
How does your husband (or family) feel about this scholarship?
Your biological clock is ticking, are you aware that this is an ideal time to have children?
Would you feel terrible about leaving your family for two years?
Why should we give you a scholarship—you are just going to get married, have children and waste it.
It is helpful to recognize that the answer to some of these questions may be irrelevant, or there may be no "correct" answer at all. The selector, being provocative, may be interested only in your reaction to the question, to see if you will lose your composure.
One of the problems you may face if confronted with questions of this sort is just how offended you might be, and how honestly you want to respond. On the one hand you want to maintain your composure, and show the panel that you are calm and rational and logical and reasonable. On the other hand, such a question may give you the ideal opportunity to demonstrate to the panel your leadership qualities, your outspokenness and your independence. Whatever response you choose, it should reflect you as honestly and professionally as possible.
To cite the most outrageous question, one woman reported being asked by a male during her scholarship interview, "What would you do if I raped you right now?" Of course, this is a very extreme example and one that is completely inappropriate. If you get asked such an embarrassing and irrelevant question, you might simple respond, "I am not sure how that question relates to my interest in this scholarship program." You can be sure that some of the panelists would be equally shocked and upset by such questions. The point is that you must EXPECT ANYTHING in an interview and BE PREPARED to deal with a wide variety of issues and personalities.