Interview Preparation

This is the most fundamental question that you have to be prepared to explain.

• Why do you want to do what you propose to do?  
• Why have you chosen the goals that you have?  
• Why is this scholarship and/or graduate degree the best path towards those goals?  
• Why would this scholarship and/or graduate program be a better fit than other elite options for which you're equally qualified?

Don't make the common mistake of listing leadership positions. Rather, focus on a specific leadership experience or accomplishment.  Use this example to illustrate your abiding leadership strengths.  How did you create shared vision within your group?  How did you marshall the internal and external resources of the group to make this vision a reality?

You may want to consult Henry Dyson's Guide to Writing Leadership Essays for more suggested topics for reflection.

Avoiding "group think" and appropriately dissenting are often necessary for leadership.  They demand both intellectual and social intelligence.  Tell a specific story about a time you held a dissenting point of view within a group. This might be a matter of principle or strategy.  Were you able to persuade others to adopt your point of view?  How did you proceed appropriately?

Resilience and the value of failure are hot topics these days.  Key components include the ability to regulate emotions, maintain optimism (personally and in a group), and of course learn from your mistakes.  Choose examples that allow you to illustrate these qualities.  Have specific and concrete answers to the natural follow up question, How will things be different next time?

What are the specific traits or accomplishments that you admire in this person? What specific elements of her/his story do you strive to emulate?

Variations:

• Who is your favorite scholar in your field? 
• Name a public figure that you admire or who inspires you
• If you could meet any three people in history, who would they be and why?

There's no "wrong answer" here, but be prepared to talk about your reasons for selecting the book/article you discuss, what you thought about it, what (brief) insights or lessons you took from it.  This is your opportunity to show them that you're a thoughtful person with broad interests.  But don't overthink it - authenticity is the key.

A winning strategy in life is to find out what you're good at and then put yourself in a position to use those strengths.  Be aware of your weaknesses and don't let them hold you back. But also recognize that all of us have weaknesses and there is only so much that we can or should do about them, beyond avoid situations in which they will be liabilities.

Be willing to offer stories that illustrate your strengths and explain how your future goals build upon them. Be ready to talk about what you've learned about your weaknesses and why they won't be major liabilities in the future.

We feel justifiable pride when we do something that is (a) difficult, (b) worth doing (i.e. of real value), and (c) an illustration of our character. Pick a few examples and consider: what obstacles did I overcome in this achievement? What did I accomplish and why was it valuable? What does this accomplishment say about me?