Preparing for College Chemistry Interview: Tips & Topics

[Mr_Bojingles]

The people from the college I'm applying to me tell me that seeing as I already have a fair amount of knowledge of chemistry and I'm highly interested in it that I should be accepted into the college after my interview alone regardless of the fact I never completed high school. They say that if the interviewing sees how much knowledge and passion I have for the subject that I'll be automatically accepted.

I do have a bit of knowledge on the subject but I don't know what I'm going to say to them in the interview. I don't talk about chemistry to anyone because I don't know anyone else that's into it and when I try to talk about it nobody knows what the hell I'm talking about.

I figure some of the people here will be the best people to ask seeing as some of you are probably in university and have done interviews.

What I'm planning on saying is the truth. I'm going to tell them I'm interested in synthesizing organic molecules for different areas of industry such as the pharmaceutical, food and polymer industry. I'm going to tell them I have a passion for nuclear physics and chemistry because it is the study of the particles that make up the world.

I'm going to put a lot of thought into this but I'm not that good at interviews. I'll need to be well prepared before I go in and have a lot of stuff to say beforehand. I do have a passion for chemistry and nuclear physics but I have a hard time speaking my mind especially with limited time in an interview so I have to plan this in advance. I'll know how to answer the questions the interviewer asks but if they ask really general questions I won't know where to start.

Can any of you suggest some topics to discuss with the interviewer?

 

[Vanadium 50]

I interview for a major university. You've surely heard of it.

First, I think you have misunderstood what the "people from the college [you're] applying to" said. Colleges never promise admission. They either offer it, or they don't.

The second most important thing in an interview is to be yourself. Don't try to second-guess what you think the interviewer wants to hear. The most important thing is to tell the truth.

You should let the interviewer control the pace and topics of the interview. That doesn't mean you should be completely passive, but you shouldn't be worrying about picking a topic to discuss. Let the interviewer do that.