Panic- Interview for Msc, what to wear, what will they ask?!

lynzpower

Hi all

Hope someone can help, I was feeling rather calm about it, but I have an interview at Uni on Wednesday and I WANT IT SO BAD. ( MSc) Now I have started to panic. Need to take control so I thought Id ask on here!

Sorry I cant say what its in ( prying eyes and all that) but Ive been told that it wont be technical questions just more about my motivation to study at the uni and why this course, why now, type things.

DOES ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THESE, WHAT AM I GOING TO BE ASKED!!

What do I wear to this? I have been told jeans and top is fine but I am very sceptical about this and I want to make the best impression possible.
Have cash to buy something new as well, should it come to it. DO have smart jeans, trousers, leggings, dresses, boots, shoes, range of all sorts of tops blouses, shirts, you name it Ive got it or I can get hold of it.

Dont think I want to buy a suit though as the weather here is so baking I dont think Id wear the jacket, so seems like a waste especially if I get lucky at uni, wont be needing a suit for a while!

All help greatly appreciated ( panic panic)

alwaysonthego_2

I had an interview for a MA in social work and wore smart trousers and a shirt, but I think you need to feel comfortable.

I got asked specific questions and had to go in front of two panels, but I am sure you probably won't have to do this.

The general questions I got asked were,
why do you want to do the MA?
What do you have to offer to the university as a student?
What are your ambitions?
What was your favourite module on your UG degree?
Why do you want to study at ....?

Don't panic just be yourself and I am sure you will do good.

lynzpower

Oh thanks!

Thise questions just made my hair curl :eek:

why do you want to do the MA? ( I can do this one, its a vocational course too)
What do you have to offer to the university as a student? ( eeek can I ask what you said to this?)
What are your ambitions? ( Im fine with this one)
What was your favourite module on your UG degree? ( will have to rewind massively here, memory isnt what it was!)
Why do you want to study at ....? ( Ok fine with this)

Scared, very scared, but thank you for your well wishes please cross everything for me on Weds xxx

alwaysonthego_2

I basically said that I was hard working and enjoyed studying and enjoyed working with other students blah blah blah and that I would make an excellent student.

They called me two hours later to offer me a place, which is over-subscribed, so I must have done something correct.

lynzpower

How I wish you had recorded that, I would pay good money for a script to be offered a place within 2 hours. Well done you must have done ever so well. I know how hard it is to get on Social work, have you started the course now?

I also think my course is over subscribed and also at a really good uni, plus my undergrad I only got a 2:2 so I feel "up against it"

I think there are only 20-odd places on the course.

Cripes

alwaysonthego_2

lynzpower wrote: »

How I wish you had recorded that, I would pay good money for a script to be offered a place within 2 hours. Well done you must have done ever so well. I know how hard it is to get on Social work, have you started the course now?

I also think my course is over subscribed and also at a really good uni, plus my undergrad I only got a 2:2 so I feel "up against it"

I think there are only 20-odd places on the course.

Cripes

I have just finished my UG degree, so I start in September. All I would advice you do is be yourself and I answered the questions relating to my course by using real life experiences. Also I researched the course and did some reading around the subject so I was able to discuss current affairs. You need to let them know how good you are and what an excellent candidate you would make.

WolfSong2000

Dress wise, smart-casual should be fine. Some nice trousers and a top - if it were me I'd go for a plain top and some unusual jewellery (which for me would be a necklace) just to make you stand out a bit. Most important thing is that you're comfortable, though .

I recently got accepted to do a masters, and when I visited the uni I had applied to, it was meant to just be a chat with one of the staff, but turned out to be an impromptue interview, which really threw me! . The questions I got asked were:

Why do you want to study this subject? - I answered that it was a field both my parents worked in, so I had grown up with it (lucky me), and that it was something I was passionate about. Because of my parents involvement, I also had prior experience...I also said that I had considered a variety of options and felt that the skills I had (gave a few examples, e.g. ability to think outside the box, communication skills, research skills, etc) were not only relevant but really useful.

What prior experience did I have? - This was a tricky one, as most courses for the subject I applied for require extensive work experience...I had some experience, but not nearly enough, so mentione what I had done, what I had learned from the experience and how the knowledge I had gained would be relevent to my course.

Basically you need to show that you've given the matter a lot of thought, it's something that you're passionate about and that you're confident that you can succeed. Cite relevent skills/experience you have and how it can be directly applied, what you intend to do career wise after the MSc, etc.

Good references also really help...I had one amazing glowing reference, one bog standard decent reference, and one brutally honest reference which said that the lecturer thought I hadn't done as well as he would have expected, etc, but he added that I had a lot of potential. I think (and I could be wrong) that the Uni liked seeing an honest reference, and in the interview I was upfront about my weaknesses, but at the same time pointed out steps I was taking/had taken to improve them.

Hope this helps you...basically just go in and be yourself. Have confidence that you are capable of succeeding and this will come accross to your interviewer

Owain_Moneysaver

Nice jeans, nice top, try and look like you'll stay sane and sober for the duration of the course.

What do you have to offer to the university as a student? ( eeek can I ask what you said to this?)

Participation in any groups / societies eg ... you could say how much you enjoyed this as an undergraduate and now you're a postgraduate you'd like to encourage the next generation of students. ... This might be a relevant Subject Society or it might be a sports group, something like that. (Not that you'll have a lot of time for anything frivolous.)

bitsandpieces

They may also ask you about your undergrad dissertation (if you did one) and what research you'd like to focus on in your MSc.

Don't panic about clothes. Anything smart-ish should be fine - and pick something you feel comfy in. If you'll feel better if you buy something new and can afford it, it won't hurt I don't think it will be an issue with the interview either way, though.

lynzpower

My undergrad is nothing to do with the MSc, but it uses some skills, but I have work experience that I hope to "display"

It is a taught MSc with a dissertation
I graduated from my BA in 99 :eek: I can barely remember what I did- eeeeeek I hope they don't focus too much on this, my dissertation was crap! ( I fell into the "too wide" trap, never again!)

Oh god now Im starting to fret, eeek !

olly300

lynzpower wrote: »

My undergrad is nothing to do with the MSc, but it uses some skills, but I have work experience that I hope to "display"

It is a taught MSc with a dissertation
I graduated from my BA in 99 :eek: I can barely remember what I did- eeeeeek I hope they don't focus too much on this, my dissertation was crap! ( I fell into the "too wide" trap, never again!)

Oh god now Im starting to fret, eeek !

Well what have you done in the mean time that is relevant to the subject you are going to study? This is actually more relevant if you have had a gap in education and have gained other skills.

And drawing from your experiences why are you interested in the subject you are going to study?

Also depending what Masters you are studying you may not have enough hours in the week to encourage undergraduate students to get engaged in the subject. However there may be another sector or age group in society you can inspire.