Fulbright Semi-Finalist Interview Prep Tips
A year ago this week, I received news that I was a semi-finalist for my dream scholarship! After an arduous Fulbright application timeline, it was time to prepare for my interview. (Mexico is among the Fulbright countries that conduct remote semi-finalist interviews, though not all do.)
I personally experienced this interview process two separate times, having applied twice for the Fulbright García-Robles grant before receiving it. More on my Fulbright application timeline HERE.
Based on multiple years of experience, I outline three helpful tips for those hopeful Fulbrighters who are preparing for their semi-finalist interview. Find three additional tips for those preparing to interview in a non-native language HERE.
Three Essential Tips to prepare for a successful Fulbright semi-finalist interview:
Journal: Leading up to my interview, I journaled 1-2 times per week about my proposed project. I made a list of topics I wanted to address in my interview and used them as starting points for my journal entries:
Why did I choose Mexico?
What are the essential components of my proposed project?
What is the relevance of this project?
How will I share my work?
The goal of journaling is reflection, not perfectionism. My journals were “word dumps,” not polished entries. Journaling allows you to review and communicate frequently about your Fulbright project and goals.
2. Develop 1-3 talking points. The questions I received in my Fulbright interviews were always different than I expected. (Read a list of these questions here: COMEXUS Interview Questions.) There is no way to predict exactly what questions you will be asked. Even so, you can enter your interview prepared with a collection of talking points: core ideas that you intend to communicate no matter what questions you encounter.
Creating your talking points: revisit journal entries (see point 1 above) and underline sentences that express your motivation, values, and Fulbright vision. Elaborate on these until you have several powerful statements that will serve as talking points. Even just one fantastic talking point goes a long way!
3. Be classy! Dress up as you would for any important interview. Gratitude is essential: briefly express how grateful you are to the panel for their time. It could be helpful to plan a few thoughtful, brief phrases ahead of time so you don’t ramble or miss the moment.
If you are preparing for a Fulbright interview that will be conducted in a language other than English (such as the COMEXUS interview), check out my tips for interviewing in a second language here:
Tips for a Successful COMEXUS Interview
Congrats and best of luck to all the Fulbright semi-finalists! If that is you, please drop a comment!👇 I will be happy to address your questions about my Fulbright/COMEXUS interview experience in a future blog post.
This blog (www.melissaterrallpiano.com/blog) is not an official site of the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. The views expressed on this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State, or any of its partner organizations.