Interview questions - Harrow/eton/indies in general

[nokissymum]

ds will be sitting harrow interview/pretest this michelmas term. As he is quite "monosyllabic" dh and i plan to think of some good questions to ask him that will not only allow for a more lenthy discussion butmore importantly make him to think out of the box a bit more.

So far we have come up with " if you could be any famous person on earth, who would it be and why ?

Ds is actually enjoying this little excercise but we are runing out of ideas for questions. Could you help ?

If I asked you to come up with a motto for the school what would it be?

I don't have any knowledge of the Harrow interview, but at one of the indie interviews my DC went to the admissions people said they were looking for well rounded kids and that the question 'what are your hobbies' stumped a lot of the applicants!

What do you think makes a good school - how would you run a school for boys? (Have seen this as an essay question on entry exam for another school)

What do you outside school?

What makes a great holiday? Where would you suggest someone should go for a family holiday and why? (Again, have seen this as an essay question)

My son a few years ago went for an interview at St Paul's the opening question was what is the difference between a lamp and a table? Then when he said he was keen on art especially surrealism he was asked to justify why we should spend money on art rather than eduction or health care (he was only 10). They then asked him what other schools he was being interviewed for and what he thought was he difference between them!

I'd be tongue tied with questions like that! Did he keep his cool happygardening? Did he get an offer?

He was a little surprised that a teacher let alone a teacher at St Paul's couldn't tell the difference between a table and a light he felt that this must be something of a handicap so carefully explained the obvious difference! He answered the art one by discussing how the Bayeaux tapestry and portraits etc told us about past historical events and that painters expressed mood/psychology through art e.g. Picasso Dali I suspect they wanted to see whether he really was interested in art or just saying that to impress, he is mad on art. Re the question about others schools I felt they shouldn't have asked him that but he told the interviewer that he felt St Paul's was more pushy and would make him work harder! The whole interview took less than 10 minutes and a week we were offered place which we did not take. We had done no preparation for it.

Why do you want to come to this particular school? is one they sometimes ask. My ds was asked what he understood by the work 'friend'. He answered that it was someone to whom he was loyal and was loyal to him.

Happy my sister was interviewed at Rugby, Uppingham and Oundle and was asked by Rugby where else she had applied. She told them, and they said "if you got offers from all three, which would you take? what about a scholarship from x, but not y and z, or from y, but not x and z, or from z but not x and y?". She was really uncomfortable and just said "since my parents pay the bills I'd let them decide" . My parents were really cross about it, and ultimately that was the reason they didn't pick the school.

OP all my interview questions (not for Harrow!) that I can remember were related to education, like "tell me about a book you read recently", so don't overlook those either!

At my previous school I had had to write essays on subjects including "my favourite place" and "why my best friend is my best friend" (which is actually very tricky to explain - obviously it is an indication of qualities the child values, but it's a slightly strange thing, and intrusive, to ask).

'word' even

At my interview for a direct grant place to a London day school years ago, when I was 10, I was asked what I had read in the papers the previous day, what I thought about the New English Bible and some weird philosophical question about measurement.

I don't think it's fair if a school to ask a child what other schools they've applied too generally children don't want to lie and they must feel very uncomfortable being asked that question.

We had no "weird" questions at Eton or Winchester but I don't know about Harrow.

We're about to go through this process. We have been advised that the schools can spot over-preparation and can see straight through it. I agree, however, that a bit of "talking through" your son's opinions on things can do no harm- we try just to have slightly more sensible conversations than usual over supper, so that it feels natural. We've told our son just to enjoy the chat and that there are only a couple of things which he shouldn't say, i.e. to questions about what he enjoys or is interested in the answer is not "watching telly" or "computer games" and that even if he doesn't really have a favourite character in history etc. he should't say "I don't have one" but rather "I don't have one but I am interested in.....". Apart from that all opinions and interests are fine

So tough at 10!

My year 6 DD was asked what particular news item had been given prominence the previous day, so it might be idea to make sure your DC reads the news headlines.

DS has recently been interviewed by Harrow and Eton. The questions are not on the whole rocket science: favourite subjects/what are you good at/do you like sport/why do you want to come to this school/what book have you read recently.

More interesting questions: how would your teachers/friends describe you/which living person would you like to meet and why/which person from history would you like to meet and why/what 3 items would you wish to have on a desert island and why/what are the good things about your school and what would you like to change?

They will be trying to get a sense for whether the boy will fit into the school. The schools offer amazing facilities and opportunities and the housemaster is trying to choose boys who will muck in and give as much as they take from the school, both academically and in the extra curricular activities.

The key is not to answer monosyllabically and this is easier for some than others. That said, if a school has given a good report, the interviewer will be more willing to eke answers out of reluctant boys (my view anyway).

And definitely be prepared for the boy to be asked which other schools he has applied for and which he prefers. Annoying though this may be, the housemasters are trying to get a sense of who is genuinely interested in their school (though I guess if it's Eton they can assume that is first choice).

Yesbutnobut, just out of interest was the Eton test in Summer term 2011 and Harrow in Winter 2012 as I thought Harrow interviewed in Year 7 and Eton in Year 6?

Sorry been away from MN so just seeing all theses replies. thank you all you so much, they are really phelpful, we're trying encourage ds to be natural as possible rather than spewing out "rehearsed" answers.

These questions are quiete hard for 10year old's though arent they ? I mean many of them are proper adult interview questions, still, they've obviously been successfull i guess.

My understanding is that Eton's interviews are not really about the academic stuff (covered by the test). They are looking for enthusiasm. They know they've got wonderful facilities and want them used to the max. So your DS should just be encouraged to enthuse about Art, Drama, Electronics, Sport - whatever floats his boat.

Nokissy - yes, the questions do seem rather grown up don't they? Of course the approach of the schools is to put the boys at their ease so as to get the best out of them. I wouldn't worry too much about it (easier said than done) but second grovel's point that they're looking for enthusiasm.

Hmmm! Well we can only do our best

They are looking for enthusiastic children that will bring something to the school and make the most of the oppos available to them,they are not looking for trained monkeys that regurgitate what they have been told to say.
The prep should give them a couple of run throughs so they arent tongue tied,then as long as they shake hands,sit up and look the questioner in the eye they should be fine.

Does you DS have something he is particularly interested in or gets animated about? If he has a subject or a time in history he particularly likes then perhaps make the last book has has read / one he is reading relevant to that subject. That way it provides a springboard into something he likes talking about and the interviewer gets to see his spark.

Another popular one; Who do you admire and why?

chazsBrilliant "a time in history he particularly likes " that made me scofflaugh! He likes summer! Fruit picking and ice creams but seriously how is a ten yr old supposed to have a favorite time in history ? They haven't been around long enough

I don't think they mean your own personal history notkissymum!