“So, why did you choose to apply to our college specifically?”
To successfully answer this million-dollar question that keeps popping up in college interviews, first ensure that you are not making eye contact as you panic. Restrain your hands from trembling. Then, recall to your mind the formulated answer you devised while laying in bed at night and quickly discard it because frankly, it’s horrible. Frantically create a new one on the spot that has to sound dedicated but not aggressive. Put in a touch of sentimentality, but stop before it gets cliché. Follow these steps and you will show the interviewer that you are most definitely an extremely charming person. Finally, don’t forget to be a tad melodramatic while describing how much you love the college, and remember that sounding artificial is acceptable because that’s how everyone becomes charismatic. Good luck!
…Said no one, ever. That question in particular brings out the shy thirteen-year old in all prospective college students, but it can be easily conquered with a healthy dose of charisma. Charisma, what most college-bound students wish they had during college interviews, is also what causes people to go starry-eyed when they listen to someone speak. It can take listeners to all kinds of places and whisk them back, disoriented, as they clamor over how amazing that presenter was, how brilliantly he spoke, how entrancing his presence was, without even processing the details of the speech. Charisma, no matter how unfair of an advantage it can give to those who possess it, is something undoubtedly useful in all social situations. Which is why some Ridge students argue that although school might not be able to teach intelligence to teens of varying cognitive abilities, it could at least drop us a few tips on how to be likeable, charismatic, and smooth.
In an age when ppl talk way 2 much lyke dis and the awkward, pigeon-toed, socially anxious teenager is celebrated, it is refreshing to see a young adult who commands a crowd with ease and has a way with words. College admissions advisers and even Ridge students think so too.
“Being able to show charisma during a college interview is essential to admissions because it allows the admissions board to recognize that there are other notable attributes of a candidate that are more personal and can only be seen face to face,” says Lena Li ’17. “Live interviews are your chances to prove you are special because of your personality.”
So seize the day. Learn to become more charismatic. Our high school offers a variety of extracurriculars aimed towards improving students’ speaking skills, which are often
directly related to our overall personal charisma. For the competitive, Ridge Forensics has a glorious history that present-day members strive to continue. Members compete at different levels in different speaking events, from debate to poetry reading. But although exposure to wonderful, talented speakers can eventually improve one’s own oratory abilities, others might prefer a learning environment with less pressure to succeed. Ridge’s Toastmasters International Club, founded this year, endeavors to build confidence in members, help them grow as speakers and as students, and instill social skills that will aid them throughout their lives.
But how does one “become” charismatic? Are these clubs and their lessons applicable to everyone? Is charisma the same for one person as it is for another, or do we each have our own type of charisma? It seems unfair that an introverted person should have less of an advantage just because schools only teach the classic extroverted charisma that is better known. Maybe the introvert is secretly witty or extremely keen. It logically follows that charisma comes in different shapes and forms, and it’s not just one-size fits all. It’s a skill that comes with being comfortable with yourself and recognizing your personal strengths and weaknesses when conversing with others.
Ms. Wu, Ridge school counselor, “some people naturally have charisma, but some people can be taught it as well.”There is a point in someone’s speaking and social skills where the public address lessons end and the individual’s personality and self-development begins. Amy Zhong ’15 advises, “If you show who you are as a person, stay polite, and stay true to yourself, no amount of charm can beat that.”
Maybe charisma is something that each of us already has, but needs to unlock. Take the first step by doing some soul searching and figuring out what makes you charismatic, and be sure to develop and refine your strengths to take full advantage of the perks your personality has to offer. And start practicing, because whether it’s a college interview or job interview or dinner party, you never know when you’re going to need it. Be aware, though, that charisma isn’t the biggest deal in the world. Besides, if everyone were charismatic the same way–imposing, smooth-talking, and confident bordering arrogant–we’d have a country full of politicians and no one else.