Show up at least 10 minutes early, if not, sooner. You’ll need to be sure that you leave yourself enough time to find the location, find parking, and find your interview location.
Dress nicely. Avoid clothing such as shorts, jeans, etc. Brush your hair and freshen your makeup if you wear it. Interviewers always notice your shoes. Make sure they are appropriate, clean, and in good repair. Take fashion risks at your own peril.
Be friendly and warm. First impressions make a big difference. When you come into the room, smile, shake everyone’s hand, and introduce yourself.
Do your absolute best to sit up straight and be still while you are being interviewed. If you are carrying anything, set it down beside you. It’s hard to know what to do with your hands. Folded in your lap is best if you aren’t gesturing. Do not sit on your hands, pick at your hands, fiddle with your jewelry, or grip the side of the chair. Legs crossed or both feet flat on the floor is fine. Hold your head up and don’t slouch.
Work the room. If you are being interviewed by more than one person at a time, be sure to make eye contact and engage with each of them. Focus on the person who has asked the question you are responding to at the time, without ignoring the others.
Avoid being afraid of silence. It is not your responsibility to fill every gap in the conversation. If you have finished answering a question and no one says anything, let it be. Give the interviewers a chance to absorb what you said and come up with the next question. When you are nervous, a ten second silence can seem like forever, but it isn’t. Not jumping to fill every pause shows your confidence and poise. Learn to carry on a conversation without using crutches like "like" and "um."
Be consistent with your responses. Be sure that you review your application before the interview so that you do not accidentally contradict yourself.
Let your personality shine through. If for an answer to a question, you can think of a personal story that satisfies it, by all means tell it. Interviewers are trying to get to know you, and relevant personal stories let them do that best. Don’t go on and on, however, and instead be concise, yet complete.
Think on your feet. The best way to do that is to listen and focus very carefully on the questions, so that you are responding as exactly as possible. Answer exactly what you have been asked, and no more. Let the interviewer ask a follow up question if they are interested in knowing more. Again, a short silence is your friend.
Prepare for financial questions. If the scholarship is based at all on need, you will likely be asked about your financial situation. Come prepared to be open about that. Expect to be asked about the cost of colleges you are considering, whether you have been offered any other scholarships, and what resources you have. If you don’t know exactly, try to find out before the interview. The interviewer should understand if you haven’t gotten a complete financial aid package offer yet, but you should know how much is saved for your education, and what you have been offered from other sources so far. These questions may seem very personal, but if the scholarship is based on need, they are fair questions to ask.
Prepare any questions you have. You will probably be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. Ask something relevant to the scholarship itself, or the organization. You can think of this beforehand.
Be prepared to discuss any activity or aspect of your life that relates to the organization. If the scholarship is from the Irish Society, for example, be prepared to discuss how being Irish has affected your life and what it means to you. The scholarship will likely go to someone with a strong connection to the focus of the organization.
Consider bragging a little. You will probably be asked about your accomplishments. If you have a story about how those helped you become a better person or overcome adversity, work that in to the conversation. The interviewers would love to hear a tale about how you took control of a situation, solved a problem and learned something from that, especially if it relates to the organization's goals.
Roll with the results. You likely won’t get every scholarship you apply for, and that's okay. All you can do is put your best foot forward, present yourself professionally, and hope for the best.
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