Oral Examinations

The Exam

Look and act professional! Create a good impression.
Dress well and appropriately, turn off cell phones and pagers;

Arrive at the location early to collect yourself and check out the situation, but wait until your scheduled time to keep the appointment.
This is a time for relaxed focus, not cramming or review.

The exam begins the minute you walk in:
Introduce yourself immediately
Give the instructor all of your attention; look interested and smile!

Keep good posture and eye contact;
If there are distractions (noise outside, etc,) you may mention your distraction and/or nervousness.

Stay focused through the interview.
Be an intelligent listener as well as talker.

Do not ramble if you do not know an answer.
State directly that you do not know the answer but ask if you could outline how you would find the answer, solve the problem, or the method you would employ.

Maintain your self-confidence and composure if you feel the interview is not going well. The interviewer may be testing you. Answer questions with more than "yes" or "no". Stress the positive and not the negative. Use two or three key points or examples to demonstrate your knowledge.

Preparing for, and taking Oral Exams (continued)