2.3. Initial Interview Preparation

The primary objective of the initial interview is to formulate your individual goals for the semester. It also serves as an opportunity for your instructor to know you better, which will greatly help with giving constructive advice all semester. I hope to make this as casual, conversational, and friendly as possible. This is a new element of the course so I ask for your patience as the process gets worked out.

The interview is scheduled for 15 minutes, please come promptly on time so we can stay on schedule.

Please consider the following prompts in advance:

1. What do you hope to learn in this course?
2. What skills are familiar to you and could be an area for high achievement?
3. What is brand-new to you?
4. What topics seem most important?
5. What topics seem irrelevant?
6. Do you have a concrete vision for what kind of ability you’d like at the end?
7. Is there a role model you seek to emulate for this kind of work?

After some discussion we will formulate a few concrete objectives. These will be reviewed at the mid-semester and final interviews.