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5 Questions (and Answers!) About Your Interview

Here are answers to five frequently asked questions about how to best prepare for your final interview day.


TFA corps member prepares for a meeting

By Molly Brennan

August 1, 2017

With so many things to prepare, Teach For America’s final interview can seem overwhelming. As long as you follow our prep guidelines, you’ll do great. Read on to find answers to some frequently asked questions.





1. HOW LONG WILL MY INTERVIEW LAST?

 This season, each interview will be 90 minutes in length. Due to COVID-19 precautions, all interviews will take place virtually via Zoom, an online video conferencing service. Please note that we only hold interviews on weekdays.

The interview is a distinctive part of the TFA application process and consists of three major components: a sample lesson, a case activity,  and a personal one-on-one interview. All three of these components will take place during your 90-minute interview. 

2. I WASN’T ABLE TO GET ALL OF MY DOCUMENTS UPLOADED BY THE DEADLINE, SHOULD I STILL ATTEND?

Yes, absolutely! Hopefully you’ll be able to upload them as soon as possible, but you should definitely still attend your interview in the meantime. Just be sure to upload everything as soon as you can. 

3. WHO WILL MY INTERVIEWER BE?

Your interviewer will be aTFA staff member. Some interviewers might also be Teach For America alumni. During your interview, you’ll be able to ask them questions about their experience in the classroom if they were corps members, and about TFA’s mission and work. 

4. HOW SHOULD I PREPARE MY SAMPLE TEACHING LESSON SINCE I’M INTERVIEWING VIRTUALLY?

The virtual sample lesson has the same requirements and standards as our in-person interview did: you are teaching a five-minute lesson in any subject area to any grade level ages pre-K through 12. The main thing to keep in mind for virtual interviews is to plan your lesson with the virtual format in mind. For example, during your lesson you’ll control the screen and can share files, programs, or your computer’s desktop. There is a chat feature that allows you to chat in links or comments and a virtual whiteboard that allows you to type and draw and allows your "student" to do the same. Your “student” will also watch you on your webcam, but keep in mind your visibility is somewhat limited to what is in frame, so we strongly encourage applicants to utilize the virtual features offered.

5. IF I HAVE TECH ISSUES DURING MY INTERVIEW, HOW CAN I RECEIVE HELP? 

While we encourage you to diligently prepare and plan for your interview, we understand that tech issues happen. If you experience a technical problem before or during your interview, please reach out to Admissions through the Contact Form or Help Tool. Someone will respond to you as soon as possible and will assist you in reconnecting with your interviewer or rescheduling for a later date. 



 

Still have questions? Check out the Help Tool on the Applicant Center.