What takes place during the interview?
During the interview you will be asked questions by a panel consisting of six current and former Terry Scholars. Frequently, a Director of the Foundation will be involved in conducting the interview. You will be asked questions concerning your academic and personal background, as well as your family’s financial circumstances. You will also review the information from the Terry Financial Data Form submitted online prior to the interview. You will also be told a little bit about the Foundation and its activities and be given an opportunity to ask any questions. The process is informal and usually takes less than 30 minutes.
What time should I be ready for the interview?
Please plan to be ready and available at least 30 minutes before your scheduled interview time.
What should I do to prepare for the interview?
The interview will focus on your goals, your academic achievements, your demonstrated leadership, and your level of financial need. You should be prepared to discuss all of these. This is your chance to tell us your story and explain why you are deserving of a scholarship. This is your future so don’t be shy.
What should I wear to the interview?
This interview is important both for you and the Foundation. Please dress accordingly. The members of the interview committee wear traditional business attire: coats & ties for gentlemen and professional attire for women; however, if you do not have a coat or tie or “business” attire, do not go out and buy them for this interview. Just dress as nicely as you can.
What if I need to cancel?
If you find out that you are not going to be able to attend your scheduled interview for any reason, or if you decide to attend a different university not affiliated with the Terry Scholarship Program and wish to cancel your interview, please call us as soon as possible to let us know. We have alternates who would very much like to take your interview slot. Failure to give us advance notice of cancellation may deprive someone else of a chance to get a scholarship.
Should I bring a resume to the interview?
No. A resume is not necessary. We have designed our application form to obtain most of the pertinent information about our applicants for consideration by our scholarship interview panels. At your interview, of course, you will have opportunity to speak with the panel members to supplement or update the information in your application to bring to the panel’s attention any information that you believe may assist in evaluating your scholarship application.
Do I need to prepare a question to ask my interview panel?
No. Prior to your interview you will meet with the Foundation’s staff, who can probably answer most of the questions you might have about the Foundation or the scholarship selection process. At some point during the interview, you will probably be asked whether you have any questions for your interview panel. If you still have questions, by all means feel free to ask them. But do not feel obligated to ask a question. We do not evaluate questions asked in the interview in selecting students to receive our scholarship.
Should I interview for the Traditional Scholarship if I do not intend to live on campus my freshman year?
No. One requirement of the Traditional Scholarship is that students live on campus during the student’s freshman year. Please do not interview if you do not intend to comply with this requirement.
Is there anything I need to do following the interview?
No. The Terry Foundation will contact you by email about the outcome of your interview.
When will I hear if I have received the Terry Foundation Scholarship?
Traditional Scholarship candidates will receive an email from the Foundation as to whether or not you have been granted a scholarship no later than May 1. Please do not call the Foundation offices prior to the deadline to inquire about the results of your interview.
If I receive a Terry Foundation Scholarship, will I be asked to sign anything?
Yes. If you receive a Terry Scholarship offer, you will receive a Terry Foundation Scholarship Agreement that sets forth certain commitments in connection with your acceptance of the Terry Foundation Scholarship. In order to obtain the Scholarship, you will be asked to sign and return the agreement.
If I do not receive a scholarship, can I appeal the decision or get an explanation of the reasons for the decision? Can I receive a critique of how I did during my interview?
No. Decisions on offering scholarships are not subject to any appeals. The large numbers of students that we interview and the collective panel nature of our interview process make it impossible to provide any statement of reasons for our decision on any particular student. Similarly, we cannot provide a critique of how any particular student did in his or her interview. It is our experience that virtually all students selected for an interview do well in their interview. Indeed, it is our hope and expectation that participating in our interview process is a beneficial experience for all who participate, regardless of whether or not we are ultimately able to offer them a scholarship.
Should I continue to seek other financial aid to attend my university?
Yes. We expect and encourage every student to seek and accept all scholarships and grants for which they may be qualified. Your counselor and the financial aid office at your university are good sources for information about other financial aid for which you may qualify. In addition, web sites such as www.collegeforalltexans.com and www.finaid.org may provide valuable scholarship and grant information.
Additional information about requirements for the Terry Foundation Scholarship can be found on the FAQs Page