ADCOM Approved "Areas of Personal Improvement"

[EquateThis]

So all of my secondaries have questions that are varients of a single theme: "what part of your character is flawed, and how to you plan to improve it?"

Now, although candor is a good attribute, I don't think this is the place to be writing about subliminal hatred for persons in authority or a borderline debilitating WOW addiction.

Typical answers I've heard have to do with being too much of a "perfectionist" or "trying to do too much at the same time". I'm sure these canned answers are becoming a bit tedious for the ADCOM.

Does anyone have a complete list of acceptable "areas of improvement"? If not, could we create one here? What problems have your friends admitted to and still gotten accepted?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

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[docss26]

My problem is that I ask people on SDN what to do/say at interviews because I can't think of any of my own, unique answers.

 

[jduong]

My problem is that I ask people on SDN what to do/say at interviews because I can't think of any of my own, unique answers.

That's a little harsh but I do agree. People aren't likely to give you their answers if they took the time to think up a unique one.

My advice is, write about something and then put a good spin on it. For example, you said a lot of people write about being a perfectionist. Sure it's bad because you can't ever let things go without being perfect, but it also shows you have passion and aren't willing to give up easily. Try and make a list of attributes about yourself and pick one that is both a bad quality but also can turn into a good one.

 

[docss26]

That's a little harsh but I do agree. People aren't likely to give you their answers if they took the time to think up a unique one.

My advice is, write about something and then put a good spin on it. For example, you said a lot of people write about being a perfectionist. Sure it's bad because you can't ever let things go without being perfect, but it also shows you have passion and aren't willing to give up easily. Try and make a list of attributes about yourself and pick one that is both a bad quality but also can turn into a good one.

I apologize if that sounded harsh. Its quite common for posters to ask these types of questions. Interviews are about being unique. So be unique and brainstorm something good. Interviews shouldn't be rehearsed. You have to be natural and speak from your heart.

The "turn a negative into something positive," is common with these types of answers, but it may not be the best route because you might sound redundant or cliche.

 

[aboveliquidice]

So all of my secondaries have questions that are varients of a single theme: "what part of your character is flawed, and how to you plan to improve it?"

Now, although candor is a good attribute, I don't think this is the place to be writing about subliminal hatred for persons in authority or a borderline debilitating WOW addiction.

Typical answers I've heard have to do with being too much of a "perfectionist" or "trying to do too much at the same time". I'm sure these canned answers are becoming a bit tedious for the ADCOM.

Does anyone have a complete list of acceptable "areas of improvement"? If not, could we create one here? What problems have your friends admitted to and still gotten accepted?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

This is a very difficult subject to come to terms with... The goal of the question is to determine whether or not the applicant is truly self-aware. Can he or she critically analyze themselves, seeing both positives and negatives.

The easiest response is to lie. The downside to this being the obvious lack of integrity in your affairs. A naive person may think by fabricating a negative that can be construed as a positive, they are effectively "beating" the question. These applicants however, are quite easily spotted. Its the emotional connection to something you truly deem to be a negative that is missing.

The best response is to practice the means by which you frame your negative attribute. My biggest issue is time management. I struggle to find a healthy balance between the many important facets of my life. School, family, friends, work, ECs, and work all draw from my limited well of time. I often find myself giving a disproportionate time to my studies, usually at the expense of my family or friends. It is something that I have been working to correct.

If your interviewer is astute, the logical follow-up question is "How have you been working to correct it?" This is a slam dunk for you as an applicant. I am sure you can see where this example is going.

This was the exact answer I used... I wouldn't try to use this at a Pacific interview though