Can you describe a challenging situation that you faced during your college years and how you resolved it?

Realize that you can draw from many different kinds of challenges when you answer this question. You don't need to have lived a life of adversity or oppression to have a meaningful challenge to discuss. Prior to the interviewer, take some time to consider challenges that you have encountered that helped you grow and develop. Decide on which challenge you want to share with your interviewer. It's wise to shy away from anything that's too personal--you don't want your interviewer to feel uncomfortable. If you struggled, but ultimately succeeded, in a specific class, you might find this to be a perfect topic to discuss during your interview. Other academic challenges include the demands of balancing schoolwork with a demanding role as the lead in a play or captain of the basketball team. The best answer will highlight your ability to navigate a challenging situation.

"During my junior year, I accepted a challenging summer internship at a small, local engineering firm. One of our clients suddenly wanted to change our entire approach within a few weeks of a major internal deadline. The client was unhappy with the team's first draft of the presentation, so we were tasked with redoing the entire plan and deck. We organized a late-night brainstorming session that evening. After hours of work, I asked to take on the lead role of putting together a new concept for the presentation. This was challenging because it was my first time putting a deck together in a professional setting. I overcame this challenge by looking at previously successful presentations for the client, analyzing the feedback they gave on our initial presentation, and incorporating all of the team's ideas into the new deck. The client was ultimately thrilled with the fresh plan and all of the new ideas we included!"