America’s Next Top Model 8: Top Model Tips

In the first season, Elyse spent much of her time worrying about what Robin was doing instead of worrying about what she needed to do. She’s lucky she wasn’t hurt by this when it came time for panel. In season 4, Michelle spent too much effort trying to one-up the other models when she should have been trying to turn out great photos. In cycle 3, Cassie let the other girls’ teasing get to her, and she was unable to handle the pressure of the competition. Ignoring them would have helped her in the long run.

Focusing on the other girls can spell disaster in a competition where concentration is key. In cycle 5, Bre and Nicole’s granola bar fiasco could have meant doom for both of them. Fortunately, they were able to focus on their photo shoots despite the behind-the-scenes drama. In season 6, Jade wound up in the bottom two numerous times because she was so busy causing trouble and getting into fights with the other models. They didn’t let it affect them, but Jade was unable to focus on her shoots. And we all know what happened to Monique last season - her rivalry with Melrose made her completely lose focus, while Melrose was barely ruffled.

Tip #6 - Roll with the punches and don’t fight with the judges! One of the worst things you can do in this competition is talk back to the judges. The judges are there to guide the girls and help them improve, not listen to their excuses and hear them whine about why they didn’t turn out a good photo. The judges are not only there to serve as mentors and teachers, they’re also responsible for deciding who gets to stay in the competition. If you fight with them, they’re not going to stand for it.

In season 2, Camille told the judges that she had a “signature walk,” which they didn’t like. She wasn’t able to take their criticism, and it didn’t do her any favors. In the same way, season 4’s Tiffany told the judges they were humiliating her when she screwed up during a challenge. They were so sick of her attitude and excuses that they eliminated her.

Just like being open to and welcoming change, rolling with the punches means that girls need to take what’s thrown at them and try to work with it. The models will have to participate in a number of challenges, doing many things they’ve never done before. The girl who adapts and best and makes the most of the new situations will be the one who lasts the longest. This means trying hard, taking criticism well, and NEVER giving up. Which leads us to…

Tip #7 - Show the judges you want to win. Nothing bugs the judges more than a girl who acts like she doesn’t want to be there. Why remain in the competition if you don’t want to win? And why act like you don’t care if you do want to win? Modeling requires passion and a desire to achieve, not an attitude that says, “Whatever.” Girls who act indifferent or don’t show how much they want to be America’s Next Top Model won’t last long.

In addition, if a girl is feeling under the weather or struggling with a challenge, she can’t give up, no matter what. That will just make the judges think she wants to go home. In cycle 7, Monique got sick and didn’t participate in a photo shoot. The judges had no reason to think that she wanted to win because she didn’t show an attitude that said she was willing to fight to win. They promptly sent her home. In the same cycle, A.J. didn’t show as much passion for modeling as the other girls did, so the judges didn’t bother to keep her around to keep competing for something it didn’t look like she wanted.

Girls who fight through illness or difficulty are almost always rewarded. In season 4, Kahleh learned of the death of a friend just before a photo shoot that took place in a grave. She fought through her grief and turned out a great photo. In cycle 6, Danielle was so sick that she was briefly hospitalized, but she didn’t let her illness interfere with the competition. She quickly headed to a photo shoot and turned out such a great shot that the judges said they wouldn’t have even known she was sick if someone hadn’t told them. If you really want to win, you’ll fight for it, no matter what. If you’re willing to sit back and relax just because things aren’t going right, the judges are going to think you should just leave.

Tip #8 - Show confidence, not cockiness. There’s a fine line between being confident and being arrogant. Confidence means knowing that you’re talented and showing that talent, but cockiness involves rubbing your talent in others’ faces and, in some cases, being so confident that you don’t think you can ever fail. Cocky models will quickly be taken down a peg, but confident models will be praised.

Lisa from cycle 5 and CariDee from season 7 were both confident models who let their self-assurance shine through in their photos. They didn’t second-guess themselves, and that made them look like they knew what they were doing, even when they didn’t. They knew they were beautiful and talented, and that they could model well, so they made sure that they stuck their poses and gave their best photos possible. CariDee especially never let this confidence turn into cockiness - she never let herself get so confident that she wasn’t realistic about her chances of winning.

Melrose from season 7 and Jade from cycle 6 are well-known for their cockiness. Melrose at least had a reason to be confident - she took consistently good photos and did well at almost everything she tried. However, her personality rubbed people the wrong and she came across as cocky because she was a little too confident. Jade, however, didn’t quite have the talent to back up her cockiness; she kept landing in the bottom two because her photos weren’t that great. Her attitude was one of “I’m better than everyone else,” even though she really wasn’t. Her cockiness turned her into a joke and spelled her doom in the final three.

If anything, the girls in America’s Top Model 8 should have learned from the mistakes of past competitors. Which mistakes did they make that got them eliminated? And what did they do right that allowed them to stay in the competition? If you think back to past winners, chances are they followed more of the Top Model Tips than the other models in their seasons. The girl who follows these tips best in the eighth cycle will be the one who is crowned the winner.

Jenn Brasler is an Assistant Editor of Reality News Online and an aspiring writer from Falls Church, Virginia. By day she works for a court reporting firm, and by night she’s a spy for a covert branch of the CIA. You can e-mail her at luckyjenn@hotmail.com.

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