I have a DSLR and a Zoom audio recorder and I bought an appropriate cable to connect the two so that the Zoom served as the external mic - I also have a cheap hotshoe adapter that screws into the Zoom so it could be mounted to the top of the DSLR. My son had only one school with a prescreen, but he passed it and will be enrolling at that top school this fall.
If you use an iPad or phone definitely make sure it is on a stand or something stable. If you happen to own or can borrow a tripod there are little smartphone tripod adapters that will attach to a standard tripod if you don’t have a surface at the appropriate height for a small stand. This one, for example: https://www.amazon.com/MeFoto-SideKick360-Smartphone-Tripod-Adapter/dp/B00IF4NZCS