Student’s Last Name 1

1 Tell me about yourself.

2 This universal, completely open-ended
interview question has the potential to trip you
into a bottomless pit—don’t let it. Prove that
you’re well-versed and have the ability to
articulate and structure your thoughts. Keep
your answer around 2-3 minutes, and make
sure to focus on your undergraduate education,
your work experience and accomplishments,
and your career goals. Everything you talk
about should lead to why you’re right, and why
the school would benefit from you pursuing an
MBA there.
3
4 Why do you want to receive an MBA? Why
now?
5 Explain your motivation for pursuing a
graduate business degree and why you feel
now is the right time. Describe how an MBA
will help you achieve your career goals and
emphasize that the degree is a critical part of
your plan.
6
7 Why are you interested in this school or
program?
8 Show that you’ve done your research. List
all of the reasons you feel the school or
program is ideally suited for you, whether it’s
their faculty, facilities, course offerings, class
size, student activities, job placement record,
networking opportunities or location. You want
 Student’s Last Name 2

to convey that this school is one of, if not the

top choice for you.
9
See Also: 7 Things MBA
Admissions Deans Want To See In
Your Application
4 What has been your most challenging or
rewarding academic experience so far?
5 Think back to your time as an undergrad—
your favorite (or least favorite) professors,
classes, projects and organizations. If you’re
going to talk about a challenge you faced,
describe how you were able to overcome the
challenge and turn it into a positive or
successful experience. If you’re talking about a
situation that was rewarding, explain why it
was rewarding and what you gained from the
experience.
6
7 Discuss a time when you were a leader.
8 It’s very likely that the interviewer will be
interested in your leadership skills—this is
common among MBA interview questions.
Have several specific examples ready that
illustrate different forms of leadership, from
leading a team, to taking the ethical high
ground, to making a positive impact.
9
10 Can Ahtam, Assistant Director of
Admission for Bentley's Graduate School of
Business, says that the best answers always
 Student’s Last Name 3

involve potential students' involvement with

extracurricular activities or organizations
outside of their workplace. "We can see that
they are doing things that allow them to
develop valuable skills like organizing events,
managing people and other resources, and
creating value in a certain area," he says.
11
12 What do you like most about your current
work?
13 This is an opportunity to direct the
conversation toward something you're truly
passionate about. What do you love about your
job, and why did you choose that particular
career path? What do you find rewarding or
satisfying about what you currently do? Even if
you’re unhappy in your current position, you
should be able to name at least one good thing
about it—this shows you’re able to find
positivity in a negative
 Student’s Last Name 4

situation.
Student’s Last Name 5
 Student’s Last Name 6

14
15
16 What kinds of changes would you make at
work if you could?
17 Describe how you would make positive
changes within your workplace. Make sure to
keep your ideas business-related—maybe
creating a new team within your firm or
reaching out to a new industry. This shows that
you’re innovative and that you know how to
improve and impact a business.
18
19 How would your colleagues and/or
supervisor describe you?
20 Highlight both professional and personal
characteristics that will indicate what kind of
student and classmate you’ll be. Just
remember that your supervisor is most likely
the one who wrote your recommendation, so
the interviewer already knows what they’d say.
That means don’t make something up! Paint an
accurate picture of what you’re really like at
work.
21
22 What are some of your strengths and
weaknesses?
23 Coming up with strengths is fairly easy—
you know what you’re good at. Pick two or
three that would set you apart and back
yourself up with a few examples. When it
comes to weaknesses, it gets a little harder.
You may be nervous to admit a weakness for
 Student’s Last Name 7

fear that it’ll turn the interview south, but the

interviewer will probably be more interested in
how you handle yourself during this tough
question than your actual answer. After you
state a weakness, make sure you’re able to
recover from the blow by leading the
conversation back to a positive.
24
25 What are your short- and long-term goals?
26 Your short-term goals should be concrete
and achievable, while your long-term goals
should line up with your passions and
personality. You should include at least a
couple of business and career-oriented goals
so you can show how an MBA would play a part
in helping you achieve them.
27
28 If you’re admitted to our program, what do
you think your biggest challenge will be?
29 For interview questions like this, prove that
you’re aware of the demands of a graduate
degree program and that you’re ready to face
them. Be candid, explain how you’ll address
the challenge, and show that you’re thinking
about how to manage your time and resources
wisely.
30
31 Do you have any questions for me?
32 You’ll most certainly be asked if you have
any questions yourself, and you definitely
should. You want to show that you’re serious,
that you’ve done your homework, and that
 Student’s Last Name 8

you’re putting a great amount of thought into

the process. Here are some questions you
could ask:
• What do you think sets this business
program apart from others?
• What major changes do you see on the
horizon for this program?
• How does your program work to develop
relationships with the business field or X
industry?
• If you were in my position, with my goals,
what would you say are your program’s biggest
advantages to me?

Be Prepared
If you’re getting ready for a graduate degree
interview, make sure you prepare with these MBA
interview questions. Take the time to carefully
consider your answers, and make sure those
answers truly convey your skills and passion for
the business world. If you do that, the nerves may
not fully subside, but your interview will be a
success!