Document III PDF

General Words of Wisdom from Students on the Interview
Comments from Student 1:

I suggest…
1. You have to know if you should ask for an interview or wait to be invited for one. If you have to
ask for an interview before the application materials are received, then take care of that as soon as
possible, even if you're not certain that you will definitely apply to the school. It's free and necessary,
so just get it out of the way. I realized that the interview works both ways. Just as you're selling
yourself to the admissions officer, they're trying to sell the school to you also. This may give a
different perspective about the school that may change your mind about applying there, or
encourage your decision to apply there.
2. If you're going to try and arrange an interview with a popular school around an MBA fair, call
early, because those slots fill up early.
3. I preferred an interview on the campus after I visited the school. That way I was able to ask
questions about the environment or culture of the school based on what I saw that day.
4. Do your homework. Interviewers like to see that you know the program inside and out when it's
your turn to ask questions. Don't be too nervous, and try not to give rehearsed answers. These
people have to sit in front of hundreds of students who all want the same thing, so don't bore them
with the first paragraph of your essay, especially if it wasn't asked.

Tips to aspiring applicants
• Be sure you know your interview panel well. Ask their profiles if they just introduce themselves by
their name. Once you know your panel, you can correlate your responses better to the kind of
questions they are asking.
• Review your application material thoroughly.
• Make sure you have numbers in your tips, the revenue and profit numbers of the organization you
are working for or numbers related to your industry.
• Be thorough with your profile.
• Why MBA? And what would you like to do post MBA?
• Why have you chosen this school?
• Introspect as to what differentiation you bring to the table. Try to explore areas where you have
demonstrated leadership skills be it work, social, undergrad or in any hobbies you are pursuing.
• Be relaxed. The interview panel might try to gauge your reaction by putting you under stress.
• Do not waver once you have answered. Confidence is the key.
• Don't show your desperation to get into any particular school. This is not the end of the world. If
you are the right candidate, the school needs you as much as you need them. This attitude will also
surface in your confidence and relaxed approach.

My general advice to prepare for the interview includes the following information:
• Wear appropriate business attire.
• Digest all the information in the marketing materials and on the website.
• When you ask questions, ask insightful questions. Do not ask questions whose answers can be
found on the website.
• Find out who is interviewing you and look up some background information for conversational
fodder and insight into the interviewer's perspective.
• Answer the school's application essay question before attending the interview. It will help you
focus on your goals, which will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation.
• Obtain a list of standard job and school interview questions. These are easily found on the web.
Prepare an answer for each question.
• Practice the interview with someone who has ample interview experience. Although your answers
may be correct, this will allow you to hone your body language, e.g. eye contact, posture, and
minimal hand gestures. Also practice ad lib interview. You never know what the interviewer might
ask. If you practice thinking on your feet, you will no doubt think better on your feet.
• Be enthusiastic and cheerful during the interview. If you allow it, it will be like meeting someone
interesting at a cocktail party.
• Make sure that your résumé is stellar. I recommend hiring a résumé consultant. Bring at least three
copies of your résumé.
• Be five minutes early.
• If offered a beverage, accept graciously.
• Do not schedule anything after the interview that would cause you to cut the interview short.
• Do not be afraid of asking a candid question near the end of the interview, e.g. "Do you think I am
the type of person who would fit into Wharton?" Most likely, the interviewer will be honest and
provide you with valuable tips.
• Let the interviewer know that if you are accepted, you WILL attend.

Business schools want to accelerate a career that is already on a great trajectory. Your attitude should
reflect that you are progressing rapidly on your chosen path already and business school is simply
the best/shortest (but not the only) path to reach your goals.
Be sure that your interview includes focus on recent work experience. Examples older than two
years are fine too, but not at the expense of great examples in the last two years. If the most recent
experiences are not discussed, the interviewer may choose to assume the worst about those recent
years.
Be ready to demonstrate the wisdom of each career move you've made. They want to see a well-
guided process that is accelerating toward a goal.
I was asked if I was an entrepreneur. They are definitely looking to see that you ALREADY
consider yourself whatever it is you are trying to improve. They do not want to turn your career
around. They want students who have ALREADY turned their careers in the desired direction and
only need acceleration. For me, the answer had to be "Yes, I'm an entrepreneur." It's fine to say, "I
want to improve those talents and xxx school will help me do that."
I advise using a pad of paper so you can jot very brief notes for things that you want to say.
One interviewer seemed to purposefully interrupt me and seemed to watch my reactions. Do not
become irritated (visibly anyway) but try to make a mental note of where you were and go along with
whatever they discuss.
Several questions seemed to target my ability to see things for myself, rather than as they have
always been. Be sure to reflect your ability to question company practices. If you have examples of
changing the way a company does things, use it. It's always nice if the issues were major, but it's not
necessary

I always feel that it is extremely important to try and connect with the individual interviewing you.
The ability for the potential student to mirror and match the personality of the individual meeting
with them is significant in setting the tone for a great interview. The interview process with a student
seems to be a lot less important than when you meet with individuals from the admissions office.
The great thing about the interview is that it gives you a unique chance to address any weaknesses in
your background. Most interviews included similar questions. It is important that you have a story
about where you worked and why you want to pursue an MBA now. Also make sure that your
energy and excitement comes across in the interview because there are a lot of people answering
these questions and you want to stand out.

I can't say it enough: Don't be fooled – every contact with your prospective university is an
interview. Every time you call the school, attend an information session, or speak with current
students or alumni, you are being interviewed. These conversations will probably be the first and last
impressions the school has of you, and they are just as important as any formal interview. For these
conversations, all you need to know are three things:
* Be polite (even if the admissions secretary is busy and doesn't have time for your request).
* Be yourself (pretending to be something you're not will quickly surface in these informal
conversations…and being yourself is the only way to ensure consistency across conversations and
interviews).
* Be positive (even if you hate sales, you can't deny that this is essentially what you are doing –
selling yourself to the school…and the only way to get them to accept you is to convey the fact that
you think positively of yourself).

I only have one tip for the interview: it's a not a good time to verify something that is not very
positive about the school. Be very enthusiastic about and committed to the program.
I found that interviews conducted by MBA program staffs were much more thoughtful and
professional than the student interviews (UNC and William & Mary did this, others did not). Most
of the interviews were structured to extract a common set of information from an applicant: what
are you doing, what do you want to do, why does an MBA from here make sense for you, and how
are you different from the masses? For this reason, the exercise of writing a personal statement prior
to going on interviews can be highly beneficial for candidates in terms of thinking through the key
points they wish to convey.
Successful Interview Preparation - For Any School
Use these interviews as a chance to learn more about yourself and why you want an MBA. If you
can't answer that question, you won't do well in the interviews. Be sure that you want to go to the
school requesting an interview. And finally, you are going to earn a degree that will make you a
strong business professional, be sure you act that way in the interviews.

Look at the interview as a chance for you and the school to see if you will fit together. The
interviewer has completed the experience and can relate in many ways how the school worked for
them and their career. Liken the interview as a chance to be yourself while at dinner with your future
in-laws.
I recommend mock interviewing with an alumnus of the school you are applying to before your
interview. This person will tell you special inside things you cannot pick up from browsing through
the school's brochure. There are acronyms and social pieces that only a relatively recent alumnus will
be able to relate.

I interviewed with four different schools and each school had a distinct approach and interview
process. One school interviewed every applicant regardless of qualifications and left it up to you to
schedule an interview be it on campus or by phone with a staff member or in person with an
alumnus from a list they provided. Another school grants interviews after a paper cut, but you could
bypass waiting for a paper cut and simply schedule an on-campus interview with an alumnus via
their website. The third school interviewed anyone who met the minimum requirements then
assigned you an alumni if you opted for an off campus interview on the application. The last school,
the one that I am attending, did a deep paper cut and offered interviews only to their top prospects.
They assign you an admissions officer for an on campus interview and you schedule it through a
special Web site they set up.
The whole point of the interview is to expand on your paper application and for them to get a better
idea of your personality. It is also an opportunity for you to get a better feel of the school or at least
the personality of its students and to ask questions. On campus interviews are definitely far more
formal, regardless of whether they are with an alumnus or an admissions officer. Full professional
dress is required and it feels similar to a job interview. Off campus interviews are a lot more relaxed
including the dress requirements (but always double check this ahead of time - better safe than
sorry). One alumni interviewer even said he would knock you on the review he writes up if you
showed up in a suit! The questions also vary a lot. I thought the questions with the admissions
officer were the easiest, probably because he had thoroughly reviewed my application and was
involved in the process while the alumni are not as engaged and either only do a cursory glance of
your application, if they even get to see it, or not at all. Some interviews required me to bring up to
date resumes.
· If you have a choice, go for an off campus interview with an alumnus. It is more relaxed and
allows for greater flexibility for you to guide the interview in a way that best reflects the strengths of
your application.
· Prepare a list of three key points you want to get across about yourself and your background. This
will allow you to focus and if you stumble on a question you can just go back to your key points.
· Arrive early so you are not in a rush and have time to park and get to the right place.
· Put a checklist of everything you need in your car so that you do not forget anything.
· Smile and relax. You want to make a good impression without being too anxious or stressed out.
· Bring updated resumes to EVERY interview. Sometimes they lose or never receive it from the
school. This also shows that you are prepared

It seems the basic purpose of going through the interview is to know you more from your own self,
in addition to the information you already provide in the application. So the questions generally
asked are pretty normal and common questions like, "Tell me more about yourself", "What are your
career goals and how does an MBA fit into them?” "Why this specific MBA program?" "[Tell us
about your previous work experience", etc. But the more important point is that this is probably
your last chance to make an impact, and you really need to make the most out of it. So, one should
really drive the interview discussion towards highlighting their main strengths, past experience, and
strong reasons for "why an MBA fits in to your career path", and "why this school is the best"
related aspects. At the same time, it's very important that the interview does not contradict the
application and essays. Some points related specifically to international applicants: 1) Generally, the
interviews are conducted over the phone, so please ensure that the quality of the phone line is very
good when you are being interviewed; its better to reconnect the phone line if there is voice
disturbance, rather than carrying on the conversation. Yes, it's small, but [still] a very important
point, and I have gone through it! 2) If you have scheduled your phone interview some time back,
then it's good to remind the interviewer and confirm with him/her a day or two before [the
interview]. There is a chance that he/she might have forgotten about it and therefore might not have
looked at your application before the interview. Yes, this also happens! 3) Just be relaxed and be
who you actually are; this helps the most.

Three TIPS to Prepare for Student Interviews:
Tip 1: Always plan to arrive 15 minutes early. Parking at some campuses can be difficult and most of
the time you will need to obtain a parking pass and go back out to your car to place it in your
window. (Usually the MBA program office can help validate and suggest parking locations.)
Tip 2: Come prepared with questions. Before you go, make sure you have a list of at least five
questions prepared for admissions, professors, and students. Most likely you will interact with all of
them during your interview, so be prepared with a couple of questions.
Tip 3: Check the MBA programs Web site the day before your interview. Just like a job interview,
you need to be prepared and know about any recent events affecting the school, the program, or
admissions updates, etc.
Everyone I've spoken to has his or her own 'war stories' from his or her graduate school interviews.
Personally, mine weren't quite so bad. I think the main reason I was able to walk away from my
interviews with my head up high is because I walked into both of my interviews with the attitude
that they should be convincing me to come to their school, not the other way around. This is not to
say that my scores on my GMAT or my GPA were extraordinarily high. It's just to say that a level of
confidence is necessary in communicating well with the interviewer.
Since my undergraduate experiences at job interviews I have always found that one little trick would
always help me relax in an interview setting. When I walk into a room (or a hotel lobby where one of
my recent grad school interviews took place), I found myself sitting with a complete stranger. This
person knew me on paper, but not yet 'in person'. Thus, my trick was always to first break down that
stranger barrier. I looked the interviewer in the eye and created a personal bond. There really isn't a
true way to explain how do achieve this, and there's no secret formula, it's just best to take it as it
comes. However, once you find that bond, a certain confidence always seemed to run through me
that strengthened my interview.
In my own experiences, my interviews were with assistant directors of admission. On my first

interview, my interviewer asked me to explain why it was that I was interested in their program over
others. Luckily, I had just been at an information session about their program the day before and
was pretty well versed in their primary focuses. This brings me to an important point. Almost every
MBA program will have a focus on one or two business areas (i.e., Finance, Investment Banking,
International Business, Marketing, etc.). You should always have a clear understanding of which
business area they focus on before the interview, and make it clear that you are either interested in
one of those areas, or know about it, but still like the program for other reasons. The program truly
did match my educational objectives and so it was easy for me to honestly explain that what
appeared to be to the main focus of their program was what excited me about attending. Basically, I
made it known that I had done my due diligence and was aware of what they're truly selling.
Interviewers always responded positively when I mentioned those points.
Another question that I heard at both interviews was a request to list my three strengths and three
weaknesses (I also got this one at job interviews a while back). The former part was usually pretty
easy (albeit embarrassing), but the latter was the part I always found difficult. On the one hand, I
would stress over how to answer the questions without sound like I was superman (with no faults),
and on the other hand I didn't want to sound like a total flop. After thinking the question over, my
answer stuck to professional faults including one that I would seek to correct through my
educational opportunities at their school.
Overall, I think the best advice one could take regarding entering an interview is to make sure he or
she brings the following three things with them to the interview. Confidence that they should want
you, a very positive attitude about how excited you are that their program is a possibility, and
knowledge about their program to show them that you've done your due diligence and are applying
for a reason.

I interviewed at six schools, and with the exception of one occasion where a member of an
admissions staff interviewed me, second-year students did the interviewing. Universally speaking, the
atmosphere was always quite relaxed and conversational. This sort of mood can reduce the
intimidation factor, but it also can invite chattiness at the expense of concision (a state of affairs that
is even worse over the phone).
Anyway, I would recommend that any prospective student schedule as many on-campus interviews
as possible. My sense is that traveling to the school and making a sound delivery creates a nice
impression, and since, as far as I could tell, most interviews are formatted similarly, practice builds
skill and presence. By that last interview, you should really know what to expect and that level of
predictability will yield some confidence. As far as the questions go, here are some commonplace
items:
- Explain how your career progression reached this point and why does an MBA make sense now?
- Explain how your past and career objectives make our school a reasonable choice?
Although those two questions seem to be the foundational parts of any interview, the remaining
time is usually spent with personal value type questions or (more consistently) standard job interview
questions in the mold of, "Recall a situation when..." An interview will last between 30 and 45
minutes.

Interview Notification/ Initial Preparation:
Upon receiving notification of my first interview (Chicago GSB) I pulled together a list of generic
possible questions from various sites.
First prepared generic answers for each school and then when preparing for a specific interview I
went through all questions and prepared specific answers that highlighted aspects of my application
for that school and the story/persona I was portraying (i.e., For Wharton I highlighted my
international experiences, for Sloan my creativity, etc.) Although I had similar stories for each
school, I emphasized different aspects for certain schools.
Here is a list of my generic questions:

General Questions
1. Walk me through your resume, starting with undergrad.
2. Discuss your career progression.
3. Describe an ethical dilemma faced at work.
4. What would you do if not accepted?
5. What are your long- and short-term goals? Why?
Why MBA & Why X Questions

1. Why do you want an MBA?
2. Why School X? 3. Why now?
4. What would X do for you that no other MBA program can?
5. What would you concentrate in at X?
6. What do you want to do after you have an MBA?
7. What clubs and activities would you get involved in at X?
8. What will you contribute to X?
9. Which two qualities would you want me to highlight in the interview report?
10. What would you do at X?
Describe You
1. After your two years at X, what would your classmates remember you by?
2. How would your workmates describe you?
3. How would your friends and family describe your personality?
4. If two managers were discussing you, what would they be saying?
General Questions About You and Your Experiences

1. Tell me about a time you faced conflict and how you resolved it.
2. What role do you usually take in a team setting?
3. Tell me about a time when you exhibited leadership.
4. What do you do for fun?
5. How do you work in teams?
6. How would your coworkers describe your leadership style?
7. What would your colleagues miss least about you?
8. What makes you unique?
9. Tell me about a team experience that was a failure.
10. Tell me about a standout academic experience.
11. Tell me an important thing that you learnt from your work and school experiences.
12. Tell me about a situation in your professional career where you solved an important problem.
13. What do you do outside of work?
14. What do you want to do in your career?
15. What contributions would you make to a group?
16. Name three words or phrases to describe yourself to others.
17. What do you do to relieve stress?
18. How do you define success?
Weakness Questions
1. What will the adcoms see as your weakness?
2. What areas do you need to develop?
3. What are the weaknesses in your application?
4. What are your developmental needs?
Concluding Questions
1. Do you have any questions?
2. What else should the adcoms know about you?
3. Have I asked you everything? What would you want me to ask that I haven't yet?
4. What do you want to tell me/discuss that we haven't covered or you were unable to cover in your
application?
Offbeat Questions
1. If you could go anywhere on a vacation or a holiday for a day and there were no constraints
(monetary as well), where would you go?
2. What is an important trend in technology?
Questions to Ask
1. Quote a comment that you read about the school in an article like "X tries to increase the average
GMAT". Ask the interviewer about how the school plans to increase the GMAT and what is the
rationale behind it (make sure that you ask the question pertaining to that school, don't ask about X
if you are not interviewing for X).
2. How strong is the alumni network of the school?
3. What are the events that alumni organize?
4. How strong is the alumni network in your country (if you are an international student)?
5. What kind of partnerships does the school have with other business schools?
6. How strong is the association of the school with the parent University?
7. Can you take courses at other schools in the university (like school of engineering, etc.)?
8. What is the ratio of tenured to visiting faculty?
9. Does the school have chaired professors and centers for advanced studies in topic of your
interest?
10. Any tips on housing in the city and things to do outdoors in the area?

A few tips on interviewing include the following:
Before the interview:
1. Make sure you know the most important information about the school. Read the school's
brochures, but remember that they are essentially marketing tools.
2. Contact students, especially the ones studying your intended major. Get a feel for their level of
satisfaction with the program. What would they change, if anything? What has been their
experience? What is the environment like? Is it a cutthroat or cooperative environment?
3. Contact professors in your intended concentration(s).
4. Know your interviewer. If your interviewer attended an MBA program, this can help you in
asking interesting questions. Why did he or she attend the program? How would life have been like
without the degree? What has he or she accomplished as a result of having the degree?
5. The interviewer will probably request a copy of your resume. Keep it as short as possible. At
Washington University, for instance, a one-page format is used.
During the interview:

1. Do not ask questions that can be answered by the school brochures and application materials.
2. If you have a concern over some aspect of your application, don't be afraid to raise it. Ask what
you can do to improve it.
3. Present yourself in the best possible light, but by no means embellish your accomplishments.
Interviewers can see right through people who do so.
4. Make eye contact. You don't have to necessarily look at your interviewer 100 percent of the time,
but make as much eye contact as possible without making the other person uncomfortable.
5. Treat the interview as if you were interviewing for a job. Do not trash former employers and
make all sorts of excuses. People don't care about your excuses and trashing other people is
extremely unprofessional.
6. Do not talk your interviewer's ears off.
After the interview:

1. Write a thank you note or letter to your interviewer as soon as possible.
2. If you have met and spoken to other admissions representatives, write to them as well. Your notes
and/or letters are sent to your file and are considered when your application is reviewed.

I applied to six schools and interviewed with five of them. Three were on campus, one on the
phone, and one at a central location for both the interviewer and myself. By far, the best interviews
were on campus. While the phone interview went well, what I enjoyed about the campus interviews
was the opportunity to see the school in action.
Interestingly, each of the campus interviews was different. At one, I interviewed with a second-year
student who had my resume in front of him, but was unfamiliar with my application. We had a great
conversation, and the interview felt less like an interrogation and more like two friends catching up.
We spoke about my goals, why I had applied to their school (always a big question), where I saw
myself after graduation, and he asked the big question, why now? I have three years of professional
experience, and will be one of the youngest, I'm told. He wanted to make sure I had clear goals, and
that he was able to convey those goals back to the Admissions Committee. After we spoke for
nearly an hour, he then showed me around the facilities, and made sure that I understood the
process from that point on.
At another, I interviewed with a professional staff member who was again familiar with my resume
but not my application. She asked very direct questions but did not ask for any elaboration. While I
felt my answers were solid, I did not feel like she was interested in learning who I was, only what I
had to offer academically. She gave me a brief tour of their facilities, and then I was able to sit in on
a class. And this was definitely worthwhile! I thoroughly enjoyed the faculty member, in addition to
the other students, and was able to ask a lot of questions. If possible, I highly recommend sitting in
on a class!
The last interview on campus was very relaxed. The interviewer was a second-year student who had
thoroughly reviewed my resume. He asked very direct questions but then wanted to hear what I had
to say. Most of the questions related to my experience, my professional goals, my interest in their
program, and why I felt I was a good candidate for the program. He toured me around and made
sure to explain the rest of the process. I left with a full understanding of what to expect.
Overall, my interview experience was positive. I don't have any horror stories, but I do have some
recommendations. Know yourself, know the program, know your goals, and be able to discuss any
of these things. Even if you are a confident interviewer, practice ahead of time. I am fairly confident
in interviews, but would rehearse in my head and to friends. It helped me to clarify ahead of time
what I wanted them to know about me. While the interview is only a portion of the process, it can
certainly hurt you if you have not already clarified your goals. And if you list certain goals in an
application, make sure you remain consistent. You want to leave the school with the most positive
impression possible, so be prepared!
Now, where did I end up? Where I felt the most comfortable, at the interview first described. And
while the interview certainly didn't make my decision, my interactions with the students and faculty
left an impression. And when it came time to decide, those interactions did become a factor.

My words of wisdom to applicants would be to ask questions about the interview process before the
interview itself. I had asked the admissions office who I would be speaking with, how long to expect
the interview to last, what I was expected to wear, etc. I also asked if they would want me to bring
any materials with me and could they give me an idea of the questions they might ask. This allowed
me to arrive feeling more prepared and therefore more relaxed.

My biggest recommendation is to show enthusiasm for the school. I believe the interviewers want to
form some sort of bond with the candidate, and they want students excited about going to their
university. The worst thing a candidate can do is, show no emotion or personality. They have all of
your essays and application information, so interviews are the opportunity to show your personality
and that you are not a one-dimensional, driven to succeed, boring person. Make sure the interviewer
knows you want to go to that B-school.
Simple as that sounds, I think it is important that they see your desire to attend that particular
school. I think many candidates can give off the air of indifference, probably unintentionally, which
will kill an interview. Interview with the same emotion for your third choice school as your first
choice school.

The interviews usually start with asking the interviewee to do a brief self-introduction or requiring
[the interviewee] to answer questions like "why our program?" A few interviewers began the
conversation with some casual topics like weather, transportation, or local food.
The interviewers placed emphasis on observing one's language and communications skills from the
conversation, so you should appear to be relaxed and show strong self-confidence. The content of
your answer may not necessarily be the most important part, according to my experience, as the
interviewers already have good knowledge of you from the application materials such as your essays.
Don't recite pre-written answers -- that will lead people to think you are incapable of communicating
well -- but DO take a look at newspapers before you head for the interview.
Being aware of what's happening outside will give you a hand sometimes. In one of the interviews I
attended, the professor suddenly asked me "What are the major stories on the front page of today's
Asian Wall Street Journal?" I survived successfully because I had the habit of reading business
newspapers everyday. And sometimes the interviewer will throw some unexpected questions to
measure your analytical capability and the horizon of your views. For example, two of the
interviewers asked for my views on some recent breaking news such as "blasts in universities" and
"leadership change and government restructuring in China". So keeping an eye on the outside world
will help you to be well prepared for your interviews.
One of the interviews I attended had a fresh method to observe the applicants' capabilities. The
interviewers invited eight candidates, who were strangers to each other, to participate in a group
interview. They divided us into two teams and gave each team five minutes to discuss the same topic
before the debate between the teams started. A successful debate requires the participants to have
acute thinking, abundant knowledge, and most important of all, the spirit of teamwork. But some of
the applicants in our debate only paid attention to their self-performance with lengthy speeches and
neglected the cooperation with his or her partners. The behavior exposed their lack of awareness of
team building, which is an important aspect to evaluate one's capability. As a consequence, poor
teamwork led to a relatively low score for the team's performance as a whole.

Nowadays, interviews weigh more and more when schools select MBA students. Some schools even
make interviews a necessary part of the admission process. Here, as an international student, I would
like to share my experience with telephone interviews. Although alumni interviews are also said to
be available outside of the U.S., the admission office usually conducts the interview because
everyone trusts his judgment more than others'.
In all kinds of interviews, including school interviews, preparation is the key to success. First of all,
you need to clarify the purpose of the school interview. It is clear that you have already raised some
interest via your application material and landed in the "potential" pool. Now the school wants to
further confirm if you are the right person by asking for an interview.
Drawing from experience attained during job interviews, imagine you are the director of the
admission office. What would you want to get from such an interview? The answer is obvious. You
would want to verify, in an interactive way, what kind of person the interviewee is. You want to
know about their motivation to join the school and enthusiasm about the program. You would also
judge their ability to understand and their ability to express themselves, especially in English.
Based on the above analysis and considering the time limit of telephone interview (usually varying
from 10 to 30 minutes), I worked out a simple list of questions. I separated the questions into two
parts: First, the basic questions asked by almost all schools; second, the optional questions
depending on the school's culture and special requirements.
Basic questions:
1. Why do you choose our school or why do you choose our program?
2. What is your plan after graduation?
3. Do you have any questions about us?
Optional questions:
1. Why do you think you can benefit from our program? And vice versa.
2. What do you think your strengths are?
3. What do your friends think about you? What is their opinion of you?
4. How do you spend your leisure time?
Understanding the interviewer's intention and having these questions at hand, you can be more
oriented in your preparation. The following suggested steps will help expand your answers and help
your poise during the interview:
1. Review and study the information about the school. Determine the school's history, culture and
academic strength. Even its location can determine the type of talent the school wants to attract, and
may influence your success of being admitted. When interviewed, you can summarize your strong
points and aim them at the strengths or weaknesses of the program and make the school believe
your can bring special value to them.
2. Know all you can about the interviewer. You can find his/her information on the interview
invitation letter and the school Web site. Usually, the interview is conducted by the Director or
Assistant Director of the admission office. The position, character, and preferences of your
interviewer should affect the way you answer questions. For example, you are asked how you spend
your leisure time and you answer that you like reading, thinking and discussing business, philosophy,
and psychological issues. Your answer can result in very different responses. An interviewer who is
social and dynamic might think you are too quiet and may develop a negative opinion because you
do not take part in community activities. On the other hand, for an interviewer who is serious and
reflective, he/she might think that you are thoughtful and penetrating and that you are adept at
strategy planning. So when interviewed, you need to adjust the focus of your answers dependent on
your interviewer's interests.
3. Review your application package. In fact, most questions the interviewer asks have been asked as
your essay questions. So what you need to do is to sum up the points in your essays and deliver
them in a simple but vigorous way. Moreover, you can integrate your latest experience to impress
the school by your persistent sincerity to join the program. To guarantee your answers are
consistent, you should read through the whole package again before the interview since it has been
at least two months since you handed in your application material.
4. Practice your listening and spoken English. Telephone interviews present a challenge to us
international students, because we cannot reap the benefit of gestures. To make the interview
smoother, you should dive into the English world for some time, watching English TV shows and
chatting with foreign friends in English. Both can help you get used to the language environment
during the interview.
If you have done all the above work, you can be proud to say that you are ready for a school
interview. But not just at any time. Time selection can also be a factor for your success. The
interview is your last opportunity to leave a good impression. You must embrace it, to reveal the
best of yourself. So don't hesitate to ask for rescheduling if the given time is not convenient. You
should try to book an interview time after you have arranged your work and are well rested so that
we can be in a refreshed and energetic condition during the interview.
Finally, a principle to remember during the interview: Be concise, focus, and be sensitive. Due to a
time limit, both sides, the interviewer and interviewee, will get on track after the first greeting. You
should use simple wording and short sentences to keep the interviewer's attention or he/she may get
bored and impatient. Stimulate the atmosphere with a lively voice and an occasional enthusiastic
giggle if appropriate (i.e. Smile with your heart). This is essential to creating a good impression on
the telephone. Furthermore, you should be able to sense through the interviewer's voice, rather than
eye contact or facial expression, his/her reaction to your answers and make appropriate adjustments
quickly. In a word, you need to convey to the interviewer, in no more than 30 minutes, that you are
the person he/she is looking for.
I accepted telephone interviews with Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University,
and Arizona State University. The above is what I have done and learned from those experiences.

All but one of my interviews took place with alumni interviewers either in Australia or Singapore.
Every interview was fair and straightforward, and each lasted between 45 minutes and an hour and a
half. I wasn't given any trick questions (at least that I know of!), but each interview did go into some
degree of depth about by past experiences, future aspirations, and my general interests and activities
outside of work or school.
In preparing for B-school interviews, every applicant should be able to walk an interviewer through
his or her resume, not only explaining accomplishments and job responsibilities, but also describing
how decisions were made and how aspects of the experience fit into the candidate's overall personal
and career progression. Nothing is more important to a successful B-school interview than having a
clear idea of one's trajectory from the time of choosing a college until five years after graduation
from an MBA program. Clearly describing a coherent career path leading to a distinct destination,
while demonstrating the importance of gaining an MBA to achieve that end, is necessary if the
interview is to be successful. And be sure to throw in a couple of interesting or humorous asides and
anecdotes, the interviewers want to hear your story, not just a bullet-point list of why you are the
best applicant.
The reality of my interview experience was that it was very standardized and clear-cut. One needs to
be prepared for all of the usual top-50 interview questions: what are your strengths, weaknesses,
proudest moments, biggest failures, greatest challenges, and most prominent achievements. If an
interviewee is confident, prepared, and relaxed, she will do well. If an interviewee can be herself and
can tell a unique and compelling story, she will stand out.
IMS Student interview experiences

RSM 2006
1) Tell me about your background
2) why MBA
3) Why RSM
4) why not local MBA
5) which other schools have you applied
6) If you are looking at Banking and Finance, why don’t you go for LBS
7) what have you learnt from your job
After this, I was given a case study. The interviewer read out a business problem associated with
employees accepting gifts from suppliers.
I was happy that for a short time he made me a CEO :-)
I was asked to formulate pros and cons of this problem and was asked what policy will I come out
with. I was grilled a lot over this case study. He kept asking questions.
Babson 2006
It was basically a pretty short interview...about 30 minutes only...
Career Goals short term n long term / WHY MBA / WHY Babson / leadership instance /
teamwork instance / how will I add diversity to the incoming class and what will be my
contributions / some specific Qs about my resume...that’s all... very standard Qs basically
Smeal 2006
My Smeal interview went pretty good. It was quite long around 45 minutes and was conducted by a
person named David Linze. A pretty senior guy. The prep material you provided really helped me a
lot.
Some questions that I remember are:
1. How did you get your first job/ Why did you chose Wipro.
2. Tell me about what you are doing now
3. If I were to ask your colleagues to describe you, what would be their response?
4. Describe an incident when you were finding it difficult to motivate yourself to do some
work and one instance when you were excited about work
5. Tell me about some person from your team you had difficulty dealing with.
6. Leadership experience
7. What you do for recreation
8. Which other schools.
He was quite friendly and warm.
Vanderbilt 2006
Had my Vanderbilt Interview today. I received a call from Dan Warner approximately 5 minutes
after my scheduled time. He started with a greeting and asked me as to whether I had the time to
speak for around 30 minutes. After I assured him that I did, he went ahead and started the interview.
He asked me whether I had a chance to visit U.S, and told me to visit the school if I come along. He
was satisfied when I told him that I met one of the current students at Vanderbilt during coffee-
break session in Mumbai.
He started of by telling me that he had my resume with him and wanted to know about my career
progression after my graduate degree. I told him about it. He further confirmed with me that my
M.COM degree was part time and was completed along with my full-time work experience at
Citigroup.
After that he moved on to my team-skills. He asked me what specific qualities would I bring to any
team. Secondly he asked me as to if I were to lead a team and select the members myself, what
specific qualities would I look forward in a group. Later on, he moved on to my leadership skills,
asked me about my leadership style and scenarios where in I was challenged as a Leader.
The discussion was quite casual and relaxed. He later asked me about ethical dilemmas I must have
faced up to now, and gave me an example of Enron and WorldCom. He then asked me as to when
did I decide to go for an MBA and why Vanderbilt University. After that he asked me about the type
of jobs I would like to have immediately after my MBA and my dream job in the long run. He also
asked me whether I wanted to work in US or would seek employment elsewhere.
He later on specifically asked me what other Universities I had applied to. Then he asked me
whether I had any questions about the program. I asked him about the Mod System in greater detail,
which he explained. I also asked him whether I was eligible to waive off some core courses owing to
my Business academic background, and he assured me that I could. He further told me that he
hadn’t reviewed my application in totality and would do so only after the interview. He told me that
the applications were very competitive this year and it was essential that I had put on my application
in a very positive manner, which I assured him that I did. He then told me that it was nice speaking
with me and they would get back to me.
The interview lasted for exactly 25 minutes.
UNC Kenan Flagler

Duration: 30 min Interviewer: Admissions committee member.
Blind Interview - she explained me the admission process at UNC. 2 members read the application
and a third member conducts blind interview. She specifically asked me if I want to highlight
anything from my essays because she had not gone through the file.
Started from my resume with my engineering background - almost 10 minutes on my diverse work
experience, which I believe I was able to highlight well. She was appreciating the work experience (I
came to know her background later)....and yes, the expected reference to "conflict" handling also.
Then, about my career aspirations....and to my surprise it was very brief....I explained why
MBA.....then I came on why UNC on my own but she was prompt in cutting my answer there
saying that UNC is strong in consulting. Not a word more on that. Never touched on my long term
career goals.
After my interview I came to know her profile - solid HR and consulting experience - I believe that's
the reason my Resume was handed over to her. And now I am wondering, did I give some HR
fundas to her in the interview??
Anyways...after cutting my answer and adding that UNC is strong on consulting, she switched
to personal - "tell me something about you as an individual" - which was ok....I told her my family
background and my involvement in sports - how it has an impact on my life and stuff like that! Then
she asked about few more things from my resume from additional information section. And that's it
- over in neat 25 minutes.
My turn for questions....I tried my best to show that I know in-depth about UNC because I was
never given a chance to stress why UNC....asked 2 questions and time to say goodbye! full 30
minutes.
YALE 2006
IN THE TAXI EN ROUTE TO BARISTA
Chitchat: So… What do you do?

I’m working in Central Listing Authority. This is a part of SEBI. So you are in a regulatory body!
Yes. Initially CLA was conceived as a separate body but we noticed that SEBI, which was reporting
to the parliament, did not have the power to delegate its authority so later it was made a part of
SEBI with full functional autonomy. It is not yet operational and we are trying to get it running by
April.
I passed out in 2001 from Yale. I know I have seen your name in the Yale Website. Really? I am
surprised in what context was it? It was against some extra curricular activity. Oh While we were
there we had formed a Leaders Forum for South Asia to bring in prominent business leaders from
Asia so that those who want to network can do that and also look for opportunities here. Is this part
of the regular Yale Leaders Forum or separate? This one is separate with an exclusive south Asia
focus. It was not doing well then but I heard that it has picked up now.
With the Indian economy coming in to prominence naturally everyone will be now interested in
India. Sure this place is going to grow really fast now.
So what exactly do u do in office… like the nature of your work?
I am right working on reviewing capital market regulations on listing. There are certain guidelines for
listing of securities on stock exchanges we at CLA are trying to review these guidelines and improve
it. It’s a long drawn out process so we approach it part by part. The entire process works like this…
the operations department goes through the regulations, we consult stock exchanges, merchant
bankers and others involved finally we draw up our recommendations for changes in the regulations.
Once we recommend changes it goes before a High-level committee with members like Deepak
Parekh of HDFC, members from FCCI, ministry of finance, SEBI and CLA: the committee reviews
the recommendations before forwarding it to the SEBI Board. Only when the SEBI board approves
the changes does it become law. It’s quite a time consuming process, which can go as long as 4-5
months. I understand, when you are changing regulations and rules u can’t afford to make mistakes.
Yes absolutely… cause 1 mistake and the impact will be too wide and costly for the industry.
How long have you been in Mumbai? A little over three years. Where are you from originally?
Kerala. Where in Kerala? Cochin. It’s close to the tip of India right? How far is it from the tip of the
Indian peninsula? 200 miles or 300 kilometers.
OUTSIDE BARISTA
Are you Ok with this place? I am not very familiar with Mumbai. This place should be all right. Its
not crowded at this time.
INSIDE BARISTA
I will now tell you about Yale and how my experience was there.
2 minutes he was telling about Yale the class, specializations, advantages etc
Now tell me why do you want to do an MBA now?
Indian economy to get in to an explosive growth phase in another 10 years
My long-term objective is to start a venture capital fund by this time and make use of the
opportunities
Working with SEBI for last 3 years.
Have expertise in legalities on capital market.
Have interacted with investment bankers extensively.
I was interested in finance right from college and find the investment banker’s work very interesting.
An MBA can prepare me for an international career in investment banking especially in corporate
finance.
I am particularly interested in corporate finance because the work I do there will give me the skills,
which will come handy when I start a venture fund.
Why Yale? I mean why not Harvard or Wharton?

Yale has a long-standing reputation, which ensures that you attract the best students that too from
very diverse backgrounds.
The faculty is very renowned and is regarded exceptional in academic circles.
Small class size together with outstanding students with diverse background gives the opportunity
for more interaction and an intense learning opportunity. This is especially important for me because
during my college days I was not exposed to a wider audience. My class was very homogeneous. At
Yale I expect to compensate my lack of international exposure with the opportunity for interaction.
Again Yale has a solid reputation in finance. With my primary interest in finance Yale is a natural
choice. The close ties with the financial industry that Yale has will give the opportunity for closer
interaction.
If I ask your superior officer about you what might be the first thing that comes to his mind?
Dependability
Team managing skills
What is your weakness?
Generally before I set a target I take time to make up my mind. But once I have set my priorities I
just don’t give up. This may sound fine but has its serious vulnerabilities. Because many times I end
up chasing targets which are not worthy of the effort to achieve it.
But when you decide a goal or target you would be doing a feasibility study. Once such a study is
done what is the need to re-look at the goals?
See when we do a feasibility study, we take certain parameters in to consideration which we thing
have a bearing on the outcome of the situation. So essentially the result of the feasibility study is
dependent on the parameters we take in to consideration. Even after the most comprehensive study
you may find that half way through a new factor turns up which has an influence on the result. If it’s
an obstacle the general approach is to circumvent it and rush towards the goal but the cost or effort
required to reach the goal changes here. Sometimes considering the new scenario it may be better to
set a different target as the previous target might become expensive in terms of cost or effort. So it
always best to reconsider the target or goal after taking the new factor in to consideration than
bulldozing you way through.
Hmm makes perfect sense.
How do you define leadership?

I would say leadership is a combination of various qualities. Clarity of vision is a primary
requirement. A clear idea of the goal. Then he should be able to communicate his vision to others.
Its like… I have a dream, I should be able to communicate it to others in a way that inspires them to
follow me or join me in an endeavor to achieve it. That gets you rolling. But obstacles will normally
come your way. The true leader will have the determination to see through any adversity. So
essentially it’s a vision, ability to inspire others and the determination to keep struggling till the goal
is achieved that makes a leader. Say look at Hitler or Gandhi Both are leaders in their own right,
both managed to inspire millions of people … you will find that these qualities were pre dominant in
them.
Can you narrate how you exhibited leadership some time in your career?
In office I have been given the task of reviewing regulations many times. When guidelines are
reviewed it’s a team of officers from various departments like legal, surveillance, investigation etc
who sit together to review regulations. Now each officer comes with a unique perspective of how
things are to be done. After a while things tend to loose focus with arguments getting nowhere. In
such situations I’ve tried to keep the teams focus on the final objective and push them.
Its like u tell them hey guys we r going now where. Look this is what has to be done. Now what
does it take to get us there? Gradually a solution unravels.
What do you do outside office?

Mainly yoga and tutoring. I have been practicing yoga since the last 8 years and still practice it daily.
On weekends I tutor school students. While I was in undergraduate classes I use to teach a lot of
students but here I am helping only a few mainly since the time you can devote to this is limited.
Say given an additional free day every week what would you do?
I’ll try to find some time for a game of football or cricket and I might increase the number of
students I tutor, as more time is available.
While tutoring do you have to discipline them?

Well not quite. They are a very restless bunch… both the kids I teach, but I never had to get in to
serious disciplining with them. The trouble while teaching them is to get their attention in to
problem solving. The come with a mental block that math is very tough I can’t do it… attitude. No
amount of force can cajole them out of it. Generally what I do is shown them a short cut first.. Say
for 25 x 25 its 5x5=25 on the right and 2x3= 6 on the left giving 625. It’s easier to teach them the
regular way once they have some fun with short cuts.
Normally these are the questions they ask for interview… So you are absolutely certain you want to
do an MBA?
Yes. An MBA fits perfectly in to my plans. My long-term objective is to start a venture fund. Now I
have to build the skills required for it as I progress forward. An MBA followed with a career in
Investment banking especially in corporate finance area structuring deals etc. will gradually help me
acquire the skills and expertise for starting a venture fund.
Now you can ask me any questions? You don’t have to ask if you don’t have any?
I’ve heard that the first year is very intense. How was your experience?
First four months was tough and you get to sleep little but then it’s a breeze. He was talking on
general advantages of the class and his experience he mentioned that there is lots of scope of extra
curricular activities.
I’ve seen the list of clubs for various interest groups on the website it’s a huge list. Yes there is
plenty of opportunity for extra curricular activities. Also if you want to take additional courses in
Yale University say school of law or medicine you can do that too. Yale has a very strong under
graduate program simply terrific.
How active is the alumni?
We don’t have a large alumni pool as you know the program is small. But what lacks in size is made
up otherwise. I got my internship and my job through alumni only. They are very helpful.
You have applied to the second deadline right? Yes the Jan 13 Deadline. Last week they send me a
mail asking if I could interview you. Now I have to send them a report on your interview, which I
will do next week itself. This will form a part of your application the remaining will be your acads,
GMAT and recommendations.
When are the results due? End of March.

Good to meet you. I have to rush now. You have my phone number right? And my e-mail? Keep in
touch. Feel free to contact me for anything related to Yale or otherwise.
RSM: 2006
Duration: 30 minutes
To start with, the interviewer described the format of the interview. He said he wanted to gauge my
English proficiency and career interests.
1) Discuss your career progression to date
2) How do you see yourself developing in your current role?
3) How does an MBA fit in this?
4) Would you join Honeywell after an RSM MBA?
5) Would you stay in Europe for work after the MBA?
6) How have you demonstrated leadership in Honeywell?
7) How have you handled teammates when they don’t live up to the expectations?
8) How will your team members describe your leadership style? On which aspect should you
improve in line with that?
9) Are you a team player? Elaborate
10) How would an RSM MBA help you improve your leadership skills?
11) How do you see yourself around 30 years of age?
12) Why McKinsey?
13) The program is very intense in RSM. How do you expect to handle it?
14) Do you play cricket? (He was explaining about cricket in Holland and got my thoughts on the
game)
15) What are the other schools you are applying to?
16) Any questions from your side? (I had a couple of queries)
UNC
Tell me about your background
Which part of your job do/did you enjoy the most
Leadership experience at HPCL / Honeywell
What do you plan to do after 5 years post MBA?
Why did you strove to achieve this much - like IIT, job at HPCL/Honeywell - what was the
motivation
What will you do if you are given one day off from office?
Why UNC
Notre dam Mendoza:

Some of the questions they asked are:
1. Why MBA at this point in time?
2. Why Mendoza?
3. Any conflict that occurred at your workplace and how did you resolve it?
4. Any ethical dilemma faced ever?
5. Any instance which portrays your Leadership skills?
6. Any instance which portrays your Team member skills?
7. Any question that you want the admissions committee to answer?
Notre dam Mendoza:
1. Why MBA and why now?
2. Why Notre Dame?
3. A leadership experience you are most proud of?
4. A leadership experience where you had a bitter experience? (I narrated an undergrad exp.)
5. An ethical dilemma you faced?
6. An instance of teamwork at your workplace?
7. Walk me through your resume.
Katz
• Your style of Leadership

• Your idea of working in a team
• What do you do outside work
• Why an international MBA
• Will you choose to work in USA or go back to India
• Your short and long term goals
ISB
To start with if anyone tells me ISB takes very normal and stress free interviews I beg to differ from
them. This is how my interview went
There were only 2 people on the panel and both above 45 and from the college itself.
One panelist was extremely good to talk with and only asked me 3 questions that too about Malahar.
There was only one question asked to me about my gaming background and that too for a case
study.
I was asked, "How would I got about launching an online education gaming site"
I answered by saying things like I would do a survey, split it into 2 TG etc.
However the rest of the questions stumped me.
I was asked
"What do you do after work"
I answered that family, friends, soccer and basketball.
This one panelist grilled me on Basketball.
I was asked "Where I play" "Does the basket ball bounce the same in all courts" "Which is a more
strategic game basketball, football or Cricket"
The best part is before I could answer any question completely I was cut off.
WARWICK
The q's were phrased in a different manner but carried the same essence.
• With such a good profile why are you looking for an MBA?
• Why Warwick?
• What would you plan to do post MBA?
• What are your alternative strategies if you do not get admissions in any b school?
• What do you bring to Warwick?
• Relate any incidence of conflict within your team and how did you resolve it?
• What kind of opportunities your current job as a consultant offers you where you are able to
reflect your leadership qualities?
• What are the business development challenges do you foresee in your present consulting
practice and how do you intend to resolve it?
• Why did you not opt for an MBA from India?
• What are the sacrifices that you are willing to make to pursue your MBA?
Q's that I asked,
• Are there any awards given to outstanding students and what is your selection criteria?
• Will this interview be a precursor to a scholarship decision as well?
• Any feedback that you would like to give me?
One innovation that I used:

I was a little nervous with the first Q's so I asked the faculty to call back again (subtly citing
inaudibility) which he gladly did, giving me enough time to gather my nerves and my confidence.
ISB
Location: Taj Connemarra, Binny Road, Chennai, Ph. (044) 6600000
Date: 27/12/2006
Time: 19:20 PM (Last Candidate for the Interview)
Panel: Mr. I V Ranga Rao (Director – Admissions & Financial Board)
Mr. Amitesh, Admissions Office
I was assigned with a Writing Task:

Write a Paragraph (of 50 Words) on the Following Topic: BOOKS (10 Minutes)
This exercise was purely to see that whether you are the actual person who has drafted your
admission essays. Writing style is very important.
Questions:
Which types of books you read? In past what are the memorable books that you have read?
Who is your Favorite Detective?
Name an adventure of Sherlock Holmes you like most?
Kindly name the adventure?
Then, tell name of any other adventure?
The one you mentioned, is too common, like, ‘Dying Detective’ everybody knows it, name
another.
All the above Questions were related to my topic Books
Tell us about your achievements: 1 personal & 1 Professional

Why you want to come in Private Organization, and leave your prestigious position, secured
job and relaxed life.
What are the challenges you will expect in Private Organizations?
What your friends have told you about Private Organizations?
Why at the first place you chose ISRO, if you were planning for an MBA?
Can you settle with any job post-MBA?
What is a difference between a ‘Leader’ and a ‘Manager’?
Give an example of a Person who is both a ‘Leader’ and a ‘Manager’?
Any thing you want to know about ISB?
One Last Question, Have you heard about ‘Inter-Galactic Space’ too tech Question I thing
just selected for me…☺
Any other thing you like to mention about yourself?
25 – Minutes Interview
ISB
There were 3 persons in the interview panel,

• A - a lady (mid-aged, must be a faculty),
• B- two young gentlemen B and
• C - (seemed to be alumni).
A – hi xyz, where are you coming from?
A –Why, aren’t you based in xyz city?
B – when did you clear the exam?
B – so when r you planning to go back for sailing?
A – why? Even if you get admission at ISB, its 6 months from now and you can easily work for 4-5
months.
A – so money is crucial for you
M – yes, more so when I know I won’t be earning a penny for an entire year.
A –you know that b-school students always think of doing big things they might or might not be
capable of, so much so that we have to hold them back. And you say that it is your weakness that
you have low risk taking ability. What do you say?
A – ok, tell me about your background, where were you born, studied etc.
C – so you regret your decision to join xyz industry?
A – can you cite any such incident when you succeeded?
B – then why do you want to leave xyz industry and pursue mba?
B – why xyz company?
A – you have written that you took initiative to xyz …... Was it not there earlier? What happened?
C – so, you know swimming
C – do you know all the strokes of swimming and have you ever timed yourself?
C – knowing swimming must be a prerequisite for marine.
C – why, if the ship is going down, you expect those who know swimming to save you?
C –do you like traveling?
C – you must have traveled a lot; which place did you like most.
C – what do you do in your free time? I mean do you play anything?
C – do you wish to ask anything?

Georgetown:
The GT interview went on well and there were no surprise questions and I was able to
tackle all of them with ease. The questions in the GT interview are as follows
Interviewer: Monica Gray, Admissions Director

Location: World MBA Fair
Duration- 20-25 Minutes
1) Walk me through your resume and Why MBA now?
2) Long term and short term goals
3) Why GT?
4) Leadership Experience
5) Difficult Team situation that I handled?
6) Outside of work what do I do?
7) Which place have I traveled to and why I like it?
8) Which place I would like to travel to and why?
9) Questions to the panel
Duke
Had my Fuqua interview. It was quite informal and lasted about and hour & a quarter. We went to a
nice French café by the Thames in London!
Couldn’t really read much if the interviewer was pleased with how it went.
Questions surrounded around why/how I chose ECE (engineering), why I chose a particular school
(Vasavi College of Engineering), why I worked with TCS, why mba, why Fuqua, why developer, why
business analyst, what did I learn in each phase, what do my team-mates/sub-ordinates think of me,
my strengths/weaknesses, why Fuqua, why not directly go to the Commercial side of business and
work for a communications firm to achieve my goals instead of my mba, since when did I have
these goals, what other colleges I was applying to, etc.
Eli Broad:
Had the Eli Broad interview yesterday.
A graduate student of 2nd year took the interview …
Started with general questions … why MBA, Eli broad … Long term. Short-term goals
Then she asked about something people might not know about me …
Then she asked about my failure and my learning from the failure while working in a team
environment …
Then she asked about my leadership style.
Then she asked if I have any questions … I asked about their consulting club – Spartan. Fortunately
she also belonged to that club, and explained at length how the club operates and its activities …
Then I asked about their alumni network … Went fine overall … lasted for approx 40 minutes…
Katz
The interviewer (A Lady, Paula) interviewed me and it went like this:
Just now I've finished my Lunch. Well Honestly I've not seen your application materials. I've even
not seen your resume, let me take a look now. (Silence for 2 minutes, she may be seeing resume)
Well Tell Me about yourself?
Why MBA?
A Team Experience?
You will work in US or return?
Tell me about Indian Space Program?
Your experience is very exciting, I really appreciate that, I am very thrilled to listen these things from
you, kindly tell more?
Anything else you want to tell?
Anything about Katz?
Overall Length of Interview was just 15 Min.
Kelley
Things about you that you would like me to know?
Why MBA?
As an individual, why do you think you would suit an MBA?
Instance of good leadership skills exhibited. (School/work/personal)
As a team member, how good are you? What would people describe you as?
How would you contribute to Kelley?
Twenty years from now, how would you like yourself to be described?
The interview was with the Associate Director Of Admissions and lasted approximated 30 minutes.
It was very informal too.
Kelley: 2006
Here's how the interview went:
The interviewer was a nice and soft-spoken 2nd year student from Peru called Jose Carlos Maya. He
proposed to divide the interview upfront into 3 parts: one, where he introduced himself, two where
he asked me questions and three where he let me ask questions of him.
The questions he asked me included:

1. Why an MBA at this point in time?
2. Why Kelley?
3. Tell me something more that you may have heard of about Kelley. And more and more and
more... :)
4. How do you perform in a group? Do you evolve as a leader naturally, are you a good team player,
whatever
5. How do you deal with obstacles that you encounter?
His style of questioning was to ask a very generic question and then sit back and listen. There were
no prompts and you could talk as much as you wanted to without as much as even hearing an ok for
2-3 minutes.
Therefore, it was very important to keep the answers from getting too long and winding and to
ultimately make sure that the question is answered, and one hasn't just rambled off some rhetoric.
Since he learned that I'm interested in Entrepreneurship, he gave me the e-mail id of the director of
the entrepreneurship academy and asked him to mail the director with any questions I may have
(and keep the interviewer in CC).
The interview lasted about 45 minutes approximately.
Queens
Tell me why you have chosen Queens?
Queens is now no more ‘A science & technology MBA’, what does it mean for you?
Tell me (in a Non-technical Way) what are your Major Job Responsibilities?
Tell me what ‘Cryogenic Engine’ means as you’ve mentioned in your achievement essay?
In which areas you want to improve upon as a leader?
Your recommendations were exceptional but your recommenders have hinted that you are
bit overconfident, what is your take on that?
Do you feel being overconfident was / is good for you?
How you are managing things (style of leadership)?
Tell me an incident when while you are working in a team and you have to handle someone
who is difficult and rigid to handle?
How you motivate these kinds of workers?
How you motivate yourself for the work?
Tell me an incident when you have to take a tough decision?
Why MBA is meaningful for your career?
How will you finance your studies?
Which other programs you are applying to?
Any thing you like to ask me?
One last question, tell any other important info you have not mentioned in your resume?
NUS
The interview experience is as follows:
They called more or less on time (2 minutes late). There were two members on the interview
panel...Prof Rao and Dr. Keman. The questions asked were:
1. Tell us something about yourself
2. Why MBA?
3. Why at this point of your career.... why not IIM's 4. Why MBA in Singapore??
5. Why not MBA in US since you are here in US for over 2 yrs
6. How do you think MBA will change your career profile? How would NUS will help do that?
7. Any questions for us??
Interview lasted for nearly 25 minutes and they were really good during the whole process. It was
very cordial. I felt much like a discussion. They said they would let me know by end of this month.
Michigan
Questions were more or like the essay questions. Started off with my resume'.
Q: what's one special thing about Michigan that attracts u?

Q: what kind of environment do I thrive in?
Q: what course did you like in college the most?
Q: your unique personal characteristics?
Q: how would the Michigan class remember you as after grad?
Q: what would you contribute outside class?
Q: how do you deal with an employee who doesn’t perform to your expectations?
Q: the kind of hierarchy you have in our company
Q: anything you would like to ask me?

She suggested Sloan and Carnegie from my background and career goals. Said umich would be a
better choice if I want to be an entrepreneur (my long term goal), but CMU, Sloan would fit in well
if I want to be in a tech sector (short term goal).
NUS
The NUS interview went well. There were few more Q's listed below.
1. Why do you want to do MBA from Singapore?
2. What are the plans after MBA? Do you wish to work in Singapore?
Slight doubtful of this answer. I answered - I would like to implement my knowledge and work in
Singapore for 2-3 yrs. Then like to gain more expertise in the Asian APAC economy to match my
long term plans.
Don’t know whether they were checking on Immigration!
3. What is the learning from the varied cross culture experience you have?
4. How do you plan to sponsor your studies?
5. How do you manage high salary with less experience of 3 yrs?
In the end they mentioned that they are quiet satisfied with my application and interview.
They were late in calling and called 40 min late (10:00 AM). I had a meeting scheduled at 11:00 that
was slight issue and made me slight jittery in beginning 2-3 min but it was normal soon.
In the end I asked them when can I expect the outcome and to that they mentioned May end.
There were two people in the panel. One looked Indian while the other had some accent.
It lasted around 22 minutes.
McGill
Had the Mc Gill interview yesterday … went fine … Co-dir – Prof Vince Thomsom conducted…
Started with general questions:
Why Mc Gill.
Long-term Goal.
Tata Small car …
Leadership positions held …
Plan just after MBA …
Biggest challenge faced in the current project …
Then he asked if I had any questions regarding the program …
I talked about the projects …
Then he spoke at length about the projects and consultancy they provide to companies … then
spoke about their new project on health care …
The he talked about the progress Sunil (ex-Tata motors) had been making …
Then I asked about their alumni network in India …
He gave me a few names and asked me to get their e-mail addresses from his assistant …
Went quite informal overall …

He ended by saying we look forward to see you at Mc Gill and to get back to him if I have any more
questions …
Kelley:
Here are the questions of Kelley:
Why mba?
Why does it make sense to you now?
Why Kelley?
How would you contribute to the class of Kelley?
How do you think a leader should be?
Have you ever been in a stressful situation at work? How did you handle it?
Have you ever been uninterested in your project work? What did you do about it?
Have you lead any team?
Have you ever faced difficulty as a team in dealing with a person?
What do you think are your weaknesses? Why?
What are your strengths?
Have you ever taken risk in your career as engineer or while studying? What you think about it now?
What do you do other than work?
Cranfield
As usual interview was divided into 4 sections
1. Interview Essay
2. Candidate as a person
3. Motivation for MBA
4. Questions from candidate
1. Interview Essay: Summarize the essay.
Why Ratan Tata?

Anyone close to Ratan Tata.
Negatives of a Leader.
How does he inspire you?
2. Candidate as a person
Strengths and weakness

What did you learn from your overseas experience?
3. Motivation for MBA
Why MBA? Why now? Why Cranfield?

What distinguishes it from LBS? - The toughest!
IESE:
I have been interviewed for IESE and now I have to attend an "Assessment day" in New Delhi.
Most people who have applied to 2nd round and few in 3rd round have been invited to New Delhi.
The first round of VC interview was a normal B-school interview. Goals and why this college etc.
Also there were situational questions. Be ready for some random questions.
The new process is the assessment day, which will involve group discussions, presentations and case
study. This will be a group exercise.
ISB:
Comments from Student 1: School: Indian School of Business (Hyderabad, India)
Scheduling the interview: I was emailed a date and time.
Location of interview: Telephone interview.
Preparedness of Interviewer: It was evident they had reviewed my application as they asked me
specific questions from the essays I had written.
Interviewer University affiliation: Admission officer and alum
Atmosphere: Started off on a relaxed note, and then went on to probing questions.
Questions asked: Anything else that you would like to tell us that you haven't already mentioned in
the application? What do you do at work? Since I had wanted to switch from IT consulting to
business development, they asked me an example of how I would garner more business from my
present client. My long term goal was to set up an e-commerce start-up. They asked me to name the
top three e-commerce sites. Which countries I had lived in, and whether I liked US or Europe
better. Any foreign languages I knew, and how it had helped me in a foreign land. An example of
leadership shown at work. An example of how I dealt with conflict at work. Why would I call myself
a team-player. Few questions on domain knowledge - I was consulting to maritime shipping
companies, so I was asked to explain some terms used in that industry. Any questions I had.
Length of interview: 20 minutes
Additional comments: It's good to re-read your application just before going into the interview.
Remain calm, as it is more of a friendly chat than an interrogation.

Scheduling the Interview: The telephonic interview time was sent to me.
Location of interview: I was based in Australia. The interview was telephonic.
Preparedness of Interviewer: The panel had gone through my application thoroughly. My profile
and my case study was well read and I felt that they had prepared questions on my work experience,
my case study and other application essays.
Interviewer University affiliation: Admissions Officer, Alum working in Microsoft, Current Student.
Atmosphere: Overall atmosphere was relaxed. A few times they asked me some more stressful
questions but I was precise and straightforward and tried to maintain my calm.
Questions asked: I was working for a software firm. The following questions were asked of me:
• What is the difference in various leading services software firms with respect to their Business
models.
• Where do you see software industry going into future?
• Why do you want to do MBA? What are your plans for post-MBA ?
• What is a typical function of corporate strategy? And of mergers and acquisitions? (In my
application essay for what I would like to do post-MBA, I had answered that I would like to go in
corporate strategy role focusing on mergers and acquisitions.)
• Revenues and profits of the company you're working for last quarter? Last year?
• How are you different from other software professionals?
• Instances where you have demonstrated leadership skills?
• Some Questions related to case study?
• How do you see RF ID going in to future ( I had mentioned working for a Retail Client)
• What are the areas of concern in RF ID?
• Questions related to my role in the organization I was working for?
Length of interview: 35 minutes
Additional comments: Tips to aspiring applicants:
• Be sure you know your interview panel well. Ask their profiles if they just introduce themselves by
their name. Once you know your panel, you can correlate your responses better to the kind of
questions they are asking.
• Review you application material thoroughly.
• Make sure you have numbers in your tips, the revenue and profit numbers of the organization you
are working for or numbers related to your industry.
• Be thorough with your profile.
• Why MBA? And what you would like to do post MBA?
• Introspect as to what differentiation you bring to the table. Try to explore areas where you have
demonstrated leadership skills be it work, social, undergrad or in any hobbies you are pursuing.
• Be relaxed. The interview panel might try to gauge your reaction by putting you under stress.
• Do not waver once you have answered. Confidence is the key.
• Don't show your desperation to get into any particular school. This is not the end of the world. If
you are the right candidate, the school needs you as much as you need them. This attitude will also
surface in your confidence and relaxed approach.
________________________________________________________________________
Oxford
Scheduling the Interview: I was assigned an interview date and time on an official MBA Open Day
at Oxford.
Location of interview: On campus
Preparedness of Interviewer: The interviewer had reviewed my application thoroughly and had
already developed pointed questions about my strengths and weaknesses as a candidate.
Interviewer University affiliation: Faculty member
Atmosphere: The atmosphere was very formal and the interviewer did not smile once. A second
person sat in on the interview but did not participate; I was not told why they were there. It was not
a relaxed environment.
Questions asked: Tell me about (the company I work for). What are the challenges you see for (your
company) in the future? Why did you choose to work for them? What are your goals post-MBA, and
what is the timeframe? What do you think will be your biggest challenge during the MBA program?
Why get an MBA now instead of waiting a few years? What would you do if you did not get an
MBA now?
Length of interview: 30 min
Additional comments:
-Be prepared to defend any potential weaknesses in your application when you walk into an Oxford
interview. As they are only slotted at 30 minutes, it appears that the adcoms narrows down your
application to the few doubts they have about you and directly address those issues.
-I would also suggest adapting to the atmosphere of the interview. This interview was very formal,
and when I attempted to establish a conversational tone initially it fell flat.
My experience with the interview process at Oxford Said Business School was a bit atypical due to
my personal situation at the time.
My application to Oxford SBS was the third one I sent. I was therefore invited for an interview after
I had already been admitted to two other top business schools. I therefore decided to opt for a
phone interview.
The scheduling of the interview, as well as the entire admission process at SBS, left me with a sense
of extremely professional and smooth organization.
I was interviewed by the Head of MBA Program – Dr. Chambers. The interviewer was obviously
extremely well acquainted with my profile and my essays.
The questions were typically around my motivation and future plans after the MBA.
The tone of the conversation was relaxed and friendly. Dr. Chambers was very polite.
The call lasted around 45 minutes, equally balanced between interview questions and my questions
on the school. In my opinion Dr. Chambers did a great job at providing helpful information on the
SBS MBA program.
I received a feedback on admission by email about 10-15 days later.
SIMON:
The Simon School considers all aspects of your application when making an admission decision.
Here are some guidelines to assist you in preparing a competitive application.
Personal Qualities and Leadership Potential
The Simon School values well-developed communication skills for all graduate applicants. We seek
self-motivated individuals who believe that graduate study will significantly enhance both their
technical and personal skill sets. Additionally, the Admissions Committee seeks evidence of team
experiences and leadership skills, shown through extra-curricular experiences and/or on-the-job
projects. The Committee uses the Admissions interview, combined with your résumé and essays to
assess these qualitative aspects of your application.
The Admissions interview is an important two-way communication and you should treat the
interview as you would a job interview - dress professionally, arrive a little ahead of schedule, come
prepared to discuss your background, while also preparing a few questions to allow you to learn
more about Simon and the admissions process.
If you are conducting your interview by telephone, please call on time and be prepared to have a
conversation with the Admissions officer. The Admissions office will have already reviewed your
application and we hope that you can talk about your personal and professional background without
significant references to the essays from your application.
SIMON INTERVIEW Q’s

Q. Why MBA and why now
Q. Why Rochester
Q. Describe yourself. Personal and Professional background
Q. Some technical questions relating to my area of work
Q. Which other schools have you applied to
Q. How are you planning to finance yourself
2006 Oxford
Here are some tips for those who await interview call for Oxford MBA
1) You will receive an interview call a couple of days prior to the deadline mentioned on web site.
2) The interview is telephonic and you will be interviewed by a single person.
3) It's less of an interview and more of a discussion. In the interview the interviewer will try to
compare your pattern of thinking in the interview with the pattern you followed in writing the
essays. And it all depends how far you can prove that you have your goals clear and justify your
admission to Oxford.
4) Oxford interview is more or less structured. Questions like, your future goals, why mba, why now,
why oxford, some issue in the industry you're working now, some current issue (you can talk about
anything), some book you have read recently, how others describe you etc. in addition to anything
interesting that the Admission Committee finds in your CV can be expected.
5) Your GMAT and extra curricular experiences are not usually discussed much. Interview is all
about testing your maturity and confidence.

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General Words of Wisdom from Students on the Interview

Comments from Student 1:

Comments from Student 2:

Comments from Student 3:

Comments from Student 4:

Comments from Student 5:

Comments from Student 6:

Comments from Student 7:

Comments from Student 10:

Comments from Student 11:

Comments from Student 12:

Comments from Student 13:

In my own experiences, my interviews were with assistant directors of admission. On my first

Comments from Student 15:

Comments from Student 16:

Here is a list of my generic questions:

Why MBA & Why X Questions

General Questions About You and Your Experiences

Comments from Student 17:

During the interview:

After the interview:

Comments from Student 18:

Comments from Student 19:

Comments from Student 20:

Comments from Student 21:

Comments from Student 22:

Comments from Student 23:

IMS Student interview experiences

He was quite friendly and warm.

UNC Kenan Flagler

IN THE TAXI EN ROUTE TO BARISTA

Chitchat: So… What do you do?

So what exactly do u do in office… like the nature of your work?

Why Yale? I mean why not Harvard or Wharton?

Hmm makes perfect sense.

How do you define leadership?

What do you do outside office?

While tutoring do you have to discipline them?

How active is the alumni?

When are the results due? End of March.

Notre dam Mendoza:

1. Why MBA at this point in time?

4. Any ethical dilemma faced ever?

5. Any instance which portrays your Leadership skills?

6. Any instance which portrays your Team member skills?

7. Any question that you want the admissions committee to answer?

Notre dam Mendoza:

1. Why MBA and why now?

2. Why Notre Dame?

3. A leadership experience you are most proud of?

6. An instance of teamwork at your workplace?

7. Walk me through your resume.

• Your style of Leadership

Q's that I asked,

One innovation that I used:

I was assigned with a Writing Task:

All the above Questions were related to my topic Books

Tell us about your achievements: 1 personal & 1 Professional

There were 3 persons in the interview panel,

A – hi xyz, where are you coming from?

A –Why, aren’t you based in xyz city?

B – when did you clear the exam?

B – so when r you planning to go back for sailing?