The following INSEAD interview questions report was submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 1 applicant who was accepted. Congratulations to them!
Had 2 rounds of interview by alumni of INSEAD at my location – New York.
The interviewers selected are typically in the same/related field as you.
Interview 1
The interview was scheduled at the interviewer’s office location early in the morning. Headed to the cafeteria, was still early so it was completely empty.
It was a very informal sort of chat with questions on:
1. Details on my profile? Describe job in detail? I am a consultant so was asked to describe my most challenging project.
2. Why MBA, why MBA now?
3. Leadership roles – she really delved into this one, asked specific examples, what was my impact on the firm and team, what did I learn etc. Also asked to give leadership examples beyond work. I have a lot of community service so gave an example from one of my volunteer projects.
Rest of the interview was more casual, with me asking her questions on her experience during and post INSEAD. Got a lot of insight on her time at INSEAD and the 2 locations along with the exchange schools experience. All in all a fairly pleasant semi-formal discussion. Ended with her mentioning that hopefully we will stay in touch which left me with a positive impression.
Time: 45 minutes
Interview 2
We met at a cafe in the evening. It was fairly crowded, I reached about 15 mins early and made sure to grab a quieter corner early.
This one started slightly more formal. The questions were very similar on my experience, goals and why MBA but was pressed on more details:
1. The exact post MBA goal,
2. Why do I need an MBA if I already have a successful career etc.
3. Leadership skills – was again pressed a lot on this one. This seemed to be common theme in both the interviews
4. What other schools have I applied to? – based on my goal, she even suggested a few other schools to consider.
5. My track record compared to my peers – mostly on academic performance and any fast track promotions, achievements etc.
Post this, they asked me a lot of questions. Details on campus life, exchange partners, contrast between France and Singapore campus. Experience post INSEAD etc. Went into a lot of details on placements, timeline etc.
Time: 1 hour 20 mins.
PS: Post getting the final admit mail from INSEAD, I got emails from my interviewers the same day welcoming me to INSEAD community. Speaks to the community INSEAD builds and looking forward to starting in Sept.
Clear Admit Resources
Preparing for your INSEAD admissions interview? Check out Clear Admit’s other resources:
- Clear Admit INSEAD Interview Guide: Strategic tips for approaching INSEAD’s interview questions, and more.
- Interview Archive: More firsthand accounts from INSEAD MBA applicants themselves
- Understanding the MBA Admissions Interview: At INSEAD, Two Interviews are Better than One
- Podcast Episode 23: 5 Most Common MBA Interview Questions You Need to Ace
