The following Stanford GSB interview questions and report were submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 2 applicant. Good luck to them!
I was put in contact with a local alum and we scheduled it via email. All I provided him in advance was my resume, and otherwise it was blind – he didn’t have any other information on my application. The interview was at his office and last about an hour. It was different from other interviews in that we barely talked about my interest in an MBA or in Stanford, really until his last question. He asked specific behavioral questions, and asked a lot of clarifying questions throughout my response.
Questions included (paraphrased, of course):
What was the most challenging project you’ve worked on?
Talk about a time when:
– You went beyond the formal bounds of your role.
– You proposed an idea for a new project or piece of work – how did you make the case for it, were you ultimately successful, etc.
Why Stanford?
There were about 5 minutes of intro, 45 minutes of questions, and then 10 minutes of time at the end for me to ask him questions.
The whole thing was comfortable and conversational, though not informal, and the format really doesn’t let you get away with general statements. After he asked questions, a few times I had to take 15-30 seconds to think quietly before I started to answer, which was totally fine. It was better to take the time than to start an answer that I wasn’t prepared to provide specifics for, because he would definitely ask for specifics.
He was very eager to answer my questions thoughtfully at the end, and appreciated that I had done my research and could ask questions specific to Stanford.
I really enjoyed the format – it was a challenge, but it allowed me to really dig into what my specific strengths and skills are, and prompted me to reflect on my career so far. It didn’t feel like you could fall back on reciting rehearsed answer, or just restating one of your essays.
Clear Admit Resources
Preparing for your Stanford MBA admissions interview? Check out Clear Admit’s other resources:
- Clear Admit Stanford GSB Interview Guide: Strategic tips for approaching Stanford’s interview questions, and more.
- Interview Archive: More firsthand accounts from Stanford MBA applicants themselves
- Understanding the MBA Admissions Interview: Blind vs. Non-blind Interviews
- Podcast Episode 23: 5 Most Common MBA Interview Questions You Need to Ace
