I arrived at the admissions office about 15 minutes prior to my scheduled interview time. The interviewer entered the office about 10 minutes early and we exchanged greetings before heading directly to the interview room. The interview lasted about 40 minutes.
Here is a brief outline of my interview with SOM
- Tell me about your background.
- Specific questions about my education and work experience. The interviewer asked me to tell him why I had made some of the decisions that I made during my education. I was also asked to explain why I decided to join various companies. I was asked to elaborate on some of my stated acheivements, what challenges they involved, how I overcame those challenges, etc.
- Why do you need an MBA?
In the context of this question, the interviewer tried to make a case for my not needing an MBA such that it was necessary for me to provide convincing reasons for why I need one.
- Why Yale SOM?
The interviewer was very concerned about my reasons for wanting to attend Yale and was looking for specific reasons. For example, after I mentioned that many of the courses appealed to me, he asked me to name a few of them.
The interviewer also asked if I had visited the campus to learn more about the school. He even explicitly commented during the interview that he wanted to know that I am very excited about attending Yale.
- What do you do in your spare time?
By this time, the interview was winding down and the environment became a bit more casual. My answers to this question led to a brief chat about extracurricular actvities at Yale, which ones he most enjoys, etc.
- Questions for the interviewer
Based on my experiences and what I have learned about Yale SOM through this process, I would say that it is extremely important to know Yale SOM inside and out. Make sure that you know exactly why you want to attend Yale and be able to provide specific details, including names of courses, professors, students with whom you spoke, research initiatives, etc. I’m sure that the Committee is looking for applicants who are only using Yale as their backup. Show your excitement about the school. Good luck.
