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Published: October 20, 2024
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-year student / Zoom
The interviewer was a friendly second-year student. She asked many questions and dug deeper into each one, yet the interview remained conversational. Questions asked: Introduction about yourself Long-term and short-term goals Your promotion and transfer between different positions Your extracurricular activities or something not on your resume A time you worked in an ambiguous situation A time you received criticism Your biggest weakness Your greatest strength What do you enjoy most and least about your work? A time you dealt with a challenging person A time you worked with people from diverse backgrounds or teams Why an MBA? Why Kellogg? Read more
Published: October 20, 2024
Dartmouth Tuck MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-year student / Zoom
The interviewer was a friendly second-year student, and the interview was very conversational. Here’s the overall flow and questions asked: Intro from the interviewer Introduction about yourself Why an MBA? What are your short-term and long-term goals? Why Tuck? What motivates you to focus on social impact? Extracurricular activities experience Describe a time you experienced failure How have you provided feedback to others? How do your friends, family, or colleagues describe your strengths? What is your biggest weakness? Tell me about a time when people came to you for help Q&A session Read more
Published: October 20, 2024
Michigan Ross MBA Interview Questions & Report: R1 / Alumnus / Virtual
I interviewed with a recent grad in my area. It was a half-blind interview, so they only had my resume on hand. Overall, it was a very standard behavioral interview—resume walkthrough, why MBA, and why Ross. There were a few “tell me about a time” (TMAT) questions, but I was a bit surprised that all three focused on “challenges, setbacks, and constructive feedback,” so I had to adapt my stories to fit the theme. The final question was about DEI. I wrapped up by asking a couple of questions. It wasn’t very conversational, as I could tell the interviewer was Read more
Published: October 20, 2024
Berkeley Haas MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Virtual
The interview was very relaxed, and the interviewer made sure I felt comfortable throughout the process. It began with introductions, a brief overview of the interview, and identity confirmation through my driver’s license. The interviewer introduced himself, provided some background, and then asked five questions: Why an MBA? Why Haas? How do you plan to give back? How do you plan to incorporate DEI into your time at Haas? Tell me about a time when you had a heated argument in the workplace—how did it make you feel, and what did you learn? Tell me about a time when you Read more
Published: October 20, 2024
UVA Darden MBA Interview Questions & Report: Early Action / Adcom / Zoom
Interviewed with an adcom member and a 2nd-year student (training for him): 10-minute “walk me through your profile” Tell me about a time you were in a diverse team and what you learned Why MBA, why now, and your goals Why Darden? Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a team member—was it resolved, and how? What are your hobbies, and how would you contribute socially to Darden? Ended with three questions of my own. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Read more
Published: October 16, 2024
Cornell Johnson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Adcom with 2nd year observing. Only had my resume and a few notes from review committee. Very conversational. 30 min interview, 10 min questions Questions asked: 1. Explain why I took the courses I did in undergrad. 2. Geographically, where do you want to work post-MBA? 3. What career path do I want to take (short term goal)? 4. How did I prepare for the intense recruiting of consulting? 5. What is your plan B if consulting doesn’t work out? 6. Would you like to live in Ithaca? 7. Talk about a time Read more
Published: October 16, 2024
Stanford GSB MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
Received interview request October 11th, 2024, told to schedule with a local alum with a similar background to mine (Midwest city, automotive industry). He invited me to meet at his corporate office. Interview was background + three behavioral questions + why Stanford (about 35 min), followed by time for me to ask questions (about 20 min). Interviewer was cordial and open, and took extensive notes. For each behavioral question he asked a few follow-up questions digging deeper into the story, as others have mentioned. I had a good experience. Stanford tries hard to pair you with someone from a similar Read more
Published: October 14, 2024
Northwestern Kellogg MBAi Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
I am applying for the MBAi program at Kellogg Round 1. I was a little surprised to have an adcom conduct my interview based on what I had heard about typical Kellogg interviews and I am curious if this had to do with me applying to the smaller MBAi cohort. We jumped right into questions and she had looked at my resume so there was no ‘walk me through your resume.’ Here are the questions I remember: Do you feel your trajectory at your company has been in lockstep with others, or has it been accelerated? Describe what teamwork means Read more
Published: October 14, 2024
Emory Goizueta MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Very friendly rep and kept it casual. Lasted about 30min on the dot. Question that were asked: 1) Why Emory? (included why MBA) 2) Walk me through your resume. 3) TMAT took a leadership role. 4) Concluded the interview with some questions to the adcom. Read more
Published: October 13, 2024
Yale SOM MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
The interview felt like a structured conversation, but I could tell they were evaluating me throughout. Yale interviewers are known to be very friendly and smart, and it was exactly that IMO. It started with the typical “walk me through your resume” question, which gave me a chance to introduce my current role and some of the key initiatives I’ve been involved in. One of the main areas of focus was on teamwork and a piece of work I’m proud of. I was asked to describe a situation where I disagreed with a colleague and how I approached the resolution. Read more
Published: October 13, 2024
UVA Darden MBA Interview Questions & Report: Early Admit / AdCom / Zoom
Interviewed with an AdCom – honestly had a great experience. This was my first MBA interview and could not have had a better start in terms of the interviewer’s demeanour and attitude. Started with a monologue of who I am – expect to get questions throughout about the why’s or elaborations, etc. e.g. I switched streams from high school to undergrad and the interviewer asked how that felt and what impact I felt it had in the classroom. There were no real curveball questions. Throughout the interview – I made sure to highlight through my stories what was important to Read more
Published: October 9, 2024
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
It was a very chill conversation. The interview had not read my application and just had my resume. It was clear that he had a list of questions he had to get through – but was not too robotic / scripted – he was reacting to my answers. 1. Tell me about yourself / walk me through your resume. 2. Short and long term goals? 3. ⁠Most difficult part of your job? 4. ⁠TMAT when your team failed to achieve goals, how did you handle it and what did you learn? 5. ⁠What kind of Read more
Published: September 23, 2024
Emory Goizueta MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
Interview was virtual and pretty chilled out and conversational. Went on for ~30 mins. The following questions were asked: 1. Tell me about your education. 2. Why MBA after a business degree? 3. What is your goal? 4. Tell me about your current role. What does your ideal day look like at work? How many direct reports do you have? 5. Tell me about a challenging situation you faced at work. 6. Tell me about an instance where you received negative feedback. 7. Why ed-tech/education space? 8. Would you like to continue with Read more
Published: September 22, 2024
Dartmouth Tuck MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
The interview was blind (resume-based). The interviewer was in a bit of rush (I suppose due to multiple meetings). I joined 10 mins earlier than my time and she was already present. We jumped right in and wrapped up with additional questions in about 30 mins. Overall the feel was quite warm and encouraging with her sharing details about her own experience in tidbits. Questions – 1. Walk me through your resume/TMAY? 2. ST/LT Goals 3. Why MBA/Tuck/Now? 4. TMAT when – received critical feedback/accomplished something in a project/helped someone? 5. What is something new Read more
Published: September 15, 2024
UVA Darden MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
This is my first MBA interview. Very sweet conversation with Admissions Officer (AO). 30-min 1. Share your upbringing and your favourite moment. 2. Why did you choose your first job? 3. What’s your role in the team? 4. Give me an example that you were the only one different from the rest of the people. 5. Short-term and long-term goal and why Darden? 6. Any questions? Read more
Published: August 29, 2024
A Guide to Test Waivers: Should You Request a Waiver for Submitting a GMAT or GRE Score?
It is no secret that standardized tests are not the part of the MBA application process that applicants most cherish. Some applicants simply aren’t good at standardized testing; others feel they do not have the time to invest in studying properly. Due to COVID-19 and the related impact on testing centers and availability, test waivers became a more prevalent option in b-school admissions. Whether you’re hesitant or excited about the GMAT or GRE, what are valid reasons to request a test waiver? Even if you have a valid reason, does it make sense to request a test waiver? In this Read more
Published: August 27, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Avoid the Comparison Trap
In this MBA Admissions Tip, learn how to avoid the comparison trap in your application essays. In their desire to make their case to their target MBA programs, many applicants devote sentences and even paragraphs to explaining why the school in question is their “first choice” and arguing its superiority over other schools. Though certainly understandable, this is actually not a very productive exercise. Let’s consider a few reasons why from the schools’ point of view: Tell me something I don’t know. A popular strategy – and not always bad one – for applicants seeking to demonstrate their fit with Read more
Published: August 20, 2024
Digging Deep with Your MBA Program Research: Anecdotes & Advocates
Communicating with insiders (current students, alumni, and faculty members) can be beneficial to your MBA applications for a number of reasons. In addition to learning about a given school and your potential fit, you’ll also generate material for your essays, demonstrate your interest in the program, and perhaps even make an ally or two. As you aim to go beyond the schools’ websites and promotional materials, we specifically recommend reaching out to individuals in a few key groups: Current MBA Students People who are currently enrolled in a given program can obviously provide the clearest picture of the present state Read more
Published: August 13, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Know Your Application Readers
Who is an MBA application reader? Knowing your audience is the first step to crafting a compelling application. As anyone who’s going through the process knows, applying to business school is an incredibly demanding process. In addition to taking the GMAT/GRE, assembling academic transcripts and providing recommendation letters, candidates are required to draft multiple essays, job descriptions, lists of activities and more. With the obvious incentive to save time wherever possible, it’s understandable that many applicants simply cut and paste content from an existing résumé and write about their work in the manner that comes most naturally. However, in doing Read more
Published: August 6, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Should I Apply in Round 1 or Round 2 to My Top Choice School?
In terms of application strategy, one of the biggest questions prospective MBA applicants wrestle with is whether to apply in Round 1 or Round 2 to their top choice school. Overall, if you are an outstanding candidate and have had adequate time to prepare your candidacy, then you should apply as part of the first round. If you are a strong candidate, but perhaps are not in the top echelon or would benefit from a little more time and experience in the application process, consider delaying your application to your top choice school until Round 2. In the meantime, apply Read more
Published: July 30, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Making the Most of Your Campus Visit
While traveling to visit MBA programs in person can be an expensive proposition, the campus trips are well worth it. Your b-school campus visit provides a chance to experience the MBA student culture, evaluate the facilities, and gather valuable information for your application process. To help you make the most of your MBA campus visit, keep these five tips in mind: 1. Make yourself known Putting forth the effort to travel to a school is a signal of interest in the program that the adcom loves to see; however, you need to let them know that you’ve made the trip. Read more
Published: July 9, 2024
GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation Analysis for MBA Applicants and Recommenders
Applying to business school entails a great deal of work for prospective students – and almost as much effort for the people writing their letters of recommendation. An effective MBA recommendation provides rich information about the candidate’s strengths, key accomplishments, and leadership abilities. It’s also important that a recommendation fully address every question that is asked by the admissions committee. So, when an applicant is targeting six schools that ask different questions across their recommendation forms, this can translate to a great deal of time and effort for already-busy recommenders. To alleviate some of this pressure, Read more
Published: June 27, 2024
MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series Summer 2024
We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process without the use of sample essays? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series! Dates: July 10, July 17, July 24 & July 31. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, Read more
Published: June 25, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Defining Your Post-MBA Career Goals
Having clear and realistic post-MBA career goals is essential to the business school application process. Though essay prompts tend to vary year to year, the two things that nearly every prospective student can count on being asked are “What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals?” and “How will Business School X help you achieve these goals?” Even if this sort of question doesn’t appear in the essay portion of the application, rest assured that you’ll be asked this question in the data forms and/or during your interview. Identifying clear post-MBA career goals will help in everything from Read more
Published: June 18, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Addressing Unemployment or Gaps in Employment
Given the emphasis that MBA programs place on a candidate’s work experience, it is important to be proactive in addressing unemployment or gaps in employment. When applying to business school, many candidates worry about how the adcom might perceive gaps in employment. Gaps in Employment It’s not unheard of for an MBA candidate to have a gap in employment, and this will not necessarily make a negative impact on someone’s candidacy. Gaps might be due to anything from lay-offs to periods of travel. As a rule of thumb, MBA applicants should explain gaps in employment that are three months or Read more

MBA Livewire

December 18, 2024 1:57am ET
Accepted to UPenn / Wharton
Round: Round 1
Received via portal
GMAT: 705
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: Taiwan
December 18, 2024 1:51am ET
Waitlisted at Carnegie Mellon / Tepper
Round: Round 1
Received via email on December 04, 2024
GPA: 2.6
GRE: 337
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: Asia
December 18, 2024 1:50am ET
Waitlisted at Michigan / Ross
Round: Round 1
Received via email on December 05, 2024
GPA: 2.6
GRE: 337
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: asia
December 18, 2024 1:48am ET
Rejected at USC / Marshall
Round: Round 1
Received via email on December 14, 2024
GPA: 2.6
GRE: 337
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: asia
December 18, 2024 1:46am ET
Accepted to UCLA Anderson
Round: Round 1
Received via phone on December 11, 2024
GPA: 2.6
GRE: 337
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: asia
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