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Interviews

Keep up with our most recent interview reports, and build your skills with our interview tips.
Published: December 6, 2023
Wharton MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
My interview for Wharton was on November 1 (Round 1) over Zoom. This was the TBD interview, and the interview atmosphere was formal. The interviewers were two 2nd-year students (did group TBD exercise, then had a 1-on-1 interview with just 1 of the students). The 1-on-1 interview was only 10 minutes, and just a few questions about my TBD experience: Talk about the TBD experience – What did you think? How do you think you individually contributed the most? How do you think your team did? What went well? What could have been improved? At the end, she left a Read more
Published: December 6, 2023
MIT Sloan MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
My interview was for MIT on November 7th (Round 1), and it was with an adcom member over Zoom. The interview atmosphere was formal, but friendly. The first question was to describe my data essay in more detail and what were the takeaways. Besides that, she mostly asked me about my background (tell me about job experiences), if there were any updates since I submitted my application, and a few “tell me about a time” scenario questions. At the end, she left some time for me to ask questions as well. I was surprised she didn’t really ask much about Read more
Published: December 4, 2023
LBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumna / Off-Campus
I met my alum interviewer in a coffee shop and we spoke for about 1 hour. She started by asking me to tell her about my journey to applying to LBS, why LBS, and why London. We then went into further detail about my current job, my day-to-day roles, challenges I’ve faced and how I’ve overcome them, as well as what back-up options I’d consider if I didn’t land a job in the industry I hoped to post-MBA. Finally, I was given a case about the tech industry (not an industry I have any experience with) and was given five Read more
Published: December 3, 2023
LBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
Interview with alumnus. He wanted me to get a private space to do the interview, he told me it was part of the test to see how resourceful I was. The interview was friendly. He told me about his experience at LBS and recommended me enough. Standard questions: Why LBS? Why London? Is LBS your top choice? Leadership stories. The case was about finance. We discussed it a lot and he did some follow-up questions. I liked the experience my interviewer seemed like a top-notch professional, which inspired me even more to pursue my MBA in London. Read more
Published: December 3, 2023
UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Really casual interview. My interviewer was super friendly and professional. They ask a set of questions they ask all students. Why MBA? Why Anderson? What do you hope to contribute to the Anderson community? Tell me about something you wished you had done differently. What hobbies do you have? And then time at the end for questions. I had an overall really good experience and the student interviewers are pretty polished compared to other schools with a similar format. Read more
Published: December 3, 2023
Berkeley Haas MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumna / Virtual
The interview was very friendly. An alumna interviewed me, and she had access to my resume before the interview. I was asked the following questions: 1. Introduce yourself and walk me through your resume. 2. What are your short/long-term goals and why an MBA? Why Haas? 3. Tell me a time you had an experience with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). 4. How would you improve/ uphold the values of DEI at Haas? 5. Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team with diverse viewpoints, and what did you do? 6. Read more
Published: December 3, 2023
HBS MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
Why did you choose your college major? How do the styles of your current and previous employer differ? Who is successful at each place and which one did you like more? What is the state of your current company’s business health? How does your team play into the company’s business health? What are your current projects? Which of your current projects is the most intellectually stimulating? What project are you proudest of? How would the different teams you work with describe your strengths? What is your ideal summer internship? Name some companies. Read more
Published: December 3, 2023
Berkeley Haas MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Virtual
1) Why an MBA? Why Haas? 2) Talk about an experience you have had with DEI. How can you use this experience to contribute to DEI on campus? 3) Talk about a time you had a heated argument/discussion and were then proven wrong. How did you react? What did you do? How did it feel? 4) Talk about a time you influenced others to adopt your way of doing something. What did you do and what did you learn? 5) Is there anything else you want us to know? Read more
Published: November 29, 2023
UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 3 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
The interview was quite conversational with one second-year student. We talked a lot about life in LA and clubs in Anderson. The questions were standard. Be prepared with research on the school and show your commitment. Why MBA? Why Anderson? Contributions you would make to the program? What is your Plan B? Tell me about a leadership experience. Tell me about a weakness. Read more
Published: November 27, 2023
York Schulich MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Online
This is an interview for Schulich School of Business. The Adcom interviewer was very friendly and it was an easy-going interview. They started with a question about why I want to do an MBA and why at this point in my career. Then they asked about my post-MBA goals and how my present skills can contribute effectively to it. They said that I had a low verbal score on my GMAT, so they asked a couple of questions regarding how I planned to compete with people having much higher scores. However, this question came as a surprise to me since Read more
Published: November 19, 2023
Cornell Johnson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Non-blind interview with Adcom. Interview overall was short and to the point. Questions: 1. Why did I make a career switch? 2. What are my career goals and what did I do to prepare? 3. Tell me about a time where you succeeded. 4. Tell me about a time where you failed. 5. Why Johnson? Then the interviewer opened up for questions. The entire interview took about 30 minutes. There were no real curveballs here; the interview felt standard. I was told I would likely hear back closer to the notification deadline because of the Read more
Published: November 19, 2023
Rice Jones MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Intro Why only Rice? (There are many colleges out there why specifically Rice?) Basically, I said it has a rigorous curriculum so he asked -Why do you feel Rice has a rigorous curriculum? Why MBA? Few questions related to my job profile. How do you bring your diversity into your work culture? He said that if I wanna highlight anything that he is missing he can pass that message to the admission team. Few questions for him — I asked the same question Why Rice? Few other questions (tips) I asked him. He was very calm and chill. It was Read more
Published: November 16, 2023
MIT Sloan MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
This was for the Sloan Fellows MBA. Interview was quite short. She was late and then my wifi decided to act up (I didn’t realize it was over Zoom as they had a custom landing page, so I didn’t test ahead of time). The questions she asked were: 1. Tell me about your current role. 2. Tell me about a time when you had to change a process and had to explain/convince others around you. 3. What is the most constructive feedback you have been given? What did you do with it? 4. Why MIT? Read more
Published: November 16, 2023
USC Marshall MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
This blind interview was conducted by an admissions committee member. The interview lasted approximately 35 minutes and the questions flowed nicely. 1. How did you learn about USC Marshall? 2. Tell me about yourself. 3. Why Marshall? 4. What motivates you? 5. What inspires you? 6. What is success to you? 7. Long-term goals in 10 years? 8. How would you set a goal? 9. What makes a good leader? Follow-up: Does that mean that a bad leader is the opposite? 10. A piece of critical feedback that you have Read more
Published: November 15, 2023
Cornell Johnson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / On-Campus
Although it definitely felt like an interview, Adcom was SO nice. Everyone on campus was really nice and you could feel how great the community was. I’m so glad I went in person! She didn’t start with the typical question like “Tell me about yourself” or “Walk me through your resume.” Rather, she started with asking me why I chose the current industry I’m in, which surprised me. Other questions she asked included: Tell me about a time you failed. Tell me about a project that you did well on, but never want to do again. Short-term and long-term goals? Read more
Published: November 15, 2023
Cornell Johnson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Virtual
Asked me to show my ID first. Blind interview taken by a second-year student. 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Why MBA? 3. ST/LT Goals? 4. Why Johnson? 5. How will you contribute to Johnson? 6. Three words your manager would use to describe you. 7. How do you approach DEI as a leader? 8. How did you resolve a conflict? 9. Any questions for me? Overall, was a pleasant experience, no surprises! Read more
Published: November 14, 2023
Wharton MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
My interview was with two second-year Wharton students. I had five other candidates in my TBD, 2 were in consulting and 3 were in finance. All of us were based in the US, though separate cities (ie. SF, Chicago, NYC, etc.). We each spoke relatively equal amounts to the prompt and all had strong contributions. I could see all 5 of my team members getting into Wharton. My three questions during the 1 on 1 component were: 1. What was the biggest challenge during the TBD and how did you overcome it? 2. How did you use teamwork Read more
Published: November 13, 2023
UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Virtual
The interview was conducted by a 2nd-year student who was incredibly kind and knowledgeable. The interviewer started by introducing themselves and describing the format of the interview. Questions: 1. Tell me about yourself. • I gave a quick introduction (2.5 minutes) and included one personal interest. 2. Why Anderson/Los Angeles? • I highlighted the geographic location, the consulting association, and a specific club of interest. 3. Why MBA? 4. What role do you play in a group setting? 5. Plan B? 6. Beyond student groups at Anderson, what are you interested in? Read more
Published: November 12, 2023
USC Marshall MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Followed exact format of prior USC reports, was super helpful as some of these questions differ from other interviews I’ve had: How did you learn about USC Marshall? Walk me through your resume. Why Marshall? What motivates you? What inspires you? What is success to you? Long-term goals in 10 years? How would you set a goal? A piece of critical feedback that you have received during your professional journey. Questions for him. Read more
Published: November 12, 2023
SMU Cox MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
The interview was straightforward: Why SMU? Why MBA? Challenges you faced? The conflict you faced? Fun question: What country will you travel to for the international exp visit? Walk through resume. Felt like he had a set of questions and based on my answers he would ask the follow-up question. Pretty simple no need to worry. Do some research about the school beforehand. Read more
Published: November 12, 2023
NYU Stern MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
I interviewed with Adcom, and he was very relaxed and conversational. These are the questions: 1. An icebreaker about my interest in a specific sport. 2. Tell me about yourself. 3. Tell me about a project you worked on in your current job and how you played a huge role in the process. 4. Tell me about a project you worked on in the past that went well. What would you do differently? 5. Why MBA? 6. What is your recruiting plan at Stern? 7. How would you contribute at Stern? 8. Any Read more
Published: November 12, 2023
Wharton MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Regular TBD followed by 10 minute one-on-one. Interviewer was really chill and made the one-on-one enjoyable. One-on-One Questions: 1. What was the most impactful interaction you had? 2. What was the biggest challenge in your TBD and how did you overcome it? 3. In retrospect, what aspect of the group decision-making dynamic do you think could have been improved? Read more
Published: November 12, 2023
NYU Stern MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Very much conversational. There were NO “traditional” questions (e.g., why MBA, why now, Why Stern, short-term/long-term goals). Main questions: Questions about experience with last 2 employers. Who is a leader you admire? How will you create your network at Stern? What are your plans for the summer internship? Tell me about this international experience you had. Read more
Published: November 8, 2023
Wharton MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Students / Zoom
Regular TBD followed by a 10 minute 1 to 1 interview. Questions below: 1. How did you find the TBD and the interactions? 2. What role do you think you played? What would you do differently? Read more
Published: November 7, 2023
Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / On-Campus
The interview was extremely conversational. Standard questions: moments you displayed leadership, teamwork, why Tepper, and a peek at your resume (not very intense). Their Adcom interviewing was incredibly kind, and we were able to vibe/settle into conversation pretty quickly. I was surprised it had ended up going longer than it should have (45 minutes but was 70). Read more

MBA Applywire

5
December 21, 2024 12:13pm ET
Applying: Dartmouth / Tuck, Northwestern / Kellogg, UPenn / Wharton, UT Austin / McCombs, UVA / Darden
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Military/Corporate Logistics
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey
GRE: 302
GPA: 3.63
Years of Work Experience: 9
Notes:

Submitting for R2, but retaking GRE after application deadline. Military Vet with Corporate experience.
8
December 20, 2024 5:17pm ET
Applying: Columbia, Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Healthcare
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: Bain , BCG
GRE: 332
GPA: 3.5
Years of Work Experience: 3
Location: Florida
Post MBA Location: Consulting
Notes:

25F, lgbtq, 3 years as a registered nurse. also have started working for an early stage VC in the past several months.
2
December 19, 2024 4:44pm ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Stanford GSB
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Insurance
Post-MBA Target Industry: Entrepreneurship
GRE: 318
GPA: 3.59
Years of Work Experience: 3.5
Location: Georgia
Post MBA Location: Southeast
Notes:

Looking to launch a tech startup post MBA, without any background in tech. Come from a quant heavy background and undergraduate coursework. I regularly attended admissions events, in person and online at my schools. I hope that focusing energy on my few top schools and spending a lot of time on essays will help me overcome the less than average test score (164 quant 154 verbal) and GPA.

Serial entrepreneur with a history of profitable small businesses. Was promoted twice in 3.5 years. Involved in many extracurricular activities in and outside of work. My background is very centered around financial services/insurance, is this a red flag for a pivot to Tech Entrepreneurship?

Transferred between two state schools in the southeast. School I graduated from is a top 25 undergrad business program. Obtained a few professionals designations post grad.
3
December 18, 2024 11:38am ET
Applying: Michigan / Ross, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Vanderbilt / Owen
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Held various positions in Finance and Accounting in a healthcare institution
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Other Companies: BCG , Deloitte , Other
GPA: 3.0
Years of Work Experience: 11
Location: International
Notes:

I am passionate about healthcare enhancing patient quality care. So exploring in that field is what I would love. Got a 72k scholarship from Vandy and named Forte Fellow. UNC 50k. I'm having a hard time deciding though my heart is leaning towards Owen
3
December 18, 2024 10:23am ET
Applying: Arizona State / W.P. Carey, Indiana / Kelley, Ohio State / Fisher
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Facility management
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting
GRE: 309
GPA: 2.8
Years of Work Experience: 3
Notes:

Graduate GPA -3.869
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MBA LiveWire

December 22, 2024 4:59am ET
Accepted to UPenn / Wharton
Round: Round 1
Received via portal
GMAT: 730
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Southeast Asia
Note:

Elated and did not expect it!
December 21, 2024 8:37am ET
Accepted to Duke / Fuqua
Round: Round 1
Received via phone on December 11, 2024
GMAT: 675
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
December 21, 2024 2:38am ET
Waitlisted at Duke / Fuqua
Round: Round 1
Received via phone on December 10, 2024
GPA: 3.27
GMAT: 760
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: CA
December 20, 2024 11:16pm ET
Accepted to Babson / Olin
Round: Round 1
Received via email on December 17, 2024
GPA: 3.9
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: South Asia
December 20, 2024 7:50pm ET
Accepted to Columbia
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on December 10, 2024
GMAT: 750
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: India
Note:

$100k scholarship
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