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Keep up with our most recent interview reports, and build your skills with our interview tips.
Published: January 26, 2015
Harvard Business School to Send Out Round 2 Interview Invitations Beginning Tomorrow
As applicants to Harvard Business School (HBS) are probably well aware, Admissions Director Dee Leopold and her team are scheduled to send out the first of its Round 2 interview invitations tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28th. What about the blizzard that’s blanketing the northeastern portion of the United States, you wonder? As of yesterday, Leopold expected that invites will still go out as planned, at noon Boston time. “If we need to delay, we will let you know via this blog, a general announcement on the admissions website and also with a voicemail recording on our general phone line,” she wrote in a post to her Director’s Blog, but as of this writing, no updates. So, some details about HBS interview invites. They will go out in two waves, one tomorrow, and a second on February 4th. Historically, HBS has sent out the bulk of its invites in the first wave. Leopold offered that her best guess is that roughly 600 applicants will receive invitations tomorrow, with another 200 or so receiving invitations next week. “I've said this before, but please don't speculate or develop theories or algorithms about first vs. second,” she urged. “It doesn't work that way. And it has nothing to do with when you submitted, where you live, or the first letter of your last name.” Read more
Published: January 25, 2015
LBS MBA Admissions Interview Report: Round 1 / Alumna / Off-Campus
The following is a London Business School MBA Admissions Interview Report provided by a recent applicant: I received my invitation email, which said I should reach out to the alumna assigned as my interviewer in Dubai and set up an interview within two weeks. I did just that and we had to wrangle schedules before settling on a date. I had been a bit worried about the impromptu presentation because just as the name suggests it’s not something you can prepare for, so I didn’t know what to expect. My interviewer showed up and she seemed excited about the Read more
Published: January 25, 2015
Columbia MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Early Decision / Adcom / On-Campus
The following is a report from a recent applicant who provided their Columbia EMBA admissions interview questions: I applied early decision to the EMBA - Saturday program. My interview was on Wednesday and I received an offer for admission the next day. The interview lasted only 30 mins. The atmosphere was formal. I wore a business suit and my interviewer was dressed in business formal as well. There was a third person in the room taking notes. This is not common. I was told that this person is new and will be listening in. I was asked the following questions. Read more
Published: January 25, 2015
Admissions Tip: The Interview Final Touch
Over the last months, we’ve focused on helping applicants prepare to answer the various questions they’ll be posed during their interviews, but there is one in particular to which we have not paid much attention.  Today, we wanted to offer a few tips in navigating the nearly inevitable interview finisher: “Do you have any questions for me?” This seems like a harmless inquiry, and indeed poses a great opportunity, but there’s actually a fine line to walk here.  You certainly want to take advantage of this opportunity to show the interviewer that you appreciate his or her time, perspective and knowledge.  In determining what to ask, however, you need to avoid those questions to which you could easily find an answer on the school’s website (remember that it’s imperative that you show you’ve done your homework), as well as those that are so specific or obscure that they will stump the interviewer.  Another sort of question to avoid are those that seem to be critical of the program or too concerned with other applicants; now is not the time to ask about application volume or the strength of the pool this year. Read more
Published: January 19, 2015
Harvard MBA Admissions Interview Report: Round 1 / Adcom / On-campus / Admit
The following Harvard MBA Admissions Interview summary was provided by a former applicant who was admitted to Harvard in Round One.  I applied in round 1 and interviewed in November. I happy to report I was accepted in December! The interview process at HBS is extremely well organized. There are activities all day with various candidates interviewing at different times. I made my trip two days and would recommend others do the same. I had not formally toured the campus before being invited to interview, so I did a two day visit to get a better feeling for the school. I signed up for all of the activities on the first day and had my interview the second day in the morning. This provided me with many potential anecdotes that were fresh in my mind about the program that could be discussed in the interview.  Read more
Published: January 18, 2015
MIT Sloan MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / AdCom / On Campus
The following is a recent applicant’s description of their MIT Sloan MBA admissions interview: Went smoothly. Lasted about 45 mins. Got admitted. The interviewer hardly smiled. Difficult to read. So don't be discouraged by the lack of smile. Read more
Published: January 18, 2015
Cornell Johnson MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / On Campus / Second Year Student
The following Cornell Johnson MBA admissions interview questions were provided by an applicant who was recently admitted to Johnson! I applied to Johnson in round 1 through Consortium and was visiting the school for the Johnson Women in Business weekend. The admissions office reached out to me a couple of weeks before my visit and asked me if I wanted to interview during my visit on campus. Read more
Published: January 13, 2015
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 2 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
The following is a Northwestern Kellogg MBA admissions interview description provided by a recent applicant:  We met at a coffee shop. It was very informal and relaxed. He had a copy of my resume, but it was otherwise blind. He took notes directly on the copy of my resume and said he had a report he had to submit afterward. Read more
Published: January 11, 2015
HEC Paris MBA Admissions Interview Questions: November Round / Alumnus / Off-campus / Admit
The following HEC Paris MBA admissions interview report was provided to us by an applicant who was recently admitted to HEC Paris! Just got accepted to HEC Paris Sep15 intake and couldn't be happier. I would like to share my experience in a way to thank those who have previously writed for this blog and helped me. Read more
Published: December 28, 2014
Harvard MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / Adcom / On Campus / Admit
The following Harvard MBA Admissions Interview summary was provided by a recent applicant who was recently admitted to Harvard.  I enjoyed being on campus and personally meeting HBS students. I was fortunate to attend a class and man was I excited! The interview itself wasn't the typical rapid fire experience I read about in MBA blogosphere, but it was a no-joke ordeal. Particularly, I didn't get much affirmation from the two interviewers I had. They do a pretty good job at maintaining a blank face throughout the interview.  Read more
Published: December 28, 2014
UPenn Wharton MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / TBD / Off Campus
The following is a set of Wharton MBA admissions interview questions provided by a recent applicant: I arrived there an hour earlier and I met two interviewees. After ~30min the other two also arrived. So we went in and got started.The team composition was :2 consultants, one ex-consultant and current health care, one private equity, one investment management. I guess our team was strong: 2 of them were going to be interviewed at HBS in the weekend. Read more
Published: December 28, 2014
Chicago Booth MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus Hub
The following is a report from an applicant who was invited to interview at Chicago Booth. The applicant shares their Booth MBA admissions interview questions:  I chose to do the interview at the hub in Shanghai because I heard that interviews at hub will be done with Adcom and elsewhere will be done with alum. I wanted to be interviewed with Adcom because I thought it would be more standardized and more value-added.  Read more
Published: December 28, 2014
Duke Fuqua MBA Admissions Interview Questions : Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
The following is a summary of a Duke Fuqua MBA admissions interview provided by a recent applicant:  Firstly, I would like to thank Clear Admit and its community which helped me prepare for the interview. The wealth of resources and the questions shared by previous applicants was incredibly helpful for my interview process. I was interviewed by a 2007 Fuqua alum at a Coffee shop in New Delhi, India. To the best of my knowledge - all Duke Alum/Student interviews are conducted blind. I had an online portal where I had to submit my resume 24 hours before my interview and my interviewer had access only to my copy of the resume.  Read more
Published: December 28, 2014
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Admissions Interview Questions : Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-campus
  The following is a Northwestern Kellogg MBA admissions interview description provided by a recent applicant:  We met at a hotel restaurant and it was a relaxed / informal interview in October 2014 for round 1. The alumni interviewer just had my resume, which I provided him beforehand. Began with questions I expected related to my application - tell me about yourself, why you decided to go to this undergrad, why you took this job, why business school now, what you want to do after MBA, and why Kellogg, your leadership experience, other skills you bring to the classroom. I was surprised at how depth they expect you to know Kellogg - the culture, academics, opportunities. For why Kellogg it was very important to understand what sets the school apart from others and why the school is particularly suited to your career goals.   Read more
Published: December 21, 2014
UVA Darden MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round One / AdCom / On Campus
The following is a UVA Darden MBA admissions interview report provided by a recent applicant: Read more
Published: December 11, 2014
Cambridge Judge MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 2 / Faculty / On-Campus
The following Cambridge Judge MBA admissions interview report was provided by a recent applicant:  Cambridge always puts on a good show for the interview day and today was no different. The day started off with preliminary remarks from the Director of the school and the director of the MBA program, and then we split off into our individual interviews. Interviews are done by faculty, including even the director of the MBA program. Read more
Published: December 11, 2014
Harvard MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / AdCom / On Campus
The following Harvard MBA Admissions Interview summary was provided by a recent applicant: My interview was very pleasant. It was quite rapid, though, and the 30 minutes were over before I knew it. As others have stated, there was one main interviewer asking the questions and another who was taking notes. I purposefully engaged them both when answering, rather than ignoring the notetaker. The interview was very congenial, with a lot of non-verbal feedback (smiles and laughter) throughout. The questions I was asked are below: Read more
Published: December 9, 2014
Duke Fuqua MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 /Second Year Student / On Campus
The following is a summary of a Duke Fuqua MBA admissions interview provided by a recent applicant:  True to Fuqua's reputation, the interview was friendly and straight-forward. The interviewer began by sharing his background prior to Fuqua and his post-MBA goals. He emphasized that the interview was meant to be conversational, which I found to be an accurate portrayal. The interview lasted about an hour, including questions I asked at its conclusion. The interviewer received a copy of my resume, but was otherwise blind to my application materials. Read more
Published: December 9, 2014
UC Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off Campus
The following UC Berkeley Haas MBA admissions interview questions were provided by an applicant:   I was set up with an Alum in NYC via email and coordinated a time/date/location that worked for both of us.We met for lunch a a quiet restaurant in the neighborhood I work in at her request.  Read more
Published: December 9, 2014
UT Austin McCombs MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / Second-year student / Skype
The following is a description of a recent UT Austin McCombs MBA interview provided by an applicant:  The interview was over Skype. I got a chance to select a preferred interview date and time. Read more
Published: December 7, 2014
MIT Sloan MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / AdCom / On Campus
The following is a recent applicant's description of their MIT Sloan MBA admissions interview:  The interview was very casual and friendly. The interviewer never made me feel uncomfortable or tried to trip me up and the time flew by. It seemed like she just wanted to get to know a little more about me and how I carry myself in various situations.Interviewers: 1Location: On campusLength: ~40 minutesQuestions:Tell me about a time when you said “no” to someone at work. How did it turn out?Why MBA? Why Sloan? Read more
Published: November 30, 2014
Stanford MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1
The following is a list of Stanford MBA admissions interview questions provided by a recent applicant: I had my Stanford interview this morning, and it went really well. The questions were as follows: 1. Tell me about a time you had to push back on authority 2. Tell me about a difficult team situation 3. Tell me about a time when you made an impact on an organization 4. Why did you join (top strategy consulting firm)? 5. What do you want to do long-term and how will an MBA help you do this? 6. What questions do you have Read more
Published: November 30, 2014
Stanford MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / Alumni / Off Campus
The following is a list of Stanford MBA admissions interview questions provided by a recent applicant: 1. Give me a teamwork example. 2. When have you faced a significant barrier and felt you had failed in your work? 3. Why did you leave [prior job]? 4. What do you like /dislike about [country of origin]? 5. What would you name an article / book if I wrote about financial crisis? What would the main thesis be? (I worked in finance) 6. Why current job, current country? Read more
Published: November 30, 2014
Harvard MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 1 / AdCom / Off Campus
The following Harvard MBA Admissions Interview summary was provided by a recent applicant: 30-minute interview with two women, one interviewer (who had read my application) and one observer (who had just seen my resume). They were both very friendly and it felt more like a conversation than an interview. 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Tell me about a leadership experience. 3. How did you find [previous job]? 4. Why did you choose to go to [current country of residence] and [current job]? 5. How did you make the Read more
Published: November 30, 2014
Columbia MBA Admissions Interview Questions: J-Term / Alumnus / Off Campus
The following is a report from a recent applicant who provided their Columbia MBA admissions interview questions. I applied for the January term. Application was submitted on October 1st, and I received an interview invite about 3 weeks later. Interview is with an alumnus, and I had to choose from a random list that was sent to me. A list consists of 6 names, and I had to go through two lists before finding someone who was able to fit me into his schedule. In total, it took me about 2-3 weeks to schedule Read more

MBA Applywire

9
November 20, 2024 9:42pm ET
Applying: Babson / Olin, , Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Emory / Goizueta, Rice / Jones, Rochester / Simon, SMU Cox, UCI Merage, Washington U. / Olin
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Technology - Entrepreneurship
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Entrepreneurship
GRE: 333
GPA: 2.56
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Lagos
Notes:

I just got rejected for WashU Olin and I have an interview invitation with Questrom. GPA continues to bother me but I addressed it in my supporting essays.
11
November 19, 2024 12:51pm ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, INSEAD, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Tech in government
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Entrepreneurship Companies: Bain , McKinsey
GRE: 319
GPA: 2.9
Years of Work Experience: 7
Notes:

I got cancer when I was undergrad that's why my undergrad GPA is low. After MBA I want to work in consulting then make a social impact in Africa through entrepreneurship
10
November 19, 2024 12:06pm ET
Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, U. Washington / Foster, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UT Austin / McCombs, UVA / Darden
Pre-MBA Career: Wealth Management and Military
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Asset Management, inc. HF, Other Companies: Bain , BCG , Deloitte , McKinsey , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Asset Management , State Street , Vanguard
GPA: 3.80
Years of Work Experience: 7
Location: San Diego
Post MBA Location: Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis, Charlotte
Notes:

UG Degree: BBA Financial Markets at an Accredited Institution.

Civilian Work History: 3 years as Wealth Advisor under an RIA in Minneapolis and Denver. Total AUM of ~$350-400M, served as a salaried advisor in a primary and secondary capacity. Holistic services to include investment management, estate planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, tax planning, etc.

Military History: 4 years as a supply/logistics officer heading efforts for air/ground mobility, defense contracting, supply and procurement, and fiscal budget management while located at various bases within CONUS and multiple forward deployed locations.

Professional Certifications: Obtained Certified Financial Planner designation (2022) and Series 65 (2019).
7
November 18, 2024 12:50am ET
Applying: Columbia, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, NYU Stern, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Consulting
Post-MBA Target Industry: Investment Banking Companies: Bank of America , Barclays , Citibank , Credit Suisse , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Chase
GRE: 323
GPA: 3.32
Years of Work Experience: 7
Notes:

Education:
- Combined Major in Economics and Statistics
- CFA Charterholder (passed all three levels on the first attempt)

Professional Experience:
- Manager at a Big 4 firm Specializing in capital projects and infrastructure, with a role similar to investment banking
- Seven years of experience, mainly in financial services in Ghana

Extracurricular Activities:
- Pro bono capital-raising services for SMEs
- Aspiring to run a full advisory firm for SMEs in the future
- CFA exam coaching and tutorial classes for candidates
- Founder of a travel and tour club offering affordable trips to explore beautiful and historic scenes in Ghana

Will being 32 years old affect the attractiveness of my candidacy?
10
November 17, 2024 9:24am ET
Applying: Columbia, , Georgetown / McDonough, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, NYU Stern, Oxford / Saïd, Stanford GSB, UCLA Anderson, Yale SOM
Pre-MBA Career: Higher Education
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Investment Banking, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Media, Undecided Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey , JP Morgan , Morgan Stanley , JP Morgan Chase , Apple , Google , Microsoft , Andressen Horowitz , Charles River , Sequoia Capital , Blackstone , KKR , 21st Century Fox , Comcast , Walt Disney
GPA: 3.97
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Denver, Colorado
Post MBA Location: New York City
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MBA LiveWire

November 23, 2024 7:37am ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on November 21, 2024
GPA: 6.42
GMAT: 760
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: India
November 23, 2024 12:41am ET
Accepted to SMU Cox
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 22, 2024
GPA: 3.6
GRE: 331
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Marketing
Application Location: Delta, Nigeria
November 22, 2024 11:09pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal November 22, 2024
GPA: 3.65
Program Type: One Year Program
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: NY
Note:

Submitted on 9/1, interview invite on 10/8, interviewed on 10/30. No phone call but portal updated on 11/22 around 1pm est. No scholarship..
November 22, 2024 8:42pm ET
Accepted to SMU Cox
Round: Round 1
Received via phone November 22, 2024
GPA: 3.9
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Mississippi
November 22, 2024 8:34pm ET
Rejected at SMU Cox
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on November 21, 2024
GPA: 3.89/4
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Asia
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