I was pretty nervous so I don’t remember exactly what questions were asked or in what order but I’ll do my best..
The interview was off campus with an alum who I selected through the online application system; I emailed him to schedule the interview last week and he got back to me immediately saying that he was out of town but that he would be available next Monday (which was last Monday the 10th of February)
I went to his office checked in with his secretary and he collected me and we went into a small conference room for the interview
He was very friendly and conversational and he first asked me about myself/my resume. We talked about the economy, the future of real estate in the city where we both live, about the fact that his son didn’t get accepted to my alma mater and the fact that we lived on the same street in NYC, he at 286 and me at 200 – all of this felt like a casual convo and it also felt like it was outside of the confines of the interview because he then pulled out a sheet of paper and said: “Ok well Columbia is making me ask these questions so let’s go”
Questions he asked included:
- Tell me about an ethical dilemma and how you handled it. He didn’t like the one I gave so he rephrased the question and asked if I had ever seen someone else acting unethically and how did I respond
- He asked how I felt about Bernie Madoff, etc. and all of these corporate scandals (e.g. Citigroup private jet with taxpayer monies, etc.) and then he actually told me that he knew Bernie Madoff and always thought he was a “schmuck” which I thought was funny…then I sort of loosened up
- He asked me why I wanted to go to Columbia
- He asked what I liked to do in my free time
- He asked what type of leader I am
- He asked me about how I see the future of the real estate industry (I work in real estate)
- He asked me where else I applied and then we talked some smack about Chicago (all quant jocks, it’s in Chicago) and Harvard (it brands you; they’re all weirdos, but if he had gotten in he would have gone and ditto for me – though I didn’t say that!)
- Interestingly on my resume I have written that I speak Spanish and Arabic and he actually posed questions in both languages…so don’t lie about what languages you speak!
The whole thing lasted an hour and, like I said, he was extremely pleasant and he said that he thought Columbia would be a great school for me, but I’m not sure if it’s because he likes the school or he likes me!
He submitted feedback the same day and I am still waiting to hear. Wish me luck!
