Based on my own experience, and from what I heard from other applicants while I was down there, these are not difficult interviews. As other people have mentioned, the only real question that they ask you is to ‘tell us about yourself,’ and the applicant takes it from there. While I was expecting this question, and went through it a bit in my head before hand, I would recommend that folks sit down for 30 minutes and practice it. Even record it if you can and listen to yourself speak. In my case, I found that I had to track back a few times to provide context to something that I was saying as well as to ensure that I was headed on the right track. That part went on for about 40 minutes and I led my remarks towards any potential follow up that could be asked, or at least that I had anticipated. I then used the next 15 minutes to ask questions, and I was surprised by the frankness and honesty of the student. All in all a great experience.
This was my second visit to campus (I had already participated in an open house day in September) and I have to admit that every interaction that I’ve had with Darden has been exceptional. From the receptions that they’ve hosted in DC to the actual campus visits, I’ve found the entire organization to be extremely well run, professional, and frankly warm and welcoming.
