I interviewed during round 1 on campus with a second year student. The interviewer asked all the standard questions, plus the Wharton-specific question about potential red flags in my application. Therefore, I’ll just elucidate on slight variants and questions I wasn’t quite prepared for.
- Rather than asking “why Wharton,” the question I was very much prepared for, the interviewer asked what qualities I looked for when I was deciding which MBA programs to apply to. It’s not difficult to re-frame your answer by listing attributes that naturally lead you to Wharton, but I certainly would have done a better job if I were prepared for this one.
- I was asked which leadership qualities I currently possess, and which I hope to obtain or improve upon in business school. I think I fumbled a bit on this one, but mentioned something about the benefits I would derive from the learning team dynamic.
- I was asked if there was anything else I wanted to say that the adcom should know. We had discussed every aspect of my candidacy in so much depth that I said no, but it might be a good idea to have something prepared!
One last note. I usually interview well, but I didn’t get an overwhelmingly positive feeling from the interviewer. While I was speaking, he kept looking around the room in a somewhat distracted fashion. If this happens, I would encourage you not to worry about it too much. As we know, Wharton’s interview is not make or break (it’s just one aspect of your candidacy). Another thing that has been mentioned is that second-year students sometimes don’t interview as well as adcom members, so they may not appear as encouraging. For instance, I got in at Wharton, and did not get into a school where I had a very positive interview experience with an adcom member. So do your best, but if you’re unhappy with your performance, it’s not the end of the world! 🙂
