11 Ways to Prepare for Your B-School Interview

b-school interviewAs you may guess, the purpose of the MBA admissions interview is twofold. First, it gives the AdCom a chance to see a candidate’s personality, leadership qualities, and motivation for pursuing an MBA. Secondly, it also lets applicants tell their own stories beyond the essays and other materials in the application. Once you receive your b-school interview invitation, your focus should be on preparation.

Keep in mind that many schools, such as Dartmouth Tuck and MIT Sloan, pose behavioral questions during the interview. Presenting yourself succinctly can be especially difficult with behavioral questions (“Tell me about a time you…”) because it is natural to launch into a story without much direction. Stay focused on telling your story to demonstrate the qualities you wish schools to see.

Also, if your interview will take place over Zoom or Skype, as is the case for most business schools this cycle, don’t miss this post with additional advice for virtual MBA interviews.

Do these 11 things, and you’ll knock it out of the park on the big day.

  1. Go into it with confidence.
  2. Know yourself or the version of yourself that you want to display.
  3. Cover your weaknesses.
  4. Build up a broad base of knowledge about business and the world.
  5. Study the school in-depth, and, if possible, research the person who will interview you, too.
  6. Practice—and listen to this recent episode of the B-Schooled podcast with Interview Prep Dos and Don’ts
  7. Dress the part.
  8. Have a list of stories that you can adapt to various questions ready.
  9. Keep your answers concise, but always have a lot more to say.
  10. Stay cool.
  11. Know what questions to ask.

Finally, wrap up your b-school interview with a sincere thank you for the interviewer’s time. Also, remember to ask for a business card if you haven’t already received one. Send a thank-you note or email within 24 hours. Try to include a memorable detail from your conversation to help the interviewer remember you and reiterate your interest in attending the school.

The interaction in a b-school interview speaks volumes about what kind of teammate you will be in the program, so make sure the right message is coming across loud and clear.

Main photo credit: Launch Vic (CC BY 2.0)

If you have an interview coming up, you will want to review SBC’s interview prep services. The key to interview success is practice and we provide you with all the tools you need to do just that.

  • Leverage our video platform to practice, view yourself and improve
  • Work with our experts for live rehearsal and feedback
  • Download a guide for lists of practice questions, tips on how to prep and overviews of interview formats
  • Experience a real group interview before your big day

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