Tips for a Successful MBA Group Interview
Have you been invited to an MBA group interview, or do you hope you will be? Group interviews have become increasingly popular at top business schools, and for good reason. They allow admissions teams to evaluate how candidates interact with peers, handle pressure, and contribute to a shared goal. Schools aren’t just looking for intelligent, accomplished individuals—they want collaborative team players who elevate those around them.
At Stacy Blackman Consulting, we have several experts on our team who have experience in the group interview format, including Anthony, a former Wharton Associate Director of MBA Admissions who served on the implementation and design team for Wharton’s Team Based Discussion (TBD) interview format. Our Mock Team-Based Discussion (TBD) Package offers applicants the chance to practice in a simulated environment, complete with detailed feedback to help you refine your approach and maximize your performance.
The Basics of an MBA Group Interview
In a group interview, you’ll typically be placed with 4–6 other candidates and asked to collaborate on a task, discuss a prompt, or solve a problem. The goal isn’t to “win” the interview but to showcase qualities like teamwork, communication, and adaptability. Some schools, like Wharton, have formalized the group interview into a signature format, but the general principles of success remain the same across programs.
What Not to Do During a Group Interview
Let’s start with the pitfalls. Avoiding these missteps will ensure you leave a positive impression:
- Don’t dominate the conversation. Being overly assertive may alienate others and give the impression that you’re more focused on yourself than the group’s success.
- Don’t interrupt or dismiss others’ ideas. Respect is key—no matter how passionate you are, ensure everyone has a chance to contribute.
- Don’t raise your voice or display frustration. Group interviews can be high-pressure, but staying composed is essential.
- Don’t use negative body language. Avoid crossing your arms, rolling your eyes, or appearing disengaged.
- Don’t use your phone or other devices. It’s disrespectful and suggests a lack of focus.
How to Shine in a Group Interview
To stand out in an MBA group interview, aim to balance contributing your ideas with supporting the group’s objectives. Here’s how:
- Prepare thoughtfully. If the school provides a topic in advance, research it thoroughly and come up with ideas. Even if the topic is a surprise, staying informed about current events and general business trends will help you think on your feet.
- Listen actively. Don’t just wait for your turn to speak—engage with what others are saying and respond thoughtfully.
- Build on others’ ideas. Referencing someone else’s point shows you’re paying attention and value collaboration.
- Be concise and clear. Express your ideas succinctly to keep the discussion moving and give others a chance to contribute.
- Be flexible. If the group moves in a direction different from your initial idea, adapt and find ways to support the collective vision.
- Encourage quieter participants. If someone is struggling to get a word in, you can show leadership by inviting them to share their thoughts.
B-Schooled Episode #222: TBD Interview Tips From a Former Wharton AdCom
The Wharton MBA Team-Based Discussion
Wharton’s team-based discussion (TBD) is one of the most well-known examples of a structured group interview. Candidates collaborate virtually on a solution to a business prompt in 35 minutes. This format evaluates your individual ideas and your ability to work effectively in a team.
If you’re preparing for Wharton’s TBD, focus on:
- Delivering a clear pitch. You’ll open with a one-minute pitch based on the prompt, so rehearse this to ensure confidence and clarity.
- Collaborating strategically. While your pitch is important, the admissions team is more interested in how you contribute to the group’s final outcome.
- Showcasing reflection. After the TBD, you’ll have a one-on-one interview. Be ready to articulate what you learned and how you contributed to the team’s success.
Navigating Group Dynamics
Whether you’re targeting Wharton or another program, group interviews often involve a mix of personalities—some outspoken, others more reserved. If you’re naturally assertive, be mindful of dominating the conversation. Look for ways to elevate others’ ideas and drive the group toward consensus.
For quieter candidates, don’t let louder voices drown you out. Look for natural pauses in the conversation to contribute, and don’t be afraid to assert yourself if necessary. A single insightful comment can often carry more weight than a string of less focused remarks.
Final Thoughts
Group interviews can feel intimidating, but they’re also a chance to highlight qualities that traditional interviews might not capture. By focusing on collaboration, preparation, and adaptability, you’ll demonstrate your individual strengths and show that you’re the kind of teammate any MBA program would be lucky to have.
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership to hourly help reviewing your MBA resume. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
Dana
Dana served as Assistant Director of Admissions at Columbia Business School for the Full-Time MBA program and has over 10 years of experience working in higher education. Known as a scrupulous file reader, Dana reviewed countless applications and assisted in rendering final decisions for the Admissions Committee at CBS. While leading information sessions at Columbia and on the road, Dana met and advised myriad applicants� ...
×Holly
Holly worked as a member of the NYU Stern MBA Admissions team for seven years and holds an MBA from NYU Stern. In her tenure as Director of NYU MBA Admissions, Holly worked closely with admissions teams from Columbia, Michigan Ross, UVA Darden, Cornell Johnson, Berkeley Haas, Yale SOM, and Duke Fuqua on recruiting events domestically and internationally. On the NYU Stern admissions committee, Holly conducted interviews, planned and hosted events, and trained staff on reading and interviewi ...
×Mark
Mark has been working in global higher education for nearly ten years, focusing on MBA Admissions at European programs including Oxford Said Business School and London Business School (LBS). At the University of Oxford’s Said Business School, Mark was the Associate Director of MBA Recruitment, leading the recruitment of all applicants to the Oxford MBA and 1+1 MBA programs. In this role, Mark advised countless MBA applic ...
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