Be Curious, Be Humble – Getting Into London Business School

Want to get into London Business School?

It might help to ask more questions.

At least that’s what LBS dean François Ortalo-Magné says he values in prospective students.

In an interview with Business Insider, Ortalo-Magné highlighted a few important traits he seeks in prospective candidates.

“The more curious people don’t have so many answers,” Ortalo-Magné tells Business Insider. On the other hand, less curious people “know what they want. So they meet the dean and they are really keen to convey what is it that they know.”

Curiosity is Key

Ortalo-Magné says that LBS seeks out those who are curious about the world.

And while he says there’s nothing wrong with knowing a lot, LBS is catered to those who are curious.

“It’s just we are a much better community for people who come with curiosity,” he tells Business Insider.

That sense of curiosity is especially important when it comes to the MBA interview. Even more LBS isn’t the only top MBA program that values curiosity.

Chad Losee, managing director of MBA admissions and financial aid at Harvard Business School, says he’s interested in getting a sense of how applicants think and what they care about.

“We don’t feel that people need to come in with a life plan already mapped out, but we do like to get a sense for how people think about the decisions that they make,” Losee tells US News.

The Importance of Humility  

Another key trait Ortalo-Magné highlights is humility.

And humility is an important trait to many b-schools.

Kari Graham, director of graduate admissions at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, says some of the most memorable interviews she’s had with applicants are ones where they convey what they’ve learned from their mistakes.

“Those are usually the things that make us better people and hopefully better students,” Graham tells US News.

Stephanie Fujii, the former director of admissions at Berkeley-Haas, rings the same sentiment.

“A candidate who can express his or her achievements and potential without being boastful, and can reflect on both successes and failures with humility and awareness is more likely to be admitted and more likely to thrive in our program,” she tells Forbes.

Sources: Business Insider, US News, Forbes