MBA Interview Questions: A School-By-School List

Relax and be yourself. You made it this far you got this.

It’s like any conversation — they just want to get to know you.

Remember: You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you.

That’s the interview advice you’ll probably get. Be it with an adcom or alum — over coffee or Zoom — it comes as a small comfort. This is your dream and your life. You’re a striver: you can see who you want to be and what you want to do. You just need a shot. Problem is, so does everyone else your interviewers meet.

QUESTIONS USED FROM BOOTH TO YALE

Confidence comes from preparation. For admissions interviews, that means framing your story — choosing the right examples and quantifying for impact — clear, concise, and compelling. Along with asking you to “Tell me about yourself” or “Walk me through your resume”, your interviewer will likely touch on these well-worn topics:

* Why here, Why now, Why an MBA?

* What do you hope to gain or What do you hope to do?

* How you are going to contribute?

That doesn’t count the usual fare around leadership style and strengths and weaknesses. And then there are the behavioral questions that often begin with “Tell me about” — all cultural landmines that can reveal whether your personality or approach is a true fit.

What do you prepare for any curveballs? How can you show who you are fits with what they want? One way is to anticipate the questions…and that’s where Clear Admit comes into play. Each year, Clear Admit asks MBA applicants to share the questions they were asked during school interviews. Along with questions, applicants also provide helpful tidbits such as interview length. And we’ve added some of our own collected questions from the clients of admission consultants.

Wondering what kinds of questions you’ll be fielding at Stanford, INSEAD, or Kellogg? Here are over 100 questions from two dozen schools to help you craft the most effective responses.

 

University of California-Berkeley (Haas)

How do you hope to contribute from a DEI perspective?

Tell me about a time that you influenced a team to go outside of their comfort zone.

What makes you feel connected to what you’re doing now?

When have you seen confidence without attitude in your work? (Four pillars question)

How have you had to influence others to see your method?

Tell us about a risk you took.

 

Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)

Time I had a knowledge gap and what I did.

Teamwork and when we had to come to a compromise.

How do you learn and improve yourself professionally?

Time that you encountered a challenge. What was it and how did you get past that?

 

University of Chicago (Booth)

A situation where you brought people together.

A situation where you pushed forward an idea.

A situation where you realized you need help.

Who is a leader you admire and why?

What leadership type do you have? What are you doing to actively improve your leadership?

Tell me about a time you were overwhelmed and had time constraints. What did you do and how did you handle it?

What are three words that would describe your leadership type?

Describe a time you had to motivate a team.

Tell me about an experience that caused you to change your perspective.

 

Columbia Business School

Tell me about a time you got critical feedback.

Tell me about a time you used data to help you on a project.

How will being in New York City help?

What are some challenges and obstacles you foresee while you are getting your MBA?

How do you think you’ll contribute to the culture at Columbia?

What are top leadership qualities you value/strive to emulate?

 

Cornell University (Johnson)

How do you plan on getting involved at Cornell?

Tell me about a time you worked in a difficult team and how you handled it.

What would you do if someone on your team isn’t pulling their weight?

 

Dartmouth College (Tuck)

What has been your greatest challenge at your current company?

Tell me about a time when you helped someone resolve a problem.

How would you contribute at Tuck? (i.e. involvement in activities or personal contributions)

 

Next Page: Duke Fuqua To Rice Jones