The London Business School Campus in the winter months.

Tips for the London Business School MBA Interview

Unlike many other MBA interviews, the London Business School interview includes a mini-presentation with five minutes to prepare and five minutes to present.

Presentation topics are chosen by the interviewer and candidates will be assessed based on how they deliver their presentation. Emma Bond, an expert MBA admissions coach at Fortuna Admissions and former LBS Senior Manager of MBA Admissions, recently offered some advice on what applicants can expect from the LBS interview and tips on how to best prepare for the mini presentation.

FORMAT AND LENGTH

The LBS interview is typically conducted by an LBS alum or someone from the LBS admissions team. For the most part, interviewers will be gauging your fit to the B-school, assessing your background and qualifications.

“Like the MBA interviews for Harvard and MIT Sloan, your LBS interviewer will be provided with your full application in advance of the interview,” Bond says. “Your alum interviewer will also have some notes from the admissions officer who read your file, along with comments about areas they have questions/concerns about regarding your candidacy. The interviewer will write a report after the interview.”

When it comes to length, expect the interview to last about one hour. However, Bond says, some interviews have gone well beyond the one hour-mark.

“The average interview length can vary enormously; while about one hour is pretty standard, I’ve had candidates spend up to three hours in deep conversation with the alum,” Bond says. “While LBS provides guidelines on the interview length, format, timing, and so on, the interviewer has control, so length will vary depending on who’s giving the interview.”

Topics can vary too, although Bond says, applicants can expect the standard questions such as “why an MBA?” or “why LBS?”

“You should be prepared to answer on a variety of topics, including leadership, team skills, global outlook, your existing work experience, and your career goals,” Bond says.

THE MINI-PRESENTATION

The mini-presentation component of the interview gives applicants five minutes to prepare and five minutes to present. Bond says LBS admissions officers aren’t so much focused on the content of your presentation, but rather, the structure and delivery of it.

“This includes how you articulate yourself and presentation style (how you captivate your audience – are you engaging, etc.),” Bond says. “So, flow and presentation quality are vital for this section. LBS wants to see how you think on your feet. The mini presentation will also assess your English levels further if you are a non-native speaker.”

Sources: Fortuna Admissions, Ellin Lolis Consulting

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