MBA Interview Mistakes To Avoid

When it comes to MBA admissions, few moments carry as much weight as the interview. If you’ve got this far, your application has already proven you have the academic chops and professional experience, but the interview is where the admissions committee – or a student, or alum – decides if you’re someone they’d want as a classmate, teammate, and member of their community.

Even strong candidates can stumble. The most common mistakes include being unprepared, giving superficial answers, failing to research the school, mismanaging the length of your responses, and not recovering if you stumble on a question. The good news: every one of these pitfalls is avoidable with the right preparation and mindset.

Why Interview Preparation Matters More Than Ever

MBA interviews aren’t exams in disguise – first and foremost, they’re conversations. Business schools use them to gauge your communication skills, self-awareness, cultural fit, and ability to reflect and respond under pressure. And in today’s era of AI tools and overly polished essays, the interview has become an even more vital checkpoint: it’s the school’s chance to see how you think, speak, and connect in real time, and assess your truly authentic self.

The Biggest MBA Interview Mistakes – And How to Avoid Them

Mistake #1: Giving Generic Or Scripted Answers

One of the fastest ways to bore an interviewer is by leaning on generic claims or rehearsed lines. Simply declaring “I’m a team player” won’t resonate unless you can illustrate it with a concrete example of what you’ve actually done that demonstrated that quality.

What makes top candidates memorable is their ability to ground their strengths in lived experiences. For behavioral questions (a business school favorite), a simple framework like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) ensures your story stays clear and focused while still feeling genuine.

The strongest answers hit the sweet spot: they’re prepared and intentional, yet still conversational and authentic.

Mistake #2: Failing To Sufficiently Engage With The School 

Interviewers quickly pick up when a candidate hasn’t dug beneath the surface. I once spoke with an applicant who claimed to be passionate about “entrepreneurship” at Stanford GSB. When I pressed him on which resources he was most excited to explore, he had no answer. Yikes. He hadn’t truly engaged with what the program offers.

Schools are looking for applicants who apply with purpose and thoughtfulness, not just those chasing prestige. Strong answers highlight what makes a program distinctive and connect those features directly to your goals. Mention courses, professors, clubs, or hands-on opportunities – and explain why they’re meaningful for your journey.

Even more compelling is when you weave in your own firsthand research: conversations with students or alumni, discussions with faculty, or insights from visiting campus or joining a virtual event. These details demonstrate authentic interest and establish you as a candidate who has taken the time to understand the community you hope to join.

Mistake #3: Overemphasizing Achievements Without Reflection

Too many candidates approach the MBA interview as if they’re reciting their résumé – titles, promotions, accomplishments lined up in sequence. While achievements are important, rattling them off without context often feels flat, or worse, self-congratulatory. Interviewers aren’t keeping score of bullet points; they want insight into how you achieved results, what you learned, and how the experience shaped you.

The most effective responses blend success with reflection. Rather than saying you led a winning project, share the obstacles you faced, how you adapted, and what the experience taught you. That layer of self-awareness signals maturity and growth.

At the end of the day, your aim isn’t just to prove you’re accomplished – it’s to demonstrate that you’re reflective, adaptable, and ready to bring value to a classroom full of equally accomplished peers.

Mistake #4: Struggling With The Format

Not all MBA interviews look the same – and failing to prepare for the specific format your target school uses is a common mistake. Here are the main types you might encounter:

• Admissions-Led Interviews: Conducted by a member of the admissions team who has carefully scrutinized your full file. Expect probing questions that dig into your choices, motivations, and goals. Examples: Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan.
• Alumni-Led Interviews: Run by graduates of the program, often “blind” (they only have your résumé, not your full application). These often focus on behavioral questions and your personal experiences. Examples: Stanford GSB and INSEAD.
• Team-Based Discussions: This format places you in a group setting where collaboration, listening, and adaptability matter as much as your individual contributions. Example: Wharton.
• Video Interviews: Increasingly schools ask candidates to respond to timed questions which you must answer and record on camera. With only seconds to prepare, practicing concise, structured responses is key. Examples: Kellogg and MIT Sloan require this video exercise in additional to regular interviews; Texas McCombs requires it instead of a regular interview. 

Each format requires different skills, so knowing what to expect – and preparing accordingly – is essential.

Mistake #5: Poor Communication Or Lack Of Professionalism

Even strong candidates can falter sometimes on the basics:

• Speaking too quickly or softly
• Overusing filler words
• Poor body language such as insufficient eye contact or fiddling with attire
• Appearing distracted by a bad tech setup

These aren’t deal-breakers on their own, but together they signal a lack of readiness. Small details add up to the bigger story of your professionalism.

Mistake #6: Neglecting To Ask Insightful Questions

When it’s your turn to ask questions, avoid anything you could easily find on the school’s website. Instead, come prepared with thoughtful prompts that spark conversation and show genuine curiosity. With alumni, you might ask about the most impactful class they took or how the alumni network has influenced their career. With admissions officers, you could focus on how the school supports students in your particular area of interest.

Mistake #7: Mismanaging Time In Your Answers

Too short, and you look unprepared. Too long, and you risk making your interviewer yawn.

It depends on the question of course, but for example for a behavioral question, I recommend aiming for 1-2 minutes per response. Long enough to show context and impact, short enough to stay engaging. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is your best tool to keep answers structured. Think of each response as a mini-story with a clear setup and takeaway.

Mistake #8: Not Recovering After Bombing An Answer

Everyone stumbles. The real mistake is ignoring it. If you blank or misfire, you can circle back later in the interview: “I’d like to add one more thought to an earlier question…” This shows composure and self-awareness. If the interview ends before you’ve clarified, you can briefly address it in your thank-you note. 

How To Avoid These MBA Interview Mistakes

Here are some tips to help you avoid falling into these traps:

• Do a mock interview with someone who’s been on the admissions side. A friend can help, but only an experienced coach will challenge you with the kind of tough follow-ups you’ll actually face.
• Have 4-5 flexible stories ready. Think leadership, teamwork, conflict, resilience, and motivation. One strong story can often be adapted across several questions if you know how to shift the angle.
• Research like you mean it. Take time to engage with the school and its community – ideally, over months rather than days or weeks. 
• Record yourself. Most people don’t realize they’re speaking too quickly, smiling too little, or rambling until they see it on screen. Small tweaks in pacing, tone, and posture make a big difference.
• Match the tone of your interviewer. If they’re conversational, relax and engage. If they’re structured, keep your answers crisp. Adapting in the moment shows emotional intelligence and composure.

Final Thoughts

After coaching thousands of applicants, I can tell you this: no one delivers a perfect interview. That’s not the goal. The candidates who stand out are those who come prepared, answer authentically, and stay composed when things don’t go exactly to plan.

And always remember: nerves are normal. Preparation won’t erase them, but it will definitely keep them from running the show.

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Heidi Hillis is a Director at Fortuna Admissions and is one of P&Q’s top-ranked admissions consultants. She holds three degrees from Stanford, including an MBA, and is a former GSB MBA admissions interviewer. For more free advice from Fortuna Admissions in partnership with Poets&Quants, check out these videos and articles. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up now for a free consultation.

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