Here you are. Interview time. It has all led up to this. A few months ago, you were plodding your way through marathon GMAT study sessions. You calibrated the impact of every sentence in your essay. Chances are, your self-analysis would’ve impressed Sigmund Freud.

Now, you’ve reached the final hurdle. With the small talk and resume walkthrough completed, the real interview can get underway.

Whether you’re interviewing with an adcom or alum, they are all thinking the same thing: How will you contribute to the business school? More specifically, how do you raise the bar for classmates? How does your experience bring more diverse perspectives into discussions? How do you personify the culture? Of course, they’re wondering if you can hack the quant courses and work as a team member.

In the end, they’re projecting who you’ll be in the future. Engaged alum? Renowned innovator? C-suite influencer? And your job is to frame the best version of yourself.

PREPARING FOR THE UNEXPECTED

Chances are, you’ve already started practicing how to answer the standard questions. Tell me about yourself – an exercise in cherry-picking the most relevant and flattering facts, for sure. Why an MBA, Why here, and Why Now – the three-headed monster that reveals just how much you know and how serious you are. Strength and weaknesses? The proverbial one-two punch that often triggers more questions than they answer. Long-term and short-term goals? No surprise there! Then, there is the toughest of them all: “Tell me about a time when…” – an opening that can veer off into hundreds of unexpected directions.

How do you know what to expect in an interview? You can start by getting the questions ahead of time. Call it the business school equivalent of Star Trek’s Kobayashi Maru: changing the conditions of the test ahead of time. A cheat? Hardly – rather it buys time for you to choose the right examples and facts, along with flushing out your takeaways. Even more, the questions can tip you off to cultural nuances at schools. Hoping to land a spot at Harvard Business School? Expect to be peppered with questions about industry trends and operational strategy. NYU Stern? Their people take aim at post-graduation plans and outcomes. At Georgetown University’s McDonough School, interviewers are fishing to learn if you’re truly committed to the program…or treating them like a safety school. Let’s not forget the University of Michigan’s Ross School, where you should anticipate off-the-wall questions like this doozey: If you had a magic wand to change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Talk about a loaded question!

Where did Poets&Quants find these questions? Throughout the year, Clear Admit asks MBA applicants to share what happened during interviews. Not only do interviewees share questions asked, but also invaluable information like who interviewed them and how long the interview lasted. Fortuna Admissions also collects school-specific questions, along with doling out insights on what these schools are seeking from candidates.

Wondering what questions you may be asked beyond the oldies-but-goodies? Here are over 130 unique questions asked at 30 top business schools ranging from Berkeley Haas to INSEAD to the Wharton School.

 

University of California-Berkeley (Haas)

Tell me about a time you had to work on a complicated project and morale was low.

Tell me about a time you championed a creative initiative in the workplace. What was thought process and attitude?

Tell me about a time when you had to manage a team.

Tell me about a time when you took a professional risk?

Which of the four principles resonates with you the most and why?

What is something you learned from something you read recently?

How to Ace the Berkeley Haas Interview Questions

 

Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)

How did you conclude that your career plan was right for you?

Tell me about your hobbies or side projects?

Tell me about a time when you had to change cultures.

Tell me about a time when you disagreed with senior management or supervisors.

What do you hope to learn from Tepper?

What is the best bit of advice you have received to-date?

 

University of Chicago (Booth)

Tell me about a time you had to ask for help.

Tell me about areas of improvement you’ve had to work on.

What is your startup idea, and what solutions have you considered?

Tell me about a time at work when you learned something that changed your perspective or way of thinking?

Tell me about a time you had an unpopular idea.

Tell me about a time when you received feedback that surprised you.

Chicago Booth MBA Interview: What to Expect & How to Prepare

 

Columbia Business School

Tell me about a time you made a team more inclusive.

Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a co-worker.

Tell me about a project where you led a team and produced a good result.

What is your greatest challenge?

If you had to tell the admissions committee one sentence about you, what would it be?

Tell me about how you would react in a team that didn’t work well together.

Is there anything (at CBS) that you think will challenge you?

Columbia MBA Interview: What to Expect and How to Prepare

 

Cornell University (Johnson)

How have you prepared for recruitment?

What clubs do you plan to join and how do you intend to contribute to Cornell?

You’re hoping to move into X industry. Talk me through why that change and why do you need an MBA?

Tell us about the connections you’ve had with our current community here or alumni?

What are your thoughts about living in Ithaca?

 

Dartmouth College (Tuck)

What do you do outside of work?

How are you involved in your community?

Tell me about a time you gave feedback?

Tell me about a time when you helped diverse voices in the room feel more represented.

Why did you choose your undergraduate degree?

What unique perspective will you bring to the class?

Tell me about a time you encountered something you felt was unjust and what you did in response.

Dartmouth Tuck MBA Interview: Questions, Tips and Strategies

 

Duke University (Fuqua)

What are your goals and how will Fuqua help you achieve them?

How would others describe you?

Tell me about a time you experienced challenges when working with people who had different perspective. How did you navigate that, and how would that shape what you bring to Fuqua?

What makes you stand out comparing with your peers?

Tell me about a time when you made a positive impact.

What does Team Fuqua mean to you?

Describe a couple leaders you’ve had exposure to and admire.

Duke Fuqua Interview Questions: Tips for Success and Key Dates

 

Emory University (Goizueta)

What does your role entail on a day-to-day basis?

How have you demonstrated leadership?

What three words will your co-workers or collaborators use to describe you?

How would you describe an effective team?

What are the traits of an effective leader?

 

Georgetown University (McDonough)

How are you prepared for the quantitative rigor of the program?

Where does McDonough rank out of the schools you applied to? What would be the decision-making factor if you got in to all schools?

What do you hope to be doing in 10 to 15 years?

Tell me something that is not on your resume that you would like for me to know.

What would stop you from joining if admitted?

 

University of Georgia (Terry)

How will you introduce yourself to your classmates, including your strengths and weaknesses?

Did you speak with current students? What did you learn and what was shocking?

 

Harvard Business School

Tell me about some developments in your industry? How do you picture the future of your industry based on the trends you’re seeing?

Tell me about the entrepreneurship landscape in [your country].

How to Ace the HBS Interview: An Insider’s Advice

 

Indiana University (Kelley)

Tell me about a time when you proactively took on a project/responsibility that wasn’t required.

How would you use the first month of school?

 

Next Page: Interview questions for INSEAD, Northwestern Kellogg, Stanford GSB, Wharton, and More.

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