Your MBA Interview Prep: Make a Claim and Back it Up Responses

This blog series covers the types of questions you can expect to receive in your MBA interview.

“What is …[the most important leadership trait]?”

Claim questions are simple and direct—but your answer should be complex and direct. Just like with your SAR responses, you will want to use stories here, not just statements. They may ask about attributes or skills you have but they're not looking for a list, they're looking for examples of when you’ve exhibited those things. Go ahead and use multiple examples! They don't all have to be long, but they should be detailed. 

Some questions will be about your future goals. Think: "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" A question like this should still be backed up with experiences, if possible, or anecdotes that prove that you have the skills necessary to achieve this goal. You’ll also want to include what you hope to learn in business school that will position you for success.

Other claim questions will require you to showcase your critical thinking. “What advice would you give to your classmates who are interested in working in your current industry?” Don’t just provide advice, tell a story from your experience that inspired this wisdom. 

Questions could also seem to require opinion-only responses. Something like: "How do you feel about your company’s CEO?" But don't get it twisted. This is a "make a claim and back it up"-question. You believe the leader is succeeding (or not) “because…" 

Other “make a claim and back it up”-questions that you may be asked: 

• How will you add to the diversity of our school? 

• What is your greatest strength?

• How do you deal with ambiguity? 

• What traits are the most important for a leader to have?

• What is your management style?

Your MBA Interview Prep: SAR Responses

This blog series covers the types of questions you can expect to receive in your MBA interview.

“Tell me about a time when…”

Throughout your MBA interview, we encourage you to share anecdotes whenever possible. But there are some questions that you MUST answer with a story. These are "SAR responses" because you'll describe the situation (20% of the response), the action you took, and the result (collectively 80% of the response). Some SAR prompts will be familiar because they are commonly used in interviews. You may have also used some of these anecdotes in your essay responses. Go right ahead and reuse any applicable application content. Those were your experiences and your takeaways, after all. There's no need to invent a whole new self. 

Consider how you would respond to prompts like these:

• Describe a failure and what you learned from it.

• Tell me about a time when you challenged the group consensus.

• Tell me about a time when you took on a leadership role.

• Tell me about an experience when you learned from people different from yourself.

• Tell me about a time when you developed an imaginative solution to a problem. 

Your MBA Interview Prep: Articulate Why You Want This MBA (Not Just an MBA)

This blog series covers the types of questions you can expect to receive in your MBA interview.

“Why our MBA?”

Or: “Tell me why you are interested in this program,” etc. This interview prompt will appear, in some form, early on in your interview.

Make it clear how this MBA will help you to achieve your goals. Your response should include school-specific details, like what classes or experiential learning opportunities you'll take advantage of, what unique resources you’ll utilize that maybe aren't available at other schools, which professors you're eager to learn from, the student clubs you'd like to join, the names of companies you’re interested in that recruit from the program, and maybe even what you like about the area. And don’t forget to bridge these details with your past experiences and future goals to reinforce your interest in these offerings. 

Whatever you do, don't say something ingratiating and general: "It's an esteemed program where I'll learn from esteemed professors who lead in their esteemed fields." We're teasing about this phrasing, but go deep rather than broad. Answer the question with a few salient details and you'll be golden.

Your MBA Interview Prep: Prepare a Three-Minute Elevator Pitch

In this week’s blog series, we will cover the types of questions you can expect to receive in your MBA interview.

“Tell me about yourself.”

The first question your interviewer asks will likely be something general that invites the widest-ranging answer. This question comes in many forms. It could be as short and blunt as: Tell me about yourself. It could be: Walk me through your resume. It could be: Talk to be about anything you believe will enhance your candidacy for admission. 

These opening questions require a three-minute answer. Think of it as an elevator pitch response. Naturally, your response should reiterate your commitment to pursuing an MBA and make it clear why an MBA will benefit your career and help you to bridge your past experiences with your future goals. It is okay to stay in a linear timeline: I did X and transitioned to Y. What's important is explaining the motivation behind your decisions. You can also share who you are via your three most impactful experiences. 

Practice some possible responses to ensure you're not going wildly under or over the three-minute mark. Don't try to memorize anything word-for-word as this will lead to fumbling with your words or coming off as wooden. But have an outline in mind—some milestones you know you want to pass. 

Some sub-questions you might answer to build your "Tell me about yourself"-answer are:

• What was your path to this point? Did you always know you would pursue a career in business?

• How has your work experience prepared you for business school?

• Do you want to expand on any meaningful professional experiences and how they reinforced your interest in graduate business education?

• What are your post-MBA career goals? 

• How will an MBA bridge your past with your future? 

• What fun fact about you could you close on?

Admissions committees like it when applicants include personality in their answers, especially when answering this question. Revealing something fun about yourself encourages a connection between you and the interviewer.

Laying the Foundation for Your MBA Application: Build a Brainstorm Document

Before you begin work on your business school application, we recommend that you create a brainstorm document where you will explore your formative experiences—what you thought, felt, said, and did. This brainstorm will be your touchstone for everything about this application process. It will help you discover what meaningful experiences and qualities you want to highlight in your essays and discuss during your interviews. 

Putting meaningful experiences into different "buckets" helps a lot. You might have some crossover with experiences technically fitting into two buckets or more—don't worry about that; put them in one bucket, for now, to keep things grouped. Maybe write: "This is also a leadership experience" or "Innovation/Critical Thinking" in your notes.

An important note: Eighty percent of these experiences should be from adulthood (college and beyond). Twenty percent can be from before then if they established foundational skills or led to evolutions in perspective. For example, if a family member’s illness during your high school years inspired your desire to found a healthcare start-up. 

Bucket 1: A-ha Moments. What meaningful experiences changed your mind about or expanded your perspective on something? Some could be spectacular successes, others, catastrophic failures. Have you learned from a mistake? What skills of yours did you discover in a challenging time? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? (Prepare yourself, we're going to ask those last two repeatedly.) 

Bucket 2: Leadership. In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 3: Teamwork and Collaboration. During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 4: Innovation. In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 5: Experiences that Reinforced Your Commitment to an MBA. What meaningful experiences reinforced your commitment to pursuing an MBA and your post-MBA goals? Was it meeting a professional you admired? Was it accomplishing something at work or in a volunteer setting? What did you think of these things at the time? How did you feel?

Bucket 6: Miscellaneous. What experiences have you had that you can't quite categorize? What else should we know about you? What do you think we don't necessarily have to know? Don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability and use everything you’ve got. You should even include things about yourself and what you care about that you don't imagine will be a factor in an essay (e.g., your quest to make the perfect chocolate cake, your passion for wordle). You might be able to weave aspects of your personality or some fun facts into your essays and interviews to add some color—or something even better.

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Compatibility in Close Knit and Collaborative Communities

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

After you’ve demonstrated your academic readiness and high quality and quantity of professional experience, one question will remain in the minds of admissions committees: Will this applicant be compatible in our program’s collaborative and close-knit community?  

To answer this question the admissions committee will pay particular attention to:  

• Essay responses. Do not use your essay and/or short answer responses as additional resume space. Instead go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now. Keep in mind that listing off your qualities is meaningless if you're not backing them up with real-life examples.

Review our blog on using lessons from memoir to write your personal statement.

• Interview responses. Use nearly every response to tell a story, rather than making general claims about your abilities. Anyone can speak in generalities. How boring! But no one has your set of unique experiences. Through anecdote, your values and character will come alive.   

Review our blog series on the MBA interview. 

• Recommendations. While these responses are not within your control, they are within your influence. Provide each of your recommenders with a portfolio of information that includes illustrative anecdotes that will show your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment and grow from constructive criticism.  

Review our blog on obtaining high-quality recommendations.

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

After you’ve demonstrated academic readiness, the MBA admissions committee will assess the quality and quantity of your full-time, post-baccalaureate work experience. They want to know: Does this applicant have the professional experience they need to accomplish their short-term post-MBA goals? 

To get their answer, the admissions committee will pay closest attention to your:

• Resume and Essays. Think of your resume as a general overview of your life from the start of college until today, that articulates clearly the results you’ve achieved and impact you’ve had in each role or involvement. In contrast, your essay responses should be deep dives that will show the reader, through anecdote, your abilities in the areas of innovation and/or leadership and/or teamwork. On average, business school matriculants have about four years of work experience. If you’ve spent less than four years working, provide an explanation as to why you want to get your MBA now. 

Review our blog on crafting a results-driven resume. 

Review our blog on key mistakes to avoid when writing your MBA application essays.

• Your stated career goals. Provide the admissions committee with specific short-term, post MBA goals that make sense given what you’ve done in the past. This will convince them that you will hit the ground running securing an internship and job as soon as you enter the program.

  A common mistake we see in MBA admissions is applicants who, unknowingly, position themselves as an employment risk. This can happen when you articulate a goal set that is too vague or unrelated to any of your past experiences. Once you are admitted, you will have the opportunity to reevaluate your goals. You’re allowed to change your mind! But your first goal, of course, is getting into business school. 

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Demonstrate Academic Readiness

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

The first question that an MBA admissions committee will ask when they look at your application is simple: Will this applicant be able to compete in the academic rigor of our program?

Elite MBA programs are academically challenging. You must be able to thrive amidst the inevitable analytical and quantitative challenges. Since the best predictor of future success is how you’ve handled rigorous academics in the past, to answer this question, the admissions committee will pay closest attention to your: 

• Undergraduate (and graduate if you have them) Transcripts. They will consider not only your GPA, but also the quality of your course load. Does your GPA fall into the average range for the schools where you are applying (typically between a 3.3 and a 3.7)? Did you take on challenging courses and do well? Did you succeed in classes that required analytical or quantitative work? 

  If your answer to any of these questions is “no” or even “...maybe,” consider taking an analytical course or two, prior to applying to business school. Succeeding in these additional classes will provide the dual benefit of shoring up your confidence and case for admission, as well as giving you a chance to confirm that you’ll enjoy the MBA curriculum. 

• Standardized Test Scores. Submitting a strong GRE/GMAT/Executive Assessment score will reassure the admissions committee that you have the critical thinking, verbal reasoning, and quantitative skills necessary to succeed in the program. A strong quantitative score is particularly beneficial if your undergraduate major or professional experience did not require much in the way of analytics.

  The good news for business school applicants is that admissions committees will only use your highest submitted score. So, re-take it. You’ll likely do better the next time around.  Not only will a higher score benefit you from an admissions perspective, you will be more likely to get one of those sought after merit-based scholarships. 

MBAs come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. That’s the fun of business school! Just be sure you can convince them that you’ll thrive in their classroom.

Prospective MBA Students: Start Building Your School List

We advise our MBA applicants to apply to between six and eight schools. Here’s what to keep in mind: 

• Rankings / Prestige. There’s been a lot of buzz over the past year about the efficacy of rankings. So, while this is an area that we encourage you to review for the programs you’re considering, we would discourage you from making it your top/only priority. Delve into the publicly available data, studying the metrics that are most important to you. This information will be a wonderful starting point for further investigation.   

• Geography / Network. Where you are located plays an important role in your ability to network. If you know where you want to live post-graduation, consider applying to programs that are within that city or state. Similarly, if your goal is to enter into a particular industry, consider applying to programs that are located near one of the industry’s hubs.

• Career Placement. Take a close look at what industries and/or companies are recruiting at the MBA programs that you’re considering. Or, if you are very interested in a particular company, consider the programs where they recruit most heavily. You can review each school’s career placement report and/or engage with the school’s career services team to learn more. You may also want to confirm that the school’s MBA program facilitates clubs and activities that are relevant to your career goals (e.g., Finance Club, Luxury Goods Club, Marketing Club), as they will often host events connecting potential employers with interested students, as well as providing other resources.

Keep in mind that your top-ranked schools may not overlap exactly with the U.S. News and World Report or Financial Times. And that is just fine.

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Consider Your Finances.

While we generally do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. We’ll highlight these considerations throughout this week.

You don’t require merit-based support. If you don’t need financial support in the form of merit-based scholarships, Round Three is fine. Most programs won’t consider applicants for scholarships after the January deadlines.  

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Consider Your Reasoning.

While we generally do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. We’ll highlight these considerations throughout this week.

You face a professional transition. Were you recently laid off? Did you just return from a military deployment or other overseas work experience? Shutter your startup? If you have a personal or professional reason for submitting an application in Round Three, rather than earlier, we recommend that you include this information in the optional essay space. Providing the admissions committee with an understanding of your timing will help you to build a stronger case for admission. 

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Consider Your Value Proposition.

While we generally do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. We’ll highlight these considerations throughout this week.

You bring a unique value proposition. Admissions committees are looking for applicants who will bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the business school. Applicants who can showcase a unique point of view will stand out even in the competitive third round. Unsure? You might consider holding off on applying while you garner more professional and community experiences.

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Sometimes it’s Alright.

As a rule, we do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, but there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. We’ll highlight these considerations throughout this week.

You have a very competitive application. The third round is among the most competitive because there are fewer seats available. To gain admission, you must submit a strong application. Confirm that your GPA and test scores compare favorably to the school’s average ranges for admitted students. If you have doubts about your test scores or your work experience, or are concerned about getting strong recommendations in a quick time-frame, we recommend that you hold off until the next admissions season.

Top Ten Tips. MBA Behavioral Interviews

If you’ve been invited to interview at any or all of the schools on your list, congratulations! Now, it is time to begin preparing. See below for a list of our top ten interview tips:

1. Upon receiving the invitation, schedule the interview as soon as possible. This will enable you to avoid scheduling conflicts and select the time of day when you have the most energy and the fewest distractions. 

2. Read all you can about the program, and follow them on social media to stay abreast of their latest announcements, research findings, and other content. If possible, schedule an in-person visit prior to the interview, which often will include a tour, class observation, and lunch with current students. Talk to current or former students already in your network to gain insight on the interview process and other aspects of their MBA experience. 

3. Review your application and think through how you will succinctly, yet cohesively, explain your path to this point. What have been some of your most meaningful experiences that reinforced your interest in the study of business? You will likely receive some introductory question(s), which will require a three-minute elevator-pitch response, as well as several others that will require you to back up claims you make about your abilities in the areas of innovation, leadership, and teamwork with specific examples from your professional life. 

4. Convince them that their program is at the perfect intersection of where you’ve been and where you want to go. Be sure you can speak about specific courses, professors, case competitions, experiential learning opportunities, etc. that interest you most.  And explain why, citing some of your past experiences and/or future goals.  Remember, depth is better than breadth.  We would rather you explain at length one or two specifics that really set the program apart for you, than briefly mention seven to ten.

5. Prepare to weave into your responses what you will be able to offer the school. Make it clear how your experiences and interests, personal and professional, will benefit the school and create a stronger, more diverse MBA class and alumni base.

6. Think through your biggest career successes and failures, and consider what you learned from both. When answering a question about one of your failures, spend only 20 percent of the response on the situation and mistake. The rest of your response should be devoted to the actions you took to gain a better understanding and improve, and what you learned as a result.

7. Determine if there are any red flags in your application and, if so, craft a response that addresses the issue without making excuses. For example, if asked about the ‘C’ you received in Calculus your sophomore year, discuss what you have done to improve your quantitative ability since then, and make mention of those specific areas in your transcript and post-baccalaureate experience that are more indicative of your ability to compete in a rigorous academic environment.  

8. Stay current on domestic and international news. The Economist is wonderful, one of our favorite publications. You will also want to be aware of any news related to your current company, industry, and desired career path as these are great areas from which your interviewer may draw questions.  Setting up Google alerts for key phrases related to your company and industry will also help ensure you’re up to date.

9. Prepare three questions, which demonstrate your knowledge of and enthusiasm for the program, to ask the interviewer at the end of your session.

10. Compose a hand-written thank you note and snail mail it to your interviewer. In the note, thank them for their time, reiterate your interest in the school with specifics, make note of something memorable you spoke about during the interview, and, if applicable, make the yield protection statement (If admitted, I will attend.).

Qualities that MBA Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Integrity and a Sense of Community

This week, we’ll examine the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Integrity and a sense of community. Many leading business schools have missions that include educating principled leaders who will make a positive difference in the world. Business schools are, now more than ever, highly-attuned to applicants’ integrity and sense of civic responsibility. 

Consider the following: In what meaningful experiences did you elevate a community that you were a part of? What effect did you have on others? What effect did they have on you? What have you learned about finding common ground with those who are different from you?  What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Qualities that MBA Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Innovation

This week, we’ll examine the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Innovation. The pace of change in business continues to speed up and business schools are looking for students who demonstrate skills in both critical and creative thinking and problem solving. 

Consider the following: In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? What did you learn? How did you feel?

Qualities that MBA Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Teamwork

This week, we’ll examine the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Teamwork. Conducting business is a team endeavor. Accordingly, business school is a highly collaborative place where you will spend a lot of your team working together with your classmates. Highlight instances where you have shown humility and elevated the voices of others. 

Consider the following: During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others successfully? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? Have you had experiences with teams that were unsuccessful? What did you learn (remember: failures can provide great insight too!)?

Qualities that MBA Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Leadership

At Apply Point, we often remind our applicants that MBA programs are looking for individuals, not just resumes. Admissions committees want to understand the full spectrum of experiences that have led you to this point of your life and career, and have informed your future goals. But while you brainstorm, in addition to poignant personal experiences, be sure to keep in mind the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. This week, we’ll examine each of these core qualities.

Leadership. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to influence a team in order to accomplish a common goal. Keep in mind that there are many ways to demonstrate effective leadership. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be an inspirational and persuasive leader. 

Consider the following: In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? What did you learn that you will incorporate into your leadership style in the future?

The MBA Application: A Results-Driven Resume (Part 2)

Keep the following tips in mind as you craft your resume: 

Focus on results. We can’t emphasize this enough. Make use of active verbs to showcase your contributions. And, where possible, provide hard numbers that exhibit the results you’ve achieved and the impact you’ve made. 

Keep it relevant. Your resume should only include experiences from the start of college onward, and should showcase your abilities in innovation, leadership, and teamwork. 

Review the Guidance. Some MBA programs instruct you to “submit a resume,” while others such as MIT Sloan or UPenn Wharton, provide specifications for your submission. Review the school’s admissions page to confirm any instruction on page limits, font, and format. 

If the school does not provide formatting guidance, you should keep it simple. Opt for left-justified text in an easy-to-read font—we prefer Garamond—sized between 10 and 12. Additionally, while it may be customary in some cultures to add a headshot to the resume, this is not recommended for U.S.-based MBA programs. 

Use proper grammar. Even the best writers can get worked up about creating resume text. Don’t overthink it. Use proper punctuation and the appropriate tense (present for current activities, past for past activities). Read each line aloud and make sure that it flows smoothly. Do not lean on corporate jargon, rather you will want to ensure that you explain what you did and your results in a way that a fellow MBA classmate in a different field would understand. 

The MBA Application: A Results-Driven Resume (Part 1)

A key piece of the MBA application is a resume. It should showcase the breadth of your experiences and accomplishments. But remember, it should not merely communicate what you did in each role and extracurricular endeavor; each entry should explore WHY what you did and accomplished was so important to you and/or your team and/or the organization as a whole. What results did you achieve?  What impact did you have?  What did you learn?

MBA resumes should include the following components and should be no longer than one page:

1. Education. List all degrees and include a bulleted list in the Education section of internships and extracurricular involvements you participated in while in college. 

2. Work Experience. Using results-oriented bullets, show your progression in responsibility throughout your career. Elaborate on the impact you’ve had and/or lessons you’ve learned. Note also any awards and/or honors and/or significant recognition that you have received.

3. Additional Information. This section can include significant extracurricular and charitable involvements you’ve participated in, languages you speak, as well as noteworthy skills, certifications, and memberships.