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.).

After Your Med School Interview: FAQs on Follow-Up Strategy

Check out our earlier posts on writing Update Letters and Letters of Intent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send more than one Letter of Intent?

You can send a couple of quasi-Letters of Intent. You can tell up to two schools: "I will likely attend" or "X school is one of my top choices." But only send an "I will attend" letter to your top choice school.

What should I do when I get notified I’ve been put on the waitlist?

Send a Letter of Intent ASAP. If you want to turn your waitlist slot into an acceptance, sending a Letter of Intent to your top choice school is extremely important. We already highlighted what such a letter should generally entail, but waitlistees may also want to do a little more. When you update a school on a major accomplishment, a new Letter of Recommendation based on it by a professor or supervisor adds a little oomph. (Adding a random recommendation that isn't about something that has happened since your application is less likely to have an impact on a school's view of you.)

How do I decide where to send my Letter of Intent?

Be strategic about your note: You only get one, so shoot your letter of intent at a likely target, a safe bet. Of course, you should love the school, but choose a school you have a reasonable chance of getting into.

After Your Med School Interview: Send a Letter of Intent

How to Send a Letter of Intent

If a school is a top contender for you, go a step beyond an Update Letter, and send a Letter of Intent. Send a Letter of Intent one or two weeks after your interview or the instant you have been waitlisted. Your letter should include relevant updates since you submitted your application (what you'd put in an Update Letter). Plus, a reiteration of your interest in the program with shoutouts to favorite offerings. Be specific about why you are interested in the medical school and try to relate those interests to your background, accomplishments, and goals. Have you worked on a study that relates to something happening in one of their labs? Do you want to be a pediatric surgeon and they are affiliated with one of the best children's hospitals in the country? Tell ‘em.

And finally—and this is what makes a Letter of Intent different from an Update Letter—include the yield protection statement: "If admitted I will attend." Keep it tight. No more than one page. Three paragraphs, max.

Medical schools have several reasons for wanting to accept people whom they know will attend. First, they want enthusiastic students who will add to the morale of the student body. They also like to know, especially as the date of matriculation nears, that the applicant they accept will attend because no medical school wants an open seat on the first day of classes. Finally, medical schools like the percentage of accepted applicants who matriculate to be as high as possible since this reflects the desirability of the medical school. (That's their "yield percentage" stat.)

Check back tomorrow for our final post on how to follow-up after your Med School Interview.

After Your Med School Interview: Send an Update Letter

Naturally, you'll have the urge to be proactive as you wait for a school's decision. In the weeks after your interview—say, two to three weeks in—you should send a letter reiterating your interest to keep the admissions office thinking about you.

We're going to go ahead and say that you should send an update letter to every school where you’ve interviewed, unless you absolutely hated one or two and are confident that you'll get in elsewhere. You should also be writing to schools you’ve yet to hear from to remind them that you’re eager to connect. (A Letter of Intent will come later and should be for your one and only true love…but there's some flexibility there. More on that tomorrow.)

"Hey, remember me?”

How to Send an Update Letter

We know of one admissions director who an applicant emailed EVERY DAY after their interview to express their continued interest in the school. Yikes. She gets it. It was beyond too much; it seemed unhinged.

You want to send a maximum of two Update Letters over a six to 10-week period that reiterate your interest in each school with program-specific details. It should include that if admitted, you will likely attend. And only send letters that include a substantive accomplishment. If you don’t think you have one—you do! We like these examples of accomplishments that one might include in an Update Letter:

• "Since submitting my application, I have increased my overall GPA to 3.8, earning an A+ in Biochemistry."

• "As I mentioned during my interview, I began an internship doing clinical research at My Local Hospital in October. In the ensuing weeks, I have pre-screened 75 potential study subjects, gaining valuable research and patient-facing experience."

• "Since applying, I gave a poster presentation on a novel postpartum hemorrhage treatment at The Very Cool National Conference."

Check back tomorrow for our post on how to send your Letter of Intent.

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Keep it Tight

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Keep it tight. Focus only on the experiences, sentences, and words that you absolutely need to support your argument and demonstrate your growth in the piece. You want to go deep, not broad. Adding in additional stories can distract the reader, and potentially lose them. Once you have demonstrated growth and made your argument, your personal statement is complete. Fight the urge to turn it into an autobiography or a resume.

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Keep the Audience in Mind

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Don’t forget your audience. Your memoir should hit on universal themes that are relatable to the reader. When you’re writing, and more importantly editing and rewriting, keep in mind how your audience will take in what you’re saying. Did you provide enough detail of the experiences to show growth and to make your argument? Did you provide too much or extraneous detail? Were you vulnerable and honest in your writing? 

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Deploy Details

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Think small. Memoir requires that you share your growth with the audience, which can be done effectively by incorporating small details. Smith notes the power of observation for showing the reader your journey to transcendence. She writes, “Never forget about the small stuff and how it reveals the big stuff of life.” Small details also create a relationship with your reader, drawing them into the experience. 

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Structure

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Structure. Memoir is created out of three components. Prior to writing, sit down and consider the building blocks of your piece.

1) What is this about (think: universal, e.g., connecting with and empowering your team, trying and trying again to find the right approach to solve a complex problem)?

2) What is your argument (something that you learned based on your experience)?

3) What experiences from your life will you deploy to prove your argument? 

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Lessons from Memoir Writing

A memoir requires more than a recounting of events from your life. Rather, you must show the reader that you’ve experienced transcendence. Marion Roach Smith calls it the “golden rule” of memoir. She writes, “Memoir is not about what you did. Memoir is about what you did with it.” The experience is not the focus or the reason for the writing, just the vessel for sharing a more universal learning with your audience. 

Smith expands this thought when she writes, “Specifically memoir is a promise from me that I experienced something, I’ve given some real thought to it and now know what it is, and now I am going to share what I now know with you. The promise is not that I am going to recreate the experience or make you relive it with me.” 

This approach also aligns with what admissions committees are seeking in your personal statement. From your past experiences, they want to learn more about your potential and character. Show them how a recent discovery helped you evolve, how you’ve refined your abilities in innovation and/or leadership, and/or teamwork. Prove to them that you are ready to pursue a graduate education and career path.

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Check in daily. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Ethical Behavior

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Ethical behavior. Law schools are highly-attuned to the character of applicants. You'll need to answer character and fitness questions honestly and thoroughly, of course. But admissions committees will also carefully review your application materials to ensure that you employ integrity and ethical decision-making. They want to see that you are a responsible, principled person. Share a story that exemplifies that you understand the importance of character in academic, social, and professional settings.

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Persistence

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Persistence. Law school and the practice of law require commitment, fortitude, and tenacity. Show the admissions committee that you are up to the challenge by providing examples of previous situations in which you worked steadfastly towards a goal, despite setbacks or failures. Show your ability to face adversity and get things done. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Collaboration

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Collaborative abilities. Law school and the practice of law are often team endeavors. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to work with others to accomplish a common goal. Consider the role you play within a group and how you help bring out the best in other team members. What has working in teams taught you about yourself? Law schools are looking for a diverse range of students. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be a highly-effective and persuasive leader. Rather, you need to be able to articulate how your influence and openness promote the best outcome(s) in a collaborative environment. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Critical Thinking

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Critical thinking. Law schools look for students who are adept at problem-solving. In Psychology Today, Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D., Assistant Lecturer in Applied Psychology at the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, wrote that critical thinking is the process of using analysis, evaluation, and inference to derive a conclusion. Show that you employ this process when making decisions or handling a problem. Demonstrate your ability to combine and review disparate pieces of information to examine a situation and come to a conclusion. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Intellectual Curiosity

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Intellectual curiosity. Law school is academically rigorous, and schools want students who can not only handle the workload but elevate the classroom discourse by engaging deeply with the material and concepts. Just demonstrating a record of academic success is not enough. Rather, you will want to show the admissions committee examples of situations where you went beyond what was required to better comprehend a topic. Show your commitment to asking questions, taking on additional research, and seeking out learning opportunities. Keep in mind that you can demonstrate intellectual curiosity in an academic environment but also beyond it – at work or in your participation with a charity or hobby. 

Building Your List of Law Schools: Tuition

With nearly 200 ABA accredited law schools out there, picking 12 to 15 to apply to can feel daunting. This week, we’ll explore how to use rankings productively as well as some other relevant factors to keep in mind as you build your school list.  

Tuition. Depending on your goals and financial situation, including any undergraduate debt you carry, it may make sense to opt for a lower cost in-state program over an elite institution. Either way, calculate the expected cost-benefit of different categories of schools: private versus public as well as in-state versus out-of-state. 

Building Your List of Law Schools: Geography

With nearly 200 ABA accredited law schools out there, picking 12 to 15 to apply to can feel daunting. This week, we’ll explore how to use rankings productively as well as some other relevant factors to keep in mind as you build your school list.  

Geography. 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 specialize in a particular field (finance, tech, government) or a specific type of law (public service), consider applying to programs that are located near one of the industry’s hubs. This will likely allow you more opportunities to intern, volunteer, or network during the school year. 

Building Your List of Law Schools: Career Placement

With nearly 200 ABA accredited law schools out there, picking 12 to 15 to apply to can feel daunting. This week, we’ll explore how to use rankings productively as well as some other relevant factors to keep in mind as you build your school list.  

Career Placement. If you know what type of career you would like to pursue after law school, dig into the employment placement reports of each school you are considering. Where are graduates getting internships and jobs? Which organizations regularly come to campus for on-campus recruiting? Data is also available for easy comparison on the Law School Transparency website. 

Building Your List of Law Schools: Rankings & Prestige

With nearly 200 ABA accredited law schools out there, picking 12 to 15 to apply to can feel daunting. We can’t tell you that rankings don’t matter (spoiler alert: sometimes, they really do!), but we can tell you that there is more to consider than just published rankings. This week, we’ll explore how to use rankings productively as well as some other relevant factors to keep in mind.  

Rankings and Prestige. There’s been a lot of buzz over the past year about the efficacy of rankings. While rankings should not be your only metric, they are relevant. For students who know that they want to pursue a federal judicial clerkship or a position in a big law firm post-graduation (most 2023 graduates entering large law firms went to a school in the US News Top 20), attending a top-ranked law school can provide significant benefit. 

According to ABA data analyzed by Reuters this year, over 20 percent of the 2023 law graduates at University of Chicago, Yale, and Stanford (top schools in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Schools ranking) obtained federal clerkships upon graduation. But this does not mean that securing such a role would be impossible without having attended a “top” school. Several law schools outside of the top 20, including University of Kentucky, Brigham Young University, and George Mason University, have also placed students in federal clerkships. 

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the rankings, paying particular attention to the metrics and outcomes that mean the most to you. They are a productive starting point for further investigation. And be sure to take a look at Princeton Review’s Category-Based Rankings, which can provide helpful insight into the various components of the law school experience (Best Classroom Experience, Best Career Prospects, Best Quality of Life, etc.). 

Overcoming Loneliness

In our next Emotional Intelligence (EI) Friday blog series, we will examine loneliness by considering research on social isolation in the workplace. We will discuss who is affected, the psychological effects of prolonged loneliness, and how you can support yourself or others who may need your help. We hope you enjoy this three-part series.

Click here to read Part 1 of this series. 

Click here to read Part 2 of this series.

So, what should you do if you are experiencing loneliness? Being aware of the dangers of prolonged loneliness is a starter. Below, we have also compiled suggestions for keeping loneliness at bay, for yourself or within your workplace or network.

1. Take cues from your loneliness. If you feel lonely at work or in your personal life, act on the emotional prompt! Do not ignore the feeling or focus on work to the detriment of your own professional, social, and physical well-being. Consider how you can find more consistent person-to-person interaction. If you work remotely or travel frequently, think about facilitating work discussions over video conference or the phone rather than relying on email or instant messaging.

2. Form personal relationships. While you’re at work, speak to people and don’t allow yourself to rely solely on emails or other technology to communicate. Ask people about their lives outside work and tell them about yours. Leave your desk to have lunch and invite someone to walk and/or eat with you. Take the occasional coffee break with peers. Join office committees or participate in community service activities. In the Work Connectivity survey, almost three-fourths of Gen Z and just under 70 percent of Millennials say that they would be more inclined to stay with their company if they had more friends. As a manager working to staunch loneliness on your team, Barsade and Ozcelik warn against falling into inauthentic means of relationship-building such as holiday parties or company picnics. Relationships are built in small groups by people sharing about their lives. Large parties often result in people feeling more isolated as they witness the socially connected enjoying the event.

3. Find shared meaning. According to a Harvard Business Review study, finding shared meaning with colleagues—understanding the meaning that they derive from the work and connecting it with the meaning that you find in the work—creates meaningful “social cohesion” and insulates team members from feeling isolated. This also addresses Barsade and Ozcelik’s point about the meaning and identity that younger generations are looking for in their careers. Younger generations are seeking to be part of something bigger, not just to receive a paycheck. This may also provide a way to connect with others when there are not obvious shared interests or a foundation for a relationship.

4. Work for companies and managers who take their emotional culture seriously. Some companies have cultures that are more prone to driving isolation than others. Consider this as you look for jobs. Do the employees seem connected beyond meeting corporate goals? Do they seem to know and care for each other on a more personal level? “Mandy O’Neill (management professor, George Mason University) and I have done some work in emotional culture—the norms around what emotions you’re allowed to express at work and what you’re better off suppressing. We found that in emotional cultures of companionate love [that include] care, compassion, and tenderness, even lonely employees were more likely to be perceived as approachable and committed to the organization… Anything that a manager can do in terms of creating a culture that sends out cues that are supportive is helpful,” Barsade said. When interviewing, look for signs that your manager and co-workers will be interested in forming real relationships with you that extend beyond your work together.

Top Qualities Business School Admissions Committees are Looking for in Your MBA Application

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. 

Leadership. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to influence a team in order to accomplish a common goal. And 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. 

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?

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. 

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!)?

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. 

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?

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. 

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?