Welcome to this week’s edition of Wiki Wednesdays, where we highlight new entries in the Clear Admit Wiki, a repository of MBA applicant experiences and observations. In honor of Chicago’s Round 1 acceptance calls going out today – ahead of their initially published January 3rd decision notification date – we’re taking a closer look at Chicago GSB interviews to pass on some preparation pointers to Round 2 applicants!
Chicago grants interviews on an invitation-only basis after evaluation of a submitted application. All interview invitations are released by Chicago’s “mid-decision” deadlines, which tend to fall four to six weeks after the relative round’s deadline date. Interviews are conducted either on campus or at an alternate, more convenient location for the interviewee by admissions staff, students or alumni.
Further, all Chicago interviews are blind and, though the interviewer will have the applicant’s resume, how much he or she uses it to direct the discussion can vary considerably. According to some recent Chicago interview reports, there has been some variability among alumni-conducted interviews. For instance, one alumni-interviewed applicant in Bangalore recounts, “[the interviewer] had taken a print out [of] my resume and had thoroughly [dissected] it. I could see his notes on my resume.”
Meanwhile, in stark contrast, according to another recent Chicago interviewee in Delhi,
- “[The alumni interviewer] didn’t write anything or [refer] to my resume once. He kept looking into my eyes while I was answering without any expression. He was straight faced with limited expressions which couldn’t communicate to me whether he was convinced or not with my answers.”
Despite the interviewer’s potential preference for an applicant’s resume as a guide, it’s always best to be prepared by knowing what Chicago tends to ask. For instance, Chicago frequently tends to ask where one has applied. One such applicant who did his homework recounts, “[the interviewer] asked why not some other school. I was prepared for this and answered.” This also drives home the necessity of school-specific knowledge for Chicago’s interview – especially as seen in most Wiki interview reports that conclude with the question, “Why Chicago?”
In regards to potential interviewer reactions per the report in Delhi above, though one may not be able to read any signals from the interviewer, it’s important to remain confident and clear. Thorough preparation and research (as could be carried out with the Clear Admit Interview Guides) would best support this attitude.
Thanks to all those who have added their experiences to the Clear Admit Wiki! As you can see in a recent entry about a visit to Cornell, it’s not just a place for applicants to post their interviews, but also their general application experiences as well as campus visits. If you have an experience you would like to share for the benefit of other applicants, you can add it to the Wiki either by creating an account or sending your reports to wiki@clearadmit.com. Happy researching and best of luck to those still preparing for upcoming MBA interviews!
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