Admissions Insiders Advise Prospective MBA Applicants to Ask Their Own Questions During the Interview
In preparing for the questions they may be asked as part of an MBA admissions interview, prospective applicants would do well to formulate a few intelligent questions of their own, according to admissions deans from top MBA programs.
The questions that an MBA candidate asks as part of the interview can make the difference that leads to an acceptance letter, according to a recent column in U.S. News by Dr. Don Martin, a former admissions dean at Columbia, Northwestern and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, among other schools.
Christine Sneva, director of admissions and financial aid at Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management, agreed with Martin’s thesis. “It’s a chance for candidates to show they’ve made the effort to dig a little deeper, that they care and have genuine interest in our program and faculty research,” Sneva told him.
At Johnson, where students are encouraged to develop relationships with faculty, Sneva is particularly impressed when prospective applicants pose questions that reflect the fact that they have taken time to identify the research and teaching of individual professors. But even simple questions can make a good impression, she adds.
“I like it when a candidate asks about the facilities such as the library, student center and academic buildings,” she told Martin. “It seems simple, but it shows that the candidate is picturing his or herself here. And that’s important to us.”
In his column, Martin revealed that while an admissions dean, he regularly sought feedback from interviewers about the types of questions applicants asked. “It provided insight into what the candidate was thinking and what is important to him or her about an MBA education,” he writes.
Martin goes on to recommend five types of questions candidates should ask. First, ask a question based on something you read in a brochure or on the school website, he suggests. “This demonstrates due diligence and indicates time well spent researching that MBA program,” he writes. Second, ask why the interviewer decided to become part of the respective school. “Whether it’s a student, alumnus or admissions staff representative, this is a great way to engage your interviewer and seek firsthand knowledge of what makes the school special,” he advises.
Martin’s other suggested questions include what the interviewer considers to be the school or program’s greatest asset, what three adjectives he or she would use to describe the school and what advice the interviewer might have to offer. “This may be the most important question to ask,” Martin says, noting that it’s also a good closing question. “Don’t hesitate to ask the interviewer for the one piece of advice he or she would give you as a student at that school,” he adds. In doing so, you are tapping into the experience and insight of someone who knows the MBA program well while also demonstrating openness to feedback.
Read Dr. Martin’s full column in U.S. News.
Featured Products
Recent Tweets
MBA Admissions Mashup
Beat The GMAT Forums
- Ask Clear Admit :: RE: Profile Evaluation - MS Finance Programs
- Ask Clear Admit :: RE: Should I re-apply to McCombs
- Ask Clear Admit :: Profile evaluation and suggested schools
- Ask Clear Admit :: GMAT 660/5 years Experience/ 3.8 GPA (Indian)
- Ask Clear Admit :: RE: Profile evaluation- GMAT-760(Q50,V42)
