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FAQ - INSEAD MBA Admissions Interview

FAQ 1: What is the most important thing to remember when applying for an INSEAD MBA?

Answer: International Motivation. The school has 80+ nationalities. You should clearly demonstrate enthusiasm for an international class.

FAQ 2: How can I demonstrate my contribution to others in the interview?

Answer:  Bring specific examples from your background, culture and lived experiences, preferably global experience.

FAQ 3: What should I avoid saying when answering "Why INSEAD"?

Answer: Avoid giving generic answers such as "diversity," "prestige," or "global brand." Instead, go deeper into the 3-campus structure.

FAQ 4: How can I showcase my leadership potential in the interview?

Answer:  Regardless of work from work, personal or extracurriculars, define the problem and offer context around constraints before sharing the solutions and the initiative behind the thinking.

FAQ 5: What is the key difference between "Why INSEAD" and "Why MBA"?

Answer: Don't repeat the goals written in the essays. Build on the motivation with a new narrative. Show how how your background makes it feasible for the transition in 1-year. Also share, how you will enrich class discussions and contribute to the cohort.

FAQ 6: How can I prepare for an INSEAD interview?

Answer:  Practice with Mock Interview service; script your answers, repeat the answers at least 7 times and practice.

FAQ 7: What should I avoid discussing during the interview?

Answer:  Avoid talking too much about what you will gain, and instead focus on what you will give back to the diverse class and non-profit partners.

FAQ 8: How can I show my cross-cultural fluency?

Answer:  Highlight how you navigated cultural differences, even cultural shocks. Don't just narrate all international experience with a rose-colored glasses eyes, but share about power distances, and high vs. low context communication.

FAQ 9: What is the importance of campus choice or career goals in an INSEAD interview?

Answer:  Alumni expect you to have thought carefully about where you want to study and why. Map the campus choice to the strength of each region.

FAQ 10: How can I leave a strong final impression during the closing moments of the interview?

Answer: Ask thoughtful questions that tap into the challenges the interviewer (an alum) faced, speficially around networking and allocating the right team for the school initiatives. Ask the interviewer about collaborating with 80+ nationalities.

Read: INSEAD MBA Admissions Interview Tips
 

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F1GMAT's INSEAD MBA Essay Guide

Question 1: Provide a summary of your career since graduating from university, explaining the rationale behind your key decisions and career progression. Include a description of your current (or most recent) role, covering the scope of your work, major responsibilities, employees under your supervision, budget size, clients/products, and any notable results achieved. (500 words)

Question 2: Describe your short and long-term career aspirations, including your target geography, industry, and function. How do you plan to bridge the gap between your current position and these goals, and how will INSEAD help you achieve them? (300 words)

Question 3: Give a candid description of yourself as a person and a leader, emphasising the strengths and weaknesses you recognise in yourself. Explain how you are actively working on your development, sharing key experiences that have shaped you, providing specific examples where relevant. (500 words)

Question 4: Describe a highly stressful situation you faced and how you managed it. What did this experience teach you about yourself and your interactions with others? (400 words)

Download F1GMAT's INSEAD MBA Essay Guide