The purpose of the ULCA Anderson MBA Admissions interview is to assess interpersonal skills, clarity of goals, and alignment with Anderson’s values.
In this in-depth UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions Interview Tips, we cover:
• Format
• Duration
• Style
• Location
• Do’s
• Don’ts
• Interview Questions
Format
Interviews are typically conducted by second-year MBA students and follow a blind format, which means that the interviewer has access only to your resume, not your full application.
Duration
Interviews generally last about 30 minutes
Style
Interviewers are looking for evidence that candidates will contribute and benefit from the collaborative, change-driven environment the school emphasizes. Although the interview style is friendly, the interviewer has access only to your resume. Make sure that your answers cover Anderson's three core principles: Shared Success, Thinking Fearlessly, and Driving Change.
Location
The interviews are conducted in person or through Zoom.
F1GMAT's Mock Interview Service - Interview Prep with Atul Jose (Admissions Consultant, F1GMAT)
With F1GMAT's Mock Interview Service, you'll gain three key advantages:
- The ability to deliver confident, concise answers in 1 to 1.5 minutes.
2. The skill to infuse your responses with genuine emotion and authenticity.
3. Expert guidance to craft scripted answers that feel fresh, original, and free of clichés.
For any questions about F1GMAT's Mock Interview service, email me, Atul Jose, at editor@f1gmat.com
Covered in the 3-hour MBA Admissions Mock Interview session:
1) Planning and practicing the answers for the standard interview questions
• How to answer the “Tell us about yourself” introductory question?
• How to answer Walk me through your resume?
• What is the greatest accomplishment in your professional career?
• What is your leadership style?
• How would you contribute to the School Community?
• What is the most difficult obstacle you overcame?
• Are you a Creative Person?
• How do you define Success?
• How to answer about Innovative Solutions?
• Answering Frequent Job Switch
• How did you Handle Conflict?
• How did you manage Change?
• Give an Example of an Ethical Dilemma you faced. How did you handle it?
• Answering Greatest Accomplishment
• How did you Handle a Difficult Boss?
• Tell me a time when you made a Mistake. What did you learn from it?
• How to summarize your Career?
• How to explain low grades?
• How to answer Scenario Questions?
• How to answer the Backup Plan Question
• How to discuss about Industry Experience & your Role?
• What Questions should you ask the AdCom after an MBA Admissions Interview?
• Tell me about yourself that is not covered in the application
• What are your post-MBA goals?
• What is your plan B if you can’t achieve your short-term goals?
• Why consulting/finance/marketing/general management (if you are a career switcher)
2) Follow-up Questions based on your resume
3) Follow-up Questions based on your essays
If you need help, subscribe to our $349 (3 hours) mock interview session, where I will offer immediate feedback after each question on improving:
1) The tone
2) The transitions
3) The style and
4) The narrative of your overall story, covering the broader achievements in your career and the choices in your life
I will ensure that your answers sound authentic.
Next Step
1. Purchase the service from F1GMAT's Store
2. Send an email to Atul Jose (Admissions Consultant)(editor@f1gmat.com) with your latest resume and the essays used for the application.
Do’s
Articulate a Clear Career Vision with a Logic of Progression
At UCLA Anderson, career readiness is a major focus from Day 1, through the “Anderson Career Teams (ACT)” program that begins in the first quarter.
Interviewers want to see that you’ve thought critically about your career trajectory and possess the self-direction and planning to make use of Anderson’s flexible curriculum and strong industry pipelines.
Your response should reflect your awareness of how your past experiences logically build toward your short-term goals, and how Anderson will help you close the gaps for your long-term aspirations.
For example, if you’re targeting product management, referencing your technical background, a business idea you want to develop, and Anderson’s strong ties to companies like Google, Amazon, and Salesforce through the Parker Career Management Center shows your intentionality about the MBA.
The school values proactive planners, not those who are vaguely “pivoting.”
Prepare a timeline that shows how your past, present, and future connect, and where Anderson fits in. Avoid broad goals; be specific about industries, functions, and even companies.
Demonstrate a Collaborative and Inclusive Mindset
The Anderson community puts a premium on collaboration; it’s not just cultural branding but reflected in how its students learn (team-based core classes), lead (Anderson Student Association and shared club governance), and recruit (peer-led interview prep through ACT and IPT).
Interviewers will be assessing whether you bring a “Share Success” attitude - someone who sees leadership as enabling others, not just outperforming them.
In your responses, illustrate how you’ve helped teams succeed, mentored others, or stepped up to support peers under pressure.
Success stories should include how you contributed to the group's outcome, not just your own result.
For example, a time you worked across silos to break down resistance, or when you coached a colleague through a difficult deliverable, are much more aligned with Anderson’s community orientation than “I saved the day” solo wins.
Highlight group-based achievements.
Be honest about interpersonal lessons learned. Use these stories to convey humility, openness, and a desire to grow through others.
Highlight Your Comfort with Ambiguity and Change
Anderson’s mission emphasizes “Driving Change”, and that requires students who are adaptable, proactive, and intellectually agile.
Whether through entrepreneurship, impact investing, or digital transformation projects, many students at Anderson engage in unstructured or fast-evolving environments. The school isn’t looking for candidates who follow rigid formulas. It prefers those who can solve problems without needing a full playbook.
In the interview, you might be asked about how you’ve handled uncertainty or unexpected changes. This could relate to launching something new, taking on unfamiliar responsibilities, or adapting to organizational shifts. The goal is to assess whether you’ll thrive in real-world, cross-functional situations, like those encountered during field study projects such as Applied Management Research (AMR), Business Creation Option (BCO), or capstone immersions.
Choose examples that showcase your resourcefulness, initiative, and comfort with calculated risk. Emphasize how you learned and iterated rather than portraying everything as a perfect outcome.
Show Evidence of Leadership Through Impact, Not Just Title
Anderson values action-oriented, socially aware leaders, those who can mobilize others to achieve shared outcomes.
Leadership here is less about holding a formal title and more about whether you’ve influenced direction, resolved challenges, or shaped team dynamics in a meaningful way. The best interview responses will show leadership as a set of behaviors, not a resume line.
Examples that resonate with Anderson interviewers often include leading during crises, initiating organizational change, standing up for ethical decisions, or scaling an idea that helped others. It could be within work, a nonprofit, a student group, or even a family business. What matters is what changed because you took ownership, not whether it was a “big” initiative.
Anderson’s culture supports this through experiences like the Leadership@Anderson portfolio, the Impact Fellows program, and courses on organizational behavior and social change, so your leadership narrative should reflect your readiness to lead with values and action.
Frame your story around challenge, action, and measurable results. Be prepared to discuss what you learned and how it shaped your leadership style.
Maintain Structure and Clarity in Your Responses
Anderson’s interviewers (second-year students) are trained to listen for clarity, relevance, and self-awareness. Because the format is blind (the interviewer sees only your resume), how you structure your responses matters a lot.
Students often balance full course work, club leadership, and interview schedules. So your ability to communicate clearly, succinctly, and with purpose should take less of their already depleted intellectual energy.
Your answer should reflect emotional intelligence and consideration for others.
Disorganized or rambling responses can affect your executive presence, something employers and the Parker Career Management Center strongly emphasize.
Using structured formats like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or SETAR (our modified version of the traditional STAR framework – Situation, Empathy, Task, Action, and Result) will help keep your answers grounded and easy to follow while including the EQ necessary to stand out.
Practice explaining your achievements with concise beginnings, action-focused middles, and result-oriented conclusions.
Don’t just list what happened; explain why it mattered.
Be Prepared for the “Why UCLA Anderson?” Question, and Go Beyond the Generic
This is one of the most critical questions, and your answer must show depth of research, alignment with Anderson’s values, and an understanding of its unique academic structure. The school will be evaluating your fit and whether you’ve truly understood what makes Anderson distinctive.
Students choose Anderson for its strong West Coast tech and media pipelines, robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, and flexible curriculum.
Programs like Anderson Venture Accelerator, Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and industry verticals in real estate, social impact, tech, and healthcare make it attractive to students who want customization with industry access.
Meanwhile, first-year experiential projects like Applied Management Research (AMR) or Business Creation Option (BCO) allow hands-on work with companies or ventures.
Academically, Anderson is known for faculty research in strategy, behavioral economics, and global economics, and students can also take electives across UCLA (e.g., law, public health, film).
Leadership development is built into core programming, from Leadership Foundations to capstone simulations, making it more than an afterthought.
Anderson’s values - Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change, should be reflected directly in your reasoning.
For instance, you might say:
• You’re drawn to Anderson’s emphasis on collective growth and peer-driven success because of your own experience building inclusive teams.
• You value the freedom to experiment and take calculated risks, and Anderson’s ecosystem (accelerator, pitch competitions, AMR/BCO) supports this.
• You want to drive industry or social transformation, and Anderson’s coursework and centers align with the tools you need.
Reference specific programs, centers, and values that align with your goals.
Avoid clichés like “location” or “diversity” unless you connect them to your own story or ambitions.
Emphasize Your Commitment to Continuous Learning and Personal Growth
At UCLA Anderson, there is a strong focus on lifelong learning and the development of growth mindsets, particularly within the global, innovative business landscape.
Anderson’s mission reflects the idea of pushing boundaries and striving for excellence, not just academically but through personal and professional development. They value candidates who show a commitment to evolving and are open to feedback and self-improvement.
In the interview, it’s important to demonstrate that you're reflective and have actively sought out opportunities to learn and grow, both inside and outside of formal education.
Anderson values individuals who aren’t just reactive but who take initiative to refine their skills and address their weaknesses. This could include seeking out mentorship, taking courses outside your formal education (whether through certifications or personal projects), or being proactive about seeking feedback in the workplace.
The school provides plenty of avenues for personal growth through resources like the Anderson Leadership Development Program, Global Immersions, and Industry Nights, where students have access to a range of opportunities to learn both academically and through real-world business exposure. So, in your interview, don’t just share your achievements — demonstrate how you've built a learning-focused mindset, how you've responded to feedback in the past, and how you plan to continue your development at Anderson.
Don’ts
Don’t Pretend to Be Someone You’re Not
UCLA Anderson places a high value on authenticity. The interview process, usually conducted by second-year students, is designed to get to know who you really are, not just your resume. Many applicants try to craft a "perfect MBA story," exaggerating accomplishments or using buzzwords without substance. That strategy often backfires at Anderson.
Anderson’s value of Think Fearlessly is not about appearing flawless; it’s about self-awareness, intellectual honesty, and a willingness to challenge yourself.
Interviewers appreciate candidates who are open about challenges and real about what motivates them. Your ability to speak candidly about your background, leadership experiences, and development goals demonstrates maturity and integrity, qualities central to the Anderson community.
Reflect genuinely on your journey, show humility, and highlight what you’ve learned along the way.
Anderson is not looking for the most polished pitch; they’re looking for you.
Don’t Undervalue the Role of Collaboration
Many candidates get caught up in listing individual accomplishments, often failing to acknowledge team efforts or shared outcomes.
At Anderson, that’s a red flag. The school’s value of Share Success is not just a slogan; it’s reflected in how classes, clubs, and recruiting work.
Whether it’s through the Learning Teams model, the Anderson Career Teams (ACT), or cross-functional leadership in clubs like Challenge for Charity or Entrepreneur Association, collaboration is embedded into the MBA experience. Students who thrive here are those who uplift others, actively seek feedback, and take pride in joint success.
If you come across as overly competitive or self-promotional, it signals that you may not thrive in Anderson’s ecosystem, or worse, may weaken it. During your interview, always contextualize your role within the broader team, highlight collective wins, and show how you’ve learned from others.
So, avoid the “lone hero” narrative.
Emphasize teamwork, empathy, and shared progress.
Don’t Come Unprepared to Discuss Specific Anderson Offerings
If your answer to “Why UCLA Anderson?” revolves around the weather, LA, or generic MBA buzzwords, you're missing the point.
The Admissions Committee wants to know whether you’ve truly engaged with the distinct academic resources, experiential opportunities, and cultural ethos of Anderson.
Successful candidates go beyond rankings and prestige. They cite how specific initiatives, like the Capstone Project, Easton Technology Management Center, or Impact@Anderson, connect to their goals. They talk about professors like Terry Kramer or Carla Hayn, or how they’ll get involved in the Net Impact Club, Women’s Business Connection, or Riordan Fellows.
The school looks for candidates who are intentional and mission-aligned, those who’ve done the legwork to know where they’ll contribute. Your answers should show you’ve thought deeply about how Anderson will shape you and how you’ll shape Anderson.
Don’t Be Robotic
Anderson interviews are blind and conversational; the goal is to simulate how you’d interact in a real team or classroom discussion.
Anderson values intellectual curiosity and adaptive thinking, both reflected in their “Think Fearlessly” ethos. If you can’t engage in spontaneous back-and-forth. The interaction may suggest you lack the interpersonal fluidity and confidence expected in leadership roles.
Be structured. Script if you must, but focus on the delivery.
Prepare themes and examples, but stay flexible.
Show you can listen, adapt, and think on your feet, exactly the qualities needed in case discussions, consulting projects, and collaborative learning.
Don’t Overlook Asking Thoughtful Questions
Your interview doesn’t end when you finish your story; it continues into the questions you ask. Candidates who don’t prepare any questions or ask generic ones like “What are the class sizes?” appear disinterested or unengaged.
Asking informed questions about the interviewer’s experience, the culture of collaboration, or the nuances of Anderson’s curriculum (e.g., leadership labs, applied management research) shows that you’re invested in learning. It also demonstrates curiosity, a key trait under “Think Fearlessly.”
Anderson prides itself on a student-led culture, so the ability to initiate meaningful conversations is critical. Use this opportunity to understand the lived experience of students and reinforce your fit.
Don’t Be Overly Transactional in Your Goals
If your career goals sound like a checklist: first MBA, then Consulting, and later a switch to a new role, without deeper purpose or context, it can weaken your candidacy.
Anderson seeks mission-driven individuals, not just job-switchers.
They want to see that you’ve thought about long-term impact, industry evolution, and your unique contribution.
How do your goals intersect with real-world challenges?
How will Anderson help you lead responsibly?
You can strengthen your answers by linking your goals with Anderson resources (e.g., Easton Center for tech-focused leadership, or AMR for real-world projects). Also, share the “why” behind your choices, not just the “what.”
Don’t Skip a Personal Thank-You or Send a Generic One
Anderson values community-minded professionals, and gratitude is part of the attitude.
Referencing something your interviewer said, expressing excitement about joining the community, or thanking them for their student leadership signals professionalism and respect.
Moreover, a personalized note shows that you are relationship-oriented, a core element of Anderson’s “Share Success” value.
Interview Question
Professional Experience & Impact
These questions assess your leadership readiness, career clarity, and potential to “Drive Change.”
1. Walk me through your resume.
2. Tell me about a time you led a project or team. What was your role, and what changed as a result?
3. Describe a time you had to challenge the status quo at work. What was the outcome?
4. How do your past experiences shape the kind of leader you want to become?
5. What’s one decision you've made that involved significant risk?
6. Can you share an example where you solved a problem in a resource-constrained environment?
Interpersonal Skills & Collaboration
These questions probe your ability to “Share Success” and thrive in team-based environments.
7. Describe a time you helped a teammate or peer succeed.
8. How do you handle conflict within a team?
9. What do you think makes you an effective collaborator?
10. Share an experience where your contribution led to a group’s collective achievement.
11. Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback. How did you respond?
Innovation, Growth & Resilience
These questions reflect the value of “Thinking Fearlessly.”
12. Tell me about an idea you pushed forward despite resistance.
13. Have you ever failed at something you cared about? What did you learn?
14. Share a time you had to adapt quickly to a change or unexpected challenge.
15. Describe a time you took initiative to create or improve something.
Motivation & School Fit
These questions assess your long-term vision and how Anderson fits into it.
16. Why do you want to pursue an MBA now?
17. Why Anderson specifically?
18. What do you hope to contribute to the Anderson community?
19. How do your values align with Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change?
20. Which Anderson clubs, courses, or experiences are you most interested in, and why?
Behavioral and Situational
21. Describe a time you failed and what you learned from it.
22. Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a significant change.
23. How do you handle stress and pressure?
24. Give an example of a goal you set and how you achieved it.
25. Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult decision.