Welcome to F1GMAT’s #AskAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. As you prepare for the MBA Admissions interview, you will see a common question asked across schools. That is, “What question do you have for us?” We have included a detailed guideline on answering the ‘Question for the Interviewer’ in F1GMATs MBA Admissions Interview Guide. But the question that I received from an applicant today is a little different. It goes:
Q) I have a couple of questions ready for the interviewer – one is about the most memorable experience at school and another the change the person experienced during the program. It worked in two interviews, but in the third and fourth interviews, I felt that the answer was stumping the interviewer. I would like to find some other questions that would be easy but ends on a positive note.
Well. The most memorable experience at the school is a good question. Perhaps the interviewer had to reflect on the many events, milestones, and experiences before finally choosing one. It might feel like you are putting a lot of cognitive stress on the interviewer. But the reality is that the question is a really good one. I would suggest anyone attending the interview use it as a baseline question.
The worst question would be related to feedback. Any indirect question on “How did I do” or “When will I know the results” is pretty bad. I know you might be anxious to see some kind of positive response. But unless the interviewer initiates the discussion and comments about your performance summarizing the result, don’t ask the question.
I had one experience where a client shared that the interviewer was so impressed and shared that “he would recommend admissions for the client.” That rarely happens. It is mostly poker face reactions or some kind of generic or diplomatic answer. In schools where there are multiple decision-makers, even the interviewer, despite giving you a good rating, might not be certain about your admissions. So they choose not to discuss your performance.
A thoughtful question would be related to the school’s strength. If the school is known for placing Investment Banking professionals, and the interviewer is also from the same background, you can ask them about the experience of networking, getting summer internship opportunities, and the challenges of converting them to a job offer. This works for a relatively younger interviewer, but for anyone out of the school for more than five years, a better question would be the value of the school’s brand. You can ask them how the brand name opened up connections and the long-term ROI from the MBA program. They would have several thoughtful observations and sometimes honest opinions about the value of the program.
Another thoughtful question is about the school’s professors. Ask them about their favorite professor. You will be surprised how much the alumni still value those classes and the professor’s perspective. It will give you an insight into the culture of the school and the impact those classes had on the interviewer’s career.
The question for the interviewer could also be tailor-made based on your unique career choices and post-MBA goals. For help with framing the question for the interviewer and other commonly asked MBA Admissions interview questions, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service