MBA Interview Questions in 2023: Insights from Top Business Schools

MBA admissions in 2023 continue to be a challenging process, with top business schools seeking candidates who not only possess strong academic and professional backgrounds but also display the personal qualities and experiences that make them stand out.

To understand whether applicants are a perfect fit and can contribute to the school’s community, interviewers utilize a combination of traditional and behavioral questions.

These behavioral questions, which often begin with phrases like “What would,” “Why did,” or “Tell me about a time” (TMAT), aim to uncover an applicant’s problem-solving abilities, planning and preparedness, self-awareness, and impact potential.

Every business school has its unique approach to interviews, which makes it essential for candidates to prepare comprehensively.

In this article, we will explore the specific MBA interview questions posed to candidates by several top business schools in 2023. Each school’s section will list the questions typically asked during their interviews.

The list has been compiled from sources including Poets&Quants, GMAT Club and debriefs from candidates we worked with.

Outline of this article

Harvard Business School

Is your job logical? Why or why not?
What are your short term and long term goals post MBA?
What is the big-picture view of your prior employer’s structure?
Who’s doing well in this space right now?
How do you compete with competitors in the space?
What do you attribute to your success at XX Company?
Why do you think you’ve been promoted over your peers?
What do you think about the M&A market right now?
What challenges were you trying to address through a specific initiative in a project?
Would you still attend HBS if you won the lottery?
Where do you see yourself 30 years from now?

Columbia Business School

Walk me through your CV.
What are your short and long term goals?
Why MBA? Why now?
Why CBS?
Did you consider other M7 schools besides CBS? What other schools have you applied to?
You mentioned that you applied for J-term, why J-term?
3 words to describe yourself.
How do you incorporate diversity into your team?
Where (Location-Wise) would you want to be in a few years?
TMAT when a process you implemented succeeded.
TMAT you had difficulty in concluding a deal.
TMAT you had difficulty with a team member.
What if in 5 years, something happens, and the industry doesn’t end up where you think it will end up, what job would you go for? Does it change your plans?
New York City is crowded, expensive, not a college town, etc. How, in your opinion, do the positives outweigh the negatives
What will you contribute to CBS?
What would you improve upon if you were running the school?
What information sessions did you attend?
Which of the alumni, professors or current students did you speak with?
Any questions for me?

Kellogg

Why did you choose your college and the major?
What do you NOT like about collaboration?
What does resilience mean to you?
What clubs would you want to join?
Can you give a specific example of a time you worked alongside someone who was different than you, what were the challenges, and what did you learn?
Tell me about why you went to X industry right after college.
Tell me about how you progressed at Y company regarding your responsibilities and roles.
Why did you quit Y company?
Tell me about your own startup.
How did you find these clients?
What skills did your career experience help you gain?
Tell me about the most diverse team you worked with.
How did you collaborate with these diverse people?
How would the people you work with describe you?
Could you compare what you were like as a leader in college and how you are as a leader now? What’s changed?
What are your goals and why Kellogg?
(Because I spoke about Z club) any other clubs you are interested in?
Do you have a backup plan if your current plan doesn’t pan out, a plan B?
Do you have anything to add?

Chicago Booth

Introduce yourself.
Short and long-term career goals.
Why MBA?
Why do you believe you have a fit with the school?
Could you share a time when you demonstrated leadership skills?
Three words that you would use to describe yourself.
TMAT when you fell short.
TMAT when you had a challenge that you needed to overcome.
TMAT you failed or made a costly mistake – Academics and professionally.
TMAT when you had to influence someone above your level.
TMAT you motivated a team.
TMAT you had to convince multiple stakeholders with different points of view.
Why did you change jobs? How was the culture different between the two jobs?
Ideal team? What role would you see yourself playing?
How have you changed the most?
What classes are you interested in at Chicago Booth?
What would a successful MBA experience mean for you?
What can you tell me about your current boss?

MIT Sloan

Why MBA now?
Why Sloan?
Elaborate on data pre-interview short essay you submitted.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
Describe a recent project that shows what you do at work.
If you’re at dinner with your cousins, how would you describe what you do for a living?
TMAT you convinced people to solve a problem your way.
TMAT when you had to make a recommendation based on incomplete data.
TMAT when you had to gain support from people you did not manage.
TMAT when you inherited a broken process.
TMAT you disagreed with someone.
TMAT when a teammate let you down.
TMAT when you let your teammates down.
TMAT where you made a quick decision.
Something you are most proud of in professional life.
Any updates to your application that you would like us to know about?
Any questions for me?

Stanford GSB

Why MBA?
Why Stanford? Why now?
Why did you choose (Industry) out of school?
What motivates you personally?
How do you work with people from different cultures?
What do your co-workers say is your weakness?
TMAT where you did something you’re proud of.
TMAT you saw a challenge or problem and addressed it.
TMAT you taught someone something new or a skill.
TMAT you improved a team’s culture.
TMAT when you had to step in and support a person/team who was struggling.
TMAT you had to convince someone in a group.
TMAT of leadership that you were most proud of.
What advice would you give to a new leader.
More details about the projects you were involved in?
When have you failed?
Any questions for me?

Cornell Johnson

Briefly introduce yourself
Why MBA?
What’s your career goal? How can an MBA help you achieve your goals?
Besides core courses, electives, and intensive, are there other things you wanna get from MBA?
Have you talked with Cornell’s current students or alumni? What did you learn from them?
What will you contribute to Johnson?
What have you learned from cultural differences?
3 words that your supervisor/your team will describe you.
TMAT when you had a conflict.
TMAT when a project didn’t go according to plan.
Tell me about a project that you’re proud of, and why.
Do you feel you will be at a disadvantage going into (Industry)?

Dartmouth Tuck

Please walk me through your resume.
Why do you want to get an MBA?
Why Tuck?
How will you contribute to your study group?
Tell me about negative feedback you received from a boss. How did that make you feel?
Describe a stressful situation or time when you were under a lot of pressure.
TMAT when you received critical feedback.
TMAT you had to work out of your comfort zone and adapt quickly.
TMAT you had to help someone without you gaining anything out of it.
What is your biggest regret?
Is there a book you read recently that you really enjoyed?
An example of a time you dealt with conflict?
What’s one of your lasting legacies?
Anything you want to share with us?

Duke University (Fuqua)

Tell me about yourself.
What can you add to the incoming class?
What do you know of the Team Fuqua Spirit?
TMAT when teamwork didn’t go well.
TMAT when you disagreed with a team.
TMAT you had a conflict with your boss and how you navigated it.
What would you do if you were in a Team and a member did not do their part, and the assignment/project was due tomorrow?
What makes up a decency quotient?
What are your short-term and long-term goals and why do you want to do an MBA?
Tell me about your biggest professional achievement and why it is your biggest achievement.
Tell me about a leadership experience.
Who is: A leader you admire? A leader whose leadership skills you don’t like?
What is your communication style?
Tell me about your teamwork experience outside of work and what did you learn.
How will your colleagues and friends describe you?
What motivates you?
How will you contribute to Fuqua?
Any questions for me?

Georgetown McDonough

Walk me through your resume.
Why MBA? Why McDonough?
What are your short & long term goals?
How has your leadership style evolved?
What is your most significant accomplishment till date?
If not MBA this year, what would be your next steps to reach your goals?
TMAT when you made a mistake.
TMAT you led a team. Also, an important constructive feedback you’ve given.
TMAT when you had a conflict at work.
TMAT when you had to work with a culturally diverse group of people.
What does diversity mean to you?
If you get into all the schools you applied to, how will you choose which school to attend?
If you could be the boss for the day, what would you do?
Any questions for me?

INSEAD

Tell me your backstory- where you are from, your school education, graduation, work experience, and why you want to do an MBA.
Why INSEAD? Why now?
Why Singapore (or France)?
What do you do in your spare time? What will you do in your time outside academics at INSEAD?
Have you worked internationally?
What is your short-term goal post INSEAD? What is the scenario in which this will not work out and what’s the plan-B?
Pitch your long-term goal to me if I had to invest in it.
What would you do if a subordinate undermines you?
What is your definition of diversity?
How has your background influenced a decision you’ve made?
What will INSEAD bring to you and what will you bring to INSEAD?
At INSEAD MBA class group, what role do you foresee playing among your peer working group?
What was the biggest failure you faced and how did you overcome it?
TMAT where you had to work with people from different backgrounds.
TMAT when there was a disagreement between you and your team. How did you handle it?
How will you plan your time at INSEAD, given it’s an intense program?
What would you do if you aren’t selected?
Any questions for me?

London Business School

Tell me about yourself.
Why MBA? Why now?
Why LBS?
Do you have a contingency plan if your plan A for the program doesn’t work?
Do you know of the clubs and student associations that you would like to be a part of? How will they benefit you?
First year at LBS is extremely hectic, how do you typically handle stress?
What are your hobbies? Elaborate on (some)
How do you handle conflict?
What are your experiences with cultural diversity? In your opinion, what are some difficulties that diversity in a workplace can cause?
What are the key threats and opportunities your industry is facing? What three takeaways would you advise your company to take action on if you had to develop a strategy for them?
TMAT you moved and had to adapt to a new environment.
Are you assertive?
Would scholarship make or break your application?
Have you ever set-up a team? How did it go?
What does your team think about you?
You applied to a few other schools – which ones, and why is LBS different from them?
Tell me something that is not on your resume.

Oxford Saïd

Walk me through your resume.
How did you prepare for the interview today?
Why MBA, and why now?
Why Oxford in particular?
What are your short term (immediately after MBA), medium-term (3-5 years), and long-term (8-10 years) goals? How will Oxford help you achieve these?
What are the top three elements (courses, electives, clubs, etc.) of the program that most excite you?
Which Oxford alumni have you connected with during your research? What did you learn from them?
What can you contribute to Oxford, professionally and personally? How would you become involved in your campus community?
What was the most exciting project (biggest accomplishment) you have worked on?
Give some instances from your most recent experience that illustrate how the values taught at Oxford MBA relate to real-world situations.
Interests and Hobbies .. questions like “Why do you do a certain activity?”
An example of a time you dealt with a challenging co-worker i.e. conflict? How did you deal with it?
What would your friends say your strengths and weaknesses (or vulnerability) are?
Speak about a juncture when you failed in a team environment. What did you do to overcome it?
Tell me about a time when you settled a problem within your team. How did you approach the coworker inside that? How did he react to it? What do you believe you might do better?
Tell me about a time you had to work with people from different cultures and nations and the challenges you faced, lessons learned
Do you have any questions for me?

Cambridge Judge

Why do you want to pursue an MBA? Why is now the right time, and why have you chosen CJBS (Cambridge Judge Business School)?
How would you handle a situation where team dynamics within your direct reports become extremely hostile?
Share an example of an innovative project or initiative you have undertaken in your current organization in the last six months.
Are you comfortable being managed by someone with significantly less work experience than you? What qualities do you look for in a leader?
How would you motivate a team member who is reluctant to work with you?
In your opinion, what is the most significant invention of the last 150 years?
What will you do if you are unable to achieve your short-term goals?
Do you have any questions for us?

HEC Paris

Walk me through your resume.
Why do you believe that now is the right time for you to pursue an MBA?
Why HEC?
Which other programs are you applying for, and what was your criteria to choose them?
How do you anticipate contributing in the HEC classroom?
After graduating from HEC, which companies do you plan to work for, and why?
What’s your plan B if your plan A doesn’t work out?
What is your long term goal?
What is your leadership style?
Can you elaborate on your most significant achievement as mentioned in your application essay?
TMAT you failed professionally. What did you learn from it?
TMAT you worked with a diverse group of people. How did you communicate your points across when you faced push-backs from them?
What are you passionate about outside of work?

IESE

Walk me through your resume.
What were the rationales behind each career move? (Specific questions for each move)
Why MBA? Why MBA now?
Why IESE?
Which other programs are you applying to and why?
If admission is granted in all the programs you have applied to, why would you choose IESE over others? Why would you not choose IESE?
What research have you done to gauge your career options post-MBA, and why is the IESE MBA important in that context?
Tell me about a time when you showed integrity.
In your opinion, why is diversity an important factor in a classroom?
Do you have any questions for me?

Michigan Ross

Introduce yourself.
Why MBA? Why Ross MBA?
TMAT you worked in a diverse group.
TMAT you had to be adaptable.
TMAT you had to influence others
TMAT you had to be resilient
TMAT you had no idea how to solve a client problem or the project scope was very ambiguous.
TMAT you got harsh feedback. How did you work on that feedback and what was the outcome?
TMAT you made a decision with minimal information. What did you learn?
TMAT you had to talk and make a key connection with someone for your project. What impact did that have on the outcome?
TMAT you had a conflict with someone and what is the approach you took and if you could do it again, would you change anything?
TMAT you had to adapt to a personal situation.
TMAT when you failed, were at an all-time low, and had to bounce back.
What do you actually do when you face an overwhelming situation?
Why move to the west for an MBA?

NYU Stern

Initial question about your pick six
Why MBA, why now?
Tell me about the team you lead, what are the characteristics of the team that make it successful?
What is the biggest challenge you anticipate during MBA?
What are some companies you want to work with? Why?
What do you think is the toughest part of recruiting in (Industry)?
What will give you an edge in (Industry) recruiting?
What will you do if you don’t get an internship/job in your target industry?
A time you demonstrated EQ?
What are the key aspects you consider to choose a business school?
What makes this program different than others?
How do you network in your field?
In a hypothetical situation, 10 years from now, you have to give a speech at a conference. What topic would you talk about and what would you say about Stern?
What would you do in NYC for a day?
Tell me about a time your creative hobbies have helped with your professional life.
How are you planning to contribute to the Stern community?
Any questions for me?

UCLA Anderson

Tell me about your strengths. Name a time you influenced a team with one of your strengths.
Tell me more about your involvement with [volunteer organization].
What research have you done to learn about these clubs and the Anderson community?
What qualities would your current or previous supervisor say about you?
TMAT you failed.

Texas McCombs

What is the most exciting thing for you in the industry you are working in?
Why MBA? Why McCombs?
What are your short term and long term goals? What’s your plan B?
How does an MBA from Texas McCombs fit into your professional trajectory?
TMAT when you stood up for someone who you felt was being mistreated. How did you navigate this situation? How did that person respond?
TMAT when you failed. What did you learn from it?
What do you expect to get out of the McCombs MBA program? What do you expect will challenge you?
TMAT you were on a project team, and one member of the team was introverted/shy. How did you get him/her involved, and what was the result?
Tell me about a project you spearheaded where you had to use multiple types of leadership. What was the result?
Tell me about a complex problem you solved. How did you solve it?
TMAT when you were judged unfairly/received unfair feedback.
TMAT when you were working with competitive people. How did you navigate it?
How do you envision yourself getting involved here in McCombs and how do you intend to leave it better than you met it?
What did you learn about yourself during the application process?
What do you like to do in your free time?
What clubs do you plan to join at McCombs?
Anything you want to tell me that is not covered in your application?
Any questions for us?

CMU Tepper

Give me a one-minute introduction to who you are.
Give an example of when you accomplished something to bring better results to your team.
Why MBA? Why Tepper?
What are your short term and long term goals?
Give an example when things didn’t go according to plan as a leader. What would you have done differently?
TMAT when you failed and what you learnt from that.
TMAT you used strength to help a team or teammate succeed.
TMAT when someone came to you for help due to your expertise/knowledge?
TMAT you had to compromise on a project
What’s your definition of diversity?
What qualities do you look for in an MBA program?
What is your leadership style?
How do you expect to connect with the diverse class of Tepper?
What do you do for fun?
Is there anything you’d like to add that you haven’t shared so far

Vanderbilt Owen

Tell me about your journey.
Why MBA?
What are your short-term/long-term goals?
Why Owen?
What other B-schools did you apply to and why?
What do you expect to get out of the program?
How will you support the community?
How would your colleagues and peers describe you?
What’s the one thing that people assume about you at first glance, but is actually a misconception?
What skills do you want to develop?
TMAT you worked on something with a negative result. How did you respond?
TMAT you succeeded on a project.
TMAT you failed on a project.
One weakness and what you are doing to improve it.
How will you contribute to the program?
At Owen diversity is very important. What does diversity mean to you?
Tell me a fun fact about yourself.

Virginia Darden

Tell me about yourself, formative experiences, career, and extracurricular. Since it is a blind interview, you can take 5-10 mins to answer this.
Why do you want to do an MBA and Why Darden?
TMAT when you disagreed with your manager. (Follow-up) So how exactly did you convince your manager?
TMAT you had to work with someone different from you.
What do you like to do for fun?
Anything we missed?
Questions for me?

Yale School of Management

I’ve read your resume, so tell me about the professional experience that makes you the most proud.
What impact do you want to make during your MBA?
What gets you the most excited in the MBA journey?
What traits of a leader do you have?
TMAT you had to work with someone you disagreed with. How did you resolve your differences?
TMAT you had to listen and consider the perspective of another person and how it affected the results of your work.
What are your goals? Why MBA?
Tell us your proudest leadership experience and how you can apply this experience in MBA study.
Which classes would you like to take, and why? Which clubs would you like to join?
What are your plans from now until you go to business school?
If there’s something that was not asked, or that’s not in my resume that you want us to consider?
Any questions for us?

UC Berkeley Haas

Walk me through your resume.
Why MBA and why Haas?
It sounds like there is a lot you want to do at Haas. How would you prioritize?
How will you contribute to DEI at Haas?
TMAT you were in a leadership position, and your team had low morale. What did you do?
Tell me about the most valuable piece of feedback you received.
TMAT when humility at the workplace facilitated a successful outcome
Three adjectives your friends/ co-workers would use to describe you.
Questions for the interviewer.

Rice Jones

Tell me about yourself.
Why pursue an MBA at this point in your career?
What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
Rice is known for the tagline “You belong here.” How do you plan to promote diversity and inclusion in this community?
If you are admitted to other MBA programs, what factors will you consider in determining the right school for you?
Tell me about your experience you had with diversity and how you would contribute to promoting the diversity in the Rice community?
If selected What will you bring or contribute to the Rice community?
Do you have any questions for us?

SMU Cox

Why did you choose your undergraduate major and school?
Walk me through how you arrived at your current role.
Can you share an experience that demonstrates your ability to work in a team and solve problems?
What are your short-term goals?
What is your Plan B?
How do you plan to contribute outside of the classroom?
Which other universities have you applied to?
Do you have any questions for the interviewer?

Emory Goizueta

Why did you choose to study in the U.S. for your undergraduate degree, and why did you select your major?
What type of job were you seeking after graduating from college?
How did you secure your first job in the non-profit sector?
Can you describe your current job responsibilities?
MBA programs often involve teamwork. What strengths would you bring to your team at Emory, and what weaknesses do you identify in your teamwork skills?
Have you received feedback from your supervisor in your current job? If so, what was the feedback about?
What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and why do you wish to pursue an MBA?
Which companies do you plan to work for after completing your MBA?
In case your initial plans do not materialize, what is your backup plan?
Why have you chosen Emory as your preferred business school?
What activities or hobbies do you engage in outside of work, and could you elaborate on one of them?

National University of Singapore (NUS)

Introduce yourself
Why MBA?
What is your short term goal post MBA?
What if consulting (plan-A) doesn’t work out?
What is that one skill that if you could develop overnight you would want to develop?
What is your strength?
Any questions for us?

Nanyang Business School (NTU)

Walk me through your resume.
Why MBA and why NTU?
Which other programs have you applied to, and what criteria did you use to pick them?
Please expand on your career goals and explain why you are pursuing an MBA.
Do you really need an MBA to make your career transition, or can you do it with your professional network? If you do need an MBA, why specifically?
If the job market is unfavorable upon your MBA graduation, what is your backup plan or how will you continue to pursue your goals?
Can you outline the steps you intend to take to pursue your goals on campus?
As a relatively young candidate, what unique qualities or perspectives will you bring to the classroom?
What are the current trends in your sector (e.g. finance) in Asia? How do you see the sector shaping in the future?
Do you have any questions for us?

HKUST

Tell me about yourself.
Why MBA and why HKUST?
Why Asia and why Hong Kong specifically (vs Singapore)? What research have you done about the region and the career opportunities here?
What are your post MBA career goals?
How did you know the alum (who referred you)? What did you discuss with them about HKUST and what did you learn from those discussions?
Tell me about your hobbies and interests. What excites you about them?
Do you have any questions for me?

Indian School of Business (ISB)

Tell me about yourself.
Why MBA and why ISB?
What are your short-term goals post ISB?
What is your plan-B if short term goals are not achieved?
Which other schools did you apply to? What is their status?
Tell me about a project that you are most proud of.
Is there anything you would have done differently in your life, in retrospect?
Anything that really scared you?
Tell us about your personal life
Why not US schools?
Do you have any questions for us?

IIM Ahmedabad PGPX

Extempore Topics:

Government must not allow AI to take off, considering the unemployment rate in the country
Since government employees are overworked, It is justified to take bribes
Any idea is cranky before it finds success
Inequality is inevitable result of capitalism
Should politics be left to politicians?
Has increased digitization led to antisocial behavior?
Progress in Information and Communication Technology has failed to bridge the real digital divide

Interview Questions:

Tell me something about yourself/ Walk me through your resume.
Be thorough with all the CV pointers (especially numbers/ impacts), as deeper questions and cross-questions may be asked from there
What have been your key learnings from your career so far?
Why MBA, and why at this stage in your career?
Why IIM-A in particular? Why not IIM-B, IIM-C or ISB?
What are your short-term and long-term goals?
Interests and Hobbies .. questions like “Why do you do a certain activity?”
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
One reason that we should not select you?
Do you have any questions for us?

UNC Kenan-Flagler

Why pursue an MBA? Why is now the right time, and why Kenan-Flagler?
Describe your work experience from three perspectives: as an individual contributor, as a team member, and as a leader. How would your colleagues or team members describe you? Provide an example of a time when you led a team and what you learned from that experience.
Highlight one accomplishment from your resume that you consider your proudest achievement.
Discuss Kenan-Flagler’s values and what they mean to you. What do you expect from a business school regarding these values?
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your profile that hasn’t been covered in your application or interview?
Do you have any questions for the interviewer?

USC Marshall

How did you learn about USC Marshall?
Please tell me about yourself, keeping your career goals in mind.
Why have you chosen USC Marshall?
What motivates you in your professional life?
What inspires you, and how is it different from what motivates you?
How do you define success, and how do you determine when you have achieved it?
Walk me through your goal-setting process.
Share an instance where you received critical feedback during your professional journey.
What unique qualities or characteristics set you apart from your peers?
Do you have any questions for the interviewer?

Indiana Kelley

Tell me about yourself
Why MBA?
Why Kelley?
TMAT where you faced a challenge at work and how did you handle it.
What kind of a leader are you?
What’s your idea of an ideal work environment?
What would you bring to the Kelley community?
What is your short term post-MBA goal?
What do you do for fun?
Do you have any questions for me?

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, preparing for MBA interviews at top business schools in 2023 is a multifaceted task that involves understanding and aligning with the school’s values, expressing your unique qualities, and demonstrating a clear vision for your future.

We hope these questions provide valuable insights into the expectations of admission committees and will help candidates better prepare for their interviews.

If you would like to turbocharge your interview preparations with our mock interview packages, drop us an email at consultingteam[at]admitstreet[dot]com and we’d be happy to support.

Good luck with your MBA admissions journey!