INSEAD 2013 JAN - Calling All Applicants

Okay, for future R2&R3, I will disclose the MBA connect statistic as requested:

Total admit： 189

Bear in mind the following statistics include double nationalities
Portuguese：6
Spanish:8
Italian:6
French:20
Chinese:19(OMG)
Indian:31(Really...? Guess will be less Indian for the following two rounds)
American:24
Brazilian:7

Btw the total admits go out to 199. Guess some of them just set up their MBAconnect account
Slovakia & Czech Republic: 0...
Poland： 2
Ukraine： 3
Latvia： 1
Lithuania： 2
Lebanese: 7

Well I'm keeping taps on every stats request! Everyone buys me a beer once you got accepted and meet me in the campus
Filipino: 1
Vietnamese: 0
Indonesian: 1
Malaysian:1
Singaporean: 2

Canadian: 10 (many multiple nationalities though)

I have compiled the below set of questions from various portlas on the net and prepared detailed answers to each question and prepared on my own, recording the answers on my pc while talking beofre a mirror for each question and listening to my asnwers later and revising any changes if required.

Depending on how desperate you are to get into INSEAD, I leave the process of preparation to you. I was ultra desperate, and hence didnt leave any stone unturned! One more thing, in retrospective, to the above mode of preparation is, some interviewers are in a hurry and are not all ears to your answers and will interrupt you while you talk. So make sure you have a detailed asnwer to each of the below question and also a very brief, to the point answer to each question. Guaging the mood of the interviewer, you will need to give a detailed asnwers or to the point brief answers! Good Luck!

My first interviewer was all ears and I answered each question with a story and went extremely well, in the second interview, the alum was rushing me and I was not prepared with short brief answers and struggled to give a brief answers to questions, but could still make it, with a bit of luck I guess!

1. Walk me through your resume. Describe major events. - 70%
2. Describe your company and/or position. - 15%.
3. Why do you want to have an MBA? - 70%
4. Why did you choose INSEAD? - 75%
5. Why have an MBA now? - 45%.
6. What other schools have you applied for and why?
8. Can you not achieve your objectives without an MBA? - 15%
9. Discuss two projects/achievements/challenges at work. - 15%.
10. What are your major extra-curricular activities? - 15%.
11. State your strengths and/or weaknesses. - 15%.
12. What other languages do you speak and what is your level of proficiency? - 15%.
13. What is your capacity as a leader/manager? - 15%.
14. Discuss your teamwork experience and/or multicultural teamwork experience. - 10%.
15. Describe a time you failed. - 10%.
16. Which campus do you want to study at? - 10%.
17. What can you offer INSEAD? - 5%
18. How would your colleagues describe you? - 5%.
19. What are the cultural differences between Europe and India/Middle East? - 5%.
20. When you’re in a gathering, what attracts your attention first? - 5%.
21. What makes you extremely angry/ passionate? - 5%.
22. What is your style of negotiation? - 5%.
23. How do you deal with a person who’s determined not to listen to you even though he/she knows you are right? - 5%.
24. How do you deal with a boss who is not as smart as you? - 5%.
25. What would teammates say are 3 strengths?
26. What would teammates say is 1 weakness?
27. What makes you tick?
32. What if you don’t get into INSEAD?
33. What is your role in a team?
34. How do you adapt to new cultures.
35. What are your hobbies?
36. What strategies would you adopt for your current employer’s expansion?
37. What makes you tick and get out every day?
38. What do you hate most in people?
39. How do you manage intercultural relations?
40. Why not a MBA from a B school from your country?
41. Describe an ethical dilemma faced at work?
42. Why did you choose your undergrad major?
43. What contributions would you make to a group?
44. Name three words or phrases that you would use to describe yourself to others.
45. What is most frustrating at work?
46. How did you choose your job after college?
47. What do you do to relieve stress?
48. Its two years after graduation, what three words would your team members use to describe you?
49. Describe a situation where you brought an idea forward, and it failed?
50. What do you do if a team member wasn’t pulling his own weight?
51. What are the courses you want to take up at INSEAD?
52. Why do you think you would be competitive at INSEAD?
53. How are you different from any other applicant?
54. How would you lead a team with type A members?
55. What are the challenges you would face while pursuing an MBA at INSEAD.
56.If you were selected to INSEAD, would you be graduating in the top 10%, top30% top 50%?
54. Questions to the Alum:

If there was one thing you wanted to change in the INSEAD programme, what would that be.
Favourite Professor, Favourite Courses.
How was your experience with extracurricular activities?
How frequently do you keep in touch with the Alum?
How has INSEAD changed your life: Both personally and professionally.
I have one more interview to go, what would think I should be improving on.
Why France or Singapore Campus?
US exchange programme?
100 day simulation course. Excited about it.
Any clubs you were involved with?
Why consulting? Why finance?
Were you single of married when attending INSEAD.
What do you think you would like to revisit if given a chance to go back to INSEAD?
How is the support from the placement cell at INSEAD?
Curriculum?

R2 Guys,

would strongly suggest not to over-prepare or atleast don't show it . INSEAD is one of the schools where interview is very informal and relaxed to gauge "Real" you. So while you need to have your stories in your head (which you should have based on your application), try to be relaxed and calm.

Couple of key indicators interviewers judge you at

1) Would I like to be with this person when stuck on the airport?

2) Would I like to hire this person (professional/personal merit + personality)?

3) Can this person handle rigor of program?

Be yourself and you shall make it. Element of fun is really appreciated in interviews (if you can handle it). My interviewers appreciated my sense of humor during interview and told me they will support my candidature (this is interviewer dependent)

Expect a bouncer question . I was asked "What's my credo/principles"

Good Luck
Deepak

I agree with Deepak.
Someone was dinged for being too inspirational or too passionate.
You need to convey to the interviewer that INSEAD is your number 1 choice but you understand that it might be hard to get in.
You need to have your expectations right and show that you really want to get in and "think you should" be admitted.
Tell them about the school, clubs, electives that interest you. Tell them why INSEAD and not i.e. IMD.
Tell them why INSEAD and why not an online or any other MBA degree which will give you the same finance/accounting training.
As the interview goes along, you will have a sense of feeling from the interviewer that is either positive or negative. Don't let any wrong answer/negative vibes bother you, keep to your story and have an open mind. Crack some jokes if you can (Not rude or offensive).
Stay away from politics and religions, it's about business and keep it right there.
All the best guys.

Hi mparis,

I'm based in France. I got an autoreply from her when trying to email. The interview notification decision is 27th July so I guess everyone will receive answer by this date, regardless of the holidays status of the coordinators.

To everyone prepping for interviews,
I'm a 13D admit and both my interviews were a lot of fun...
The first one was a little nerve-racking because the interviewer kept this mask-like face on (details earlier on the thread) but the second lasted 2.5 hours and I never realized it.
The interview is essentially to gauge your fit. If you've made it to the interview stage, then you're fine in terms of work-ex, essays, gmat etc etc. Now it's about how you can prove you're a fun person, a team-player, level-headed and 'human' and most of all, given the INSEAD values, how you can contribute to INSEAD (classroom, clubs etc).
Just be yourself. The interviewers are senior people, they know how to gauge people and they'll see through any pretensions in a jiffy.
Praveen's put together a fine list of questions, but as Deepak pointed out - look for the bouncer. The ClearAdmit Wiki has some good leads as well...
Happy to help with any further questions
Cheers!
V

Got interview invite few days back, no details regarding interview yet. Male, 28, Indonesian, working in middle east, energy. admin: JS.

Received the email for interview this morning (the ansiety of checking the mailbox every 10 min is gone!!!). Profile: portuguese, 30, energy/utilities background, 680 gmat. Gonna start perusing later posts for interviewing tips. All the best luck to everyone who is waiting news.

just got an email invite from JS.

located in Singapore. I'm American... 7.5 yrs of consulting (investments, not management consulting) experience.

Just received an invitation 5 minutes ago from VM.
Canadian/accounting + finance/GMAT 710.

Good luck to all waiting for news!

Just received an invitation from VM It took few minutes for me to open the email...
French-Algerian, chemist in Pharma company, experience 7years, 30years old, London,

Good luck to everyone waiting for the email!!!:-)

Cheers

received interview invite yesterday evening, JS, based in SE Asia

Saudi, blue coverall oilfield services co.

I got both interviewer details yesterday but both not replying my email. Going to call them tonight. Any tips on reaching out to interviewers?

Hi,

I just got the interview notification. Based in France, application submitted June 15. Coordinator is AN, on holidays as I said previously, but the email was sent by someone else on her behalf. Now preparing for the interviews.