INSEAD Calling all Applicants(SEPT 2015 Intake)Class of 2016

Interview report. OK. Here we go.

Since we're discussing fashion standards, my first interviewer was dressed in a button up with slacks my second interviewer showed up with a matching sport jacket slack combo, minus tie. I showed up in khaki slacks, button up with tie and tie clip, with a navy blue suit jacket.

The first interview was a bit stumbly and got more comfortable once I got prodded with more personal questions. The second interview I think went pretty well. More of a conversation than anything.

First interview took place in his office and the second interview took place in the bar area of the Ritz Carlton. First one took just under and hour and th e second one ran close to 2 hours because we took the time to just bro out over drinks.

Questions:
Why MBA, why INSEAD, why now, a conflict that you had with a subordinate/superior, a time when you fixed a broken process, why you chose certain career paths, and what I can do to fix the shortcomings in my-not-business-related work experience and resume. Treat it like a conversation and it'll go smoothly.

Observation: the older alumnus was more apt to get straight to the point. It seemed like he was already familiar with the process and was a little more demanding in the answers. I could relate to the younger alumnus on a closer level. I recommend, after you get the interviewer details, to look them up on LinkedIn in order to get a good idea of what their background/seniority is like before you get into the interview. And now the waiting game until late November. Good luck guys!

I've read a lot of people's posts to prepare myself for my interviews and now I have finished mine I would like to pass on the favor - here goes:

Interview 1 - held at the interviewers office. I arrived in good time and waited for him in reception. Interviewer was an engineer turned consultant (post INSEAD) and now into logistics. He took me to a small meeting room and brought me some water. He had already printed my application form. I had brought a CV and my essays in a portfolio which I put on the table in front of me but he never asked to see them. He explained the format of the interview then dived straight into to the questions. All the usual ones of course plus my weaknesses and strengths. One question which lasted a while was how I would deal with a classmate at INSEAD who was 'not pulling their weight'. This turned out to be quite difficult as there was no clear right answer. I remained confident in my answer but the interviewer really dwelled on the topic to make me squirm! (Not in a nasty way - just pushing me a little I guess). At one point he suddenly switched into my listed third language (basic level). It totally caught me off guard and I didn't deal well with that. He said it wasn't a big deal but I should get the certification before going to the school, if I'm made an offer! We had some good friendly chit chat and I asked him some questions too. He was taking notes on my application form the whole time. In summary I don't think I tripped up on the interview but he didn't give his opinion away at all. I will just have to wait and see! He scanned for my weak areas and drilled down when he found them. I would say you have to stick to the truth as the interviewer would have otherwise tripped me up easily! He must be seasoned at this kind of thing...

Interview 2 - held in a coffee shop. I arrived 15 mins early but he was already there with a coffee. I just sat down and got my materials out. He was pleased to see I had brought a CV. He asked if he could keep it and started reading. I excused myself to buy a coffee and I think he appreciated the time to get up to speed on my background. He seemed to be a very busy guy - in the private equity sector. This interview was a bit more informal like a regular conversation. He was very specific with his questions, picking out other business schools he thought someone of my background would apply to. Fortunately I had prepared reasons why they were not suitable. I would say thinking of reasons 'why INSEAD' is one thing but equally important is preparing for the 'why not school XYZ' as well. Similarly to my first interview the interviewer jumped into my listed second language (English is my mother tongue btw) and we spoke for about 15 to 20 minutes in it. I found it quite tough but any words I didn't know I just substituted the English and kept going! At one point he said that he thought I would make a good candidate at the school so I read into this very positively and came away pleased with how it went.

Ultimately both interviews were much less intense than I had been expecting. Both interviewers were very courteous and we were never interrupted by phone calls etc. First interview lasted ~60mins and second one ~45mins. I would recommend bringing your application form and CV just in case. For the interview in the office I wore a suit and in the coffee shop I wore smart jeans, collared shirt and pullover.

Now it is time for the long wait... good luck to everyone here and thanks for sharing your own experiences!

Thanks for sharing your interview experiences. Very helpful indeed! Quick question, what day of the week did y'all schedule your interview on? Is it better to schedule it on the weekend vs. weekday, or the other way around?

Perhaps a bit too early to worry about for an R2 applicant...

Once you consider your schedule (I have to travel for my interviews and can only afford to be away from work for a day) and the interviewers', you may not have the luxury of picking weekend or weekday, lunch/coffee, office/cafe, etc.

I personally wouldn't worry too much about all that. Weekend would seem to be more laid-back, but interviewers are very busy people and maybe the weekend is the only time they have for themselves, their family and non-work task. My point is you'll probably go crazy trying to clearly define which is better. Just pick one!

Finished my 2nd interview as well. This was in the interviewers office and it lasted about 30 minutes. He was very casual and was mainly telling me his experience more than asking me a lot of questions. Great conversation and we could really relate as we have exactly the same career path and he is doing what I want to do after my MBA

Now fingers crossed for the decision -- which I am guessing will take around 2-3 weeks.

Also done with my two interviews and just waiting the final decision.

I had a look at last year's thread (there were just three rounds so the final decision was due in December). It seems some announcements were made 2-3 days ahead of the final deadline. If we follow the same trend, we can expect to hear w/c 24/11.

As the decisions were notified by telephone, there was quite a bit of agonising for GMATClubbers between calls!

I also checked in with my AO who said she will let me know the final decision around 28/11 and if she has any news before, she will let me know.

Best of luck to anyone waiting for news!

Good luck mate! Please share your interview experience with others
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Done both of mine too. One was bad cop the other a good cop. Does anyone know of those who did interviews last year, how many got dinged?

If you look at the previous INSEAD waitlist chains you will get an idea. I am not sure at the exact amount/rate. Clear Admit says it is something like a 50-60% acceptance rate post-interview. But I have also had several alumni tell me it's much higher than that. Who knows?

At this point, there is not much we can do anyway! Maybe find a new hobby to keep your mind focused on something else. Or more business applications ...

i just scored 710 on GMAT but mu gpa is 2.2 or 2.4 . what do u suggest , deadline for Round 2 is over and i am thinking about applying now .
is it better to wait and apply for Jan 2016 intaked ?

just submitted the application for INSEAD scholarships. Interview preparation starts now, All the Best to your interviews.

In for R2

I have a small clarification to seek. I reported my GMAT score to INSEAD when I had taken the test. While filling out the INSEAD application form I noticed that there is no confirmation from INSEAD that they have received the score. However, I do have confirmation from mba.com that the score was reported to INSEAD. DO I have to worry about reporting my score? Also, do I have to upload my GMAT score report in the application? If yes, is it under the results and certificates tab? I am sorry if I am asking stupid questions but just trying to ensure that I am not missing out.

Dont worry! If they dont find it, which they will, they will contact you.

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Folks, I am unable to confirm if my recommendations were submitted, and I haven't sent my application yet.

After sending my application, if I find out that someone hasn't sent the ltter, can I still pick a different recommender?

Thank you

Hey guys - need some advice. I was originally signed up to apply to R2 (that's how my recs will be submitted) but it doesn't look like I'll make tomorrow's deadline. Does anybody know what we need to do to push it to R3?

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Hi If insead has added a 4 th round it must be for a reason.I mean there must be more seats available now in R3 then usual.