Interviewer: Kathleen Edwards Duration: 30 minutes Interview Questions: 1. First 5 minutes was pure small talk 2. Tell me about your journey. 3. Short Term and Long Term Goals 4. Why Goizueta? 5. Why did you apply for both the Part-Time and Full Time MBA programs? 6. What will you offer to fellow MBA students (if you did join)? 7. What would you like to learn from fellow MBA students (if you did join)? 8. Any questions for the interviewer? All in all it was a very nonchalant interview which made it easy to show up authentically. I got a nice email from her the following Monday too! #CautiouslyOptimistic P.S. I applied for a GMAT waiver.

Interviewer: 2Y MBA student. It was very conversational, lasted for nearly 40 mins- the interviewer allowed last 10 mins for my questions. 1. Intro/Walk me through your profile 2. Why MBA? 3. Why Cornell? 4. Why Ithaca? 5. Short term and long term goals 6. What is your plan B if short term goal does not work out? 7. TMAT when you worked with a difficult colleague 8. TMAT when you worked with a diverse group of people Conversation on my questions.

Interviewed with AdCom member. Conversational interview but meaty. Wide range of topics, but included the standard things: why MBA, why Haas, what do you bring to the program. Interview time was appx 90 minutes.

Straightforward and quick. With one of the 2nd year students. Questions included: Why Carlson? One occasion at work when you had to use data to make a decision? What are your post MBA goals? Why do you want to do an MBA? What are you expecting to get out of the program? What according to you would be a good cultural fit? Optional question - what are the other schools you have applied to?

- Introduce yourself and walk me through your resume - Why MBA - Why Ross - How will you contribute to Ross community - TMAT when you had to manage people with different cultural backgrounds - TMAT when you faced a setback - Questions for the interviewer

Give a brief description of who you are professionally, academically, personally. • Describe the details of the project where you mentioned that you were responsible for a turnaround • Referring to the previous question, why do you think the initial team assigned for the project was not succeeding • How will you approach the situation differently if the same scenario happens again in future • Asked about a startup I had founded and wanted to know why I didn’t pursue it full time and why I had to close it eventually. • Had mentioned about a medical condition in my application. Wanted to know the current status and how I coped with it • Asked me to explain how my leadership style has evolved as I transitioned from a software developer to a project manager

I interviewed with an alum from 2002 located in Asia. I really couldn't tell what she was thinking. Questions: - Tell me about yourself - Tell me about an extracurricular activity you have done in the past - How do you plan on enriching the experience of your cluster - What will be an optimal experience for you. - Why did you pick columbia University Mba - Why an Mba Then I asked two questions on how CBS has impacted her longterm goals and what was her biggest

2 hours max between entering and exiting the interview location. There was a problem with my laptop during the on-the-spot essays so my entire process got delayed by at least an hour. My interview location was Mumbai, India and they had a very helpful support staff team to guide everyone through the entire process on the designated floor of the hotel. There was a dedicated room to accommodate any bags/luggage, another one with tables, chairs, and notepads dedicated for the spot essays where you'd sit and sign in using your laptop to complete the written assessment, and various other neighboring rooms on the same floor with the different interview panels. Spot Essays 1. During a case competition you come across the company's competitor's business model and your teammates urge you to use it to get an edge. What would you base your decision on and how would you navigate this situation? 2. During a group presentation project there is apparent acrimony between your whole team and a particular member who has been raising his voice to express disagreement with certain presentation strategies. Your team members expect you to lead - how would you deal with this situation and revive the team spirit? Personal Interview The panel consisted of 4 alums (3M, 1F) from the 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2020 batches. Hour-long interview, pretty decent experience. Comforted and reassured me that it's not going to be stress interview, that they just want to get to know me better, and all of them introduced themselves first. Questions revolved mostly around a startup venture that I had mentioned, a couple of achievements, my work experience, motivations for MBA, and how ISB fits into the whole story. Considerable number of follow-up questions, trying to poke holes, and digging deeper into the thought process behind all my life decisions. 1. Tell us a bit about yourself - your personal and professional journey so far. 2. What is ShopMakhana.com and how did it come to be? 3. What is your specific role in the company you founded and your startup? What is the contribution of your partners? 4. Is this venture a side project for your partners as well? 5. Can your target problem not be solved using the existing networks of your partners? What is the need for a new company or platform? 6. When and how is the platform set to launch and what is the plan after that? 7. Given the recent interest of this Impact Investment Firm in your model, if you bag major funding and your venture takes off, how will it affect your career goals and MBA aspirations? 8. Will your MBA plans not affect your contribution to this venture and the development of the platform, or the other way around? 9. What is your opinion on the Indian Budget 2025 provisions for foxnuts? 10. What is your opinion on the global market and demand for foxnuts? 11. What are your career goals? 12. Why consulting? 13. What specific gaps in your business toolkit do you want to address and how will ISB help? 14. What will you do if you don't get into consulting? 15. Why not pursue your long-term goal of entrepreneurship in the Fintech product space right away? 16. How and why trading after mechanical engineering? 17. How and when did you develop an inclination towards finance or trading? 18. Why engineering? 19. Why mechanical engineering? 20. Why did you opt for science and not a Bachelor's in commerce or finance? 21. Why not CFA or FRM? 22. What is your role and day-to-day like at your current organization? 23. Describe the shift from an individual contributor role at your previous proprietary trading firm to a multi-faceted and team-oriented role at the current one, and how has the experience been for you? 24. Why did you move from a 500-trader large company to a niche prop trading firm, from the financial hub of India to your current city? Is it a family business? 25. Tell us about a tough time during your trading journey and how did you navigate it? 26. Describe your relationship with your recommender. Why did you choose him as your recommender? 27. What kind of feedback have you gotten from your recommender (ex-manager) through your trading journey at your previous company? Has he assisted you in any way with your ISB application? 28. Which form of Karate have you learned, and do you still practice? Which level of Black Belt do you have? 29. What kind of National Spelling Bee competitions take place in India? Tell us about the various levels you qualified to achieve your national rank. 30. Any questions for us?

1. Walk me through your resume 2. What are your short-term and long-term goals 3. Why Tuck? 4. How will you contribute to Tuck? 5. What is your proudest accomplishment? 6. Tell me about a time you had to convince someone of something. 7. What is your leadership style like? 8. What is your weakness? 9. What is something you are still learning? 10. What is something new you learnt? 11. Is there anything you would want the AdCom to know, that you weren't able to discuss today? 12. Any ques for me?

1. Tell me about yourself 2. Why my undergrad institute 3. Was there a professor you built a relationship with that was advantageous to you? How did that go? 4. Tell me about a time you worked with someone radically different than you and what did you learn? 5. Tell me about a challenging situation you faced at work and what actions you took 6. Why MBA? 7. Why Darden 8. What is something you would like to tell us about that you weren't able to talk about during the interview

1.⁠ ⁠Tell me about yourself. 2.⁠ ⁠Why MBA and why now? 3.⁠ ⁠Why Olin? 4.⁠ ⁠What is your greatest professional/personal achievement to date? 5.⁠ ⁠What do you plan to learn in an MBA apart from academics? And multiple follow-up questions to it. 6.⁠ ⁠How will you contribute to the Olin community? 7.⁠ ⁠Tell me about a time when you had to use data driven decision in your professional career. Follow up. 8.⁠ ⁠Tell me about a time when you failed and what did you learn from it. 9.⁠ ⁠Tell me about an innovative project that you have led. 10.⁠ ⁠Tell me about a time when you took a risky decision and how did it go. 11.⁠ ⁠If you have any questions.

1.⁠ ⁠Tell me about yourself 2.⁠ ⁠⁠why mba 3.⁠ ⁠⁠why Ross 4.⁠ ⁠⁠what can you contribute to Ross 5.⁠ ⁠⁠TMAT when you failed 6.⁠ ⁠⁠Also, one question from one of their pillar. I.e., TMAT when you used data driven decision

Due to cyclone my interview got changed to online zoom. After WAT, Interview started with 2 extremely cool professors. 1) Intro and my professional journey 2) Conflicts faced in workplace and how I resolved it 2.1) Cross question on my answer to above : Is AI boon ? Won't it remove workforce and jobs? 3) Screen was shared and I was asked a puzzle. It was on a game played by 2 persons and how the money was split b/w them in every rounds. I was asked to analyze it and give the final outcome of this game: after looking at the numbers, I almost gave the answer which convinced them 4) Screen was shared and I was shown Flight Radar map and route of Air India from DEL to San Francisco . I was asked why the airline was following a curved path and a path from north pole 5) Why I didn't go for TAS ? 6) I was asked why I want to join IIM B, apart from the fact that it's a great B School? 7) Any Questions for Us Ended with a Congratulatory Notification when I started my car engine after a fine day at work and rejoiced with my Boss in the middle of road for this wonderful achievement. All GMAT prep, All Interview Prep and Essays/Applications was done my me, with help taken from my close friends. Can DM me for details.

Gave on the beautiful red-green campus of IIM A: Started with Brief Introduction about myself to the 2 professors and was asked to pick a chit from a box of chits for extempore. Roughly the Topic was on QS rankings of universities are mostly advantageous for western countries and more of marketing gimmick and new universities struggle to place their position there. There was an option to choose another topic, but I continued with the same and I told FOR this topic. We had a very great discussion on people following brand names, IIT tags, IAS tags. Post the topic the interview started with questions about my professional journey, then went down with what was mentioned in my essay (I'd written empathy as my key strength), and hence was asked if it's a good thing or not? I gave several examples to justify what I wrote. Then I was asked about my goals, and which companies I'm targeting. What if the company doesn't come in the campus for placements. To this I answered that I have my network who had changed sectors from similar role as mine, and I'd use that to make similar transition. I was asked which B school they went, to which I told JTC. I was asked if I had applied to JTC. I told that my date clashed with my IIM A interview, hence I had postponed it. I was asked if there are peers in my company in the A campus. Then discussion revolved around my workplace, shifts operated, gender ratios in my workplace. 2nd last question came if I follow Indian economy. It ended with "any questions for us?" Can DM me for details of the answers I gave. After a month I received a congratulatory mail from them, which made me more proud of my efforts, as I did everything (from GMAT to application to interview prep) on my own.

The Experience With a sterling academic record and good GMAT and CAT scores, I entered the interviews for the MBA program confident. All the interviews, from Adcom to students to alumni, presented opportunities to communicate the story beyond the numbers. Common Themes Tell Me About Yourself: Reframing my narrative from academic prowess to considerable professional experience. Why MBA? Why Now? Blending technical expertise and foresight. Why This School? Highlighting the unique opportunities available to advance my goals. Leadership & Teamwork: Giving examples from real-life situations about team leading and solving problems. Handling Challenges: Resilience in the face of challenge. Diversity & Inclusion: Telling about how I endorse diverse and inclusive working cultures. Questions for the Interviewer: Thought-provoking questions about careers, community, and leadership. Reflections & Takeaways The best interviews resembled good conversations, not inquisitions. Being real, ready, and flexible helped. This experience validated the perception I already held, that an MBA is about developing into a leader, solving problems, and making a difference. Final Tips for Applicants Know your story and be real. Be clear about "Why MBA" and "Why this school." Prepare strong STAR responses. Engage with current students and alums. Stay confident and simply savor the experience.

The interviewer was a 1st-year MBA student. She asked me the following - 1. Tell me about yourself 2. What are the Differences between my experiences with startups and large companies? What do I prefer and why? 3. Why MBA? 4. What are your goals? 5. Tell me about a time where something unexpected happened in a professional setting 6. Tell me about a time where you led a team at work 7. Why Kellogg? 8. Any questions for me? Overall, it was a pretty relaxed interview. The interview put me at ease and seemed eager to learn more about me and my future goals.

The setting was quite informal and friendly. The 3 basic questions of Why MBA, Why Now and Why Ross was asked first. The next question pattern was mostly picking out points from my resume or TMAT type professional questions and 2-3 follow-up questions regarding the anecdote. The interview went on for about 40-45 mins followed by the 10 minutes he gave me to ask him questions and I ended up asking him 3 questions. I was glad for it to be my first MBA interview because it was quite a positive and non-stressful experience, so much so that, I felt comfortable to speak naturally rather than spout out fixed formal answers.

Interview was taken by student. The interview was very conversational and it went for 45mins. Started of by general cool down topics like how are you and how was your day today! 1) Tell me about yourself? 2) Why MBA at this point and Why BU? 3) What is your short team & long term goals? What's your plan B? 4) How do I plan to foster DE&I with my efforts in BU community? 5). TMAT when I faced conflict in my professional and TMAT when I achieved a success in my life 6). Apart from work what do you do and how do your spend your time outside work? 7). Questions for him? Hope this helps! Tip: Speak to students before your interview to talk about why this school better.

Interview was taken by adcom director. The interview was very conversational and it went for 40mins. Started of by general cool down topics like - how are you, where are you and what time is it in India. 1) Tell me about yourself? One behaviour question as well when I was talking about my work experience and jobs I pivot. 2) What's my leadership style? 3) What is your short team goals? What's your plan B? 4). Why MBA at this point and Why Foster? 5). DE&I being the core of school values, how do I plan to foster DE&I with my efforts? 6). Apart from work what do you do and how do your spend your time outside work? 7). Questions for her and for Foster? Hope this helps! Tip: Speak to students before your interview to talk about why this school better.

Applied with a GMAT waiver* 30 minutes. Adcom. - Run me through your resume - Why MBA - Why Darden - Spoke stuff about my interests and extracurriculars here - ST and LG goals - TMAT, you managed a conflict at the workplace - TMA your biggest professional achievement - TMAT, you led a diverse team. How was it different from others? - Any questions for me