INSEAD 2013 JAN - Calling All Applicants

I just got the same email!

So the fun begins for the R2 applicants!Best wishes for all those who have got interview calls!

Interview calls are very important part of the INSEAD applications. Dont neglect them in anyway!I had two friends of mine interview along with me and I am only the lucky one among the three to have got an admit!One got dinged and the other is still waitlisted! So put in your best efforts to crack the interviews!

Me too!

The above is not to scare any one!! I over did it a bit, but when gets dinged at 6 schools and starts loosing intrest about MBA, one does stupid things! So the above preparation! Desperate times call for desperate measures!!

Dont worry too much! I know a couple of current students who got interviewed in a pub having beer! But I had very structured & formal interviews, with almost 80% questions from the above set! So it could be either way! Its upto you to choose! Good Luck! Hope to see you on the other side of the road soon!

Hi Mattapraveen,

Thanks for all the information you shared with us!!!! Do you still get an email from the Add com eventhought you are not invited for an interview?


Cheers

H

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?

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?

Hi,

I applied in R2 as well.

@jay4den, mk42, alexpiers, Finjan, who did you get the email from? who was your Admission Officer? It seems at least mine (AN) is on leave until July 30th.

Thanks

Yes please! Could you please provide the initials of the admissions officers who sent you the invite?