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DrShelle
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MBA Admissions Consultant
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MIT EMBA: Hard Admissions Interview -- Behavioral Questions 11 Dec 2024, 17:33
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MIT EMBA: Hard Admissions Interview -- Behavioral Questions

If you have done some research about the MIT EMBA admissions process, you have probably read that MIT’s EMBA admissions process is distinct from most other top U.S. EMBA programs because it emphasizes behavioral questions. Additionally, over the past decade, candidates have had to go through two back-to-back interviews, which seemed to increase the stress of the process.

So, what is a behavioral interview question? It is an interview question that asks a candidate to describe a past situation where they employed a specific skill or made a particular type of decision. The interviewer usually seeks to hear about a specific example. This sort of question helps illuminate the breadth and depth of a candidate’s work and leadership experiences. These questions also shed light on the best practices the candidate has already learned and the quality of their hard and soft skills – from leading a team to coaching and mentoring others. How good are you at problem-solving, decision-making, collaborating, communicating, showing resilience, or adapting to changing conditions? The interviewer uses behavioral questions to get a sense of this.
Here are some examples of behavioral questions:

  • "Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult client and what you did."
  • "Describe a situation where you had to persuade others you were right. What did you do, and what was the outcome?"
  • "Tell me about a time you led a team well."
  • "Tell me about a time you failed professionally.”

Most admissions committees that use behavioral questions want to ask you questions you could not have anticipated beforehand so that they can see how you think on your feet and gain a perspective about the true depth of your knowledge. Sometimes candidates struggle to identify examples or articulate best practices. So, practice responding to behavioral questions, knowing that the more you get used to responding to behavioral questions, the easier it should be to respond to specific behavioral questions you could not have anticipated before the interview.


Do you need assistance with your applications? Feel free to reach out to Dr. Shelle at info@mbaadmit.com.


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About Dr. Shelle and MBA Admit.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drshelle

MBA Admit.com was established in 2001 by Dr. Shelle Leanne, a graduate of Harvard and Oxford who has experience with Harvard admissions and served in Stanford University’s Office of the President. Dr. Shelle, who has over 30 years of admissions advising experience, works one-to-one with clients. She is an accomplished writer whose works have been translated into 25 languages worldwide, and she has previous work experience with McKinsey & Company and Morgan Stanley. Her clients rave about her services and impact. Each year, nearly 95% of her clients receive scholarships, totaling over $10 million last year.
More about Dr. Shelle here: https://mbaadmit.com/about/about-dr-shel/.
Dr. Shelle (Shelly Leanne)
President, MBA Admit.com
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