Calling all MIT Sloan 2008 applicants

Thought I'd share my interview experience. Hopefully others can learn from my failures.

Interviewed on campus in Cambridge a few days ago. My interviewer was very courteous and professional. Started off with some small talk. I knew things were going to go badly when she asked me an innocent question about jazz (a major passion) and I was completely thrown off. I had prepared so intensely for the BEI stuff that I could barely give a coherent answer to a non-BEI question. She then asked a simple question about a recent development in the type of medical devices I want to work with. Again, I gave a confused answer.

Things went downhill from there. Guess it just wasn't my day.

BEI questions I was asked:
- She cited a significant extracurricular activity in my past, and asked me if I had any difficult interpersonal interactions during that experience.
- Tell me about a time at work that you had to choose among many different options.
- Tell me about a time you demonstrated creativity in arriving at a solution to a problem.
- Tell me about a time you had to deal with an underperforming colleague or supervisee.
- Tell me about a time you had to deal with someone who was overstepping his/her bounds.

I think that was it. I was specifically asked to use examples different from those I cited in my application. Shame is, I had prepared answers to almost all of the questions (check out databases on accepted.com and clearadmit.com). I think I just choked. Oh well.

Had lunch with the other interviewees and 4 or 5 current students. I had done the Ambassador program, and the lunch confirmed what I had seen there: Sloan students are really down-to-earth and very nice. They were all very supportive and helpful.

Shame I probably won't get a chance to join them