Interview - To Travel or Not to Travel

Question

Hey Hjort,

I have received invitations to interview with Columbia and Stern. Stern strongly recommends traveling to its campus, however Columbia is indifferent to it. I don't mind traveling to NYC, but since I just visited both of the campuses less than 3 weeks ago, I don't think coughing up the $$ to travel to NYC again will be worth it. 
Do you think I should suck it up and just visit NYC? Will it give me that extra edge? If I travel to NYC, should I schedule an interview for Columbia since I would be going there anyway? I understand that Columbia is indifferent to where I interview, however I am not sure if I could score extra points by making the effort to travel to NYC for their interview.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Porscheboy16 · Answer

I would probably go for the interview. From what I have heard, your odds are very good if you get an interview. To be on the safe side, I would go.

Hjort · Answer

I like the personal touch of the interview on campus but there are certainly many successful applicants who choose to take a local interview instead. How far would you need to travel?

orsang8 · Answer

It's a 2 hour plane-ride. More importantly, the cost will be around $400 including lodging.

It looks like I will need to travel for the Stern interview. I spoke with someone from the staff today and they informed me that there's little likelihood that they would approve a phone interview. Besides, I do not like phone interviews. I wouldn't mind interviewing locally as long as it were in person.
My question to you is whether I should go ahead and schedule the Columbia interview as a local interview with an alumnus. Do you think it's better to interview in NYC for this interview since I'm already going to NYC?

I have been given the choice between selecting from 3 different alumni for the Columbia interview. They're from the class of 1978, 1991 and 2004. Do you think it matters whether I interview with the younger or the older of the three? I can't help but thing that I'll be able to relate better to the youngest of the lot, but then again the eldest may be more mature in his/her judgment. Am I over-analyzing?

Hjort · Answer

For NYU, I agree that an in-person interview is better than a phone interview. Further, a two hour flight is not bad at all- coming from the West Coast or Continential Europe would be a lot worse. 

If you are already in NY, you might as well interview at Columbia. I agree you are over-analyzing which alumnus/a would be the better match for you. Since this is a volunteer position, I imagine that the individuals who dislike the young find another way to spend their time.

Antmavel · Answer

Generally speaking I think that after taking so much time to :
* get a great score on the GMAT
* write, read, correct and re-write your essays
* spending quite a lot of money in the process (gmat, application fee, ...)

You should try to accept the school's suggestions except if really weird or impossible. I don't think you would like to be refused at any school because of a 400$ trip not done...I exagerate a little but that's my point of view.

also I would tend to choose the solution that would avoid meeting a student or a graduate. I believe that Adcom and officials from the board are much easier to handle however in that case you become totally responsible for impressing them. My meaning is that people from the board of admission usually ask the same general questions :

- walk me through your resume
- why mba 
- why now
- short terms/long terms goals
- why X school
- leadership/teamwork experience (behaviour/situation/experiences)
- extra curricular

so it's up to you to find a way to show your best skills and to impress them. They will ask the same questions to thousands of people, so YOU need to find a good answer and a way to differentiate yourself from the others.
I feel that usually graduates (i am not sure about students) are harder to deal with because they don't have a lot of "standard" questions and you are never sure about their mood or their determination to lead well the meeting whereas for the board, it's their job ! SO you can assume they are trained to do so....

Of course I aam sure many people would say the contrary or had experienced opposite situations , that's just my view on it and my personal experience

orsang8 · Answer

I appreciate your input guys. I went ahead and booked a ticket to NYC for next week.
I have another question. I've found conflicting information on Columbia's interview invitations. Approximately what % of applicants does Columbia invite to interview? I read in the '04 Business Week report that they interview approximately 90% of the applicants. I was pretty surprised by this fact as I've read elsewhere that they're more selective about whom they interview since their application volume has increased significantly.

Interview - To Travel or Not to Travel

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