Wed, Oct 18: MBA Chat with Veritas Prep - Tips for B-School Interviews

Question

Wed, Oct 18, 2017 (9 AM PST/4 PM GMT) - MBA Chat with Veritas Prep: Tips for B-School Interviews

Got the much awaited interview invite? Great! Join us on Oct 18 for a chat with MBA experts of VeritasPrep admissions consulting in which MBA experts will tell you best strategies for the effective interview preparation. They will also answer your questions regarding interviews.

When?
Oct 18, 2017. Time: 9am PDT / 4pm GMT / 9:30pm IST
Add this event to your Google calendar

Where?
GMAT Club Chat Room https://gmatclub.com/forum/mchat.php?fl=menu

See Full MBA Chat Schedule Here.. https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmatclub-mba ... 41709.html
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Narenn · Answer

We will start the session in 5 minutes. Join us in the chat if you have any questions for MBA expert.. https://gmatclub.com/forum/mchat.php?fl=menu

Narenn · Answer

Live from Interview Chat

General Interview Tips
First of all, some schools read your application before they interview you and therefore your interviewer may have specific areas they plan to probe on or they may have a well-formed opinion of you. Other schools, the interviewer has not read your application. They may just have your resume.

Some of you may interview with an admissions officer. Others will interview with an alum or current student. That being said, some general advice applies. Be prepared!

Read/review your application. You’ve already put considerable thought into your story. Who you are? What your goals are? Why you want an MBA? What you will bring to that program?

Also, practice! You want to be prepared, but not overly rehearsed.

Think about your answers. Practice saying them. In a mirror, to a friend (in person, or on the phone), do mock interviews. You can even reach out to current students or alumni that you connected with as you were learning about the school to see if they’d be willing to do a mock interview with you. And get feedback! And then keep striving to improve!

I might even suggest doing a dress rehearsal. Wear what you’re going to wear. Practice your handshake. Your eye contact. And be prepared with the questions you’re going to ask at the end.

Also, remember that the person interviewing you is trying to assess whether or not they can picture you as a member of the class.

If you have any questions of MBA interviews, you are welcome to ask them in the chat to Cecile. https://gmatclub.com/forum/mchat.php?fl=menu

Narenn · Answer

Live from Interview Chat

Q: Schools get to know about our background, professional career, post MBA plans, reasons for doing MBA, etc from our essays and other parts of the application. So what they want to know from interviews?

Cecile: Great question! Your interview is a chance to bring your application to life. Really showcase the person and personality that all the pieces of your application have presented. Tell your story. Showcase your interpersonal and communication skills, as well as your ability to think on your toes.

If you have any questions of MBA interviews, you are welcome to ask them in the chat to Cecile. https://gmatclub.com/forum/mchat.php?fl=menu

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Narenn · Answer

Live from MBA Chat

Another interview tip, you’re answering the interviewers questions, but also remember that you’re telling a story. Your story. Storytelling is so powerful. A basic of storytelling is having a beginning, middle and end. But a major part of it is not only the structure, but the mindset pushes you to show not tell, paint a picture for the listener. It definitely can help make your answers more memorable. Another structure that works, as well, is situation, action, results.

One more thing--I know most of you will be nervous. That’s natural. Please try to relax. Your interviewer is a real person. They’ve been in your shoes. They just want to get to know you. And one more thing interviewers like to see from prospective students--enthusiasm. Passion. For the school. For their goals. I mention the nervousness, because sometimes that clouds or affects the perception or your ability to convey your enthusiasm and passion.

If you have any questions of MBA applications, you are welcome to ask them in the chat to Cecile. https://gmatclub.com/forum/mchat.php?fl=menu

Narenn · Answer

Helpful Tips Shared by MBA Expert in the Chat

Waitlist Management
Question: What strategy should the applicant if waitlisted before or after the interview? I understand that in both the cases the right strategies will be vastly different.

Cecile: If you’ve been waitlisted without an interview, there’s probably not much you can do right away. If anything significant changes in your candidacy (e.g. a promotion, significant award, etc.) you could write a letter in hopes that it will be considered the next time they evaluate your application.

If you’ve been waitlisted after interviewing, my advice isn’t drastically different. That being said, do take advantage of waitlist resources some schools make available. Those may be chats or even conversations with admissions officers. Some schools place a lot of weight on your passion for their school and strong desire to be a member of their class, so don’t hold back if you feel like there’s something the admissions committee needs to know about you and what you’d bring to the class/why to pick you, when you’re on the waitlist. As you know, when you’re on the waitlist, depending on the school, you might be invited to provide an additional letter of recommendation, or they may allow you to submit other supplemental materials. Admissions offices are pretty good about communicating those guidelines.

When you’re on the waitlist, it’s a great opportunity to look at your application/profile with a critical eye. You still have a chance! But there is something that’s holding them back. It could just be that they want to hold you to compare you to other applicants they expect to see in the pool in the next round. That being said, if there are things you can do to improve/strengthen your application, like retaking the GMAT and raising your score, then I don’t know why you wouldn’t do it.

If you think there’s room for improvement in your professional experience--crush it at work! If you think leadership or teamwork might not have been perceived as a strength--see if you can make something happen there. Show some initiative. Get creative.

A couple of thoughts on school selection... One thing to consider is which schools you are qualified for based on your GMAT and undergraduate academic performance, your professional experience (particularly the number of years you have), and your standout factors. Also think about your work future: what industry or function would you like to be in? Geographically, where do you want to be? Identify schools that fit with your learning style. This can take into account class size, approaches to teamwork, the opportunities for interdisciplinary coursework or projects or interaction. Lastly, think about the lifestyle. Should you go full time, part time, executive? 2 year? 1 year? Is it a good school for you and your significant other or family?

MBA Resume: Let me remind folks of the importance of your resume. You want to create a resume with the audience in mind. This is not a resume for getting a job. This is a resume for getting in to business school. It’s being read by an admissions committee. Be sure to highlight your impact. The accomplishments you’re most proud of. Don’t just describe what you do. You want the person reading it to know what you do, but try to avoid your resume being a job description. Also, avoid being too technical. And give some context. Why is what you do important and/or interesting? For more, check out this article: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2016/1 ... on-resume/

Advice to R2 Applicants
So, if you’re applying in Round 2--GMAT/GRE prep and school selection ASAP. If you don’t get your target score on your first try or by, let’s say the end of this month, no worries--keep working on it, but don’t delay getting started on the other parts of your application. That being said--focus on test prep for as long as you can.

I strongly encourage applicants to get started working on their essays and resumes in October/November, for January deadlines. Also, contact your recommenders.

Get all of those pieces in place and give yourself time to reflect, think deeply about the questions. You’ll outline your essays, write a draft. You may find that you go back to the drawing board. It’s a process, putting together your best application.

You may have writer’s block. Call on your friends and family to help you. They’re usually willing, but don’t necessarily know how they’ll help, but even just talking it through can unblock your mind and get the ideas flowing, again.

Don’t forget to leave adequate time in December to clean up and polish your essays. Be sure to proofread them. Ideally you can get a friend to do this for you. Don’t forget--you want to put your best foot forward to maximize your chances of admission.

I wish you all the best! Please don’t hesitate to reach out. We actually offer free consultations, so please take us up on that if you have questions. https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#-sc ... sultation/

Wed, Oct 18: MBA Chat with Veritas Prep - Tips for B-School Interviews

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