Application Tip #5 from the Director of Admissions
 Use the interview to add dimension to the paper version of you.
Soojin Kwon Koh is the director of admissions at the Ross School of Business. Since joining the Ross admissions team in 2004, Soojin has evaluated more than 10,000 applications. She knows what makes applications stand out. In the MBA Newsletter, Soojin shares her advice on how to put your best application forward.
Soojin’s fifth piece of advice: “Use the interview to add dimension to the paper version of you.”
What does this advice mean?
We get to know a little bit about you through what you (and your recommenders) have written in the application. But the application has word limits and only allows you to comment on a few topics. We know there’s more to you than those few thoughts, examples, and experiences. The interview is an opportunity to tell a member of the Ross community (an alum, student, or staff member) more about what you’ve done, how you think about things, and what you’re like as a person.
While the admissions interview is intended to be a “fit” interview, you still should approach it as you would a job interview. Below are suggestions for putting your best foot forward.
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Be professional: Schools want to admit candidates who will represent their institution well to recruiters and the outside world — both as students and future alums. Many admissions interviews are conducted by Admissions Student Committee members — second-year MBA students who have been trained to conduct admissions interviews. Interviewing with a student doesn’t mean that you can be more casual in your language and demeanor. Remember to keep it professional.
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Know yourself: You should be prepared to answer the question, “Why an MBA?” While you already have written about it in your application essay, we also want to know how you talk about it in person: Do you have your “elevator pitch” down? Your interviewer will not have read your essay; he/she only will have your resume. So anything on that resume is fair game. Know it well. Explain your experiences clearly and succinctly. Provide specific examples and relevant details. Use the “CAR” approach — context, action, result — to frame your responses.
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Know the school: Be prepared to answer, “Why Ross?” One of the things I’ve found among our interviewers is that they tend to feel more positively about candidates who have done their homework on Ross. Can you blame them? They don’t just want really smart, accomplished students to join the community; they want students who will engage in the many opportunities Ross offers. That is not to say that knowing everything there is to know about Ross will get you an interviewer’s endorsement. But you can make a more favorable impression on an interviewer — whether it’s for b-school admission or for a job — if you show you’re interested enough to research the organization. As with your application, don’t just spout off a list of clubs, classes, conferences, and faculty. Describe why you think the school is the right fit for you, both personally and professionally.
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Distinguish yourself: Make sure the stories and examples you share give the interviewer a sense of your interests, passions, goals, values, decision-making framework, and personality. These are what distinguish you from other candidates, not where you went to school or what you do for a living. We want to get to know you as people, not as resumes.
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Practice: In addition to preparing for the two questions I noted above, practice discussing your professional experience, and identify stories that highlight some of the characteristics we’re looking for in candidates — leadership, teamwork, initiative, engagement, integrity, self-awareness, curiosity, passion, etc. Conduct a mock interview with a colleague or friend to crystallize your thoughts and figure out the appropriate level of detail and length of response. And remember to relax and be yourself. We really want to get to know you as a person.
See Soojin’s fourth piece of advice: Treat your resume like a first impression.
See Soojin's third piece of advice: Stand out by being yourself.
See Soojin's second piece of advice: Go for a PR (personal record) on the GMAT/GRE and choose the right recommenders.
See Soojin's first piece of advice: How to introduce yourself in 100 words.
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