The UCLA Anderson Interview (conversation)

I know that it can be a little intimidating to think about your MBA interview but there really isn't any reason to worry. While there are many reasons for us to invite an applicant to interview, you have to remember that an interview is just a conversation. The purpose of the interview is to get to know you better, confirm that you are the person portrayed through your application, and gauge your fit for the program (as well as our fit in your future plans).

All interviews are evaluated in the same manner regardless of the format, in person via Skype, or whom you interview with, a current student or admissions officer. What is important to us is the content of the interview and what we learn about you.

One of the things to consider is that as an interviewer, we are evaluating you through several different lenses: through the lens of an admissions representative, we are gauging your capacity to do well in the program, how active you will be as a student and alum, as well as your overall fit in our community; through the lens of a student we are evaluating how you will interact with the rest of our students, what you will contribute to their experience, and your facility to work well as a part of a team; and through the lens of a recruiter, we are evaluating your interview skills, your aptitude to present yourself positively, and ultimately, your potential to secure a job post-MBA.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your interview:

• Be yourself. Don't over analyze and try to strategically create a persona that fits what you think we are looking for, just be sincere. There is no cookie cutter profile that we are searching for, nor do we want you to fit into a specific mold. We want to learn about who you are as a person, what is unique about you, and how you will add to our community. 
• Remember that this is a conversation and as such it should not be limited to a simple question and answer format. You should be ready to provide complete and succinct responses to any question but let the conversation take its natural course.
• Be ready to answer questions about yourself and why you chose UCLA Anderson as one of the schools to apply to. This includes knowing how you could contribute to the community and how you see yourself getting involved.
• Be professional and respectful regardless of who you're interviewing with. Interviewing with a student does not mean the interview is any less important.
• Do not expect your interviewer to provide you with feedback - literally or figuratively.

In summary, relax, be prepared, and give us an opportunity to get to know you.

Comments

[ssg91]

When can we expect interview invites to flow in?