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E-mail Address:
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Anonymous
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Age:
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25-29
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Gender:
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Male
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Ethnic Background:
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White
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Intended Area of Study:
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General Management
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Name of School:
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INSEAD
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Interview Date:
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10/2009
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Type of Program:
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MBA
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Part Time Program Type:
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Full Time
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Were you given options as to the date of the interview?:
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Yes - I got a dealdline (approximately a month from the decision date) as to complete the interviews.
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Could you choose the interview's location?:
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No - I was given an option abroad as there were no interviewers available in the rather small country I currently resided. Gave the AdCom a few alternatives I could travel to and they chose one of those.
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How many interviews were scheduled?:
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2 - Had a bit of trouble scheduling the interviews as I needed them to be preferably on the same day due to me flying into the city I was interviewed in.
Received an answer from one interviewer within a day, the other took a week. I gave them a few dates to choose between and tried to adapt myself. Fortunately both were pretty flexible.
Sent them my full application (felt like I was hiding something otherwise) and a confirmation email 1-2 days before the actual interview date. Provided my phone number and confirmed my interviewers cell phone number just in case.
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How many interviewed you?:
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2 - One former consultant turned NPO. Woman 35 -45
One investment bank director. Man 40 -45
Both very friendly. Expected a bit of problems from the investment bank director but turned out to be a really nice person.
I also brought an INSEAD flyer to use as I was meeting one of my interviewers in a public busy place.
Arrived 10 min ahead of time as appropriate.
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How long were the interviews?:
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45 min - 1 h
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Who were the interviewers?:
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Alumni
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What was the most difficult question?:
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Would you consider a NPO? Why/Why not?
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What was the most interesting question?:
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A lot of intelligent questions and comments regarding my CV, general background and future plans.
One I remember was:
You have a very high remuneration currently, what do you expect to get out of INSEAD as you willk probably get a lower exit salary?
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Any other questions you remember?:
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The 3 Why's: Why MBA? Why Now? Why INSEAD?
What other schools are you applying to, why?
Walk me through your CV, explain the business model of your current work.
What was your biggest failure so far?
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Did you feel prepared?:
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Yes - I felt confident walking into the interviews even though I hadn't mocked anything. I am a pretty verbal person so didn't feel the need to (and didn't want my answers to sound TOO prepared).
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How did you prepare?:
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Prepared by:
1. Reading interview feedback on this site
2. Compiling Q&A-s on my application, background, goals and future plans as well as the 3 Why's
3. Reading about INSEAD on their web site
4. Reading my application a couple of times
5. Researching my interviewers on LinkedIn to find a suitable approach
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Did you receive any feedback at the end?:
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Yes - One of the interviewers said I had a good profile, he hoped I would get in and that he would give me good recommendations.
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What was your opinion of the Faculty?:
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What was your opinion of the Alumni?:
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Extremely smart and friendly people, at least one of my interviewers seemed to be under A LOT of work pressure, but still took the time to really focus on the interview.
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What was your opinion of the Students?:
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What was your opinion of the Office Personnel?:
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Did you receive a tour?:
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No
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What was most impressive?:
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What was least impressive?:
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Did anything change your opinion of the school? :
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Yes - After the interviews I know that INSEAD alumnis are not just very smart, they are also extremely likable people with great soft skills and interesting personalities.
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Was there something you wish you had known ahead of time?:
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No
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Suggestions for travel to the school?:
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What other advice can you offer future interviewees?:
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I suggest to do what I did:
Plan for the worst and discover that the hardball interview turns out to be a friendly chat with some very down-to-earth and intelligent people.
My preparation was almost useless for the interviews in retrospect but I still wouldn't want it undone, if not else for the introspective part of finding out more about your driving forces to do an MBA.
Be yourself, act confident and don't look as if it's the end of the world if you don't get in to the school.
And, bring a paper-copy of your application just in case!
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