MBA Interview Myth-Busting from U. Michigan Ross
In her latest update to the Ross MBA blog, Michigan Ross School of Business admissions director Soojin Kwon makes light of the frigid temps gripping Ann Arbor but assures applicants the b-school is still operating, “with recruiters on campus and the fearless admissions team in the office organizing team exercises and writing blogs.”
With interview slots filling up as soon as they are made available, Kwon uses this post to dispel some persistent beliefs about the MBA interview process at UM Ross. Here, in brief, are some of the common misconceptions Kwon would like applicants to get straight.
Myth #1: Ross only admits students who interview at Ann Arbor.
Truth: Interviews are weighted equally no matter where they take place—on or off campus. In fact, just a third of admitted students interviewed on-campus last year.
Myth #2: In-person interviews with alums are better than Skype interviews with students.
Truth: ALL interviews are weighed equally. What you have to say is more important than the medium or setting you choose.
Myth #3: Ross only admits students with a GMAT score over 700.
Truth: There is a wide range, and many applicants with 750+ GMAT scores weren’t invited to interview. Your score isn’t the most important indicator.
Myth #4: You’ll be denied admission if you don’t do the team exercise.
Truth: Optional means exactly that. While you should take advantage of every opportunity to show the admissions committee what you’re made of, you can still be admitted without participating in a team exercise if your application and one-on-one interview are strong.
Myth #5: If you don’t get an invitation to interview in Round 2, all hope is lost.
Truth: No invitation to interview means the admissions committee needs to review your application further to determine if they will invite you in Round 3. You’ll either be waitlisted or not admitted, and this decision will appear in your account on March 14th.
As you can see, the admissions committee really is run by real human beings who want you to prepare well, but relax and show them who you really are. “No matter what the outcome – interview, no interview; team exercise, no team exercise – it will all work out as it should,” writes Kwon.
