The Application Process

Hi Everyone,

I have a dilemma. Like it says in the subject line I'm heading into an interview, I was invited by the Marshall School at USC! I took a tour of the school and sat in on a full time class through their ambassador program (ironically the day before I got the interview invite). I enjoyed the atmosphere of the campus, the support the school provides for its students, and how the professors handled the classroom discussions

So here's the thing...I'm afraid I might screw up this interview. I've interviewed with Kellogg in November 2011 and with Cornell in December 2011. The Kellogg interview is mandatory, so its not such a huge deal, and it was an in person interview with an alumni here in the Los Angeles/Orange County area. I thought it went well, especially since he told me at the end of the interview that he would recommend me for admission and that his only thought on why I wouldn't get in is due to my relatively low work experience (I'd only have 3 years if I entered this Fall 2012). In the end, I got rejected.

I was invited to interview by Cornell, it was a Skype interview with a 2nd year student. It started off well, the video cut out in the early part of it so we just continued with audio only. I thought I demonstrated how I was a good fit for Cornell, especially since I met with Cornell reps when they were in LA for the MBA Tour back in July 2011. But I didn't visit the campus, a dumb mistake I know. In the end, I got waitlisted.

I don't know if I've messed up my preparation or something else happened, but both times I felt like I was able to communicate without rambling and present myself clearly and confidently. I really REALLY want to get in to USC, especially since I applied through the Consortium and they need an admissions decision by mid March to even consider me for their scholarship. In the past I've looked up sample questions through Google, and usually prepared by looking at the ones listed on interviewbay and the clear admit wiki. Plus this time USC is asking for an updated resume, and I exceeded my goals at work for 2011 and I've volunteered to present an hour long major technical change at work to our office that will have a large impact on the way the company will do business going forward. I'll also be responsible for leading a discussion for a group of 50 people in the office. So I figured I could work those into what I already have on my current resume.

This will be an on campus interview with a member of the Admissions committee. Any thoughts, advice, or comments? I'd really appreciate any help!

I would just be myself, answer the questions truthfully and let the rest take care of itself.

It may be a good thing when you scheduled the class visit at USC and then got an interview invite the next day. It does seem that prospective students who are in some type of semi-regular contact with the schools they're interested in will get some more consideration than those who don't. Maybe the student ambassador put in a word for you after your visit, but maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way, anything and everything helps.

You seem to be prepared for the interview . All you need to do now is ---take a deep breath, be yourself and face the interview confidently....Also, you may want to refer to the following link for some useful interview tips.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/02/ ... s-workshop

Best of luck,

Poonam

Hi LizardFace,

Given you have the opportunity for an on campus interviews we would firstly advise you to be confident. This is the best time to tell the admission officer about your interest in the school, why you think you'd be an asset to the school and also to highlight anything pertinent that you didn't have an opportunity to share on your application. Do ensure that you visit school's website. Apart from that attending information sessions can give you general overview of the school. Many colleges and universities set up a classroom-style information session. This session generally focuses on academic programs, undergraduate life, the admissions process, and financial aid. Post these sessions, prospective students (and their parents) typically break off into groups for student-led campus tours. You may also register for campus tours which are usually led by a current undergraduate student and are an ideal opportunity to get a student's perspective of the school. You will get answers on variety of queries like courses, dormitories, campus life, academics, recreational activities etc. This all information can be very useful in your interview. All the best! You can also engage in mock interviews that are available online to be prepared on what style of questions can be asked.

Thanks for all the advice and especialy that video link. I've had enough rejects and waitlists so far and I hope that will change with USC.

Well guys, I just had my interview at USC earlier this morning. It was with an Associate Director of Admissions. I felt really good about it, when we started she told me it'd only be 30 min, and she had only seen my resume.

We went on for 50 min! Talked about my resume, undergraduate background, past career decisions/goals, what I thought of the class I sat in on, the funding available for entrepreneurs. So I just want to say a big thanks for that video link, since I watched it and followed the advice down to the letter. Plus digging through the clear admit wiki helped a LOT, she didn't ask a single question I hadn't already read about online.

Oh and Jon, I actually sent an updated essay to Cornell this past weekend after I spoke with 2 current students over phone last week. Coincidentally I found your Q&A link 2 weeks ago via Google. The irony is that last Friday I heard back from Yale, and guess what? I got waitlisted.

Oh well, I'm happy with USC so far, especially if I can land that Consortium fellowship. Time to figure out what to do with Yale...

It's OK to be nervous, don't worry about it. Maybe do a few mock interviews with friends of family members.
Also, you can search for some interview tips and common questions, it will help you to be prepared. Good luck!