Qualifying for admission to your favorite MBA university is a dream for any MBA aspirant. It takes a lot of perseverance and hours of studies to pass the written part, but often the MBA admission interview questions trip students and they miss their chance of admission. This is why along with practicing hard for the written part of your admission test, you should also prepare well for the MBA personal interview questions. Take the help of the following guidelines and you can frame great answers to them. 

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What Is An MBA Admission Interview?

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The interview round is the final step in your MBA qualification entrance exam. Only those students who have passed the written exam are called for this interview. The main purpose of the interview is to judge the candidate's potential and whether he or she fits into the MBA institute. The questions are a mixture of topics that cover personal, academic, and about the institute you are applying for. 

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Most students often answer the academic part of the questions correctly but when it comes to answering tell me about yourself MBA interview-type questions, they need to improve. Another area they poorly answer is why they are applying for that department of MBA or the particular institute. Hence, to ace your MBA admission interview, you need to prepare for all kinds of questions, some of which we bring to you in this article. 

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How To Prepare For An MBA Interview

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You need to approach the interview strategically, just as you did for the written test. Here are some points to keep in mind.

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Prepare your background: This is a very important step in preparing for an MBA interview because there will be questions about your background. The answer should be based on both the academic and personal journey you have undertaken so far. If you are doing the MBA after working for a few years, you also need to factor in your professional experience. You will need to be clear about why you want to do an MBA, how it is tied to your vision for your professional future, and why this institute/department is integral to that vision. 

Defend your choice: The next set of questions is the type ‘why should we select you’ MBA interview question. For that, you need to learn beforehand about the institute you are applying for and the course you have selected. You need to know the values of the institute, how it fits your values and aspirations, and how the curriculum of the course can help your academic needs. With this knowledge, you can defend your choice of subject and why you are fit to study at that institute. 

Practice mock interviews: To not get confused or insecure about your answers, you need to practice beforehand through mock interviews. This is where our sample questions and answers can come in handy. You can find and download an MBA interview questions and answers PDF, and practice with its help. By correcting how you are answering, what you are answering, and your body language, you can confidently face all kinds of MBA interview questions. 

Stay up to date with current affairs and industry-specific knowledge: The interview questions will not be only academic or personal; they will include current affairs and industry knowledge. So, stay up to date with what is happening around you, both Indian and Global. 

Show you fit there: MBA is not just about learning from books; it is also about how adaptable you are, how good you are as a team member, and your leadership skills. So, make sure you prepare answers that show your unique perspective and how it will add value to your team and the institute. 

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Sample MBA Interview Questions And Answers

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Now that you know how to prepare for an MBA interview, let’s look at the most asked questions and a sample answer to such questions. The questions generally are of certain types; like those related to understanding the personality of the student, those related to the resume of the candidate, and some regarding scenarios that test the capacity of the candidate’s analytical, problem-solving, and leadership qualities. Here are questions from each of the categories of questions.

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Personal Background Questions:

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Introduce yourself

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Let’s start with this question among the most asked MBA interview questions and answers for freshers. The question may sound simple, but often stumbles even the best candidates. To answer it:

• Focus on your studies so far and how the MBA is a natural extension of your academic journey. 
• Focus on concisely listing your accomplishments and work experience.
• Focus on your future career plan how you worked to achieve that so far, and how the program/institute fits into it.

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What are your strengths and weaknesses?

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Many candidates often answer this question partially, focusing more on their strengths and glossing over their weaknesses. What the interviewer wants to know through your answer is how self-aware you are. Hence to answer:

• Be humble and talk about your flaws and how you have tried to overcome them. 
• Pick up your unique strength and show how it distinguishes you from others and talk about specific instances where this strength helped you.
• Talk about your characteristics and it helps you to bring to the table measurable benefits.

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What do you think is your biggest accomplishment/failure in life so far?

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This question aims to know again about your self-awareness. The interviewer wants to know about your attitude towards success or failure so focus on:

• Picking an event that impacted your life, whether it was an accomplishment or failure. 
• Talk about the situation, how it happened, what role you played, and how it changed your life.
• Then talk about the changes that this event brought to your life, whether professional or personal. 

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Career-Oriented Questions

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Why do you want to study for an MBA?

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This is also another most asked MBA personal interview question. The interviewer is looking to know your reason for studying MBA and how it fits your overall life goal. Hence you should:

• Focus on talking about the industry or job sector you are passionate about and how an MBA will help you thrive in it.
• Show how your previous academic experiences have led you to this point, making an MBA the natural next step in your education
• Show how you have existing talents that are a perfect fit for this program and your desire to develop other skill sets through your MBA studies. 

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What are your career goals, short-term and long-term?

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By asking this question, the interviewer wants to know how clear you are about your career and how an MBA fits into that goal. You should show them that you decided on doing an MBA after a thorough introspection of your career goals, both long-term and short-term. So, to answer:

• Be very specific about your goals. Talk about your short-term goals and which industry you want to join after your MBA is over.
• Then talk about how these short-term goals are a step in the ladder for your ultimate career destination.
• The answer should include how an MBA from their university is going to fulfill both these aspirations. 

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How will our MBA program help you in your career goals?

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Again, the interviewer aims to see how much thought you have put in regarding applying for an MBA with their institute. So, frame your answer by telling them:

• The specific aspects of the MBA program that fit into your career goal.
• How the different aspects of the MBA program will enhance your necessary job skills.
• Describe how the program is a perfect fit for your long-term goal.

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Work Experience Questions

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These MBA interview questions are for working professionals:

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What are your current/last job and responsibilities?

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A very simple question, but the answer should be framed in such a way as to let the interviewer know about your knowledge regarding the position you hold and also how an MBA degree will make you a better candidate. So, the answer should include:

• Overview of your current/last company and your job in it.
• Describe how your present/last job naturally led you to decide to study MBA to better your career.
• Don’t hesitate to talk about your achievements in your current/last job.

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Did you face any challenges at work? How did you handle it?

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The question aims to judge your decision-making skills as well as leadership qualities. Hence the answer should focus on:

• A detailed overview of the challenging situation and how you helped solve it.
• Let them know in detail the steps you took to solve the challenge.
• Lastly, tell what you learned from this situation, and the result of your efforts.

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Did you take any leadership roles in your work?

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The question aims to see your leadership capabilities and problem-solving skills. The answer should be:

• Describe an instance where your leadership role made a difference in your working life. You should be honest about it, because many times, background checks are made on your claims. 
• Let them know what kind of leadership style you have.
• Highlight how the project/company benefitted from your leadership.

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Academic Background Questions

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The questions will be based on the resume and documents you submit. Some questions that may be asked are:

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Why did you choose your undergraduate subjects?

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The question aims to see what has motivated you so far and how you chose your career. To answer focus on:

• Explain how your subjects in undergraduate are part of your long-term career goal and aligned with your interest.
• Talk about how the subjects have helped you understand business concepts and how to solve complex problems.

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Did you do any projects or participate in research during your undergraduate years?

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The interviewer wants to know if you have any hands-on experience in working with a team to complete something as well as your problem-solving skills. The answer should talk about:

• A project you were most proud to be part of in your undergraduate years. Make sure to choose one where you had the most impact.
• Talk in detail about your role in the project and how your contribution helped in its success. Don’t forget to mention the challenges you faced and how it was solved. Be honest regarding your role; don’t exaggerate or downplay the role of other team members. 
• Finish with how this project helped your personal growth as well as imparting important skills and lessons. 

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MBA Fit Questions

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This type of ‘Why should we select you?’ MBA interview question focuses on how well-suited you are for the MBA program you have applied for.

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Why do you think you fit here?

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The aim is to find out how much you know about the institute and the program you are applying for. So, focus on:

• Knowledge about the institute, the program, and their contributions to your chosen field of study.
• Show how it is the perfect fit for your academic career and future professional plan.
• Show how your unique experiences, skills, and perspectives that you bring to enrich the institute’s community.

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How will you contribute to our community?

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The aim is to find out how you can enrich the community in the institute beyond academics. So focus on:

• Your skills, passion, interest, and professional experience can enrich the community.
• Talk about your extracurricular activities, at the school and college level, like participation in events, clubs, etc.
• Talk about how you want to share your knowledge with your fellow students, learn from your seniors, and be supportive in enriching the student community while studying there.

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Situational Questions

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These questions want to explore your problem-solving skills, critical thinking as well as ethical values.

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What could you do if you saw your colleague doing something unethical? How will you handle the situation?

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This question is asked to see your principles and values as well as your skill in handling challenging situations. To answer:

• Talk about your values and behavior as well as the importance of maintaining integrity in a workplace.
• Tell them that you would first gather all information, consider the impact, and address the issue discreetly.
• Discuss how it is best to look for a resolution by either talking with your colleague or by reporting to a supervisor while making sure you are professional and discreet on your side.

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There is a project deadline. How will you handle it?

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This question aims at your time management skills and ability to perform under pressure. To answer, focus on:

• Answering only after knowing about the situation fully like the overview, deadline, and stakes involved. Based on that, give your answer.
• Give an example from your previous experience where you faced a similar situation and how you handled it.
• Tell the interviewers about the strategies you employed, the result and what you learned from the experience.

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How do you handle criticism or feedback?

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This question asked during the MBA college interview questions and answers session is to find how open you are to personal growth and handling criticism. Answer by:

• Emphasizing that you see criticism as an opportunity to learn and improve, rather than something negative.
• Let them know about the situations where you were criticized, how you handled it, and what you learned from it.
• Let them know how you acknowledged your limitations and improved yourself by incorporating the feedback you got.

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Apart from these sample MBA questions and answers, you should also be ready to answer to questions related to current topics, especially those related to the business world and the market you are interested in. There will be also a time when the interviewers will ask if you have some questions for them, which can be something like:

• What support will I get from the institute regarding employment?
• What opportunities are there for networking within the program?
• Can you tell me about the institute/department alumni network?

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Conclusion

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The final step of getting admitted to your dream institute is the MBA college interview questions and answers round. So, you need to prepare it as diligently as you did for the written part of the admission exam. You need to be self-aware, learn about the institute and the course you want to get admitted to, and be ready to face any kind of questions. For that, you need to focus on your background, practice mock interviews, stay informed about current affairs, and showcase how you fit into the program. Answering the questions asked during the interview round is not just about showing how knowledgeable you are, but how your potential and values align with that of the institute and the program. With such thorough practice, you can face even the toughest interview rounds, come out more confident than ever before, and join your dream institute.