Preparing for Your MIT Sloan School Interview
Type of Interview
The MIT Sloan MBA Admissions Committee conducts Behavioral Event-Based Interviews. The concept behind Behavioral Event Interviews (BEI) is past behavior is a reliable indicator of future response in a similar situation. BEI is different from the traditional screening interviews:
- Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation, the interviewer will ask you how you did behave.
- Expect your interviewer to question and probe your answers.
- The interviewer will ask you to provide details and will not allow you to theorize or generalize about several events.
- The interview will be a structured process that will concentrate on areas that are important to the interviewer, rather than allowing you to concentrate on areas that you may feel are important.
- You may not get a chance to deliver any prepared stories.
- Most interviewers will be taking copious notes throughout the interview.
What the Admissions Committee is Looking For
The interviewer will be looking for concrete and specific examples revealing one or several of the following traits during the interview:
- Influencing others: the ability to influence a person, group or organization.
- Relationship building: the ability to build and maintain professional relationships.
- Drive: the ability to set an objective and achieve it.
Preparing for BEI
- Recall a recent situation that showed favorable behaviors or actions, especially involving work experience, leadership, professional relationships, teamwork, planning, etc.
- Prepare short descriptions of each situation; be ready to give details when asked.
- Be sure to focus on examples not found in your application.
- Be sure the story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
- Be honest; don’t embellish or omit any part of the story.
- Be specific. Don’t generalize about several events; give a detailed accounting of one event. The interviewer will not give you the benefit of the doubt if there is something missing from your story.
Final Word
You may send a thank-you through email or postal mail to the following address:
Name of Interviewer
c/o Kat Foutsitzis
MIT Sloan School of Management
50 Memorial Drive, Room E52-450
Cambridge, MA 02142-1347
mbaadmissions@sloan.mit.edu
This document is solely for use by MIT Sloan MBA applicants. No part of it may be circulated, quoted or distributed without prior written approval from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Copyright 2011, MIT Sloan School of Management
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