Michigan: Interview Transcripts & Notes
MICHIGAN ROSS INTERVIEW REPORTS
Interviewer, alum
I was asked the questions below then had a chance to ask plenty of questions of my own.
- Why MBA?
- Why Ross?
- What are some areas of the school you are excited to get involved in?
- Tell me about a time you had to quickly pivot direction
- Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict
- Tell me about a time you had to adjust your leadership style while working on a diverse team
None of these questions threw me for a loop except the last one, which felt like a combination of two different questions I was expecting. Because it caught me off guard a bit, I asked for a bit of time to think over my response.
(Applicant was accepted with scholarship)
Ross interview with alum
First 30 minutes:
Tell me about your background
Why MBA? Why now?
Why Ross?
Tell me about a time you needed to make a quick decision. What did you do? What were the results?
Tell me about a time you motivated your peers.
Tell me about a time you messed up a project/situation and how you made up for it. (not exact wording but you get the main idea)
Tell me about a time your manager was set down one path and you wanted to pursue another path. What happened? What was the result? (not exact wording but you get the main idea)
Tell me about a time you worked with someone from a different background (not exact wording but you get the main idea)
Last 15: Open to ask questions
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Zoom interview:
– Background info
– Why MBA / why now / why Ross?
– Talk about a project that didn’t go as expected
– If there was one thing in the world you wanted to change, what would it be?
– How do you collaborate with your peers?
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online interview:
The interview was mostly "tell me about a time when" questions. Here's what she asked:
Tell me about a time you received negative feedback and how you dealt with it
Tell me about a time you pivoted in a project and the outcome
Tell me about a time you managed or mentored someone
Tell me about a time you created and implemented a project
Tell me about a time you had to make a decision with insufficient data
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond
Why an MBA/ why now/ why Ross?
Ross interview report:
If you're interviewed on campus, your interview is conducted by a second-year MBA student, who are often called MBA2s. The interview will run for roughly 45 minutes and is very casual/conversational in nature. From what I remember, the questions I was asked are below:
1) Walk through my resume (where he would inject and ask specific questions)?
2) Why Ross?
3) Describe a time I failed? Then, how I made an adjustment to reconcile the failure?
4) Why MBA?
5) Why now??
The team exercise takes place in a local pizza parlor (Pizza House), where they host the weekly radio show with Coach Harbaugh (Head Football Coach).
You will be randomly assigned to teams of 4-6 with two MBAs (a mix of second & first years) evaluating. The goal of the exercise is to assess your collaborating, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Part 1 You will be given 7 cards, 1 blue and 6 maize (Yellow). The goal will be to develop a business problem and solution using the blue word as your client and incorporating four of the six maize words into either the problem or the solution.
You will be given 15 minutes to brainstorm how to approach this. This was interesting. At first glance, none of the words make much sense of how they tie into one another so you have to really work together to figure out what angle you want to take. For example: My blue word was "Rural School Districts" and my maize words were: Marketing, Automation, Regulation, Access, Negotiations, (can't remember the last one). We threw out Automation and the word I can't remember and focused on the other four.
Part 2 After the 15 minutes are up, you have to present to the MBA evaluators. Each person must have a speaking role and with a 5-minute presentation clock (don't feel pressure to take the entire time, it's mostly used so you don't go over). After the presentation, the evaluators' will pose a question i.e: "What do you think your biggest challenge will be bringing your solution to life?"
You will have 2 minutes to develop your answer, and up to 2 ppl may speak. After that, you're done.
Notes on Michigan Team Based Exercise
If you're interviewed on campus, your interview is conducted by a second-year MBA student, who are often called MBA2s. The interview will run for roughly 45 minutes and is very casual/conversational in nature. From what I remember, the questions I was asked are below:
1) Walk through my resume (where he would inject and ask specific questions)?
2) Why Ross?
3) Describe a time I failed? Then, how I made an adjustment to reconcile the failure?
4) Why MBA?
5) Why now??
- Walk me through your resume
- What do you bring to the diversity of our class?
- Why business school?
- Why now?
- Why Ross?
- What would you do outside of class?
- Elaborate on longer term goals.
- Why an MBA?
- Why Ross?
- Short term goals?
- How specifically do you see Ross helping you achieve these?
- What would you do outside of academics at Ross?
- What is a typical day for you?
- What are you focused on when you first wake up in AM?
- What would you contribute to the classroom?
- What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
- What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
- Have you ever managed or mentored anyone?
- Describe your favorite mentor?
- What book are you reading right now?
- Flash forward 20 years, what would the cover of a magazine featuring you say?
- Why do you want your MBA?
- Why Ross?
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Walk me through your resume.
- Why did you leave your last job?
- Describe a true leader.
- Where do you think you can improve in terms of leadership?
- Short and long term goals?
- Why Ross?
- Tell me about a time you failed.
- What would you do differently next time?
- Why do you want an MBA?
- Why now?
- Why Ross?
- What would you learning goals be?
- What would you do outside of class?
- Short and long term goals?
- What are your short and long term goals?
- Describe a time you were really challenged at work.
- Describe a personal battle.
- How can you be a better leader?
- Who do you view as a role model?
- If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be?
- How would your co-workers describe you?
- What do you do outside of work?
- What role do you play on a team?
- What do you bring to the diversity of Ross?
- Why do you want to go to Ross?
- What would you do outside of class?
- Describe some criticism you have received.
- How do you deliver criticism to others?
- Describe a time you had to lobby to have your ideas heard.
- Is there anything else you want me to know that we have not covered?
- What do you view as your three greatest strengths?
- Why do you think others like to work with you?
- What reservations might others have about our work style?
- How would your parents describe you?
- How about your best friend?
- What do you think is your single greatest weakness?
- Tall me about a time you failed.
- What is your greatest professional success?
FTMBA / On-campus
The interview, conducted by a second-year student, was laid-back (my interviewer started off by saying that it would be). It lasted around 35 min and overall was fairly straightforward - nothing unusual or unexpected.
- Walk me through your resume
- Why MBA and why now?
- Why Ross?
- Why are you interested in pursuing the career path that you intend to follow after grad school?
- Tell me about a time that you were a part of a team composed of members with a lot of different backgrounds/areas of speciality. How were you able to make it work (or not work)?
- What would success (after you graduate) look like to you?
- Tell me about a time that you faced disappointment while working on a team
- What are your short term and long term career goals?
- Any questions for me?
Best of luck.
- Walk me through your resume
- Why MBA?
- Why Ross?
- What do you bring to Ross and how would you contribute to Ross inside and outside classroom?
- What are the unique leadership qualities that you like in a leader?
- Tell me about a time when you lead by consensus (this was one of the qualities i mentioned).
- Tell me how did you go about motivating your team.
- Tell me a time when you worked in a challenging team where there were conflicts within team members.
- How are you different from other applicants with similar profile?
- Tell me something that is not in your resume.
- Any questions?
On-campus interview, MBA2 Student Ambassador Candidate: 720/3.50 GPA Top 20/5+ years work experience/Midwest
The interview was very laid back; it lasted 30-35 minutes.
1. Walk me through your resume 2. Follow-up question on my resume 3. Follow-up question on my resume 4. Why Ross? 5. What questions do you have for me? 6. What other questions do you have for me?
The student nodded his head and seemed to appreciate when I noted the following things: - Value of "Action-based learning" - Multidisciplinary Action Project - Reference of particular elective classes - The fact that I had spoken with current students and Ross alumni about the school
- Why MBA and why now.
- Do you work in Group? Explain to me.
- Let's take this group? Have you had a situation where your group members did not agree with you and you had to convince them.
- What do you know about the Entrepreneurial program of Ross? How do you think it is going to help you?
- Have you had a situation where you had to motivate a person?
- Which various clubs will you be involved in at Ross?
- How you would decsribe an MBA from Ross in few words?
- How would you co-create an MBA?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- Why an MBA/why now/why Ross?
- Describe a situation where you assumed a leadership role
- Describe a time that a group you worked with failed. what would you have
done differently in hindsight?
- Describe your leadership style.
- How would you handle someone on your team who wasn't pulling their weight?
- What makes you unique, and how will that add to the experience of your
classmates?
- Tell me where you are in your current career, and what your goals are.
- Where does the passion for high tech entrepreneurship in China come from?
- Tell me a situation where you had to come up with a solution to solve a problem, how did you convince people that's the way to go.
- What did you learn from that experience that you are now carrying forward with you?
- Tell me about your community services, etc. (since you have it on your resume.)
- Any questions for me?
- Walk me through your resume.
- Walk me through a project where you made a significant
contribution.
- Why did you share that experience with me and what
does that say about your strengths?
- Tell me about a group or project that failed.
- How did you hear about that group?
- Why MBA?
- Why Michigan?
- Any questions for me?
EMBA on-campus interview 08
- Why MBA?
- Why now?
- Why Ross?
- What was the best team experience you've ever had? What was the worst?
- What role do you usually assume in group situations?
- What is the worst thing that you have had to do as a manager?
- Do you have any regrets about your management career? What would you have done differently?
- Who have been your (management) mentors? What did you learn from them?
- What are your short/long terms goals after completing an EMBA program?
- How many other EMBA programs are you considering (have you applied to)?
- What was your most innovative/creative solution to a problem?
- What would your direct-reports say about your management style?
- Describe your dream job/position
- Do you see any problems fitting an EMBA program into your schedule/life?
- Do you have any questions for me?