5 Tips to Ace Your Stanford GSB Interview

As you know, the interview is the last step into determining your candidacy into the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). Stanford believes that interview feedback usually confirms the impressions the Committee on Admissions formed from reading the written application. The interview evaluations may also contribute new information that was not easily obtained on paper. The interview experience is a chance for applicants to interact with an alumna or alumnus that give the interview, and also provides MBA alumni an opportunity to meet with the ambitious candidates who seek to join the Stanford community. To help you prepare for your interview with GSB, there are 5 core tips we recommend for a successful interview:1. Be ConversationalOne problem with interviews is that many let their nerves get the best of them. In this case, remember that you have made it through some of the toughest sections of being admitted. The interview is an opportunity for GSB alumni to learn more about you and for you to learn more about the Stanford community. Stanford’s goal is for the interview to be a positive exchange of ideas and information between both parties. It is best to focus on being yourself and authentic in your answers.2. Know your resume, because your interviewer will.It is important to understand that there are no trick questions. This interview for admission into the GSB program will be centered around the experiences you discussed on your resume. The Stanford interview is an independent, or blind, evaluation. The only information about you that your alumni interviewer will have is your resume, which you will send directly to her/him. Stanford will not provide your alumni interviewer with your application, nor do they use your application to identify specific areas for your alumni interviewer to probe. 3. Mock InterviewsMock interviews will help you feel comfortable discussing your experiences and will teach you how to control your answers while sounding natural during the real GSB interview. It helps to practice with someone who has been through Stanford’s interview process. Their experience alone is invaluable.4. Practice using the STAR method.The primary questions asked in a GSB interview revolve around behaviors, skills, and attitudes that they believe are key to good citizenship in the Stanford community and vital to high-impact leadership post-MBA. Therefore, interviews will focus on past actions rather than hypothetical situations.The STAR method is when an interviewer asks you a behavioral question for example, it could begin with something like, “Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership. You would respond by laying out the Situation, the Task you were given, the Action you took, and then the Result you achieved. This method is perfect for answering questions in your GSB interviews. Although, we don’t recommend taking this approach with every question; think of this method as a helpful way to organize your answers.5. Ask QuestionsAlthough it is hard to predict the exact questions, your interviewer will ask you to reflect on your personal and professional experiences, what you’ve learned about yourself, and how best to lead people and manage situations. Take advantage of this opportunity to think about the people, situations, and events that have shaped you. Stanford encourages you to ask questions regarding the interviewer’s individual academic and extracurricular experience. If you have specific concerns, this is the time to raise them. Or, if you don’t understand some aspect of the MBA Program or the culture, ask the alumna/us to explain it. You are one step away from being admitted, it is not the time to leave this decision up to “luck." Just like your application, you want to be fully prepared and go in with an authentic, winning strategy. Click here to get help from an entire team of experts who have first hand experience going through the interview process successfully.