You only get one chance at a first impression. It’s true in personal relationships, and it’s true in business school admissions. For most prospective MBA and business master’s applicants, that precious first impression is made at a business school event, like those hosted by GMAC Tours. We have a mix of in-person and virtual events where you can connect with top business schools and ask those important questions for a smooth journey to your dream program!
One of the best ways to make a positive impression on admissions staff at business school events is simply to ask good questions.
Questions to ask an MBA alumni
If it’s an MBA alumnus, are 16 questions to ask the interviewer:
How does the interviewer affect which questions to ask?
The truth is the right questions to ask are determined by who you’re interviewing with.
Many programs feature interviews with the admissions committee while others rely on alumni to conduct these interviews—or both. Admissions committee members likely know more about the program in its current form as alumni may have some time and distance away from the program. Meanwhile, alumni may have a sharper sense of the program experience and can provide their personal advice despite not being as familiar with the recruiting process.
When speaking with the admissions committee, tailor your questions to focus on the program, your fit, their recruiting standards, and program-specific questions.
When speaking with an alumna, ask questions about her experience in the program, her advice should you become a student, and questions tailored to her career and expertise.
If you’re curious about the specific questions to ask, you’ll find more on this later in the article!
Questions you should avoid asking during your MBA interview
Understanding which questions to ask during your MBA interview may be easier once you understand which questions to not ask during your interview.
As we covered in the blog post, How to Nail Any MBA Interview and Get What You Want, there are several types of questions you should never ask, whether you’re interviewing with the admissions committee or an alumnus.
For example, in most cases, do not ask questions that…
Here are some examples of questions not to ask:
There is one exception, however.
For totally blind interviews, like Wharton’s TBD, where you don’t know anything about who will interview until your session starts, you may want to choose a few broader questions that can easily be answered by anyone you meet. This does not mean you should ask obvious questions, just that you may consider asking questions on more general topics.