In a Stanford MBA Program application, we ask you to provide two essays, two letters of reference, and comprehensive records regarding academic and professional performance. Collectively, that is an extensive amount of information about you.
So what, exactly, is the purpose of an interview — and how does it fit with everything else in your application?
Why Do We Need More Information?
At Stanford, we have found that specific information derived from interviews helps us better understand candidates.
Most interview feedback confirms the impressions the Committee on Admissions formed from reading the written application. Some interview evaluations contribute new information (positive and negative) that may not be captured easily on paper.
In addition, the feedback about the interviews has been very positive: applicants appreciate the chance to interact with an alumna or alumnus, and MBA alumni enjoy meeting the amazing candidates who seek to join the Stanford community.
What Does an Interview Invitation Mean?
All Stanford interviews are by invitation only.
Candidates invited to interview have been reviewed by the Committee on Admissions and are considered competitive for admission.
We do not have resources to interview every applicant to the Stanford MBA Program, but we interview every candidate who ultimately is offered admission.
We expect to interview approximately 1,000 candidates this year. We extend interview invitations on a case-by-case basis after thorough reviews of your application.
For Rounds 1 and 2, we distribute interview invitations in a four- to five-week window. We will send you a more specific timetable after the Round 1 or Round 2 application deadline. For Round 3 , we begin inviting candidates to interview a week after the application deadline, and continue issuing invitations until a week before the decision notification date for that round.
What Happens During an Interview?
Because the Committee on Admissions believes that previous behavior is often a good predictor of future conduct, the interview focuses on past actions rather than hypothetical situations.
The primary questions revolve around behaviors, skills, and attitudes that we believe are key to good citizenship in the Stanford community and vital to high-impact leadership post-MBA.
There are no trick questions. The interviews are intended to be conversational. We 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.
You’ll probably surprise even yourself with the many ways you’ve demonstrated leadership in your life; take advantage of this opportunity to think about the people, situations, and events that have shaped you. The interview is both evaluative and informative; it is not only an opportunity for us to learn more about you, but also for you to learn more about Stanford GSB.
Our goal is for the interviews to be a positive exchange of ideas and information.
How Important is the Interview?
There is no specific weight assigned to the interview (because, as you’ve likely heard us say repeatedly, there is no formula for admission!).
You put a great deal of time and effort into your applications. We recognize and appreciate that. We consider it a privilege that you allow the Committee on Admissions to share your life through your applications.
Accordingly, your written application, including the essays and letters of reference, remains a critical part of the evaluation process. The interview is simply a source of supplemental information.
We use the information derived from the interview in context — just as we use all other information in the application process. A positive interview does not guarantee admission. A poor interview does not, by itself, preclude admission. No single factor is decisive.
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.
We will not provide your alumni interviewer with your application, nor will we use your application to identify specific areas for your alumni interviewer to probe. We believe the bias that could result from such guidance to alumni would outweigh any potential evaluative benefit.
We give alumni interviewers structure and specific topics to address for all applicants, but we also trust these individuals to exercise good judgment in pursuing topics that may be important for you, specifically.
If you are interviewed by a staff member, the staff member will have reviewed your application. As such, he or she may conduct an interview that reflects this knowledge of your application.
What Do I Get from the Interview?
Your interview is a great way for you to learn more about Stanford.
We chose alumni interviewers because, having graduated from the MBA Program, they have lived Stanford’s distinctive culture and understand the opportunities for personal, intellectual, and professional growth that Stanford GSB offers.
We hope that you will ask questions regarding the interviewer’s individual academic and extracurricular experience (and please, recognize that the response is exactly that: one individual’s experience). If you have specific concerns, raise them. If you don’t understand some aspect of the MBA Program or the culture, ask the alumna/us to explain it.
Ask about whatever matters most to you in choosing the place that you will spend two years of your life — and in choosing the community with which you will be associated for your lifetime.
The global corps of dedicated alumni interviewers looks forward to meeting you in person!
Derrick Bolton, MBA/MA Education 1998
Assistant Dean for MBA Admissions