MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Interview Overview.

Each year the MIT Sloan admissions committee invites a limited number of applicants to interview for its MBA program and its LGO program. Top MBA programs like MIT Sloan generally interview 2-3 applicants for every available place in their upcoming MBA & LGO class. While an invite is sign that you’re in the running for an admit, you’re also now part of a highly competitive subset of the overall applicant pool. You can prepare for your interview with the help of this guide and, optionally, the Mock Interview Service. Tip: Wondering if interview invites have already gone out? Check out MBA LiveWire for real-time updates.

Interviews conducted by trained admissions committee members.

During the 2022-23 MBA application season, MIT Sloan MBA & LGO interviews are conducted by trained admissions committee members. In the past, candidates were interviewed by two admissions committee members (with one asking questions and the other taking notes). More recently candidates have been interviewed by just one interviewer.

Application-based Interviews.

The MIT Sloan MBA program and the LGO program conduct application-based interviews. That means that your admissions committee interviewer(s) will have access to and will have reviewed your entire application before meeting with you. At MIT Sloan, interview questions are primarily behavioral questions that are chosen to ensure that a candidate is well-rounded. For example, a candidate who presents as highly quantitative in her written application may receive behavioral questions centered on soft skills (teamwork or communication). In addition to preparing stories to respond to the behavioral questions you’ll receive, it’s a good idea to go to your interview prepared to give your interviewer a 2-minute overview of yourself at the beginning of the interview if asked (‘Tell me about yourself…‘). If your MBA or LGO interview is in-person, bring a paper copy of your resume to the interview location as a courtesy to the interviewer. If the interview takes place online then applicants should have a PDF copy of their resume handy should the interview request that it be sent via email.

Influence of interview on admissions decision? High.

When a school relies exclusively on a small group of trained admissions committee members to conduct interviews (as does MIT Sloan), the interview plays a significant role in the admissions process. During the interview process admissions committee members are looking for students who a) have ideas and b) are able to articulate them (a deceptively simple task).

MIT Sloan Mock MBA & LGO Interview Service.

In addition to practicing interview questions on your own, our mock interview service can be a great way to receive feedback on your responses (with a view to improving them). A mock interview session with mbaSTORY.builders will help you develop and refine answers to a few specific MBA interview questions (like Tell me about yourself? What are your goals? Why MBA? Why school X?). More general questions (Strengths/Weakness?) and behavioral questions (Tell me about a time when…?) are then used to help you develop a core set of stories. Most people have 4 to 8 core stories which they learn to use to answer a variety of interview questions. Below you can listen to former clients answer MBA interview questions and receive feedback on their answers. You can earn more about An audit professional answers the question Tell me about yourself in part 1 and receives feedback in part 2 and an employee compensation consultant answers the behavioral question Tell me about a time when you mentored someone in part 1 and receives feedback in part 2.

Part 1. Candidate answers the mock interview question Tell me about yourself. The candidate responds by giving a chronological overview of his work experience (which is a common approach people take to this interview question).

Part 2. Feeback on candidate's response to the mock interview question Tell me about yourself. The candidate learns to structure his answer to this question in terms of professional growth (rather than chronologically).

Part 1. Candidate answers the behavioral mock interview question Tell me about a time when you mentored someone. The candidate gives a lengthy response (listen to part 2 for feedback).

Part 2. Feedback on candidate's response to the mock behavioral interview question Tell me about a time when you mentored someone. The candidate learns to provide necessary background information and a broader sense of the candidate's philosophy of mentoring.

MIT Sloan Behavioral Event-based Interviews BEI.

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 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.

MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Interview Questions.

Note that a lot of schools have begun asking about diversity, equity, and inclusion during interviews. You should be prepared to talk about these issues and how diversity, equity, or inclusion have played out in your work. Here are some mock interview sequences for the MIT Sloan MBA & LGO programs. Studying the sequences will give you a sense of the questions MIT Sloan interviewers tend to ask.

In addition to preparing using the mock interview sequences below, LGO applicants should prepare answers to the following questions:

  • Why MIT?
  • Why MIT Sloan?
  • Why an MBA/Engineering degree? Why now?
  • Why LGO?
  • Why department X? (whichever LGO core you applied to)
  • Which partner companies would you like to work for? Why?

Sequence 1. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Mock Interview Questions.

  1. Any updates since you submitted your application?
  2. I saw that you’ve been on assignment in Rio de Janeiro for two years now. What do you suggest I add to my itinerary if I visit Rio?
  3. Tell me about your green packaging initiative. How did you convince management to finance it?
  4. Why an MBA/LGO, and why now?
  5. Outside of courses, what else are you interested in at MIT Sloan?
  6. Do you feel that you’ve had leadership opportunities at work (even though you don’t have any direct reports)?
  7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone who didn’t like you.
  8. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you feel you positively impacted an outcome.
  9. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time someone thanked you.
  10. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you ended up changing your opinion.
  11. With so many extracurricular activities on your plate, how are you able to balance your commitments?
  12. What would have been a great question to have asked you?
  13. Do you have questions for me?

Sequence 2. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Mock Interview Questions.

  1. Any updates since you submitted your application?
  2. Tell me about your volunteer work with Lucha Latina? How did you persuade the board to invest in creating a financial education course?
  3. Things seem to be going well for you professionally, what prompted you to begin thinking about an MBA/LGO and why do you think now might be the right time to go back to school?
  4. MIT’s Sloan’s mission is to develop principled, innovative leaders. Could you tell me about a time when you had to use creative thinking in a professional environment.
  5. (Behavioral Question) At Sloan we Sloan obviously emphasizes innovation – tell me about a cool, new technological innovation you’ve learned about recently
  6. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when your expectations weren’t met, how did you react and what did you do as a result?
  7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you feel you made a positive impact.
  8. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when someone told you ‘no’.
  9. Tell me about something you’re involved with outside of work.
  10. Do you have any questions for me?

Sequence 3. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Mock Interview Questions.

  1. Any updates since you submitted your application?
  2. What was it like transitioning from being a physics major at university to a first job in marketing?
  3. Have you mentored anyone? (Follow-up question) What specifically did you do to ensure that you were a good mentor to junior analysts?
  4. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you felt like you really affected the outcome of something.
  5. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you had a vision that you weren’t able to convince others of.
  6. (Behavioral Question) Have you ever mentored someone at work?
  7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you sensed someone was unhappy.
  8.  (Behavioral Question) You seem like a really nice person, have you ever been on a team where people didn’t get along?
  9. Do you have any questions for me?

Sequence 4. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Mock Interview Questions.

  1. Any updates since you submitted your application?
  2. How on earth did you end up with two high school diplomas (one from the U.S. and another from Spain)?
  3. Why do you want continue on an entrepreneurial path and what skills or characteristics do you think being a successful entrepreneur requires?
  4. You’ve already started one successful company, how can MIT Sloan help you on your journey?
  5. In the last twelve months, what is the accomplishment that you’d most like the admissions committee to take into consideration?
  6. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you didn’t see eye to eye with someone or a group of people.
  7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you received constructive feedback when you weren’t expecting it.
  8. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you needed to convince someone of something.
  9. What question did you wish I would have asked?
  10. Do you have any questions for me?

Sequence 5. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Mock Interview Questions.

  1. Any updates since you submitted your application?
  2. Why did you choose to attend Macalester College – isn’t Minnesota too cold for someone from Texas?
  3. Why an MBA? Why didn’t you apply to LGO? or Why LGO? Why not just apply to the MBA program?
  4. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time you were successful in resolving a conflict that arose.
  5. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you needed to infuse motivation into a team.
  6. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time you gave someone valuable advice.
  7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time you received unexpected feedback?
  8. What else did you expect to cover that we didn’t?
  9. ‘Whose idea was that?’ was a follow up to many of the questions
  10. Do you have any questions for me?

Sequence 6. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Mock Interview Questions.

  1. Any updates since you submitted your application?
  2. In the last six months, what are you most proud of?
  3. It seems like you’re doing very well for yourself at Nike with a lot of responsibility for important projects. Walk me through your thought process around applying to LGO.
  4. (LGO only) Why not apply to a more traditional MBA program? 
  5. (Behavioral Question) Moving from China to Mexico must have been a big change for you. Can you tell me about a time when you had to integrate a group or team that was already established?
  6. How did you convince people to change their production strategy? Did you meet with push back?
  7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when someone said something and that made you change your plan or behavior.
  8. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when your pushed for an idea or initiative that wasn’t accepted by others.
  9. One of your recommenders wrote that you were an excellent team player, but also very autonomous. Why do you think she would say that?
  10. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time you received unexpected feedback?
  11. Questions for me?