Wharton Interview

I had my Wharton interview with an adcom member, Marilyn, on Dec 02 in Bangalore.

I just had my Chicago GSB interview with a GSB alumni and I must say that the two experiences were radically different one being with adcom and another with alumni.

So the interviewer was very particular for time. I reached early and there were two interviews before me. She called each interviewee at the exact time allotted and finished in exact 30 min. Then she was taking full 15 min to do something (don’t know what) before starting the next one. Unfortunately, time was not with me. For some reason she called me 3-4 minutes late, although she did said I am sorry for being late, but she did not gave me extra time and completed in exact 30 min, giving the last 5 to me for becoming an interviewer.

She started looking at my resume, looking in detail for couple of min. I have my bachelors in electronics and communication and she asked me which field in electronics. I said signal processing and she even wrote it on the resume. I don’t know what she will do with that. Anyways she also commented on one of my extra curricular activities from the additional information section of the resume. Then she said we wont talk about the resume and lets directly jump into why I think Wharton would be good for me. I thought she forgot that she hasn’t yet asked me why MBA, goals and so on.

So I though let me only remind her that I haven’t said why I want to do MBA and what I want to do in my life. So, I asked I would like to first talk about my goals and intention for MBA. She obviously said yes and I started blah blah blah. I had some ideas about entrepreneurship in long term and she asked me do I know about the market in US. I had read about it and said whatever I remembered. Then she asked have I thought about the entrepreneurial angle of this idea and revenue and such detail. I said I don’t have a comprehensive business plan and talked about why I feel there is a need for this idea. Don’t know she was convinced or impressed or both or none, I hope both.

Then i said short term and then why MBA. She didn’t questioned me on that.

Then the million dollar question, why Wharton. I started talking on it. I said about breadth and depth of curriculum, 1st year core curriculum, BPC why I think Wharton’s BPC is ideal for me and what I want to learn from it and then I said about majors and then a couple of courses that centers on exactly what I want from my MBA.

Then I talked about learning teams with some specific information (got it while talking to a 1st year student). Then she interrupted and said what all you want to do outside of curriculum. Ooomm, I thought hang on lemme finish. But, anyways she was the boss there. So, I talked about entrepreneurship-in-residence program and SBDC. Again linking to why I want to do these.

Then I switched to extra curricular at Wharton. I play tennis and said I would join or lead the tennis club and how I think I would be able to contribute to the community from this.

There were 2-3 points which I wanted to talk about Wharton but missed saying as she was cutting me, so I thought to be very concise in my answers and not giving her a chance to cut me.

Then we went into my community related work. I talked why I am doing it and so on. I also got the coveted gift from her when she said, “you seem to be very passionate about your work". It was like jingle bell jingel bell to me.

Then she asked do I have to ask anything. I asked what she likes most about Wharton. And I was not at all listening what she said as I was wondering what to ask next.

Suddenly it struck me, to ask something which I wanted to say for why Wharton. I talked about the partners club why I feel that is important for my family (again going into specifics). I mentioned about the book club at partners club and linked that to my wife's reading passion. And then I asked her what does she think about partners at Wharton and as usual I don’t remember what she said. I don’t remember but I think I asked one more question and then thought its enough lets shake hands and say sayonara.

Did the final formalities like thank you, pleasure meeting you and such stuff and left the room.

One thing I forgot to mention. She had an interview form in front of her and it seemed to be pretty detailed. I couldn’t see what’s written over it but it seemed it had various fields. All along the interview, she was making notes, in one of these fields in the form. To me it seemed like she has definite topics to cover and taking notes all along. Throughout i wanted to ensure I am clear and crisp and talk new and critical things so that she can write more and more.

even when i said about partners club when asking questions to her, she scribbled something and obviously this made me happy thinking there is one more thing about me in her form. Eventually it would be this form only that would count.

So enough of my experience. My takeaways:
1. Be very clear and crisp in what you are saying. Practice to cut short your answers to say the same stuff in least possible words. I think if I had practiced this I would have been able to speak more points. This is esp. important when one is attending interview where there are slots and there is for sure someone waiting after you. So the interview won’t go long.

2. Why Wharton. I think your 1st point must hit the bulls eye esp. when interviewing with adcom. With due respect to adcom interviewers I think interviews with them is very objective as compared to interviews with alum which I found pretty subjective and more conversational. So that makes it more important so say something that really really links 1:1 with your why MBA argument. I think I did that to start with but then got a little general and thus she switched to what outside of academics I would do. So I think preparation of why xyz will be different for an alum vs. adcom member (just my thoughts, I know several people must be thinking that this is not right).

3. Energy and passion. I was recommended this by Wharton alum and I think it worked. I think these are two qualities which they would be looking in you. So do show lot of energy, enthusiasm and passion in what you say. Being an Indian and interviewing with an US adcom member, I think one should try to modulate his/her words depending on what is being said and that way you can show energy (I am not sure what I wrote is exactly what I wanted to say, but in summary do whatever you can to show enthusiasm and energy and passion).

4. Do not go too early for the interview. I reached almost 1.30 hrs before the interview and it did make me nervous as I was sitting there waiting and watching people.

5. Hope for lot of luck and wishes from all near and dear ones. Thats also a small pie in the circle of success.

Best of luck to everybody.