The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

The University
of Chicago Booth
School of Business
About This Guide
The Clear Admit team has prepared this guide for your refer-
ence in learning about the interview process at the University
of Chicago Booth School of Business (“Chicago Booth,” “Chi-
cago” or “Booth”). The details offered here come from our
historical knowledge of the Booth admissions process, as well
as our ongoing interaction and work with applicants who have
recently interviewed at the school. This information should be
used in tandem with all of the other preparatory materials that
you have, including information from the school, sample ques-
tions from the Clear Admit Interview Archive and background
from the Clear Admit School Guides.
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Table of Contents | v
Contents
1 Introduction to Chicago Booth 1
Interview Type. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Interviewer Background . . . . . . . . . . 1
Weighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Information from the Chicago Booth Website . . 2
2 Firsthand Insight 6
Typical Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Professional & Educational . . . . . . . . 6
Leadership & Teamwork. . . . . . . . . 7
Application Issues & Potential Contribution . . 8
Chicago vs. the Rest. . . . . . . . . . 8
Personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sample Accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 Tips & Analysis 12

Booth Interview Process Overview. . . . . . 12
Blind Interview Preparation . . . . . . . . 13
The Case for On-Campus . . . . . . . . . 13
Analysis of Common Questions . . . . . . . 14
4 Engaging Chicago Booth 19

Interviewing on Campus . . . . . . . . . 19
Information Sessions & Visit Programs . . . . 19
Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Related Resources . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5 Final Thoughts 22
6 Appendix: General Interview Guide 23

General Information . . . . . . . . . . 23
Basic Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Sample Questions . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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vi | Table of Contents
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Introduction | 1
1 Introduction to Chicago
Booth
Interview Type
Chicago conducts blind interviews, meaning that the inter-
viewer will have access only to your résumé, and will not have
prior knowledge of your background or application. Blind
interviews are generally comfortable and conversational, with
the interviewer seeking to get a sense of the applicant’s pro-
fessional accomplishments and interests, using his or her ré-
sumé as a starting point–and sometimes as an outline–for the
discussion. Keep in mind that in addition to learning about
your background, your interviewer will be assessing your com-
munication skills, considering your fit with Booth and deter-
mining the extent to which you have researched the program.
“It will be a blind interview–

meaning the interviewer has not Interviewer Background
read that candidate’s application,
Members of the Dean’s Student Admissions Committee and
but has only seen his or her
Admissions Fellows, who are second-year DSAC members,
résumé. That allows for great
conduct on-campus interviews. The school acknowledges
conversation to flow organically
that scheduling or budgetary constraints might prevent an
as the candidate and interviewer
applicant from making the trip to Chicago, and maintains an
get to know one another.” - Kurt
extensive network of alumni interviewers available to conduct
Ahlm, Associate Dean of Student
interviews. For the rare cases Booth does not have alumni in
Recruitment & Admissions
a certain area, the staff will conduct phone interviews instead.
For the 2014-2015 admissions season, Booth will be conduct-
ing Hub interviews in Washington, D.C., London, and Shang-
hai.
There are positives and negatives associated with each of

these options. For instance, students know a good deal about
the program and the business world in general, but only un-
derstand the fundamentals of the ins and outs of admissions.
Meanwhile, alumni are the most convenient option for many
applicants and can speak to the preparation Chicago offers for
one’s post-MBA career, but they often know very little about
admissions and might not have up-to-date information about
the MBA program. On the school’s end, there is officially no
preference given to applicants who choose one type of inter-
view over another, though Booth highly recommends visiting
campus if possible.
Weighting
Chicago treats the interview as just one more component of
the admissions process. While the school does not have an
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2 | Clear Admit Interview Guide: Chicago Booth School of Business
official weighting system, the interview is generally worth no

more or less than your GMAT score, your work experience, the
quality of your recommendations, etc.
That having been said, an interview is required in order to be

accepted, which suggests that this third-party evaluation of
the candidate by someone who knows the school well is a data
point that the admissions committee considers to be essen-
tial. It’s also true that because the interview comes after an
initial evaluation of one’s file, it can serve as the swing vote
in some applications. While it varies year to year and round
to round, Chicago Booth has typically interviewed 40%-50%
of applicants. With a historical acceptance rate of 20%-22%,
this translates to a roughly 1 in 2 chance of being admitted if
invited to interview.
Information from the Chicago

Booth Website
Here is what the admissions committee tells applicants about
the interview process:
Interviews will be granted on an invitation-only basis after

evaluation of a submitted application. Candidates invited to
interview will be contacted by the mid-decision date with in-
structions on how to schedule an interview.
A candidate who receives an invitation will have only one

interview. Interviews are conducted by admissions staff,
students, or alumni. They are held on campus or in a location
convenient for the prospective student. All interviews, regard-
less of who conducts them, receive equal weight in the evalu-
ation process.
An interview is required for admission. However, completing

an interview does not guarantee admission.
In a 2014 blog entry on Booth Insider, Associate Dean of

Student Recruitment and Admissions at Chicago Booth, Kurt
Ahlm, shared some more detailed information about ensuring
a successful admissions interview:
The admissions interview is another important aspect of the

Booth application. It is your opportunity to highlight your
skills and personality in ways that a written application can-
not. Knowing what to expect will allow you to relax and suc-
cessfully showcase your talents in person. I wanted to offer a
few tips for a successful interview.
Being prepared is the best way to feel confident and get the
most out of your Booth interview. Yes, your interviewer wants
to learn about your strengths and development areas, but
they also want to get to know you as a person. They want to
understand how you can contribute to the Booth community.
So be prepared to be engaged, and to engage your interview-
er.
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Introduction | 3
Review your application thoroughly to prepare for your in-

terview. Know how you will want to convey your story, your
career plan and your unique goals. If your goals and motiva-
tions are clear, you can expect a lively conversation and lots of
good questions by the interviewer.
Before the interview, ask yourself these important questions

to help you prepare:
• What is my motivation to obtain an MBA?

• What do I really want from my MBA experience?
• What can I bring to the Chicago Booth community?
• Why is Booth the right place for me?
• Can I clearly articulate my career plan and future goals?
• How do I plan to use my MBA in my career?
You should also use the interview as an opportunity to learn
more about Booth. There will be time at the end of the inter-
view for you to ask your interviewer questions. You should
have a few questions ready to find out about the things that
are most important to you and your MBA experience.
To set the stage for a great interview, make sure you look and
feel your best. Arrive in advance of your scheduled appoint-
ment so that you can take a few moments to collect your
thoughts. Remember to bring a copy of your résumé and
dress in business attire.
When your interview day comes, we want you to feel relaxed,

to be yourself and to enjoy the experience.
Ahlm also sat down with Clear Admit for our Admissions Direc-
tor Q&A series:
Clear Admit: Walk us through the life of an application in

your office from an operational standpoint. What happens be-
tween the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the
committee offers a final decision (e.g. how many “reads” does
it get, how long is each “read,” who reads it, does the commit-
tee convene to discuss it as a group, etc.).
Kurt Ahlm: This year, we have made some further changes

to the way we review applications, specifically with regard to
the role current students play. In the past, the review process
has started with our Admission Fellows (AFs), who are sec-
ond-year students selected and trained to help us review and
evaluate applications.
Our AFs – there are 67 of them this year – are all still trained
to read and interview. So they understand all the fundamental
things they have in the past about how admissions works. But
beginning this year, while AFs will continue to interview candi-
dates, the reading of applications will shift entirely to staff.
Multiple staff members will review each file independently and

recommend whether or not to interview the applicant. Based
on those assessments and recommendations, an applicant will
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either be invited to interview or the application will then come

to me for a third review.
Those students invited to interview can then set up their inter-

view either on campus with an AF or in their part of the world
with an alum. In either case, it will be a blind interview–mean-
ing the interviewer has not read that candidate’s application,
but has only seen his or her résumé. That allows for great
conversation to flow organically as the candidate and inter-
viewer get to know one another.
After the interview, the interviewer submits a report and the

candidate’s file goes through another phase of review, with
another director who has not seen the file before. This director
will then make a recommendation to admit, deny or send the
file to be reviewed by committee. Those applications sent to
admit or deny get a final review from me, while the others are
reviewed by me and the rest of the admissions committee.
Our decision to shift the reading part of the application pro-

cess fully to members of the admissions staff is designed to
enable our AFs to become more involved in functions related
to outreach and interacting with prospective students. Basi-
cally, we have tried to rethink the way we utilize our students
in terms of how to best convey the fit, feel and experience of
Chicago Booth to candidates. Rather than taking up our AFs
time with reading applications, we think we are putting them
in roles that better leverage the value they bring to the pro-
cess.
Candidates will continue to get multiple reviews by staff, and

interviews will be invite only. The real difference is that we will
be utilizing our students and alums more on the external side
of the admissions process. At Chicago Booth, fit really mat-
ters. But it as much about us assessing the fit with the candi-
date as it is with the candidate assessing his or her fit with us.
We want people to get to know Booth, and the best way to do
that is by engaging more effectively and often with students
and alumni.
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Firsthand Insight | 5
2 Firsthand Insight
Typical Questions
In addition to the array of standard MBA interview questions
found in our General Interview Guide in the Appendix, we’ve
compiled a list of questions that Chicago has consistently
asked applicants in recent years.
Professional & Educational

• Tell me about your work experience. What have you done
to date, and why?
• How has your thinking changed during your work experi-
ence. Give an example to elaborate.
• Explain how you have grown personally through your pro-
fessional experience.
• Give me three words that your superior will use to de-
scribe you.
“The interviewer had me walk
• Give me three words that your subordinates will use to
through my résumé and through
describe you.
each one of my experiences,
asked follow up questions on • Why did you pick your undergraduate majors?
what I had learned, any project • Tell about some highlights in your undergraduate career.
or group work I did, and times of
leadership.” - Booth Candidate • Explain your undergraduate and graduate degree, and why
you chose a career in finance over academia.
• What is your greatest accomplishment?
• Describe any dilemmas you experienced when working in a
multinational organization.
• How do you think the work environment / work culture
would be different in the US compared to your home coun-
try?
• Tell me a solution you have recently proposed to your em-
ployer.
• How have you dealt with an ethical dilemma?
• Tell me about your background‒other than what I can see
on your résumé.
• Tell me about something you regret.
• When have you had to inspire others?
• Talk about a time when you led a project that failed.
• Give an example of a time that you failed.
• You have had a lot of success in the past. How do you
handle failure?
• How do you motivate people?
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• What was your GMAT score?

• Did you ever have a falling out with a partner in the Big 4
firm that you worked in?
• Why do you want to go into that type of industry?
• Where do you see yourself 10 years into the future?
• What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
Tell me a little about the experience
• In your experience with startups, what advice would you
give to entrepreneurs?
• What do you think are your key strengths?
• What do you think are your key weaknesses?
• Tell me about a challenge you faced and how you handled
it.
• Tell me about a time when you had to prioritize things at
work.
• How do you manage your time?
• Tell me about a time when something you’ve suggested at
work wasn’t accepted and how you overcame that.
• How would your colleagues or clients describe you?
• Tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple pri-
orities and how you handled it.
• As you progressed in your career, what was the most chal-
lenging or surprising thing you realized when you began to
manage more and more people?
• What was a piece of feedback that you received and how
did you respond to it?
Leadership & Teamwork

• Have you ever dealt with a person who was difficult to
work with? How did that relationship go?
• How do you approach a new set of people? What has
helped you in being able to successfully get along with a
group of people?
• Can you tell me about a time that you led your team /
convinced your team to do something?
• Can you tell me about a time that you led a team over a
period of time?
• Can you tell me about a time that you resolved conflict
within your team?
• Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with
someone at your level?
• Can you tell me about a time when you made an unpopu-
lar decision?
• What do you think is a weakness that people can have
inside or outside of work?
• What is your most defining leadership experience?
• What role do you take on in a team?
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• Tell me about a time where you had to influence those

above you.
• Tell me about a time when you thought that you should
have made a decision X but didn’t. Why do you think about
such a decision?
• What are 2-3 qualities of a leader?
• What attributes do you think a leader should have and
which ones do you have?
• As a leader, how do you motivate others and convince
them of your ideas?
• What is your leadership style?
• What is a weakness in your leadership style?
• How do you handle someone not performing up to par on
your team?
• Tell me about a time when you had to manage a difficult
team or teammate.
• Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict between
two people.
• Tell me about a time where you had to influence those
above you.
• Tell me about a challenge you faced working in a team?
• What are you priorities when you are working in a team?
• Tell me about a time you showed your ability to work as a
part of a team.
• Tell me about a great team you worked on.
Application Issues & Potential Contribution

• Why did you leave your previous firm?
• What would you contribute to the other students?
• Tell me a story that showcases your ability to handle
Booth’s academic rigor.
• In one sentence, tell me what differentiates you from all of
the other very qualified applicants.
• What are you going to do if you don’t get the job you want
after graduating from Booth?
• Why does Booth need you?
• Tell me about a time that shows your ability to handle
Booth’s academic rigor.
• Why is Booth the right place for you?
Chicago vs. the Rest

• How do you feel about Chicago in terms of fit?
• What other schools are you applying to?
• If you had to choose between X (one of the schools you’ve
named) and [Booth], where would you go?
• Did you choose a top school only for its brand?
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• Which extracurricular activities are you looking to engage

in at Booth?
• Why would you choose Booth over other schools you might
be considering?
• Give me an example of something you learned that proves
you have done your due diligence and fully researched
Booth.
• Have you been to campus?
• Why not a school on the East Coast?
• What do you do or plan to do outside of work/academics?
• How do you plan to use an MBA in your career?
• How did you become interested in Chicago?
• Are you interested in any clubs at Booth?
• Are you interested in any specific classes at Booth?
• What are you going to do if you don’t get the job you want
after graduating from Booth?
Personal
• Tell me about a time when you disagreed with someone at
your level.
• What are your hobbies?
• What do you do outside of work?
• What do you think of people who are not that analytical?
What do they think of you?
• Tell me something you feel passionate about.
• How would your friends describe you?
• Tell me something about you that I could not know from
reading your résumé.
• Place yourself 30 years in the future… what would you de-
fine then as having been successful?
• Please give me your elevator pitch.
• How would you describe yourself in three words?
• Is there anything else that were have not covered and you
want to highlight?
• You have mentioned in your résumé that traveling and
reading are your hobby. Where all have you traveled and
what books do you like to read?
• Tell me about your volunteer work.
• Tell me about yourself.
• What do you wish I had asked you about?
• Do you have any questions for me?
• As a re-applicant, what has changed since the last time
you applied?
• Tell me how an economic or social circumstance beyond
your control has affected you and how you’ve been able to
deal with that.
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In addition to thinking about how you might respond to the

questions above, it would also be prudent to prepare two or
three informed questions to ask your interviewer and a three
bullet-point summary of your candidacy, and to have a team-
work story and a failure example fresh in your mind. See the
Appendix for more b-school interview prep best practices.
Sample Accounts
The above questions, of course, might be posed in any order
or combination. The following interview reports, provided by
contributors to the Clear Admit Interview Archive, illustrate
the tone and tenor of a typical Booth admissions interview.
Round 2 / Second-year Student / On-campus

This may have been my favorite interview out of the 4 that I
have completed! Booth did a great job of making interview-
ees feel very comfortable prior to the interview, by having 1st
year students in the waiting area to casually chat with inter-
viewees. I would highly recommend this to all prospective
students because it really does put you at ease. The interview
was blind, with the interviewer only having seen my resume in
advance. Questions included the following:
• Walk me through your résumé.
• ST/LT Goals?
• Why Booth?
• Tell me about a time when you failed?
• Tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple pri-
orities and how you handled it.
• Tell me about a great team you worked on.
• Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a co-
worker.
• What are three ways in which your friends would describe
you?
I had about 10 minutes at the end to ask my own questions.

My interviewer also did a great job of keeping things very
conversational by asking follow up questions to some of my
answers. I feel like the interview really was in place to assess
interpersonal skills and fit with Booth. Hope this helps!
Round 2 / Alumna / Off-campus

I applied as an international student and interviewed with
an alumna in Ghana. Before hand, I made sure to check out
my interviewer (I really recommend this). I looked her up on
LinkedIn and also asked a friend at Booth if she knew her. Re-
searching the interviewer helped because we began on a very
good note and I was able to ask more specific questions about
her career and Booth.
We met at a coffee shop and the interview was more conver-

sational than formal. From what I’ve heard, Booth wants to
ensure that you REALLY know why you want to attend this
school and from the tone of the interview, I could tell that the
interviewer wanted to see if I had taken the time to under-
stand Booth instead of mentioning all the surface stuff on the
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website. She also took time to go through my resume which

I sent two days before so she had a lot of questions written
down and was genuinely interested in getting to know me.
Some of the questions asked were:

• Tell me about yourself. This lead to why mba, why now
and why Booth?
• Tell me about a time when something you’ve suggested at
work wasn’t accepted and how you overcame that?
• What are your short and long term goals?
• How would your colleagues or clients describe you?
• How do you approach a new set of people, what has
helped you in being able to successfully get along with a
group of people?
• Tell me how an economic or social circumstance beyond
your control has affected you and how you’ve been able to
deal with that? (I think this question stemmed mainly from
the fact that she works and lives in Ghana and that I am
from an African country as well)
Overall, the interview went great. I asked my questions as we

were talking, that way, the interviewer also opened up to me
and I didn’t have to wait till the end to shoot a bunch of ques-
tions at her. I was really nervous, but I would say just try your
best to relax and breathe. Another thing I’ve noticed is that
Booth is really checking to make sure that you are being your-
self, they don’t want any fabricated stories or anything and
like I mentioned before KNOW THE SCHOOL. Call the admis-
sions office, get in touch with a student, read news articles on
the website. Those really helped me.
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Tips & Analysis | 11
3 Tips & Analysis
Booth Interview Process

Overview
Chicago interviews tend to run about 30 to 45 minutes in
length, though they can last over an hour when alumni are
involved, so be flexible! Many applicants report that their Chi-
cago interviews feel less structured and more conversational
than those of other programs; some candidates even indicate
that they felt as though they were controlling the pace and
direction of the discussion rather than responding to an inter-
viewer’s prepared questions. More often, though, the discus-
sion flows from the applicant’s offering an answer to a specific
inquiry and the interviewer’s posing a number of follow-up
questions.
One unique feature of the Chicago interview is that, beyond

questions about professional progression and career choices,
the school makes a pointed effort to get a sense of the ap-
plicant as both a student and a person. Questions about a
prospective student’s academic interests, preferred teaching
methods, undergraduate studies, favorite classes and profes-
sors are quite common. Similarly, frequently occurring inqui-
ries about the applicant’s passions and motivations, as well
as some less-than-standard questions about book titles and
family history are designed to shed some light on a prospec-
tive student’s character and personality. It would, therefore,
make sense to reflect on these issues in preparation for your
Chicago interview, but rest assured that there are no “right”
answers. Just be positive and be yourself! If you get thrown
a curveball or are posed a somewhat wacky question, don’t be
shy about taking some time to think before responding.
Beyond taking an arguably above-average interest in certain

elements of an applicant’s background, Chicago interview-
ers tend to explicitly ask about something that all schools are
wondering, but which most shy away from actually inquiring
about: what other schools the applicant is targeting. This is
one question for which it’s particularly important to prepare,
as it will be important to explain what each of the schools you
name have in common and to discuss your reasons for apply-
ing to each in a way that allows you to conclude with some
comments about why Chicago is your first choice given your
goals and school-search criteria.
In addition to questions about fit and school selection, many

applicants report that their interviewers press them about
their readiness to leave a good job and their preparation for
business school. Though this might sound like skepticism or
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second guessing, don’t be discouraged; your interviewer is

simply trying to understand the reasons behind your decisions
and the factors that have informed your interest in Chicago.
The best preparation for this is to review the materials you
submitted in your application, study the Booth’s MBA program,
and prepare for a broad range of questions.
Blind Interview Preparation

The blind nature of the interview means that you will need
to start from scratch in presenting your candidacy and avoid
making assumptions about your interviewer’s familiarity with
your background or general understanding of your function
and industry. Be prepared to walk him or her through your
résumé and highlight your academic performance, leadership
experiences, unique qualities and activities, and your interest
in the school.
While the strategy is different at schools whose interviews

are conducted by someone who is very familiar with an ap-
plicant’s file and will ask for examples beyond what he or she
has already shared in the data forms and essays, there is no
harm in repeating the key examples and messages you shared
in your Chicago application. In fact, because your application
materials should be the best exemplar of your overall position-
ing, it’s important to reinforce your message and paint a pic-
ture of yourself that is consistent with the person projected by
your written application. That having been said, the interview
is also a great opportunity to share important new develop-
ments in your candidacy or introduce some impressive profes-
sional or extracurricular examples that didn’t quite fit any of
the school’s somewhat limiting essay prompts.
The Case for On-Campus

If possible, we strongly recommend choosing an on-campus
interview, as making the trip to campus is a strong sign of
interest in the school that will reflect well on your application
and help to demonstrate your commitment to the program.
If you have not visited before this time, it will also give you
the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the Chicago cam-
pus and speak with current students–and, ideally, incorporate
some of the things you will have just learned about the pro-
gram into your interview. Furthermore, interviewing at the
Harper Center could be beneficial as the admissions commit-
tee will know your interviewer and likely have a more nuanced
understanding of that person’s evaluation of you.
As you can see, there are significant advantages to visit-

ing campus at least once and having your interview there;
however, this is by no means necessary. In fact, if you are
living abroad or on the West Coast, or if you have visited
Booth before, you should not feel that your application will be
weakened if you choose a different interview option. On the
other hand, if you live in the Midwest or Northeast and do not
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interview on campus, this could make a negative impression

on the adcom given your proximity to the school.
Off-campus alumni interviews, meanwhile, are often longer

and less predictable than on-campus interviews. You could
have a formal interview in the alum’s office, or an informal
chat over coffee at Starbucks. The alum could have years of
experience conducting interviews, or yours could be the first
he or she has ever held. There is also a high probability that
his or her information about Chicago will not be as current
as possible and that his or her knowledge of the admissions
process will be limited, making the interview less informative
from your perspective. This is not to say that alumni inter-
views are not usually very positive experiences–they can be
particularly beneficial if you are able to meet with someone
who is working in your target industry–and you should not
hesitate to schedule one if you feel that it is the best choice
for you.
Analysis of Common Questions

The Clear Admit team has combined their years of business
school expertise to analyze a select, popular set of Chicago’s
interview questions and help applicants determine how to
craft effective responses.
Walk me through your résumé.

It can be hard to know how much detail to cover when posed
with this type of open-ended request; however, the key is to
impose a structure. Rather than running the risk of provid-
ing more information than your interviewer wants, it’s best to
err on the side of brevity. Think of the résumé walk-through
as a foundation for a deeper discussion of your background
and accomplishments. Work to develop a two to three minute
run-through, perhaps opening with where you grew up, what
undergraduate institution you attended, what you studied and
a few remarks on your involvements outside of work before
moving into a chronological overview of your professional
experience, beginning with your first job and moving forward.
When covering your work experience, be sure to explain why
you made the choices you did as well as what you learned in
each major position. Once you offer a high-level picture, your
interviewer can then ask follow-up questions or inquire about
specific bullet points if he or she wants more detail about spe-
cific entries or aspects of your experience.
The timing and pacing of this response are particularly impor-

tant, as Chicago interviews typically last only 45 minutes. You
will, therefore, have a limited time to cover all of the relevant
pieces of your candidacy. There are various techniques you
could use to perfect your timing, such as practicing giving
answers to your friends or outlining your main points on index
cards and then speaking them out loud.
Of course, to provide an effective walk-through, you will need

a polished résumé tailored to the unique requirements and
interests of the business school admissions committee. See
www.clearadmit.com
the Clear Admit Résumé Guide for in-depth guidance and il-
lustrative examples to help you in preparing this important
document.
What are your career goals?

The interviewer will be looking for goals that make sense in
light of the interests and skills evident in your work history
and/or community involvement. If you are aiming to make
a shift in industry or function, this is a great time to unpack
your reasoning and explain how you will make the transition
in the long term. It will be important to present a very clear
post-MBA goal, as schools prefer to admit students who are
able to explain exactly what sort of position they will pursue
upon graduation, as well as how this will set them on the
course toward their ultimate professional objectives. As you
address these points, keep in mind that it’s essential for your
discussion to be consistent with the message you have out-
lined in your application.
Why MBA?
As you make the case for your need for an MBA there are
three aspects to a business school education you might touch
on. The first and most obvious is the academic element, and
your need to learn more about certain disciplines and the way
they work together in order to make a career shift, start a
company and/or become an effective manager and business
leader. This kind of argument is a great start, but it’s wise to
shore up your argument; after all, one could arguably learn
about finance, for example, by reading a book rather than at-
tending business school. Therefore, a second point you might
raise is the benefit of learning alongside others and benefiting
from classmates’ perspectives and anecdotes about their own
experiences. A final point you might raise involves the benefit
of taking 1-2 years to immerse yourself in management study
and put your past experiences in context, thus orienting your-
self as you prepare to take the next step in your career. By
stressing the social elements of an MBA program, you’ll dem-
onstrate that you appreciate the merits of full-time education
and solidify your ‘why MBA’ argument.
Why Now?
In addressing the timing of your application, it’s important to
convey a sense of urgency or stress that you are approach-
ing a natural breaking point in your current career trajectory.
Providing an unconvincing response to this question could
undermine your candidacy, as the interviewer might note in
his or her report that it sounds like you would benefit from
an additional year of work or could achieve your goals just as
easily if you attended school in a year’s time. It is generally
effective to frame a response in terms of a present or a future
need, so long as your reasoning is sound; perhaps your learn-
ing curve has flattened in your current position, or you see an
entrepreneurial opportunity that you absolutely need to act on
within two years.
Why Chicago?
Similar to the ‘why MBA,’ pointers we offered above, there
are three distinct elements you can touch on here to make
www.clearadmit.com
a truly compelling case for your interest in your school of

choice. The first is again academics - what you would learn in
the classroom and how this would prepare you to succeed in
your stated career goals. Remember that your interviewer will
be looking to see that you have done your research about the
school. It will therefore be important for you to name specific
courses and professors of interest during this discussion.
The next element is also related to your professional plans:

clubs, conferences and special programs that are in line with
your target industry. Beyond how you would benefit from
these offerings, it would also be great to share any ideas
about how you could contribute, perhaps by organizing spe-
cific events or sharing knowledge of your current field with
classmates looking to enter it.
Finally, there are considerations like the school community

and culture, class size and location. If you have visited the
campus or interacted with students or alumni, this firsthand
experience would absolutely be something to mention. Touch-
ing on these elements toward the end of the explanation of
your interest in the school will demonstrate your personal fit
and help the interviewer to imagine you attending the school.
Provide an example of your leadership.

A question about leadership can come in various forms, from
describing your most notable leadership experience in a
professional or community setting to broadly discussing your
general leadership style. It’s important to keep in mind that
this is different from describing your greatest accomplishment.
Answers about accomplishments should emphasize output and
what you actually accomplished as opposed to the process to
reach the accomplishment.
No matter the interviewer’s choice of words, there are a few

basic principles to keep in mind about leadership. A leader is
someone who has a strong vision or point of view and is able
to see things others do not. Good communication skills are
also important for demonstrating leadership, as you will likely
have had to negotiate with and persuade key stakeholders,
such as supervisors and clients, to buy into your vision. Once
you have secured the approval and support of your superiors,
you then need to account for delegating the work and how
you managed your colleagues or juniors. Reflect on how you
motivated others to overcome any obstacles, complete the
given work and achieve the goal.
It is also important to conclude with elements of success.

Note whether you concluded a project on time, under budget
or with high quality. Quantified results, in particular, will give
the interviewer a sense of scope of your work and impact.
Emphasis, however, should be on your growth. Therefore, be
sure to describe your lessons about communication, persua-
sion or motivation, or any other skills you may have honed
along the way.
Describe your hobbies.

Just as schools want to admit students who will do well aca-
demically, have a sound career plan and will likely graduate
www.clearadmit.com
with a job, they also want students who are well-rounded and
likely to contribute to student life. An MBA campus would be
lifeless without student involvement. Students are the ones
who staff the school’s clubs, run its conferences, invite guest
speakers to campus, and take on myriad other projects to
improve the school. So, on some level, the admissions com-
mittee needs to make sure everyone they admit is going to
improve campus life in some way.
Also underlying this question is the belief that students who

are well-rounded and have diverse interests have better po-
tential to become future business leaders. In other words,
someone who is passionate about art or sports and can en-
gage in lively dialogue on these subjects, or who has had
diverse experiences participating in their chosen hobbies, will
be able to relate to more people in life; this trait makes for a
more compelling leader.
Whether you are in the board room or at a social outing, being

more than just your job is important. For example, if you are
an accountant who majored in accounting at university, and
your extracurricular activities consist of membership in the
local Association of CPAs and reading books about accounting,
you are going to be seen as rather one-dimensional. You will
simply not have as much to offer as an accountant who, for
instance, plays the saxophone in a jazz quartet on weekends.
That said, listing a slew of different hobbies and bombarding
the interviewer with 50 things you do or could contribute on
campus will not work to your advantage. This is not a game
of quantity. Instead, quality will triumph here, as rich details
make more of an impression than a laundry list.
How will you contribute to the community?

Because it is important to build a vibrant community of ac-
tive students, the admissions committee wants to understand
how you are going to fit in at Booth. They will wonder about
such things as what recruiting events you would likely attend
and whether you are going to write for the student newspa-
per, play soccer or even work for the admissions office. This
is also, in some ways, a test to see if you have done your
homework about Booth. If you can ground your potential con-
tributions by citing actual activities on campus in which you
hope to participate, you can show off your knowledge of the
school. It is also important to be specific, as the richer your
description, the easier it will be for the adcom to visualize you
as a member of the Booth community. For instance, it would
be much more effective to say that you hope to join Audio
Booth as opposed to simply sharing your love of music. Doing
research on the school’s website, reaching out to alumni and
students, and reading the Clear Admit School Guide to Chi-
cago Booth will all pay dividends here.
What other schools have you applied to?

Many admissions officers feel that they can tell a lot about
your motivations in applying to Booth through your answer
to this question. In other words, they will probably be able
to tell whether you are applying to business schools based
solely on rankings, or whether you have a list consistent with
www.clearadmit.com
your career plans that takes other program features into ac-
count, such as method of instruction, size, location, etc. If
the schools you are applying to have little in common beyond
ranking, the committee may suspect that you have just sub-
mitted applications to all the top programs and have no strong
affinity to Chicago in particular.
To avoid this, briefly identify the other schools to which you

are applying and cover the main criteria for your decision. For
instance, if you are also looking into Kellogg because of its
Midwest placement and team atmosphere, that’s a perfectly
sound reason; once you address that, though, you need to
turn quickly back to your passion for Chicago. Ideally, you will
provide a rich level of detail as you shift the discussion back
towards ‘why Chicago’–perhaps citing a particular professor
that piqued your interest or a particular course you are keen
on taking. Researching the school’s website, talking with
alumni and students or reading the Clear Admit School Guide
to Chicago Booth will pay dividends here. The more prepared
you are with details about your fit with the Booth program,
the faster you can turn the conversation back to Chicago and
the better off you will be.
www.clearadmit.com
4 Engaging Chicago Booth
Interviewing on Campus
Candidates invited to interview have a choice of on or off
campus. If you have scheduled an on-campus interview and
will be traveling to Hyde Park, you will want to plan your stay
“When people are thinking in the way that will enable you to get the most mileage out of
through “Why do I want to go your time there. Because you need to express enthusiasm for
to Booth? How does this fit into the school and demonstrate that you have conducted exten-
my priorities?” we hope they sive research on Chicago’s program during your interview, it
will take the time to utilize the would be ideal for you to arrange to tour the school, sit in on a
access points we are providing class and have lunch with current students beforehand. In ad-
to get to know us better.” - Kurt dition to providing great fodder for interview discussion, many
Ahlm, Associate Dean of Student applicants find that these activities can be quite energizing
Recruitment & Admissions and that they set a positive tone for this important meeting.
Information Sessions & Visit

Programs
The Chicago Booth Admissions and Financial Aid Offices are
open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday except for
holidays and certain exclusion dates posted by the offices
each year. The office is located in the Harper Center and of-
fers formal visit options throughout the calendar year.
In Autumn, Winter and Spring Quarters, visitors may sit in

on classes, attend an information session, eat lunch with
students and take a tour of Harper Center. Information ses-
sions and tours are held daily at 10:30 a.m., bookended by
class visits at times when classes are in session. When of-
fered, class visits are available at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.,
except on Monday afternoons in Winter Quarter; lunches with
students take place at 12:30 p.m. and conclude at 1:15 p.m.
Several student groups also host lunches in order to meet
with prospective applicants, and these organizations include
Chicago Women in Business, the Marketing Group and OUT-
reach. Abbreviated campus visits are available from June to
early October, from 10:30 to 11:30. These visits include an
information session and a building tour. The admissions office
encourages students to check the campus visit website prior
to their visit for the most up-to-date schedule of activities.
In addition to its campus visit schedules, the school also offers

an expanded campus visit program called Chicago Booth Live.
Offered several times each academic year, this program in-
cludes a breakfast, an information session, student panel pre-
sentations, a building tour, lunch with students, a discussion
www.clearadmit.com
Engaging Booth | 19
with faculty, and an admissions Q&A. The program concludes

with a visit to Chicago Booth’s most popular social gathering,
a happy hour that the school and students have dubbed the
“Liquidity Preference Function.” Candidates who have some
flexibility in their travel schedule may want to consider taking
advantage of one of these expanded programs.
While in the city of Chicago, applicants may also consider vis-

iting the Gleacher Center, Chicago Booth’s downtown campus.
Though it holds information sessions and allows prospective
students to sit in on classes, Gleacher does not offer a formal
visit program, but students are present on campus throughout
the week, which provides a sense of the center’s atmosphere
and facilities.
Where to Stay
There are a wide range of accommodations available in Chi-
cago. Below is a list of hotels located close to the University of
Chicago’s Harper Center, some just a few blocks away in the
Hyde Park neighborhood, and others in the city’s downtown
district about 8 miles to the north.
International House at the University of Chicago

Distance from Harper Center: 0.4 miles (four blocks)
1414 East 59th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637
Phone: (773) 753-2270
Fax: (773) 753-1227
Website: ihouse.uchicago.edu
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Distance from Harper Center: 4.7 miles
2233 South Martin Luther King Drive
Phone: (312) 567-1234
Fax: (312) 528-4000
Website: mccormickplace.hyatt.com
Best Western River North

125 W. Ohio Street
Phone: (312) 467-0800
Fax: (312) 467-1665 (call to inquire about U. Chicago rate)
Website: www.rivernorthhotel.com
Homewood Suites by Hilton

40 East Grand Avenue
Phone: (312) 644-2222
Fax: (312) 644-7777 (call to inquire about U. Chicago rate)
Website: www.homewoodsuiteschicago.com
www.clearadmit.com
Related Resources
Though applicants will have presumably conducted a fair
amount of research on Chicago’s program by the interview
stage of the admissions process, below are links to some key
resources that will be helpful to those wanting to brush up on
the school’s course offerings, on-campus opportunities and
news items.
Curriculum & Concentrations

http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/full-time/academics/
curriculum/
Faculty Directory:
http://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/directory
Research & Learning Centers:

http://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/research-learning-cen-
ters
Student-Led Groups:
http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/full-time/student-
experience/beyond-classroom/groups/
Events & Activities:

http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/full-time/student-
experience/beyond-classroom/events-activities
Chicago Business (Student-run paper):

http://www.chibus.com
www.clearadmit.com
Final Thoughts | 21
5 Final Thoughts
Chicago’s culture and community are friendly and collab-

orative, and in spite of what can be surprising or challeng-
ing questions, most applicants report that the interview is a
positive experience. The discussion is simply meant to help
your interviewer understand who you are, what you’ve done,
and why an MBA from Chicago is your next step. The success
of your interview will be determined by your ability to show
enthusiasm about your goals, demonstrate knowledge of the
Chicago Booth MBA program, illustrate your teamwork and
leadership abilities, and articulate the reasons behind each
of the decisions you have made. In the words of Kurt Ahlm,
relax and be yourself!
In order to prepare effectively, it is essential that you do your

homework and practice your answers to the typical interview
questions. Once again, you should also review the Clear
Admit Interview Archive for information from applicants who
have already interviewed with Chicago, and familiarize your-
self with the questions in this interview guide. Finally, the
Clear Admit School Guide to Chicago offers a comprehensive
overview of the MBA program’s student demographics, aca-
demics, career services, campus experience and more.
Best of luck!
www.clearadmit.com
6 Appendix: General
Interview Guide
General Information
To assist you in preparing for any other business school in-
terviews you might have this season, and to enhance your
understanding of general interview strategy, we have included
this general guide to complement the Booth-specific content
above.
The following is a list of questions for you to consider as you

prepare for an MBA interview, as the answers will determine
the best way for you to approach the meeting:
Who will interview you?

Depending on the school, you might meet with an admissions
representative (campus interviews, hub interviews, phone
interviews), an alumnus or alumna (off-campus interviews), a
current student, or a faculty member.
What will your interviewer know about you?

It will be important to determine whether a school conducts
non-blind interviews, meaning that your interviewer will have
read your entire file, made notes and prepared tailored ques-
tions, or blind interviews, which are based on your résumé
alone. Alternatively, your interviewer may have only read
notes on your file, compiled by the initial readers.
What will they know about the program and the admis-
sions process?
• The backgrounds of admissions officers vary. Some have
backgrounds in education and limited for-profit work expe-
rience, while others hold an MBA from the school at which
they now work. Either way, full-time admissions staff will
know a good deal about the admissions process and the
MBA program itself. Just because an admissions officer
holds an MBA, however, does not mean that he or she is a
business expert who lives and dies by the Wall Street Jour-
nal or Financial Times. Do not assume that you are sitting
down with someone who is familiar with your industry.
• Alumni interviews will be similar to interviews with admis-
sions officers, although the structure of the interview will
be less formal and typically more relaxed.
• Current students are usually familiar with the general prin-
ciples of the admissions process, and are more likely to be
immersed in the business world than admissions officers
might be.
• Professors will be somewhat familiar with the admissions
process and the broad structure of their schools’ curricula,
and will be more focused on industry-specific and academ-
www.clearadmit.com
Appendix | 23
ic questions.
What questions will they ask?

While there is no set script, you will almost always be asked
to discuss your career to date, plans for the future, and rea-
sons for seeking an MBA from the school in question. Beyond
these, you should be familiar with the types of questions that
the school tends to ask with respect to your team skills, per-
sonal interests, and application in general.
How much weight is given to the interview?

Some schools ask that all applicants schedule their own
interviews, sometimes before they submit the rest of their
application, while others only invite a certain percentage of
applicants to interview. This means that at some schools,
the interview is informational and just another component of
your file, but at others, the interview can be considered a final
hurdle to clear on the way to acceptance.
How can I prepare?

For a non-blind interview, the best way to prepare is to:
• Review what you said in your application.
• Prepare concise answers to typical interview questions
(see our sample questions below).
• Be prepared for requests for professional or extracurricular
examples that you have not already presented in your ma-
terials, and for probing questions that seek further detail
on the items you discussed in your application.
• Know your weaknesses and be prepared to address them.
Your interviewer may try to identify weaknesses or areas
of the application that lacked clarity and then go after
them with pointed questions.
Meanwhile, for a blind, résumé-based interview, you should

simply:
• Know your application and résumé quite well.
• Be prepared to walk the interviewer through your experi-
ences to date and cover all of the most important points of
your candidacy in the allotted time.
• Think of a few stories from the professional and commu-
nity realms that you could tailor to a range of situational
questions. In particular, keeping examples of a leadership
success, a leadership failure, a team success and a team
failure fresh in your mind will help you call up quick re-
sponses to certain types of focused questions.
How will they evaluate you?

The interviewer will be evaluating both the content and the
delivery of your responses to his or her questions on the fol-
lowing dimensions:
Personal qualities
• Leadership ability and general charisma
• Confidence (not to be confused with cockiness)
• Team orientation
• Sense of humor
• Maturity
www.clearadmit.com
• Social concern
Professional development and goal articulation

• Career path/progression
• Industry knowledge
• Interest in general management
• Reasons for career choices to date
• Reasons for seeking an MBA
• Level of research on and interest in their program
Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Extemporaneous speaking ability and poise
• Work in teams
• Interactions with subordinates and supervisors
• English skills (for international applicants only)
What questions should you ask the interviewer?

Most MBA applicants are very well-researched when it comes
to their target programs, having spoken with students and
alumni and combed through the school’s website and other
marketing materials before even submitting their applications.
Though it might be tempting to say “no” when your interview-
er asks if you have any questions for him or her, it would be
unwise to dismiss this opportunity to get another perspective
on the program and demonstrate that you value your inter-
viewer’s time and insight.
That said, it should be noted that some inquiries will go over

better than others.
DO ask questions that:

• Focus on your career goals and the studies you might pur-
sue.
• Concern extracurricular activities (such as conferences,
speakers, business treks).
• Give the interviewer a chance to offer his or her opinion or
insight.
• Demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the pro-
gram and have been in touch with students and alums.
DON’T ask questions that:

• Have an obvious answer that you could have found by
reading the website.
• Are antagonistic or skeptical about the program or the
MBA in general.
• Are obscure and difficult to answer (the last thing you
want to do is stump your interviewer or damage your rap-
port).
• Focus on issues of post-graduate employment or network-
ing.
Basic Tips
Dress formally – remember the charisma element mentioned
above, and keep in mind that it’s always best to err on the
conservative side.
www.clearadmit.com
Appendix | 25
Be polite – not just to your interviewer, but to admissions

support staff and anyone else you encounter during your visit.
You want to make a positive impression on as many people as
possible.
Speak clearly – don’t rush your answers or mumble. Your

delivery is just as important as the content of your answers
to the interviewer’s questions. Be sure to take your time and
sound confident in your responses.
Speak concisely – avoid rambling or repeating yourself. You

want your answers to sound thoughtful and well-constructed,
so practice will be important in this regard. Given the time
constraints and the amount of information you need to con-
vey, you have an added incentive to make your point quickly
and move on. Don’t be afraid to take a few seconds to collect
your thoughts before answering.
Follow up – be sure to let your interviewer know that you

appreciate his or her time and attention. Ask your interviewer
for a business card or contact information and send a ‘thank
you’ email within 24 hours.
Sample Questions
The following is an extensive list of questions you might be
asked over the course of your business school interviews:
Leadership
• Tell me about a leadership experience you have had since
submitting your application (i.e. something not covered in
your essays).
• Tell me about a leadership experience with a college or
community activity.
• What is your leadership style?
• What qualities should a good leader possess?
• What is your best example of leadership?
• What have you learned from good leaders?
• Who is your hero?
• Talk about a bad manager. Why was s/he bad? What did
you do about it?
• Talk about a passion of yours and how it contributes to
your leadership skills.
• What elements of your leadership style could be improved?
What constructive criticism would you get from people you
supervise?
• What is your definition of a leader?
Career to Date & Goals

• Explain what you do at work and how your company fits
into your industry as a whole.
• What is your biggest success? Your biggest failure? What
did you learn from that failure?
• Are you good at what you do?
• What’s the biggest risk you have taken recently?
• What will you be doing over the next six months?
• Flesh out your career goals some more (long-term, medi-
www.clearadmit.com
um-term, short-term).
• What makes you get out of bed every morning?
• Why [your field of interest]? What is your vision for [your
industry]?
• Where do you want to be in 5, 10, and 30 years?
• Where do you want to intern next summer?
• Describe what you would do if you had to choose a new
profession.
Situational Questions
• Tell me about how you make decisions.
• Talk about a recent project/experience at work.
• Describe a situation where people have relied on you.
Why?
• Describe something you have fixed or want to fix at work.
• Describe an incident where you disagreed with a superior/
subordinate. How was the disagreement settled? How
have you handled a difficult situation?
• Describe a situation where you successfully responded to
change.
• Describe something you would do differently if given the
opportunity.
• Describe an epiphany you have had. How did it change
the way you look at something?
• What is the single most important lesson you have learned
over the past few years?
• If you were running the company you work for, what would
you change?
• If you were the CEO of a company and had to do a down-
sizing, what people would you lay off and how would you
implement it?
• Name a time when you had to make a decision between
two appealing alternatives. What was your thought pro-
cess and how did you decide? Do you think you made the
right decision?
Application Issues & Potential Contribution

• If you were an admissions officer, what would be the ‘red
flags’ and ‘green flags’ in your application package?
• What is your story? What is unique about it? What will
you contribute to class?
• What do you know about [this school] and how have you
learned it?
• How would you describe [this school]?
• Why an MBA now? Why [this school]? What do you want
to accomplish at business school?
• What would you do if not accepted?
• What other schools are you applying to?
• Why is [this school] the best fit for you?
• How did you begin investigating the MBA?
Personal
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• What are some misperceptions about you?
• What was your most creative idea that failed?
• How do you define success?
• Who was your favorite college professor and why?
www.clearadmit.com
Appendix | 27
• Try to persuade or dissuade me from applying to your un-

dergraduate college.
• If you could title a book about you, what would the title
be?
• If you were to be featured in a publication, what publica-
tion would it be and what would the headline say?
• What is a clever thing you have done?
• Argue a case. Your interviewer may ask a question or
make a statement, then ask you to respond or react. The
interviewer may then rebut your response. A sample
question might be, “Do companies need to pursue inno-
vative strategies?” Be prepared for a rebuttal, no mat-
ter what your answer, and be ready to create a carefully
reasoned response to each rebuttal.
www.clearadmit.com
“THE RESPECT OF DIVERSITY IS
THE ONLY WAY TO STAY RELEVANT IN
OUR GLOBALIZING WORLD.”
Jean-Paul Agon, HEC class of 1978

CEO of L’Oréal, world leader in cosmetics and beauty
By gathering more than 95 nationalities on campus, HEC Paris MBA teaches current
and future leaders to embrace diversity and to connect with the entire world.
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3 Tips & Analysis 12

4 Engaging Chicago Booth 19

6 Appendix: General Interview Guide 23

“It will be a blind interview–

There are positives and negatives associated with each of

official weighting system, the interview is generally worth no

That having been said, an interview is required in order to be

Information from the Chicago

Interviews will be granted on an invitation-only basis after

A candidate who receives an invitation will have only one

An interview is required for admission. However, completing

In a 2014 blog entry on Booth Insider, Associate Dean of

The admissions interview is another important aspect of the

Review your application thoroughly to prepare for your in-

Before the interview, ask yourself these important questions

• What is my motivation to obtain an MBA?

When your interview day comes, we want you to feel relaxed,

Clear Admit: Walk us through the life of an application in

Kurt Ahlm: This year, we have made some further changes

Multiple staff members will review each file independently and

either be invited to interview or the application will then come

Those students invited to interview can then set up their inter-

After the interview, the interviewer submits a report and the

Our decision to shift the reading part of the application pro-

Candidates will continue to get multiple reviews by staff, and

Professional & Educational

• What was your GMAT score?

Leadership & Teamwork

• Tell me about a time where you had to influence those

Application Issues & Potential Contribution

Chicago vs. the Rest

• Which extracurricular activities are you looking to engage

In addition to thinking about how you might respond to the

Round 2 / Second-year Student / On-campus

I had about 10 minutes at the end to ask my own questions.

Round 2 / Alumna / Off-campus

We met at a coffee shop and the interview was more conver-

website. She also took time to go through my resume which

Some of the questions asked were:

Overall, the interview went great. I asked my questions as we

3 Tips & Analysis

Booth Interview Process

One unique feature of the Chicago interview is that, beyond

Beyond taking an arguably above-average interest in certain

In addition to questions about fit and school selection, many

second guessing, don’t be discouraged; your interviewer is

Blind Interview Preparation

While the strategy is different at schools whose interviews

The Case for On-Campus

As you can see, there are significant advantages to visit-

interview on campus, this could make a negative impression

Off-campus alumni interviews, meanwhile, are often longer

Analysis of Common Questions

Walk me through your résumé.

The timing and pacing of this response are particularly impor-

Of course, to provide an effective walk-through, you will need

What are your career goals?