28 Questions to ask your interviewer in an MBA interview

Last week, I was doing a mock interview with an MBA candidate. As I often do, I asked her at the end “Do you have any questions for me, the interviewer?”

She stared. Like a rabbit in the headlights.

“No, I already know everything about the program.”

The fact is no matter how much research you’ve done, the interviewer can always provide more insight! If you are struggling with deciding what to ask the interviewer, this is a list of questions to get you started. We've also added considerations and tips to keep in mind while framing your own list of questions.

Questions to ask MBA alumni

If it’s an MBA alumnus, here are 16 questions to ask the interviewer:

1. As an alumnus yourself, what is the alumni experience like and how can I best involve myself within the alumni community?

2. Keeping my goals in mind, where do you suggest I focus my time and efforts during my MBA?

3. Based on this interview, where do you see me best contributing to the campus community? Are there any areas I’ve missed?

4. Objectively reviewing the MBA program, where do you find room for improvement?

5. How did the program influence your post-MBA career path and goals?

6. What do you wish you’d done differently during your MBA?

7. Why did you choose this program and school?

8. Can you give me a few examples of things you learned during your MBA, and how these helped you in your career?

9. How useful was the career management centre in helping you to reach your dream role?

10. Which classes did you find most interesting and helpful? Any notable professors?

11. How did you balance your academic courses and extracurricular activities?

12. Did you face any particular difficulties during the program, and how did you tackle them?

13. How is the campus culture different from other schools you’ve visited?

14. What was the most valuable aspect of the MBA program?

15. Do you know how many students enter [my target field/industry]? Who from [my target] industry/ visits the campus?

16. Do you have any advice for candidates hoping to connect with others from [my target industry]?

Questions to ask the AdCom officer

If you’re meeting or interviewing with a member of the admissions committee, you should consider the following questions:

1. I see you studied/worked at [other school]. How does this school compare to that school?

2. What are some of the qualities you see in successful students in the MBA program? Or What common traits do successful students in this program tend to have?

3. How do you suggest I prepare myself for the MBA program?

4. How does my profile fit into the school’s diversity and inclusion policy and goals? Are there any statistics you can point me towards?

5. Are you anticipating any significant additions/changes to the MBA program?

6. Bearing in mind my goals, where do you suggest I focus my time and effort during the program?

7. Based on my profile, are there any other contributions I may be able to make that I haven’t thought of?

8. Looking objectively at the program, where is there room for improvement?

9. How does your program/the admissions committee define student success?

10. What new specializations or courses are currently under development?

11. Who are some successful alumni you like to talk about?

12. If you were in my position, with my career goals, what would you say are your program’s biggest advantages?

Also Consider

While I hope the list of questions helps, it’s not all-inclusive. Therefore, here are a few points you should bear in mind while framing your own questions for the interviewer:

Think on your feet

Ask questions relevant to the discussion you've had so far. Keep them open-ended to take the conversation forward. Avoid 'Yes' and 'No' type questions!

Use your judgement

Don’t overstep the mark and ask personal questions. Instead, seek insights, not information you could (should) have found on Google. It’s important to show research, deliberation, strategy and planning while seeking answers to your questions. Show how invested you are in this program and school.

What not to do

Ask questions you believe the interviewer would know the answer to. Do not ask about some industry-specific trends that an AdCom officer wouldn’t know about.

Do not ask questions that weaken your position as a strong candidate or bring objections. Try to uphold the culture, values and ethics that the school follows.

How to stand out

Feel free to jump in and ask more about the school assets. Don’t be afraid to ask about drawbacks or loopholes that future students can help improve.

A goal for every informal meeting (and networking meeting in general) should be to get your next networking introduction.

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