In@INSEAD 16D Round 1 ($) + 面筋
前两天晚上9点收到+33的call时还是挺不敢相信的。在周三收到admit email时才敢给帮助过我的在校生和校友发感谢信息。
楼主的industry虽然比较正常，做的是买方金融机构M&A， 但走的路比较不同，美国某学校一位校友更是说我是她遇到的最奇葩的candidate. This 奇葩ness 可能是为什么楼主在申请米国学校时频频遭拒的原因 probably because they don't know where the market would place me。
每个人都有自己的niche. This niche 有可能不被大部分人理解，但我相信, 如果你坚持在你选择地路上脚踏实地的充实自己，给自己创造价值, your niche will eventually become your unique advantage, and your efforts will be recognized and appreciated.
(I) Standard Questions
So the two interviews I had both lasted about 1hr 40mins. Very much conversational, with no designated format. There are a couple of standard questions that both of them asked:
1) Why MBA?
2) Why now?
3) Why INSEAD?
4) Career progression up until now
5) Short term and long term career goals (i.e. where do you see yourself in 5 and 10 years)
(II) In addition to these standard questions above, the conversation then wonders all over the place.
1st interviewer was in the same industry as me:
-he read my application, as well as my essays in detail before the interview, asked me questions he was confused about or thing he wanted me to elaborate
-said my job looked like a post-MBA job and asked me twice why I needed and MBA and why I need INSEAD. He specifically elaborated that he can tell I did a lot of research on the school, and he wanted me to tell him my PERSONAL reasons
-asked a lot of questions about both my professional and personal cultural experience working and living in China
-we also talked about his experience with the INSEAD alumni network in China
-in the end he said he has a long list of questions he have to answer, one of them was "would you like to spend 3 hrs stuck in the airport with this candidate), none of them was yes/no, all qualitative, and based on how the interviewer feels about the candidate.
2nd interviewer was an entrepreneur:
-didn't read my essays, read my resume, but still asked me for a hard copy
-it started very conversational, she was very interested in what i do and my professional and cultural experience at work
-talked a lot about the INSEAD alumni network and her experience as a student
-some information on scholarships
-told me that a typical INSEAD student will have both an open heart and an open mind.
(III) Post-interview suggestions/takeaway
A lot of ppl say that INSEAD's candidate pool is quite self-selective, and I completely and utterly agree. I strongly suggest trying to meet alumnus in your local region or talk to current students before your interview. Through my own network, I met up with two alumni in Beijing, talked to half a dozen in Shanghai via call and wechat, and exchanged emails with current students I met at the Singapore in-house event. I think these conversations really solidified my decision to be a part of the program. Every single alum and current student happily offered suggestion and advice.
In general, I feel like the INSEAD interviews are created so the interviewers can really try to assess your FIT for the program. The 2nd interviewer told me that in the past, she has directly told some prospective candidates at the interviews that she will not recommend them because she thinks they will not be a good fit in the program. They look at this from your international experience, your openness to new things, and your personality.
Hope this helps |
