The MIT Sloan Interview – What to Expect + Sample Questions

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on February 19, 2019. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

With the Media Lab, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation track, and a motto of “Mens et Manus,” or “Mind and Hand,” MIT Sloan is a hotbed for professionals seeking to work with cutting-edge industries and entrepreneurs alike. 

However, with the number of MBA applicants hoping to land jobs in technology and entrepreneurship increasing every year, landing a spot at MIT Sloan has become more challenging than ever. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your MIT Sloan interview to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included sample interview questions to ensure you give your MIT application your best shot. 

 

How the MIT Sloan interview works

As one of the most elite business schools in the world, landing an interview with MIT Sloan is no easy task. 

Thus, if you have passed to the interview phase of the Sloan application process, congratulations! This is already an exceptional achievement. 

MIT interviews are generally conducted by the admissions committee in “hub cities” around the world. During the interview, the admissions committee member is actively trying to gauge how solid your motivations for wanting to pursue an MBA are, how interested you seem in the MIT Sloan program, and if you fit well with the program’s values. 

Interviewers often ask many standard MBA interview questions, as well as questions designed to gauge your self-awareness and ability to be part of a team. You can also expect numerous follow-up questions. 

Our clients who have interviewed with MIT in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly and prepared questions specifically tailored to their profile. As such, some clients received questions that were far more personal in nature, while others focused strictly on their academic and professional achievements. 

Who will interview you?

You will interview with a member of MIT Sloan’s admissions committee. After being invited to interview, you will receive a link through which you can schedule a time for your interview. 

Will the interviewer have read my application?

Yes. The interviewer will have read your entire application and will have seen your pre-interview essays. Past reports indicate that interviewers develop specific questions based on your application, so make sure to take the time to review what you presented. 

How long will the MIT interview last?

30 minutes maximum. The MIT Sloan interview tends to be one of the shortest interviews in the MBA world, so don’t panic if your interview doesn’t last the full 30 minutes!

 

The Interview essays

MIT Sloan has long required candidates who are called to interview to submit an additional essay. This year, MIT Sloan has two interview essays, one focused on data analysis and the more traditional diversity-focused essay. 

REQUIRED QUESTION #1 (DIVERSITY)

The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice.

In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.

How to approach your answer

At MIT, diversity is a core value. This means that at Sloan, you’ll constantly interact with people who think and act differently than you do. 

Succeeding in such an environment requires a great deal of adaptability and flexibility, as well as a willingness to learn from those who are different. This type of environment, however, is not for everyone, which is why MIT seeks to gauge how you respond to diversity in this essay. 

We suggest you start by considering the brand you are presenting to MIT and examine which examples of diversity you can share that will add value to the stories you told in your cover letter and video. Then, make sure you narrow this list down to your single best story. In a 250-word essay, you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples, so limit yourself to one killer story. 

 

REQUIRED QUESTION #2 (DATA)

We are interested in learning more about how you make data-driven decisions and communicate results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to: 

• Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research (e.g. climate change, COVID maps, etc).
• In 250 words to less, please describe a recent data-driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF.

How to approach your answer

We have written a dedicated post with our tips on how to approach both of the MIT Sloan interview essays. Click here to read!

 

Who is MIT Sloan looking for?

Source: @mitsloanwomen on Instagram

“MIT Sloan students are informed and responsible global citizens with the vision, drive, and practical experience to make significant contributions to their organizations and to the world.” MIT Sloan Admissions Team

As one of the prestigious M7 schools, the average MIT Sloan student tends to have a demonstrated track record of academic excellence and a high GMAT/GRE score. The ~400 admits to the Class of 2025 has a median GMAT score of 730. GRE verbal scores ranged from 155-1677 and quant scores ranged from 157-168.

However, with a major focus on diversity (it’s been the theme of Sloan’s interview essay for the past several years), it’s no surprise that MIT Sloan’s admissions team works hard to continually increase the diversity of perspectives present in its class. The Class of 2025 has 60 countries represented and included 28% of students from underrepresented U.S. minorities and 46% women. 

According to the admissions team, they also look beyond the numbers to ensure applicants fit with Sloan’s values. 

Source: MIT Sloan’s website

In addition, MIT Sloan tends to favor applicants who demonstrate excellence and commitment both at the office and in the community. 

 

How can you prepare for your MIT Sloan interview?

Though no interview is 100% predictable, MIT Sloan interviews do tend to center around a fairly standard list of MBA interview questions, with a few personalized questions added as well. As such, we have prepared some model questions below that previous candidates have received in their past MIT interviews. 

SAMPLE MIT SLOAN INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

The questions below are drawn from our clients’ interview reports, as well as from sites like clearadmit.com. Though these are not all the potential questions you could possibly receive during your Sloan interview, preparing for these (and any follow-up questions you think you might be asked) should give you an excellent foundation for your interview. 

STARTING UP QUESTIONS

• • Do you have any recent accomplishments you want to share? 
  • Are there any changes to your resume since you submitted it?
  • Walk me through your resume. (expect to receive many follow-up questions)
  • Tell me about your data slide. 

• Expect further questions about your 2 interview essays.

• What do you do outside of work?
• What exactly do you do on a daily basis? 
• What accomplishment in the past year at work are you proudest of?
• What’s a personal goal that you’ve set for yourself recently?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?

• Why MBA?
• Why now?
• Why did you decide to apply to Sloan?
• Where else did you apply?
• How will you decide where to go?

TEAMWORK & LEADERSHIP

• Tell me about when you had a difficult time with your job.
• Tell me about a time you had to manage conflict at work. 
• Tell me about a difficult conversation you had to have with a peer/superior.
• Tell me about a time you had a challenging interaction with someone. 
• Tell me a time when you influenced someone. 
• Tell me about something that you’ve encountered, at work or outside of work, that made you feel uncomfortable.
• Tell me about a time when you were part of a team that didn’t get along well. How did you help solve the issue?
• How would you deal with a team member who wasn’t pulling his or her own weight?

• Tell me about a time you led a team to a solution. 
• Tell me about a time when you had to persuade/convince others. 
• Tell me about a time when someone else needed your help. 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Tell me about a time when you set a goal and achieved it.
• Tell me a time when you thought outside of the box/innovative.
• Tell me of a time when you took the risk. What did you learn from it?

GENERAL BEHAVIORAL

• How would a friend describe you? A client? 
• Tell me about a time when you had to step out of your comfort zone. 
• Tell me about a time you had to ask for help 
• Tell me about a time you failed. 
• Tell me about a time when your expectations were not met.
• What do you think are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?

CLOSING

• I’m meeting a lot of people today, why should we admit you? 
• Any questions for me? 
• What do you wish I had asked you?

We have found that answering real interview questions on the spot is a much better means of preparation than reading lists of interview questions for most candidates.

We highly suggest you take a look at mock interview questions and sample interview responses before your interview. 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of real interview mocks from Sloan, as well as detailed guides to help you prepare for questions ranging from “Why our MBA program?” to “Tell us about a time you failed.”

The Ellin Lolis Consulting MBA Resource Center is your one-stop shop for interview success. Click to join!

If you’re still not quite confident with your interview skills, our interview experts can help you craft your answers or prepare you for the MIT Sloan interview through mock interviews tailored to your profile. 

 

What to do if you get a question you haven’t prepared an answer for

Despite your most diligent preparation, you will almost always receive a question you had not prepared. 

First, stay calm and take a deep breath. You have already made it this far in the process, and one question will not trip you up!

Second, make sure you directly answer the question the interviewer asked you. For example, if the interviewer asks you about a time you had to deal with a difficult manager, make sure to tell a story about a difficult manager and how you handled the situation. 

If you’re having trouble thinking of an answer or an example to support your answer, however, take a drink of water to give yourself a few more minutes to think. If you really can’t think of an example from your personal or professional experience, you can use a hypothetical answer about how you would act in a certain situation. 

Finally, assume that the interviewer is testing how you think on your feet and respond to questions you didn’t prepare in advance. Though your answer might not be as polished as if you’d had weeks to rehearse it, smile and confidently give your answer to show you can respond to any question they throw at you. 

 

Effectively Tell your Story During your MIT Interview

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA interviews is that candidates fail to tell compelling, well-constructed stories about their profiles while also nailing the basics. 

Striking this balance between sharing STAR-format examples that show off your background while also presenting strong answers to questions like “Why do you want an MBA?” is a challenging task that requires significant thought and preparation. 

Because of this, it’s no surprise that, on average, 50% of interviewed applicants walk away without an offer. 

This is why our interview preparation process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting is known as the best in the industry. We offer customized 1:1 support that ensures you’re able to turn your application’s strengths into compelling answers that show fit and sell your profile in any type of interview. That’s why 98.9% of our complete consulting clients get into at least one of their target schools. 

Not only can you take advantage of our development process through multiple sessions – you can also benefit from a single session! If your budget is tight, our interview experts can focus your session on a single aspect of the preparation process, from workshopping your answers to providing mock interviews. 

“Hi, Ellin! I wanted to share the wonderful news that I was accepted into MIT Sloan to do my MBA. Words cannot describe how happy I am for this opportunity. I can’t thank you enough for your help in preparing the interview. It truly made a difference.

Forget simulation platforms or long lists of tips – our 1:1 preparation focuses on playing to your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses to turn you into an interview expert. Hire our interview services here. VIP packages that allow you to work directly with Ellin sell out quickly, so make sure you sign up today!