UPDATE: This article was originally posted on February 19, 2020. It has been updated with 2024/25 information and tips below.
Located in one of the most promising tech hubs in the US, Emory Goizueta is a popular school for savvy professionals seeking a school with top-notch academics and tons of individualized attention.
However, with one of the best career placement rates in the US and both one and two-year formats, the competition to join Goizueta’s MBA program is tougher than ever.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Goizueta admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included sample interview questions to ensure you give your Goizueta interview your best shot.
How the Goizueta Interview Works
Making sure you shine during your Goizueta interview is no easy task.
Goizueta interviews are highly personalized. During the interview, the interviewer is also trying to gauge how solid your motivations for wanting to pursue an MBA are and how interested you seem in the Goizueta program.
Interviewers often ask many standard MBA interview questions, as well as questions designed to test how collaborative you are. You can also expect numerous follow-up questions throughout the interview.
Our clients who have interviewed with Goizueta in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly and demonstrated a genuine interest in their answers. Though questions do tend to focus on standard MBA interview questions (such as your work experience, post-MBA goals, and ability to contribute to Goizueta), be ready for anything.
Who will interview you?
You will interview with a member of Goizueta’s admissions committee or a member of a small group of alumni who interview applicants on behalf of the admissions committee.
The interviews will be held on-campus and online. After being invited to interview, you will be given further instructions on how to schedule your interview.
Will the interviewer have read your application?
The Goizueta interview is blind, meaning the interviewer will only have access to your CV. This means that you can repeat examples from your essays, if you choose to.
How long will the Goizueta interview last?
Approximately 30 minutes.
Who is Emory Goizueta looking for?
(Photo courtesy of @emorygoizueta on Instagram)
“Our job is to get you out of your comfort zone and into a career that’s even better than you could’ve imagined. To do that, we push you to dig deep. In small classes with world-class professors, you’ll explore business from every angle. We guide you to become a better leader, communicator, and strategic thinker. You’ll put your skills to the test in leadership training courses, pitch ideas to Fortune 500s and startups, and travel to learn how business works worldwide. This is how you become the leader, strategist, and innovator with the ability to go beyond.” Emory Goizueta Admissions
Every year, Emory Goizueta selects a group of talented professionals to join its annual two-year MBA class of around 150 students. With a strong emphasis on diversity, there is no “typical” Emory student, yet the average admitted student of the Class of 2026 has a 705 GMAT score and 6 years of work experience.
Beyond the impressive statistics, though, Goizueta is looking for candidates who want to make a positive impact on the world through their careers. If this sounds like the place for you, make sure to highlight your specific reasons for being passionate about Goizeuta’s program throughout your admissions interview.
Trends in recent Goizueta MBA interviews
Recent feedback from candidates interviewing at Goizueta highlights several notable trends that you should consider when preparing for your interview:
Resilience and Adaptability: There’s a heightened focus on how candidates have managed uncertainty or change in their professional lives, especially during global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ethical Decision-Making: Emory is placing a greater emphasis on questions that assess a candidate’s ethical considerations and how they handle morally ambiguous situations.
Collaboration in Diverse Teams: Candidates are frequently asked about their experiences in diverse team settings, how they navigate cultural differences, and how they promote inclusion within their teams.
How can you prepare for your interview?
Though no interview is 100% predictable, Goizueta interviews do tend to center around a fairly standard list of MBA interview questions. As such, we have prepared some model questions below that previous candidates have received in their past Goizueta interviews.
What questions are asked in the Goizueta MBA interview?
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 Goizueta interview, preparing for these (and any follow-up questions you think you might be asked) should give you a very solid foundation for your interview.
STARTING UP QUESTIONS
- Tell me about yourself. (Expect follow-up questions)
- What do you like to do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
- What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
- Where do you see yourself doing your summer internship?
- Name three firms you would like to work at after your MBA.
- Why do you want an MBA?
- Why now?
- Why Goizueta?
- What will you contribute to your learning team at Goizueta?
- What other schools have you applied for? If you get into all of them, how will you choose where to go?
LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK
- Tell me about a time when you didn’t get along with a colleague. What did you do?
- Tell me about one instance when you disagreed with your boss and how you handled the situation.
- What is your leadership style? Can you give me an example?
- Give an example of a time when you worked on a team with people from diverse backgrounds. How did you ensure effective collaboration?
- How would you handle a member of your team who wasn’t pulling their own weight?
- Describe a time when you led a team through a significant change.
MISCELLANEOUS BEHAVIORAL
- How would your friends describe you?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me an example of when things didn’t work out as you planned.
- Describe a situation in which you had to adapt quickly to unexpected changes. What strategies did you use to manage the situation?
- Tell me about a time when you were pushed to your limits at work.
- Tell me about a time when you demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity.
- Describe a scenario in which you had to choose between competing ethical principles. How did you resolve the conflict?
CLOSING
- Is there anything else you would like us to know about you? / Is there anything you wish I had asked you?
- Questions for me?
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 Emory, 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 Emory Goizueta 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 respond to show you can handle any question they throw at you.
Effectively tell your story during your Goizueta 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. Our individualized approach is why 98.9% of our complete consulting clients get into at least one of their target schools.
That’s the approach we used with our client Rafael, who was admitted to Goizueta with a $90,000 scholarship.
“I recommend Ellin and her team without a moment’s hesitation to anyone who is thinking of doing an MBA! Her help is why I was able to get into my top choice school with almost a full scholarship. If you’re thinking of working with other “top consultants,” I ask you to speak to Ellin first!
From the moment I decided to apply to a top MBA program, I knew the process wouldn’t be easy. As time went on, however, this process proved to be even more complex and confusing than I had imagined. New questions kept appearing and piling up and I started to lose sight of the steps I needed to take to reach my end goal. Dealing with stressful tasks like studying for GMAT, writing my essays, scheduling school visits, and attending info sessions was complicated. I started to question why I was feeling lost, especially since I had hired “one of the best consultants in São Paulo” to help me. The answer to this question came when, tired of the horrible help I was receiving, I found Ellin and noticed the incredible difference in the way I was treated.
From Ellin, I received personal treatment, starting with help structuring my GMAT study plan and help writing my essays. Everything was done in aligned with my personal story and experience, without using a “template”. Any time I asked her for feedback, I got quick responses that actually answered my questions. She was always available for meetings or calls, no matter where I was at in the world.
The help she gave me in structuring my essays (maybe the most challenging part of the process) made all the difference in being able to tell my story in my words. Her suggestions and corrections made sure I was selling myself, but in my own way.
The preparation for my interviews was also excellent. During her preparation, you speak with anonymous, highly capable professionals who evaluate your interview performance in real time. I don’t know of any other consultant that offers a similar service.
Thank you, Ellin!”
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. Our interview packages sell out quickly, so make sure you sign up today!
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
