UPDATE: This article was originally posted on October 16, 2019. It has been updated with 2024/25 information and tips below.
With a strong focus on social impact and flexibility that allows students to take classes across Yale’s many faculties (not just the business school!), Yale SOM is a top choice for engaged, globally-minded leaders who seek to make a meaningful difference in the world, all while benefiting from an Ivy League education.
However, getting admitted to Yale’s’ small MBA class is harder than ever.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Yale SOM admissions 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 Yale application your best shot.
How the Yale SOM interview works
As one of the most elite business schools in the world, landing an interview with Yale SOM is no easy task.
Thus, if you have passed to the interview phase of the Yale application process, congratulations! This is already an exceptional achievement.
Yale interviews have typically been conducted by the admissions committee on-campus or online.
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 Yale SOM program, and if you fit well with the program’s focus on diversity and its raw case method. 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 Yale in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly and prepared questions specifically tailored to his or her 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 Yale SOM’s admissions committee or with a second-year student who has been trained by the admissions committee.
Interviews are now available both online, on campus, and at select off-campus locations around the world.
Though your application will not be “hurt” by conducting your interview online, the interview does offer a great chance for you to visit campus if you haven’t already done so.
Will the interviewer have read your application?
No. The Yale SOM interview is blind, meaning the interviewer will only have access to your CV.
As part of the interview, you will be required to submit a quote that has special meaning or that resonates with you at least 48 hours before your interview (or as soon as possible if your interview is in less than two days). The quote (and why you chose it) will also factor into your interview.
In previous years, applicants have reported that they were also given a quote by the Dean of Yale SOM, Kerwin Charles, to discuss with their interviewer: “Preeminent universities disseminate and produce new knowledge, and some of the best ideas are ripe for revising. However, this demands different perspectives, genders, backgrounds, races, orientations, and points of view.” However, this year, applicants were not given this quote in their pre-interview email.
How long will the Yale interview last?
Around 30 minutes.
Who is Yale SOM looking for?
Source: @yalesom on Instagram
“The Yale School of Management embraces diversity. We believe that effective leaders are those that understand and benefit from the perspectives of people with different backgrounds, and that a commitment to building a diverse community is a key element of our mission of educating leaders for business and society.” Yale SOM Admissions
Every year, Yale reads through thousands of applications to hand-pick slightly less than 350 students to take part in their prestigious MBA program.
With a strong emphasis on diversity, there is no “standard” student at Yale, yet the median GMAT score for the current class was 730, while the median GRE score was 164V, 166Q. Furthermore, Yale’s class included a whopping 48% of international passport-holding students!
In addition to diversity, Yale is extremely dedicated to leadership development and has numerous resources on campus to ensure that diverse students not only grow at Yale but also have all the tools and support they need to reach their personal and professional goals on a global scale.
Trends in recent Yale SOM interviews
Recent feedback from candidates interviewing at Yale SOM highlights several notable trends that you should consider when preparing for your interview:
Focus on Diversity and Inclusion: Yale continues to emphasize diversity as a core value, and many interviewees have reported receiving more specific questions about working in diverse teams and how they will contribute to the inclusive environment at SOM. This aligns with Yale’s mission to cultivate leaders who understand and value different perspectives.
Increased Attention on Leadership and Resilience: Given the challenges of recent years, there’s been an increased focus on questions about resilience, adaptability, and leadership under pressure. Many candidates have been asked to discuss how they’ve navigated difficulties, both personally and professionally.
Emphasis on Self-Awareness and Feedback: There is a growing trend in questions asking candidates to reflect on feedback they’ve received and how they’ve used it to improve. This tests a candidate’s self-awareness and their ability to grow and learn, which is increasingly a key factor in Yale’s evaluation process.
How can you prepare for your interview?
Though no interview is 100% predictable, Yale 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 Yale interviews.
What questions are asked in the Yale SOM 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 Yale 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. / Walk me through your resume. (Expect follow-up questions)
- What do you do outside of work?
- What have you been doing in your position recently?
- What’s a personal goal that you’ve set for yourself recently?
- Why MBA?
- Why did you decide to apply to Yale? Tell me your thought process.
- Why do you think now is the right time to apply?
- Where else did you apply?
- How will you contribute to the diversity of the Yale community?
- What will you get involved in outside of class?
- You were asked to consider a quote by Dean Kerwin Charles. What does this quote mean to you?
- Tell me about the quote you chose. Why did you choose it?
LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK
- Tell me about when you faced a challenge in your job.
- Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict within a team and moved the team forward.
- Tell me about a difficult conversation/challenging interaction you had to have with someone.
- Tell me a time when you influenced someone.
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with someone who wasn’t pulling his/her weight.
- What does leadership mean to you, and how do you demonstrate it?
- Tell me about a time when you had to persuade/convince others.
- Can you give an example of a time you led a team with members from diverse backgrounds? How did you ensure that everyone’s perspective was valued and included?
- Tell me about a time when you mentored someone.
MISCELLANEOUS BEHAVIORAL
- Tell me a time when you thought outside of the box/innovative.
- Tell me of a time when you took the risk and the outcome. What did you learn from it?
- How would a friend describe you? A client?
- Tell me about a time when you had to step outside 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 your idea was rejected or you faced a roadblock.
- Tell me about a recent achievement that you’re proud of.
- Tell me about a time you received feedback and how you handled it.
- How do you approach working with people from diverse backgrounds?
CLOSING
- I’m meeting a lot of people today, what is going to make me remember you?
- Any questions for me?
- What do you wish I had asked you?
We have found that, for most candidates, answering real interview questions on the spot is a much better means of preparation than reading a list of potential interview questions. As such, 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 Yale SOM, 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 Yale SOM interview through mock interviews tailored to your profile.
What to do if you get a question you weren’t prepared 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 Yale 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 tailored approach was critical to helping our client, Chelsea, secure a spot at her dream school.
“Thank you so much for providing detailed and insightful feedback during our mock interview today! This certainly helped me fine-tune my responses to questions that were asked during the actual interview. The mock certainly helped me boost my confidence. I was worried whether practicing with friends would be sufficient. Thank you again!”
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
