McCombs Interview

Finally, I’m done with all the B-school interviews. For this year.

The telephonic interview with the McCombs School was a cakewalk. But all my interviews so far have all been cakewalks. Or so I thought till the results came out.

And there's no reason to believe this one might be any different. So I'm trying to stay grounded and not let my hopes soar too high. I'm bracing myself up for more failures, and am already chalking out plans for the B Schools that I should apply to next year.

Anyways, here's a gist of the interview. The guy called me at sharp 1130 PM, as scheduled. Because the first time he called, the line had seemed so muffled, when he called the second time, I started the conversation trying to check if the line was clear, and if there were any disturbance etc. In the process, I missed the pleasantries, and didn’t even ask him how he was doing.

Next, I addressed him by his first name, and then sought his permission to do so. That could be a minus or a plus, depending on whether you're an optimist or a pessimist. I'm an optimist, and I would like to believe that by getting rid of the formality proactively, I was making a point about my networking skills.

Some of the key questions:
1. Why do you want to do an MBA now, and why McCombs?
Clichéd, and oft-exploited. Did a convincing job.

2. What do you want to do post-MBA?
Another expected one. Told him clearly that I intend to stay put in IT, and take up higher roles involving organizational management, rather than just a micro-level project management role that I currently do. Also told him about my entrepreneurial intentions.

3. Questions about my co-curriculars, sports, cricket, and about the charity activities that I had mentioned in my resume. He specifically asked me about each charity activity that I had mentioned, and I described them in lurid detail, and he seemed impressed (I hope).

4. How long have I been in the US, where, why etc.

5. One instance from my professional life where I have turned around a project with my leadership skill.

6. Have I worked in a team environment, and my view on teamwork?
I waxed eloquent on this one, since I have been leading teams for 3 years now.

7. Why a US B-school, and why not Western Europe or any other place? Is it because I work for an American company?
I told him about the education standards in US being the best in the whole world, with some of the best institutions operating out of the country. And I want to associate myself with the best and hence US.

Then there were some questions from my side about the loan options at McCombs, and why they don’t have a facility for loan without co-signor requirements. Also, asked about study groups, Venture Fellows at McCombs, Job opportunities on campus etc.

Finally, we exchanged thank you's and he wished me the best, irrespective of "whether I come to McCombs or join some other B-School".
That last statement left me bewildered.

Results will be out in 2 weeks time, but funnily though, I am neither overjoyed with optimism, nor sulking in pessimism. The UNC fiasco has sobered me down so much that now, I don’t take myself too seriously, and would rather let others judge me.

Foolish Optimism has made way for a more Pragmatic self-assessment.