Contact Vince

See http://vinceprep.com for information about Vince's services.

I provide the most intensive, effective MBA interview preparation service in the world. My interview coaching clients get results because I help them figure out what to say (logical content), and how to say it (impressive delivery).

LOGICAL CONTENT
I teach some of the world's top engineers and scientists at The University of Tokyo how to present their ideas on paper and in person.

IMPRESSIVE DELIVERY
I am a professional stage actor who has performed with The American Shakespeare Center.
At Stanford, I studied improv theatre with Patricia Ryan Madson, who has taught everyone from college students to Silicon Valley executives from companies like Google how to tell believable stories.

I provide one-hour mock interview sessions with feedback. I also provide extended multi-hour training. We begin with an initial diagnostic mock interview, which helps me determine your strengths and weaknesses. In subsequent sessions, we can work on strategy, answer modeling, and mock interviewing.

For Vince's latest tips, plus service details, please go here. Then, please contact Vince when you are ready to start your preparation.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Behavioral Event-Based Interviews (BEI)

Behavioral Event-Based Interviews (BEI) 

What is BEI?

In the 1980’s, industrial psychologist Dr. Tom Janz introduced a method of interviewing called the “Behavioral Interview.” Research shows that this interviewing style is extremely effective, and MBA adcoms have started using it in interviews as well as essay questions, first at MIT and now, to a lesser extent, Wharton, Stanford, and other programs (depending on the interviewer).

Why do adcoms (and some alumni) use BEI?

The premise is that the best predictor of future behavior is your past behavior. In a behavioral interview you will have to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and abilities, collectively known as competencies, by giving specific examples from your past experiences. Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation, the interviewer will ask you to describe how you did behave. Expect the interviewer to question and probe you for more details about what you thought, felt, said and did. Also, your interviewer will not allow you to theorize or generalize about several events.

How can you prepare for a Behavioral Event-Based Interview?

During a behavioral interview, always listen carefully to the question, ask for clarification if necessary, and make sure you answer the question completely. Your answer should contain these four steps (Situation, Task, Action, Result or "STAR") for optimum success. http://web.mit.edu/career/www/guide/star.html
  1. Situation: give an example of a situation you were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome
  2. Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation
  3. Action: talk about the various actions involved in the situation’s task
  4. Results: what results directly followed because of your actions
Whenever you can, quantify your results. Numbers illustrate your level of authority and responsibility. For example: "I was a shift supervisor." could be "As Shift Supervisor, I trained and evaluated 4 employees."

Example of a STAR Answer
  1. Situation: During my internship last summer, I was responsible for managing various events.
  2. Task: I noticed that attendance at these events had dropped by 30% over the past 3 years and wanted to do something to improve these numbers.
  3. Action: I designed a new promotional packet to go out to the local community businesses. I also included a rating sheet to collect feedback on our events and organized internal round table discussions to raise awareness of the issue with our employees.
  4. Result: We utilized some of the wonderful ideas we received from the community, made our internal systems more efficient and visible and raised attendance by 18% the first year.
Behavioral Interview Example

Question: “Describe a situation where you have had to deal with a difficult person.”

Answer: “I was transferred to a new project at my previous company to replace a beloved member of the team. My new team leader exhibited hostility towards me and I found myself left out of vital communications and meetings. After a few weeks, I was able to talk her into a one on one meeting. When laid out all of the key objectives for the team, the previous employees role in meeting those objectives, and then discussed goals that I could set to make sure I was able to serve as a quality replacement. In our discussion, we also identified a few underlying issues with management that she had been carrying around with her. In uncovering all of these sentiments, she was able to clearly define her situation and achieve an understanding with her supervisors. In the end, the entire team morale improved, I was able to exceed my goals and the company itself became more profitable from our teams increased performance.”

Follow-up questions will test for consistency and determine if you exhibited the desired behavior in that situation:
  • "Can you give me an example?"
  • "What did you do?"
  • "What did you say?"
  • "What were you thinking?"
  • "How did you feel?
  • "What was your role?"
  • "What was the result?"

MOST COMMON BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTION TYPES 
by CATEGORY

Teamwork
  • Tell us about a time that you had to work on a team that did not get along. What happened? What role did you take? What was the result? Based on that example, what would you do if your MBA study team members were not getting along with each other? 
  • How do you resolve conflict on a team.
  • Tell me about a time when you experienced cultural conflict and how you handled it.
  • What role do you typically play in teams? 
  • Tell me about a time when you contributed to a team.
  • What has been your most difficult teamwork experience?  
  • Describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or help others to compromise. What was your role? What steps did you take? What was the end result?
  • Describe a team experience you found disappointing. What would you have done to prevent this?
  • Tell me about a time when you resolved a conflict in a group.
  • Tell us about the most difficult challenge you faced in trying to work cooperatively with someone who did not share the same ideas? What was your role in achieving the work objective?
  • What is the difficult part of being a member, not leader, of a team? How did you handle this?
  • When is the last time you had a disagreement with a peer? How did you resolve the situation?
  • Tell us about the most difficult or frustrating individual that you’ve ever had to work with, and how you managed to work with them.
  • Have you ever been a member of a group where two of the members did not work well together? What did you do to get them to do so?
  • What is the toughest group that you have had to get cooperation from? Describe how you handled it. What was the outcome?

Leadership
  • What is your leadership style? Give me an example of a time when you displayed that leadership style.
  • Tell me your definition of leadership and give an example.
  • Tell me about a time when you exercised leadership.
  • Tell me about a time when you took initiative.
  • Tell me about a time when you introduced an innovation.
  • Tell me about a time when you solved an important problem.
  • Tell me about a time when you took a position different from the consensus view of your team / organization.
  • How do you show leadership outside of your job?
  • What leadership areas do you wish do develop through your MBA experience? What specifically do you plan to do at School X to develop in these ways?
  • Describe your leadership style and give an example of a situation when you successfully led a group.
  • Have you ever been in a position where you had to lead a group of peers? How did you handle it?
  • Give an example of a time in which you felt you were able to build motivation in your co-workers or subordinates at work.

Accomplishments
  • What is your greatest accomplishment? 
  • What impact have your accomplishments had on your organization?

Failure
  • Have you ever failed?
  • How did you recover from this experience & what did you learn about yourself?
  • When have you faced a setback and how did you deal with it?
  • What has been your major work related disappointment? What happened and what did you do?

Ethics / Integrity
  • Discuss an ethical dilemma you faced at work.
  • Describe a situation where your values, ethics, or morals were challenged. How did you handle the situation? What did you learn about yourself?
Information pulled from various public sources including:

Watch a behavioral interview here

--
END

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

OTHER TOPICS for BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS

Adaptability
  • Describe a major change that occurred in a job that you held. How did you adapt to this change?
  • Tell us about a situation in which you had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How did you handle it?
  • Tell us about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation.
Communication strengths and weaknesses
  • Describe a situation when you were able to strengthen a relationship by communicating effectively. What made your communication effective?
  • Describe a situation where you felt you had not communicated well. How did you correct the situation?
  • Describe a time when you were able to effectively communicate a difficult or unpleasant idea to a superior.
  • Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person, even when that individual may not have personally liked you, or vice versa.
  • How do you go about explaining a complex technical problem to a person who does not understand technical jargon? What approach do you take in communicating with people?
  • Tell us about a time when you had to present complex information. How did you ensure that the other person understood?
  • Tell us about an experience in which you had to speak up in order to be sure that other people knew what you thought or felt.

Detail-Oriented (vs. Big-Picture)
  • Describe a situation where you had the option to leave the details to others or you could take care of them yourself.
  • Do prefer to work with the “big picture” or the “details” of a situation? Give me an example of an experience that illustrates your preference.
Diversity
  • Tell us about a time that you successfully adapted to a culturally different environment.
  • Tell us about a time when you had to adapt to a wide variety of people by accepting/understanding their perspective.
  • Tell us about a time when you made an intentional effort to get to know someone from another culture.
Initiative
  • Give me an example of when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
  • Give me examples of projects/tasks you started on your own.
Persuasion
  • Describe a situation in which you were able to positively influence the actions of others in a desired direction.
  • Describe a situation where you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
  • Have you ever had to persuade a peer or manager to accept an idea that you knew they would not like? Describe the resistance you met and how you overcame it.
Problem Solving
  • Describe the most difficult working relationship you’ve had with an individual. What specific actions did you take to improve the relationship? What was the outcome?
  • Give me an example of a situation where you had difficulties with a team member. What, if anything, did you do to resolve the difficulties?
Complete List of Behavioral Interview Questions:

Sunday, September 26, 2010

FAQ

FAQ about the interview process

Past students who took Vince's Interview Intensive Seminar asked the following questions:

Applicant's Q: My friend was invited to interview before me. Does that mean I have less change of being admitted than him?
Vince's A: No. Schools say, "Since we review applications within each round in random order, there is no significance to the date on which you may receive an interview invitation."

Applicant's Q: How do I reply to unexpected questions when I don't come up with good answer after several seconds?
Vince's A: Practice BEI

Applicant's Q: How to make a strong first impression and speak concisely?
Vince's A: Practice! Some of my clients use online services like "RareJob" to reinforce lessons learned from our mock training sessions. Do anything and everything that will help you make steady progress.

Applicant's Q: My biggest concern is how to fully convey my humorous, cheerful and energetic character in an interview. I believe that my attractiveness is a foundation of my leadership skill, and leads to relationship ability. All my essays are based on this belief. However, once interview starts, I become too concentrated my answers to show my attractiveness, turning into a frown. I wish I could include a few good jokes.
Vince's A: If you are more comfortable "being yourself" in Japanese, you might benefit from choosing to interview with alumni (rather than adcom staff or a student adcom member). Not every school gives that option. Kellogg does. Past clients have told me: Six of my comprehensive clients were admitted to Kellogg Class of 2011. Three interviewed on campus, while the other three chose to interview with alumni in Tokyo...

Applicant's Q: How can I leave strong impression while expressing in a simple way? (in other words, how to show my insights while avoiding confusing explanation.)
Vince's A: Practice using STAR / PAR, or other simple storytelling templates that clearly distinguish a beginning, middle, and end of your example.

Applicant's Q: How to prepare for unexpected questions?
Vince's A: Practice creating quick five-sentence answers to typical BEI-stylematrix of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can clearly state the main point of each story you tell. We will practice this at the class and in our one-to-one training sessions. questions. More importantly, create a

Applicant's Q: How to make the interview fun?
Vince's A: This sounds like a cliche, but just be yourself! As in any conversation with a stranger you hope to impress, start with an "ice breaker". If interviewing with Japanese alumni, feel free to establish the kind of mood you would want to create with a (new) potential business partner. If a current student or adcoms, be sure to smile, look for chances to create an upbeat atmosphere. Most of all, find a way to stay relaxed so that your natural instincts and interpersonal skills can guide you to success. Not to repeat myself, but this comes from practice. Interviewing is like stage acting. You have to master your mind, body, and emotions so that you can connect your logical answers and passionate feelings to create a winning impression.

Applicant's Q: What kind on question should I NOT ask adcoms?
Vince's A: Avoid asking for information you could find online. Read more advice here

Applicant's Q: How do I fill the silence while I am thinking of my answer to a new / unexpected question?
Vince's A: By talking. Use phrases like: "Well, let me think. (slight pause). That is an interesting question (slight pause). I never really thought about it (slight pause). But to answer your question, I guess I would have to say... (WHATEVER YOU CAN!)"
Another strategy (to use sparingly lest your interviewer should doubt your listening skills): Confirm the question. Ask the interview to clarify. For example, if you had not considered how you plan to contribute to School X (bad example, but please bear with me here...), you might say "Are you asking how I plan to contribute in the classroom, or in extracurricular activities?"
As your interviewer listens and responds to your question, you have a few more seconds to formulate your answer. This strategy is especially effective when interviewing on the phone. Try this with your counselor to master the art of "buying time" while avoiding awkward silences and long non-verbal "ummmm" noises.

Applicant's Q: How do I avoid giving too much background information?
Vince's A: Confirm your listeners knowledge of the subject. Just ask something like "how much do you know about the hotel business?" Your interviewer will likely say something like, "well, I know some names of major players, and I am sure I don't know everything, but I do understand ..."
This might seem strange, but I can help you practice how to do this naturally (usually a matter of timing). If your interviewer already knows certain basic information, you can skip to the details of your story without summarizing too much background information. This type of "level check" is very natural in everyday conversation, and there are ways to do this at an interview w/o making you or your listener uncomfortable.

Applicant's Q: I am not sure how to answer open-ended questions such as "What would you do if you had 30 free days?" or "If you could invite any five people, living or dead, to dinner at your home tonight, who would you invite and why?"
Vince's A: First, identify your strengths (link). Then, pick examples of those strengths. Find the right opportunity to show your "selling points".
Applicant's Q: Failure/contribution/ethical dilemma questions scare me. How should I prepare for them?

Applicant's Q: How do I answer questions about my weaknesses? How can I take advantage of this question? I think that it is not wise strategy to tell the truth, because an interviewer is not my counselor. I admit several weaknesses, such as impatience and a tendency of being dogmatic. The interviewer will feel that I am a less team player. On the other hand, an interviewer expects my self-assessment ability and self-management skill. I well manage these my shortcomings in my office, so my colleagues and supervisors never mention my negatives as I analyze.
Vince's A: Please read my post (including Adam's advice)

Applicant's Q: "What other schools are you applying?" In many cases, I have tried to clearly differentiate "school X" from others when answering "why this school?" And then, I have to answer the question "any other school? " referring common points of these schools. It becomes rather illogical or incoherent. I have to find a way both to mention a common character of those schools and to prioritize them at the same time. It is a very tough question for me.
Vince's A: This is a big issue. Please take my class!

Applicant's Q: What is the difference between leadership and teamwork? Why does my interviewer ask about both.
Vince's A: I love this question. In my opinion, an interviewer asks teamwork-related questions to gauge your future behavior in MBA study groups and project teams. She asks about leadership to test your potential to achieve your stated goals.

Applicant's Q: I am not sure how to answer questions about "leading a team in my company." Because size of my company is small, and most projects are conducted by one or two members.
Vince's A: Try to emphasize your ability to influence others to achieve a positive outcome. If you can demonstrate your ability to lead small groups, and identify your core strengths that made it possible, your interviewer will believe you have the capacity to lead bigger teams in the future.

What books do you read now? I have not recently read books for professional or for fun. Should I talk about the book I read before?
Vince's A: Yes!

Applicant's Q: A counselor told me I should write an "interview script". Do you think this is a good way to prepare.
Vince's A: Just like a professional actor (which Vince used to be), you must get beyond scripts to convey believable answers. Therefore, Vince recommends that you write outlines, not full scripts.
Since 2002, I have seen too many clients waste time writing word-perfect scripts that they memorize. You will reach a point of diminishing returns. After making an outline, you should spend time speaking, not writing.

Applicant's Q: Are there any disadvantages of interview with alumnis in comparison with interviews with ad-coms on campus?
Vince's A: It depends on the school. Please ask Vince for case-by-case advice. In general, you should interview where you can make the greatest impact. If you are not ready to speak to adcoms (staff or student adcom members), start with alumni.

Applicant's Q: Can I use visual aids to support oral communication at the interview? I have heard some schools limit those materials.
Vince's A: Prepare if you wish. Have in your briefcase. Ask if they want to see it. If not, let it go. Do not hide behind a PowerPoint. Some schools (HEC) want to see a presentation. Otherwise, you can create and bring one if it makes you feel more comfortable, but do not plan on being able to show it.

Applicant's Q: I have not been able to visit some of my target schools. In that case, how can I still impress interviewer about my aspiration to the school?
Vince's A: Talk about the people you have met. Show how they influenced your thinking.

Applicant's Q: How should I dress for the interview / what to wear?
Vince's A: Dress to impress! First impressions do matter. Wear business attire on campus or with adcoms in Tokyo. Bottom line: wear what will make you comfortable, allow you to forget about your clothes, and focus on having an enjoyable but focused conversation. For another perspective, please read ClearAdmit's Admissions Tip: Interview Etiquette

Applicant's Q: Should I bring my business card?
Vince's A: Have it with you but only reciprocate (you give yours if they give theirs). If interviewing with Japanese alumni, I suggest you follow Japanese protocol.

Applicant's Q: Should I bring my resume?
Vince's A: Yes! Great excuse to highlight a recent achievement (something great you have done since applying). Give the recommender your most recent resume and use it to segue into a brief description of your recent promotion, project, personal achievement, etc. If on campus, have multiple copies with you at all times, but only present it if asked.

Applicant's Q: Can I bring or send a small "thank you" gift?
Vince's A: Not appropriate.

Applicant's Q: Should I send a "thank you"letter or email?
Vince's A: Yes! Snail mail is a nice touch, but even just a short email is appreciated. (add a few samples) Keep it brief but remind them of "something fun" you discussed.

Applicant's Q: Due to my work conflict, I have to interview over the phone. How should I prepare?
Vince's A: After completing a few face-to-face interview training sessions with a veteran admissions counselor (or trusted friend who works in an HR-related field), I encourage you to practice for a phone interview over the phone (or Skype). Here are some tips for phone interviews.

Applicant's Q: My counselor told me my body language was bad, but I am not sure what she meant. How do I improve?
Vince's A: First, read this post. Then, practice at home in front of a mirror. Finally, come back and get another opinion from the same or a different counselor. This is important!

Applicant's Q: Should I tell jokes / try to be funny?
Vince's A: Risky. If you feel comfortable with alumni or current student interviewers, you might try. With adcoms, be careful. Treat it like a job interviewer. Would you crack jokes with a hiring director? At the same time, feel free to smile to show that you are kind and confident.

Applicant's Q: Where can I read more about interview strategy?
Vince's A: Here are my best interview-related links. Use them well!


 

-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

  • I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide

  • If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com

  • Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me

  • I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you

  • My interview service details and fees are here

  • Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training
 

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Zoom Interviews?

I recently came across this website that seems to provide sample interview prompts asked and answered by current students at top schools.
While I cannot necessarily endorse the site as an investment, I encourage you to take a look around and see for yourself. 

Here is a sample




Plus one more



And here is some good advice





Sunday, September 19, 2010

Surprise me

FINAL Topic:
 
Sometimes the interviewer will say, "Anything else?” This is your chance to tell share one of your selling points that you have not already covered. Depending on what you have (and have NOT) been talking about already, you may want to tell them something about your academic, personal or professional background. Or, if you feel they are not fully convinced that their school is indeed your top choice and you have one more great reason you failed to mention previously, this could be the time to tell them.
  • What else should the admissions committee know about you?
  • Have I asked you everything? What question did I miss that you wish I had asked?
  • What do you want to discuss that we haven't covered already?
  • What else would you like to say in support of your candidacy?
TIP: Think of this as the encore at a musical concert. Pick a story that will leave your interviewer with a strong impression about you. You need to give them that last piece (or "greatest hit") that they came expecting to hear but have not heard yet. You have to think on your feet! We will cover some strategies to help you prepare to handle this situation with poise and professionalism.
NOTE: Be sure you give your answer proper context. Why you are telling them what you are telling them?
Also, be sure to chose a topic that is different from other areas you already covered. Remember MECE: http://delicious.com/admissions/mece
FINAL NOTE: If you cannot think of anything new to add, it might be acceptable to say something like, "Nothing immediately comes to mind. We had the opportunity to discuss my strengths and areas for development, which is what any prepared candidate could ask for. I’d like to re-emphasize how much I’ve grown as a result of the process and I feel confident that this school will be a great fit for me."    
--
END

Top of blog

Friday, September 17, 2010

MirrorMethod

Vince's "Mirror Method" to practice your interview answers at home

Interviewing is physical. Do not prepare by writing. Instead, talk ... to yourself. Here's how.

Although I majored in History (US emphasis) at Stanford, I took more acting classes than history classes. My professor was Patricia Ryan (here is her bestselling book). 

She taught me how to use the mirror to prepare for challenging roles.

I have modified her method to help you pass your MBA interviews:

Supplies needed:
  • "post-it" notes
  • your interview outlines (see this post for my tips on how to create them - any questions asked by two or more of your target schools)
  • a mirror
  • a timer set to two minutes (or 90 seconds if you are feeling bold!)
How to Talk to Yourself
aka Free Interview Training
  1. Write the "Core21" most common questions on post-it notes
  2. Assemble the notes on the mirror in random order (different every time)
  3. Go through the answers one by one 
  4. Keep eye contact (with yourself!) as you talk
  5. Start the timer as you begin speaking
  6. Try not to look at any notes
  7. Give your answer
  8. Ask yourself "why" and "how" whenever appropriate
  9. Never talk for more than two minutes without a pause / breath to give "your interviewer" (you!) a moment to ask a natural follow-up question 
  10. Every time you practice, make sure to ask yourself your core questions in a different order. Reason: my cognitive science professor at NYU (link) taught us that human memory built through repetition in random order (probably similar to the way you frequently reshuffled your kanji flashcards as a primary school student).


--
END

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Columbia Interview

Frequency Analysis 
of Columbia Business School 
Interview Questions 


Based on a sampling of interviews conducted with Japan-based applicants
1 Question #
2 Walk me through your resume. 6
3 What are your goals?   5
4 Why MBA? 10
5 Why now? 2
6 Why Columbia? What makes Columbia different for you? 14
7 What other schools are you applying to? 7
8 What kind of specific lectures/fields are you interested in? 2
9 What are your contributions to Columbia? 3
10 Tell me about one signficant leadership experience. 2
11 Describe "leadership" for you with 3 key words. 2
12 Tell me your 3 strengths and weaknesses 2
13 Tell me your story of ethical dilemma and what kind of lessons you learned. 3
14 Is there any other thing you want to add? 2
15 Any questions? 6






Columbia Interview Reports

2009 Regular Decision Round admit in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni 
client applied at Jan. deadline, 
invited March 3
interviewed March 10
admitted March 12!

My Columbia interview was okay, I think.
What was different was that he spoke to me really really fast and he often asked questions in the middle of my answer.
He talked about his experience as well. I would say he spoke during 20% of the interview time.


Also he wanted to know a lot about where else I was applying to. I knew he would ask me because it's Columbia, but I did not expect he would ask me so much. But I believe I could get my message across about Why Columbia.




2008 Early Decision admit in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni

1) The questions were pretty standard.  

The 2 I remember were the ethics questions (standard for CBS)
and
"What was the most surprising/out of character thing you have ever done in your life, that others would be surprised to hear about" 








2008 Regular Decision Round in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni

Columbia Business School, Regular Decision Ambassador Interview log
2009/01/29 1630-1750, Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
Alumni

Interview Style: friendly, 
30% English 
70% Japanese

Firstly we talked in Japanese on a common economist we had known. He mentioned it has been quite a while ago when he last volunteered for an interviewer, and it took him about 3 minutes after we sat for his preparation before he made the first question. He seemed to have had the entire set of application materials.



Questions Asked
(In English)
Please talk about the time you observed someone conducting an unethical action, how did you react, and what was the result. What would you do if given another chance (he mentioned "this is a question I was asked to by Admission's office")
A
lthough you are a researcher, why MBA?
 
What do you think about American Capitalism, after this financial crisis? Columbia is one of the schools which had produced greedy bankers, but why are you still interested?
 
Do you think financial regulation should be stricter in the future?
(In Japanese)
 
Why Columbia? What makes Columbia different for you?
 
Please tell me how sponsored applicants make school choices in your company (which he said was totally from his curiosity).
 
What kind of specific lectures/fields are you interested in?











There were no specific opportunities for me to make questions, but he explained me of his time at CBS. 



Also, I made sporadic questions during our conversations. 




2008 Early Decision in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni


Columbia (blind/business-like)
Interviewer: Japanese Alumnus
30% English 70% Japanese
Time: 45 minutes
Questions asked
  •  Tell me your career background and what made you think MBA
  •  What is the difference between your current career and future goal? (in terms of knowledge/skills/experiences, etc)
  •  How Columbia will contribute to your future plan?
  •  Why Columbia?
  •  What are your contributions to Columbia?
  •  Which class or professor at Columbia are you interested in?
  •  What extracurricular activities at Columbia are you interested in and how will you contribute to those activities?
  •  Have you ever participated in any volunteer activities?
  •  Tell me your story of ethical dilemma and what kind of lessons you learned?
  •  Other things you want to say to Adcoms
  •  Q and A



 

-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

  • I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide

  • If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com

  • Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me

  • I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you

  • My interview service details and fees are here

  • Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training