Perhaps the most feared and intimidating interview in MBA admissions is the one at Harvard Business School. That’s true for several reasons.

First, unlike student or alumni-led interviews, where the interviewer reviews your resume as you hand it to them, the HBS Admissions Committee comes dangerously prepared. The night before they carefully review each resume, looking for inconsistent themes, odd career transitions, vaguery to clear up, and anything they happen to find interesting. They then write up a list of pointed questions and prepare to deliver them rapid fire over the course of their 30 minutes with you.

Second, the interview is a meta-test. They want to see how you look and sound under pressure and if you will be able to hold your own in the heat of a case discussion classroom.

Third is the professionalism of the experience. You’re interviewing at The Harvard Business School and everything from the vaulted ceilings to the precise schedules will make you feel like it.

Educational Background

• I see you got [achievement in undergrad]. Where did you get your great work ethic? Was it innate or learned?

• What did you learn in undergrad that you liked and still use?’

• What was missing from your [degree]?

Company Questions

• How is your current company currently winning in the market?

• What could they be doing better? 

• What function does [your group] play for the firm?

• What do you think is keeping your CEO up at night?

• What do you think the CEO could do to prevent that?

• Do any firms do that?

• Tell me about the investment thesis of your PE fund.

Professional Performance

• What is an example of a deal where you delivered [kind of insights we were discussing]?

• What has made you successful at your job? (e.g. promoted early) 

• How do you deliver insights to the client beyond the basics? 

• Tell me about a time when the data pointed in one direction and you decided to make a recommendation that went in the other direction.

Industry Knowledge

• Who is your company really competing against? Just other [obvious group of competitors]?

• How can they continue to compete effectively? 

• What is [this kind of company you invest in]? Tell me something about the [industry of that company]? 

• For a management consultant: What’s something else you learned from a company you were exposed to through work?

• What do you mean by [basic industry jargon]?

• Explain that concept to me as if I am 10 years old.

Personal / Leadership Style

• What’s a piece of feedback you got from a superior? How are you working on that now?

• What kind of leader are you?

• When did your interest in [thing from personal section of resume] start?

• How does [specific experience from childhood covered in personal essay] influence your work and perspective today?

Future Interests

• What company do you admire in [desired post-MBA field]? 

• What about [ethical challenges in that company/ industry]?

• Why do you need an MBA to make that transition?

• What is something [a company you admire] could do better? 

• Have you visited HBS before?

• How do you hope to grow at HBS?

• What do you hope to do after business school?

• What else do you wish we talked about?