The row about Wharton's new behavioral interview questions …

1. The row about Wharton's new
behavioral interview questions ...
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2. The row about Wharton's new behaviora
The row about Wharton's new behavioral
interview questions is mostly bullshit.
MBA Admissions Consultant | http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com

3. Wharton's new behavioral interview questions
Yes, I know my opinion is a little late on this one, but I just
wanted to provide an alternative POV to what I am
reading online.
Whether or not Wharton denied they were out in the wild
or rogue admissions consultants gamed the system or
2010 round one Wharton applicants were adversely
affected - is basically smoke and mirrors.
If some consultants went to the darkside, that is not cool.
I'm not condoning it.
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4. Wharton's new behavioral interview questions
However, it really has no effect on the point of the
interview process - to see if you present yourself in a
manner that tells the interviewer you won't embarrass
yourself or the school should you enter the pearly gates
of Wharton or any other top program.
In layman's terms - do you have all your teeth, form
complete sentences and chew with your mouth closed?
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5. Why is this?
Beyond face value, the new questions are not any
different from the old questions that Wharton put forth.
Seriously, they really are not.
Let's not pretend interview prep is some black art. The
only difference is that each question will provide the
opportunity for each applicant to include or leave out an
"appropriate" amount of information.
That is, the new format is slightly more of an exercise in
evaluating when an interviewee knows when to shut up.
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6. Let's get real, if an applicant prepares correctly, they will
have no problem answering the following questions - at
Wharton or at any other top MBA program.
Keep in mind, all schools pretty much as the same
questions.
MBA Admissions Consultant | http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com

7. The "new" "behavioral" interview questions at Wharton:
1.Tell me about a time when you worked in a group to
complete a task, which required you to consider the
opinions or feelings of others.
1. This is what I tell my clients.
2. This is a leadership question that asks you to detail a story.
3. Story answers always follow this (trademarked) format - SCARA -
Situation, Complication, Actions, Results, Applicability
4. Hint: Leadership action means that you are leading other people -
so you are in a team - being a good team leader requires
considering and reconciling opposing opinions.
5. Results are both quantitative and qualitative.
6. See if you can take your answer and loop it back to the school.
7. If you can't answer a question like this, with 3 to 4 examples, well
then, we wouldn't have applied to Wharton ...
MBA Admissions Consultant | http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com

8. 2. Describe a time when you contributed to a team that
didn't have a clear or appointed leader.
1. This is what I tell my clients. See the above. Just tweak to cover a
power vacuum where you stepped up.
2. Every decent applicant should have an answer to this for every
school. Think about it, chances are that you already answered this
question (correctly) in your essays. It's not rocket science.
2. Explain a time when your ideas were challenged,
when you had to defend your opinion and/or
approach.
1. This is what I tell my clients. See question number one above.
2. Mix this one up and provide an outside of work example - if
you have not done so already.
MBA Admissions Consultant | http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com

9. Before I get flamed, let's examine some old interview
questions from year's past:
1.How would you describe your leadership style?
1. Oh snap, this is basically question number 1.
2. A good answer here means providing an example. The
same example you could use for question number 1 above.
3. The only tweak I would make is to use a Pyramid format,
instead of SCARA format above.
2.How would your colleagues describe you if you left the
room?
MBA Admissions Consultant | http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com

10. 3. If you were the CEO of your company what would you
do differently?
1. Dizzamn, questions 2 and 3 here are remarkably similar to
the "new" "behavioral" Wharton question 2 above. You can't
fool me Wharton.
2. For question 2 here - your colleagues would describe you as
a leader who steps up to fill a power vacuum. Then they
would provide an example - an example very, very similar to
the one you would give in question 2 above.
3. For question 3 here - you would talk about stepping up as a
leader to make sure there was clear organization. Then you
would provide an example - an example very, very similar to
the one you would give in question 2 above.
3. Please give me an example in which you exemplified
leadership?
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11. 5. Please describe a team situation that did not work?
1. Questions 4 and 5 here can be answered by the example
provided in question 3 above.
TL:DR - The bottom line is that if you prepared correctly
for your interview, you know the questions are really
the same. All these "new" questions would require is
adjusting your approach slightly and perhaps on the
fly. In fact, all these questions have been online for
years.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Win - Wharton.
MBA Admissions Consultant | http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com

12. If you need help with determining your fit with Wharton
– either comprehensively or just stress testing your
essays to make sure they hit the mark –
email us at mba@amerasiaconsulting.com to
schedule a complimentary consultation.
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