From Quora, the OP asked the following question:
What are some common questions asked in HBS interviews? Or questions you were asked.
Tyler Cormney, MBA admissions consultant since 2006, had this top voted answer:
The first thing you need to know about an HBS interview is that, in almost all cases, you will be interviewed by a member of the admissions board who has read your entire application. This is somewhat unusual in the world of MBA admissions because many business schools utilize alumni and student interviewers who have seen your resume but have not seen your complete application.
In a Harvard Business School interview, you may indeed be asked some of the classic MBA interview questions, such as:
1. Why are you seeking an MBA?
2. What is your career vision?
3. What will you contribute to the MBA community?
4. Describe a typical day at work.Behavioral interview questions are also common. These questions require you to tell a story and relate what you thought, felt, said, and did (i.e., how you behaved) in a particular situation. An example is: Tell me about a mistake you made and what you learned from it.
However, the most challenging thing about an HBS admissions interview is that there are not many common questions. Instead, you will also be asked probing questions that derive from the admissions board's review of your application. The only way to prepare for these questions is to carefully review your application through the eyes of an HBS admissions committee member and think about what questions you might be asked. Are there any gaps in your story that need to be filled in? Did you make claims about strengths or qualities that might prompt a request for further examples? Do any of your stories or resume bullet points have an open ending about which the board might want an update?
The HBS interviewer may also test your ability to think on your feet. Expect a number of "Why" questions asking you to illuminate your motivations and the rationale behind your actions. (Why did you change your major to Economics sophomore year?) These questions test your self-awareness as well as your ability to articulate your thought processes.
It is not uncommon in an HBS interview to have something you say challenged, in a respectful way, to see how you respond when asked to defend your ideas. HBS wants to make sure that your thinking and opinions can withstand scrutiny and that you have the maturity to have your beliefs challenged; those are key survival skills in the school's case study learning environment.
In reality, there are very few common questions asked at HBS interviews. Each Harvard Business School interview is tailor made for each applicant. To prepare for an HBS interview you must know thy application and "know thyself"
https://www.quora.com/Harvard-Business-School/What-are-some-common-ques…
