Ross Admissions Director Blog

Clarification on Pilot Group Interviews

We've been getting many questions and hearing misperceptions about the pilot group interview process so I thought I'd clear some things up. The primary purpose of the group interview is not to gauge English-speaking skills. Rather, the primary purpose is to evaluate candidates' interpersonal skills, how they engage with others, how well they work in groups, and their creativity. All of these are skills that are central to the Ross MBA experience, so we wanted to create a setting in which we could observe and evaluate those skills. We also wanted to expose candidates to the concept of group work as much of the work done in the Ross MBA program is in groups, e.g., MAP projects. 

We are in the process of planning the logistics for a similar group interview pilot on-campus. Candidates will be notified in advance if they are selected to participate in the on-campus pilot. Again, this will be in addition to the standard one-on-one admissions interview. 

Wave 2 interview invitations will go out on Monday, February 4. 

Round 2 News - Pilot Group Interview Process

Happy new year! It's definitely a happy one for us as we got Round 1 decisions and calls out before the holidays, and we can start the new year focused on Round 2.

The first wave of Round 2 interview invitations will go out on Thursday, January 10. One of the things that the team and I are working on this week is a pilot for a supplemental interview process designed to give us further insight into candidates' fit with our learning community. Because of the highly interactive and team-based nature of our classes, we're seeking to assess applicants' ability to communicate in a group setting and work with others.

The pilots will be conducted in Beijing and Shanghai, and I'll be in China on January 26th and 27th to facilitate both sessions. We plan to have current students and alumni participate as well. We're inviting candidates to attend this supplemental interview based on geography, so read your interview invitation carefully for more details. 

The group interview, while not a requirement for admission, is highly recommended. Candidates who are invited to interview in those cities will still be required to conduct a standard, one-on-one interview with an alumni or current student interviewer. (I imagine applicants outside of those areas will be breathing a sigh of relief at only having to do one interview....) As in the past, candidates will have a few options to complete their interview requirement - on-campus or via Skype with a member of our Admissions Student Committee or off-campus with a Ross MBA alumnus in your area. While we personally love to have candidates visit us in Ann Arbor, you should choose the option that works best for you as both options are considered equal in the eyes of the Admissions Committee.

We're looking forward to getting to know candidates in Beijing and Shanghai on a more personal level through this pilot group interview process.