MBA admission 2014: Worrying about PI? Here are 5 tips to crack it

A personal interview (PI) can range from a fun filled chit-chat to an ‘electric-chair’ grilling session. However, most candidates admit that PI is a two-way discussion with plenty of room to lead the conversation in a desired direction. Often, PI is held immediately after the WAT (Written Ability Test) / Essay writing or Group Discussion (GD). Hence, interviewers may ask questions related to your performance in the previous exercise. Be wary of trick questions. At IIM Kozhikode, the panellists once asked an over-confident student, “How far is Kozhikode from Calicut?” Do you know the answer?

Overall, the key is to be your own self with some ingredients of preparation and knowing your CV/subject well. Here’s a couple of good website / links / forums on Personal Interviews at B-Schools:

1.       How to ace the MBA interview

Here are 10 tips by Forbes.com on how to ace the MBA Interview. Though this article is chiefly meant for applications to international schools, the tips hold true for any MBA applicant. Read more.

2.       Interview Questions

Once you get a GDPI call, ‘What to expect in the interview’ is the foremost concern. It is always better to know some questions that have candidates faced in the past. 

3.       Forum Talk

Watch this ongoing discussion thread for more tips on how to crack the PI. Click here.

4.       'I cracked the PI'

Read these real life accounts of students at various top schools talk about their PI experience:
MICA PI experience
FMS GDPI experience
IIM Ahmedabad PI experience
IIM Bangalore PI experience
ISB PI experience
IIM Shillong PI experience