Meet Wake Forest's Admissions Director
An excerpt from the Q&A:

Q: In 2003, your office interviewed 68% of the applicants it accepted. Why not 100%, as most other B-schools do?
A: We changed our interview policy for the class enrolling in August, 2004: We interview all of our domestic applicants, while interviews for international applicants are by invitation only.

Q: Would you share an example of a terrible interview?
A: Candidates who are late, [wear] wrinkled [clothing], and are unable to effectively express their interest in Wake Forest and their MBA aspirations make for less-than-ideal interviews. Those who tell us they're only here because their dad thinks they need an MBA make for disastrous experiences.

Q: A lot of applicants fret over the perfect balance between saying positive things about themselves and showing self-awareness by pointing out their weaknesses. What's the right balance?
A: Honesty goes a long way. Candidates know the truths about themselves, and we know no one is perfect.

For the full version of this Q&A

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Comments from Student 1:
Most of my student interviews were with associate or assistant program directors. NC State: Rhyanne Douberly, Assistant Director
Wake Forest: Stacy Poindexter, Associate Director
Georgia Tech: Paula Wilson, Assistant Director
University of Georgia: Ann Cooper, Director of MBA Admissions

The general interview process for all four schools was almost completely identical: First you need to schedule your interview over the phone. Contact information is located in the application form. The only exception to the four schools mentioned above is NC State, which is selective in their interview process and will contact students to schedule interviews.

On the day of your interview, you will begin by meeting with the MBA program director or assistant director in the MBA program office. Then, you are allowed to visit a class with a student. The student will allow you to sit through class with them and try not to get too embarrased if the professor introduces you to the rest of the class. At the end of class, you are usually given a couple of minutes to talk to the professor or can go directly to lunch or dinner and hang out with the student. (In my opinion, meeting with students was the best part of the process because students can answer questions about student life and what to expect from the program.)

Commonly asked admissions questions:
-Can you tell me about this experience noted on your resume? (Be prepared to go through your resume in the interview)
-Why do you want to attend this program?
-What are your career goals?
-What activities do you enjoy outside of work?
-Are you interested in pursuing a career in high technology? This is key at NC State--Your answer to this question should be yes, and it helps if you have a background in technology. [The school's program is totally unique in that it has a heavy focus on technology. Many schools offer general MBAs, but more and more programs are considering to offer more specialized degrees like this one because the market is beginning to demand it. To use an analogy, it is kind of like what physicians do to get their degress. Physicians can choose to be a general practioner (i.e., a Harvard MBA) or become more specialized like a Neurosurgeon (i.e., NC State).]

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Comments from Student 2:
Location: Winston Salem, North Carolina
Date: November 25, 2002
Interviewer: Stacy Poindexter

Impression: Stacy did not seem to have a list of questions for me. Instead, she seemed to enjoy the free form interview, and she seemed most inclined to hear my questions. She did comment that my resume seemed to reveal that I was a job-hopper. She said this, and seemed to recant a bit. Although she was very nice, I did not feel at ease. I sought to ask open-ended questions, which she seemed to answer in ways I found unpredictable; it was as though my questions became yes/no questions, when they had not.