Great Lakes - PGPM & PGDM 2025
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 1st Dec 2024
For MBA admissions in top B-schools, the "Why MBA?" stands as an important question that candidates can expect from the interviewer. Candidates must prepare a well-developed answer expressing their motivations and aspirations, demonstrating to the interviewer their genuine passion for pursuing this degree. While seemingly straightforward, this question demands a thoughtful response that reflects a genuine understanding of one's career path. In this article, we will provide candidates with tips on how to craft an impactful answer to the “Why an MBA” interview question.
Also Read: Top Personal Interview (PI) Questions for MBA Admission 2023
Interviewers want to ensure that you're pursuing an MBA with a clear purpose. It's not just about education, but about how this degree will move your career forward.
Adapting your answer to align with the institution's values can leave a powerful impression. Candidates must know why they want to pursue this course and how it will help them achieve their future goals. Below are a few steps on how one can prepare an answer to this question effectively.
Before appearing for an interview, try to practice a few general interview questions this will boost the confidence level of the candidate. One must list down the reasons why they want to pursue the MBA programme. Candidates should answer the questions honestly talking about their career aspirations, long-term career goals and ways in which this programme will help to fulfil them.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 1st Dec 2024
180+ Companies | Highest CTC 16 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
The nature of the "Why MBA?" question lies in understanding the reason why you are starting this educational journey. It is not merely about seeking knowledge, but rather about having a clear vision of your desired professional path in the future as well. The interviewer is keen on learning if your goals align with the values of their institution.
Also Read: MBA Personal Interview (PI) Preparation Tips by Expert
Candidates must convey their purpose of pursuing an MBA honestly and confidently stating several reasons to demonstrate a genuine interest. They can also share about any particular specialisation they want to pursue from any particular institute to be more specific. Stating the benefits of the skills gained from that specialisation and how it will contribute to their professional advancement can be highly impactful.
While there are universal reasons like networking opportunities and skill enhancement, it is important to combine your response with a personal touch. Consider aspects offered by the programme like:
Brand value of the B-school
Placement prospects
Experiential learning
Career advancement
Professional knowledge
Skill development
Candidates must give multiple reasons demonstrating to the interviewer a sincere passion for pursuing an MBA and a well-considered commitment to it.
When addressing the question of “why you wish to pursue an MBA” in personal interview, it is crucial to strike a balance. Candidate should offer enough information to provide a comprehensive response along with demonstrating their ability to stick to the key points making the response more precise and showcasing their communication skills. Candidates must speak with confidence and clarity at an appropriate pace to make it look more genuine and impactful. Moreover, remember that delivery matters just as much as the content. Maintaining a good upright posture or using physical gestures to express their enthusiasm will potentially enhance the delivery of their response.
After this, the interviewer may also ask a few follow-up questions which could be general or based on the answer given by the candidate. For example, they can ask candidates about the steps they have taken to familiarise themselves with the institute’s MBA program, their intent to maintain their current employment while pursuing MBA, or the factors that led them to choose any particular institute over other admission offered to them.
Also Read: Top Questions to prepare for Personal Interview rounds
Be Genuine: Authenticity is crucial. The candidate’s answer should reflect their true aspirations, as interviewers can sense their sincerity.
Keep it Concise: Time is valuable in interviews. Provide a clear and impactful response within a reasonable timeframe.
Harness the Power of Positivity: Maintain an optimistic perspective. Whether it is gaining management skills or broadening a candidate’s network, showcasing enthusiasm sets a constructive tone.
Make it Personal: Candidates must combine their choice to pursue an MBA with their individual experiences, motivations, and perspectives. They must tailor their response to align with the distinctive qualities of the business school.
Also Read: 10 Tips to Ace MBA Interview
"I'm driven to pursue an MBA to transition from the financial sector to operations management. With a strong liking for managerial roles, I believe this prestigious MBA programme will equip me with the academic knowledge and tools needed to achieve my goals."
"In my current role, I collaborate with clients on strategic projects. While I excel in operations and marketing management, I eagerly want a role where I can contribute to developing solutions. An MBA from your esteemed institution will empower me to work on long-term initiatives."
In a nutshell, the "Why MBA?" question is not just a question, but an opportunity to showcase your foresight and determination. By understanding its significance, combining your response with a personal flair, and adhering to these pro tips, you will be well-prepared to tackle this question with confidence. Remember, your journey toward an MBA is a reflection of your ambitions and your response should resonate with that strong sense of purpose.
Also Read: PI Tips: 8 keys to crack Personal Interview for B-school admission
Hello Greetings,
With a CAT 2024 score of 93.94 percentile, you can expect calls from newer IIMs like *IIM Udaipur*, *IIM Raipur*, and *IIM Kashipur*. These institutes have relatively lower cutoffs compared to the older IIMs. Additionally, you may also consider other top MBA colleges like *IIT Madras*, *IIT Roorkee*, or *IIT Kharagpur*, which offer MBA programs with slightly lower cut-offs. To get a better idea of your chances, you can use online CAT College Predictor tools, which estimate the probability of receiving interview calls from different IIMs and other top MBA colleges based on your CAT percentile and academic background .
Have a great day
Hi,
With a CAT 2024 score of 93.94 percentile, you have a good chance of getting calls from several prestigious IIMs. Here are some possibilities
IIMs:
- IIM Indore: 90 percentile (General Category)
- IIM Ahmedabad: 80 percentile (General Category)
- IIM Bangalore: 85 percentile (General Category)
- IIM Calcutta: 85 percentile (General Category)
- IIM Lucknow: 90 percentile (General Category)
- IIM Kozhikode: 85 percentile (General Category)
- IIM Shillong: Sectional Cutoffs
Other Top B-Schools:
- SPJIMR (S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research): 90-95 percentile
- MDI Gurgaon (Management Development Institute): 90-95 percentile
- XIME (Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship): 90-95 percentile
- FMS Delhi (Faculty of Management Studies): 95-99 percentile
- IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay: 90-99 percentile
These are general estimates and cutoffs can vary each year based on the difficulty of the exam and the number of applicants. It's always a good idea to check the official websites of these institutes for the most accurate and updated information.
Hello,
Given that you scored 93.94 percentile for CAT 2024, you should get interview calls from some of the newer and baby IIMs in Nagpur, IIM Amritsar, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, and IIM Jammu. The list will be pre- cut based on your academic profile, work experience, category, and performance in other criteria like WAT/PI.
In addition to IIMs, you may also consider the top B-schools like IMT Ghaziabad, XIM Bhubaneswar, TAPMI, Great Lakes Institute of Management, FORE School of Management, and KJ Somaiya. All these institutes have good placements and are known for quality management education.
Use the CAT college predictor to explore more of your options. This predicts colleges considering your score, profile, and category, and tools that provide a comprehensive list of institutes that you can consider applying for.
Hi,
Based on the previous year analysis, According to your CAT 2024 percentile you have chances to get call from some of the IIM including:
Some of the good colleges other than IIM in which you have chances to get a seat are the following
You can predict the colleges in which you have chance to get a seat for MBA course using the CAT 2024 college predictor tool.
Hope this information will help you
Based on your CAT and NMAT scores, here's a suggested preference order for the colleges you've applied to, keeping in mind that MBA Finance specializations often have specific cutoffs:
You must make considerations on specialization, placements, faculty, curriculum and campus life and go for the college that you believe suits you the best.
All the very best!
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Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024 | Application Deadline: 1st Dec 2024
180+ Companies | Highest CTC 16 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | Ranked as Platinum Institute by AICTE for 6 years in a row | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
Highest CTC: INR 28.25 LPA | Average for Top 100 offers: INR 17.34 LPA | Ranked #63 in India under Management category by NIRF | 148 Recruiters
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