At UVA Darden, the MBA interview rounds out the application process. While your application materials — short answer essays, resume, etc. — provide answers to a lot of the Admissions Committee’s “what” questions about your background and experiences, the 1-on-1 interview gets to the “why.”
Admissions Committee members Brett Twitty and Whitney Kestner share advice for a successful Darden interview in this 10-minute video/podcast episode. Watch or listen below!
What to Expect
The Darden interview is a conversational dialogue between the interviewer and prospective candidate, in which the interviewer has never read your application materials nor resume. Typically, the interview is approximately 45 minutes long and is designed to introduce us to your conversational skills and interpersonal dynamics. The interviewer is responsible for listening and answering follow-up questions and the candidate has a blank space to highlight most important aspects of your background and future goals.
Following the interview, the interviewer will submit an evaluation that is added to your application and is reviewed by several members of the Admissions Committee before a final decision on your admission decision is rendered.
Interview Preparation
We hope that your Darden interview will feel like a natural conversation; however, we know that you want to prepare! We recommend practicing your answers to the following questions out loud:
- Why have you made certain decisions up to this point in your academic and professional career?
- Describe your motivations for pursuing an MBA.
- Why are you interested in the Darden MBA program, specifically?
- What are your post-MBA career goals?
We encourage you to be intentional with your storytelling and expect follow-up questions. We look forward to meeting you!
“A great interview is a conversation where we’re both learning.”
Upcoming Application Deadlines
- Full-Time MBA:
- Round 2: 7 January 2026
- Round 3: 1 April 2026
- Part-Time MBA:
- 1 December 2025
- 2 February 2026
- Executive MBA:
- 10 November 2025
- 10 December 2025
