The MIT Sloan Experience - Preamble

Now prepare yourself for a few paragraphs of surrealism too scripted to be true. This is my MIT Sloan interview experience.

Last week Wednesday, I was not a happy camper. I received an e-mail and follow-up call from work, which in short, required that I curtail my vacation and head back to Asia asap. Apparently our team managed to crack a potential client’s resistance, and we needed to sew up the contract within a week. While whining to anyone who would give me an audience, I prepared myself mentally and physically for my return trek with the disposition of a battered warrior. I consoled myself with the reassurance that I had not received any word from HBS or MIT Sloan anyway, and that my chances of admission to both programs were dwindling exponentially with each passing day.

During my 6-hour layover in LAX, I killed time by staring in awe at the sheer volume of people that fill up Trans-Pacific 747s on a daily basis, trying to understand why the airline industry is always in such a big mess. (Conclusion:- Short sighted execs and aversion to industry consolidation). I managed to locate a high-speed internet kiosk, and decided to check my e-mail. There it was – an invitation from MIT Sloan!

The email informed me that the interview would be with a member of the Admissions Committee and I was offered the choice of Singapore, Bangkok and Taipei. It would definitely be too late for me to get an entry visa to Bangkok and Taipei, so my only shot would be Singapore, where I would not require visa formalities. However, I would arrive back in Indonesia far too late to make it on time to Singapore, and the thought of a phone interview was a bit too daunting for me – I need the visual feedback.

Fast-forward 14 hours later. I arrived in Hong Kong, bolted to the transit desk, and spoke to the airline representatives for half an hour, trying to re-route my connections without hemorrhaging cash to buy a whole new set of tickets. Supervisors were called, and for ~120 USD penalty, they got me a new route via Singapore. While in the transit lounge, I called up the Interviewer, arranged a time and place, and voila…..the great MIT Sloan interview was on!