What NOT to ask in your MBA admissions interview

I've helped a lot of candidates prepare for MBA admissions interviews through my mock interview service. While every applicant has different strengths and weaknesses, one sore spot inevitably emerges for everyone: the dreaded "So, we have a few minutes left. Do you have any questions for me?"

This isn't a uniquely business school applicant problem; all kinds of job interviews end like this. It can be a real problem; how you end the interview will be the final impression you leave on your interviewer.

Because every interviewee is unique, I can't tell you what to say. I'm not you! But here are my three commandments for what not to ask your interviewer.

1. Thou shalt not ask a question if the answer is easily Googleable. Sample offending questions: "What's the acceptance rate?" "What courses do first-year students take?" It shows carelessness, laziness and a general lack of diligence. Don't waste your interviewer's time if you can pull up your phone and find the answer yourself in 10 seconds. 

2. Thou shalt not ask questions that are irrelevant to the context of the interview. Sample offending questions: "What's it like to work as an admissions officer?" "What good books have you read lately?" These kind of get-to-know-you questions are for first dates, not business school interviews. Sure, you want to develop a rapport with your interviewer, but do so throughout the conversation, not with an interrogation at the end.

3. Thou shalt not say nothing. If the interviewer asks if you have any questions, don't say "Nope, I'm good." This could come across as condescending or ignorant, neither of which will leave a solid final impression. You have a few minutes with one of the gatekeepers of your dream school. How will you maximize the moment?

Jyll Saskin Gales is an elite MBA admissions consultant. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and currently works at Google in Toronto.