Deep Dive: Tell Me About a Failure You Have Overcome

Since many students have found our Ultimate Guide to College Interviews helpful, we’re diving deeper with a series on the most common interview questions. If you’re looking for general tips, feel free to check out our guide—but if you want to tackle specific questions, you’re in the right place.

Let’s talk about failure—everyone experiences it, but what really matters is how you bounce back. The question "Tell me about a failure you have overcome" gives you a chance to demonstrate your resilience, perseverance, and ability to grow from failure. A well-crafted answer can reveal a lot about your character and your readiness to tackle future challenges.

1. Frame the failure.

Be honest about what happened, but avoid dwelling on the negative. Describe the situation clearly, explaining what you were trying to achieve, what went wrong, and why it was a failure. Don’t shy away from showing vulnerability—acknowledging mistakes can make your story more relatable.

Example:

During my sophomore year, I ran for student body president with the goal of implementing new school-wide initiatives. I was confident in my platform, but unfortunately, I lost the election by a significant margin. The experience was a blow to my confidence, especially since I had worked so hard on my campaign.

2. Explain your response.

After you describe the failure, shift focus to your reaction. This is where you can demonstrate growth. What steps did you take to learn from the experience? Did you seek feedback? Did you reflect on what went wrong? This shows your ability to use failure as an opportunity for growth.

Example:

After the election, I took time to reflect on why my campaign didn’t resonate with my peers. I sought feedback from friends and classmates, and I realized that I had focused too much on my own ideas and not enough on the needs and concerns of the students I wanted to represent. I also realized I could improve my public speaking and presentation skills, so I took a speech class to develop those areas.

3. Showcase your growth.

The next step is demonstrating how you turned failure into a learning experience. This is where you show that you didn’t let failure define you—you grew from it. Did you try again? Did the lessons learned shape your future efforts? Your response should highlight your ability to bounce back stronger.

Example:

A year later, I decided to run for class president. This time, I applied everything I had learned from my previous campaign. I was more engaged with my peers, listening to their concerns, and making sure that my platform reflected their needs. I also worked on my public speaking and was much more confident during the debates. I won the election, and I felt that my journey from failure to success was truly rewarding.

4. Highlight the lessons learned.

End with the lessons you gained from the experience. What did you learn about yourself, others, or your approach to challenges? This is your opportunity to demonstrate how failure is a stepping stone to success.

Example:

The biggest lesson I learned was that failure isn’t the end of the road—it’s an opportunity to reevaluate, learn, and improve. I now embrace failure as a crucial part of the process, knowing that each setback brings valuable lessons that prepare me for future challenges.

Final Thoughts:

The "failure" question is not just about what went wrong, but about how you faced it and grew from it. It’s a chance to show that you are resilient, reflective, and ready to tackle new challenges with a positive mindset.