The Kelley School of Business received its name after E. W. Kelly, school alumnus and the Chairman of Steak n Shake Company, to honour his $23 million donations in the year 1997. The school has two campuses in Indiana, Bloomington and Indianapolis, with the Bloomington campus fulfilling all and any study and research needs of students and faculty alike.
The school has a high focus on diversity and inclusivity. While the school actively works towards increasing the representation of women, and underrepresented minorities, it also provides support programs to these groups.
Kelley also boasts of several clubs and student organizations that round up the business school experience. Be it a student organization called Upgrade, that simply helps individuals develop personal skills, or the Alternative Break Program, that organizes service-learning trips during the school breaks, Kelley has something for MBA students from all different walks of life.
These activities and student organizations provide students with networking opportunities and help them make professional connections.
Kelley Cost of Attendance 2021
| Expense | Indiana Residents (in USD) | Indiana Non-Residents (in USD) |
| Tuition | $27,864 | $51,454 |
| Mandatory Fees | $2,272 | $2,272 |
| Room & Board | $13,906 | $13,906 |
| Books and Supply | $1,950 | $1,950 |
| Transportation | $2,958 | $2,958 |
| Miscellaneous | $4,078 | $4,078 |
| Total | $53,028 | $76,618 |
Kelley Application Process 2021
| Application Checklist | Requirement |
| Essay Questions | The application consists of the following questions:
A) Essay: How have events of the past year influenced the impact you would like to make in your community, career, or both? (250 words maximum) B) Optional Essay: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words maximum) Reapplicants: Reapplicants may answer one or both of the essay questions above as options, and they must provide additional updates within text boxes given in the application for any new test scores, career developments, or other changes since their last application. |
| Professional Resume | A current professional resume, max 2 pages, must be attached to the application. |
| Letters of Recommendation | The Letters of Recommendations are available as a form which will be sent to your selected recommender. Each applicant must submit one recommender who is either a current supervisor or a professional or social acquaintance who can add value to your candidacy. |
| Transcripts | The applicant must provide unofficial (scanned) transcripts from all of their post-secondary (post-high school) educational institutes. Official copies are requested only post-acceptance into the MBA course. |
| GMAT/GRE | The applicant must report their official (no less than 5 years old) GMAT/GRE score on the application.
GMAT Code: 8ZG-41-37 GRE Code: 1324 |
| TOEFL/IELTS/PTE | Every applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit valid TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores during the application process. |
| Application Fee | USD 75 |
Kelley Application Deadlines 2021
| Round | Deadline | Notification |
| Round 1 | October 15, 2020 | December 20, 2020 |
| Round 2 | January 5, 2021 | By March 15, 2021 |
| Round 3 | March 1, 2021 | By April 30, 2021 |
| Final Round | April 15, 2021 | By May 31, 2021 |
What does the Kelley admissions committee look for?
- Self-Reflection and school research
One of the best things that a Kelley MBA applicant can do while filling out their MBA application is self-reflection and school research.
Instead of trying to fit the mould of Kelley’s perfect applicant, the admissions committee encourages students to understand their needs from an MBA and how Kelley fits into their career goals.
Moving on from a simple Google search, talking to Kelley alumni, current students and faculty can give an applicant a thorough understanding of the school community and classroom.
It can help you convince the admissions committee of the mutual benefits that the school and you receive if you get accepted.
It also allows you to create an authentic MBA application that gives the admissions committee a look into your values and beliefs as opposed to creating a false narrative that would be spotted by the school easily.
- Collaborative mindset
A school with small class size, Kelley believes in collaboration rather than competition.
The school’s admissions committee talks about how a collaborative mindset is one of the core values of the Kelley community. They say that students at Kelley are ambitious and achieve success but never at the expense of their classmates.
Kelley is looking for students that understand their gaps and how Kelley can fill them. Their aim is not to succeed simply through a Kelley MBA degree but through being active participants in the classroom and the community, grabbing opportunities and participating in co-learning.
- Trust the process
While the MBA application process across all business schools looks similar, there can be stark differences under a few sections. One of the most frustrating things done by applicants, that Kelley admissions committee mentions, is not reading the application instructions carefully.
The admissions committee members at Kelley say that they often come across applicants that either don’t read the instructions thoroughly or don’t trust the process enough to follow them. This results in an MBA application that doesn’t allow the admissions committee members to know the applicant.
Since the cultural fit is such an important aspect of the MBA application, it is crucial for the admissions committee to understand the applicant’s values, opinions and personality.
Applicants that miss out on exposing the same through their MBA applications cut down their chance at getting accepted to Kelley significantly.
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