How to crack Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management’s MBA Program?

Salaries post a Kellogg School of Management MBA degree

While Kellogg might not be the business school that provides the highest average salary post MBA, it still provides a compensation that talks volumes about the value of its degree.

In Kellogg’s 2023 preliminary employment reports, graduating MBAs have reported a median salary of $165,080, including sing-on bonuses.

But since it is just a preliminary report, let’s take a look at the more comprehensive statistics from Kellogg’s 2023 employment report.

This table helps us reach two conclusions about the students graduating from a top MBA Program like the one at Kellogg.

1. A students’ profile is critical for the kind of compensation they receive.
2. More than 50% of the graduating class is able to secure a job that offers a six-figure compensation right out of college.

These are true for most MBA programs, even the top programs across the globe. The only true variable between the top MBA programs and the MBA programs that are on lower tiers is the volume of high paying jobs that are offered.

Kellogg’s top recruiters are McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, and Amazon. A high volume of jobs, for fresh graduates, are also offered by the summer internships that the school facilitates.

The highlight in this situation is the highly active Career Management Center (CMC) at Kellogg, whose staff has made impactful business relationships with recruiting partners ensuring that 95% of graduating students get employed within three months of graduation.

So, whether a student takes them or not, Kellogg provides them with ample recruitment opportunities through various sources like alumni referral, on-campus and off-campus interviews, Kellogg job board posting etc.

Application process at Kellogg School of Management

Since Kellogg SOM provides a multitude of MBA degrees, an applicant needs to really pay attention to the specifics that each degree’s application process includes. However, there are a few things that remain constant. Those are the ones that we must discuss here.

1. 1. Eligibility Criteria

      The most important thing to evaluate before applying to any school is the eligibility criteria. To be eligible to apply to Kellogg SOM’s MBA programs, one is required to have a bachelor’s or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university. The degree does not need to be in Business or Economics for eligibility to of the MBA Programs with the exception being the one-year MBA program.

   2. GMAT/GRE Scores

      The next step in your Kellogg MBA application is to valid GMAT/GRE scores, and additional TOEFL/IELTS scores for international students. the GMAT/GRE scores that a student submits must be valid on the day that they officially submit their completed application. Students are also encouraged to report any additional scores they have received since submitting their application under the supplementary information tab in their application form. However, unlike some other top schools, considering such score is completely at the discretion of Kellogg’s admissions committee.

   3. Transcript

      If you have participated in a study-abroad program, or transferred schools during your bachelor’s education, your transcript must contain the grades received during those. If your transcripts form college do not include your grades from a study abroad program or a transfer program, you are required to provide a separate transcript for those programs.

   4. Essay

      Applicants’ to Kellogg’s MBA programs are required to answer two essay questions.

      1. Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

      2. Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

      Re-applicants, one-year MBA applicants, JD-MBA applicants, and MMM applicants have to answer an additional essay question in their respective applications. In the Essay section, an applicant can also explain any gaps in work experience, low GPA or GMAT scores, and other things they wish to elaborate on for the admissions committee to get a better perspective of the application, under the Additional Information section.

   5. Letters of Recommendation

      Applicants are encouraged to submit no more or less than two letters of recommendation. The first letter should ideally be from a current supervisor, and the second should be by someone who can elaborate on your professional performance like, a client or a former employer.

      The recommenders are required to answer three questions set by the school.

      1. Kellogg has a diverse student body and values students who are inclusive and encouraging of others with differing perspectives and backgrounds. Please tell us about a time when you witnessed the candidate living these values. (300 words)

      2. How does the candidate’s performance compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (300 words)

      3. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (250 words)

   6. Application Fee

      An applicant can only apply to one of Kellogg’s various MBA programs at once. The application fee for all programs is the same, $250. However, the school does provide application fee waivers to US army veterans and active duty members, and Teach for America or Peace Corps employees who have worked with either organization in the past three years.

   7. Video Essay

      As we have discussed earlier, Kellogg SOM strongly believes in applicant vetting to see if they are a cultural fit for the business school. This makes the video essays for Kellogg’s application as important as the other essays or the letters of recommendation. Once the application fee is paid, an applicant can access the video essay section and answer three questions (two preset and one random).

      The two pre-set questions for the video essays are:

      1. Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee.

      2. What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?

      There are various practice questions available in the same section so that an applicant can get familiar with the format. Once you answer a question, other than the practice questions, you are not allowed to re-film it.

      You also get 20 seconds to think of an answer and a minute to answer the video essay questions.

   8. Interview

      The Kellogg SOM admissions committee allows a student to schedule an interview right after they submit their application. The interview can be scheduled through the applicant status page and slots are available on first-come, first-served basis.

      These interviews are an opportunity for the admissions committee of Kellogg to further evaluate how good a fit an applicant is for the school. the two modes of interview are on-campus and off-campus. This is also an opportunity for the applicant to get an in-depth knowledge about Kellogg’s programs.

      While on-campus interviews are conducted by admissions committee members, off-campus interviews are conducted through Kellogg’s alumni admissions organizations.

      Applicants apply for interview waivers as well. Kellogg’s admissions committee then gets in touch with such applicants to schedule a phone or Skype interview. However, you cannot request the Skype, or phone interview or select your preferred slot for the same.

      The mode of interview you choose does not have any negative impact on your application.

Kellogg SOM Full-Time MBA application deadline

Kellogg two-year MBA Program Class Profile (2019)

While top business schools like Kellogg often surprise applicants by accepting applicants with either low GMAT scores, or no work experience, it is still safe to assume they have a type.

No admissions committee member or a good admissions consultant will ever tell you to form your application or essays around your perception of what a perfect candidate to a given business school loos like, having a few common traits in your profile can give you a competitive edge during MBA admissions.

While having a good GMAT score to get into a top MBA Program is no news, what GMAT score is considered good at which business school might differ by a few points. The best tool in such a case is the class profile of the entering class of the year before your application.

To not utilize the averages in the entering class profile of Kellogg two-year MBA Program (2023) would be the biggest faux pas for an applicant.

For Indian male engineers, the average GMAT increased by 10 points is a competitive GMAT score fro any top school. Thus, if you are an Indian male engineer, a GMAT score of 740 would be a competitive score for your MBA profile. This is due to the saturated applicant pool of Indian male applicants, to top business schools, with an engineering background.

What does the Kellogg School of Management Admissions Committee look for?

When you apply to a top business school, the game of admissions is much different than you would assume. The rate of acceptance isn’t just a number that shifts every year. It’s a crucial tool of application that you require to consider before applying to a business school.

For Kellogg, the acceptance rate in 2019 was approximately 26% (6% higher than in 2018). Don’t be deceived by this rise in acceptance rate though. Kellogg still gets its pick of the applicant pool and every applicant has to meet the admissions committee’s standards to get in.

And some high standards they are.

The education that a top school like Kellogg SOM provides its students with, the student needs to show potential in regards to learning curve and employability. If you cannot prove to the admissions committee that you can leverage the teachings of a world class faculty, network with your peers and alumni, and add value to the cultural environment of Kellogg, they will happily skip over you to the next applicant.

Fortunately, the admissions committee isn’t hush hush about these requirements. They have a few criteria that they believe makes an applicant a good fit for Kellogg.

GPA and GMAT Scores at Kellogg SOM

Needless to say, the admissions committee at Kellogg does look at your GPA and GMAT scores to evaluate your academic prowess. At the end, an MBA is an academic course with a rigorous curriculum. The GPA and GMAT scores are a good indicator of how a student might perform in a structured and demanding program.

However, they are not the sole criteria for admission. The Kellogg’s website clearly states that they aren’t looking only for academically gifted students. An applicants’ creative abilities are also crucial.

However, if an applicant isn’t able to show academic excellence, the committee digs deeper into their profiles to find out if the applicant balanced the lack out.

Thus, if your have a low GPA or GMAT score, and have addition certifications that can show that you have the academic skill set to perform well during an MBA program, the admissions committee members at Kellogg will consider your profile rounded out.

Work Experience Requirement at Kellogg SOM

Applicants often find the work experience part of an application quite confusing. And it is. You never clearly know how your work experience is being assessed by an admissions committee member.

Kellogg SOM however, is very clear about this criterion. they mention on their website that an applicant’s career trajectory, or work experience isn’t measured against another applicant’s work experience.

They measure your career trajectory against people in similar career paths as you. What they generally focus on is how much initiative you have shown in your job.

They also mention that industry specific jargons should be avoided while explaining your career path to an admissions committee member.

You are simply required to explain your choices, and decisions in your job as if you were explaining them to a 10-year-old.

Professional Goals Kellogg SOM

Two-Years in an MBA program might seem like a long-time during applications, but it isn’t. With the rigorous curriculum set by the faculty at Kellogg SOM, you won’t even realize that the program is over when your graduation day arrives.

If you approached a world-renowned sculpture and asked them to help you sculpt a lady, the end result could be anything according to his own interpretation. But, if you went to him with the description of a lady wearing a saree with a pot on her head, he will be able to provide you with the exact result that you had in mind.

While the MBA program at Kellogg SOM will help you recognize your strengths and chisel out your career path even more, you will require a rough sculpture to start with. This is why your professional goals matter to the admissions committee. This also helps them analyze how much of a help Kellogg can be in your career path, and better understand your reasons for choosing Kellogg.

Skills to mention in the essay

You obviously should be leveraging any skills that you have showcased during your professional experience while writing an admissions essays for Kellogg. You must also make sure to provide the right anecdotes for any skills you claim to have.

But regardless of all that, there is a set of skills that Kellogg SOM is looking for in its candidates. You don’t need to have them all, but if you do have a few skills out of these, I would suggest not skipping mentioning them in your essays.

1. 1. 1. Intellectual ability
      2. Work experience
      3. Professional goals
      4. Leadership
      5. Impact
      6. Interpersonal skills

Practicing the video essay

Another important a part of the Kellogg application is the video essays. As the school dearly holds to the idea of knowing whether an applicant is a good fit to the school’s student body before offering them an admit, the video essays become crucial.

Since not all students get the chance to interview with the school’s admission committee directly, the video essays are a way to leave a lasting impression on them.

The application has a few practice questions that an applicant can go through to learn and understand the format of a video essay. My suggestion is to practice these questions as many times as you wish to, until you get confident about answering a random question that will be asked in the actual video essay.

Also, try not to prepare a complete answer to the possible questions that can be asked to you. While you want to keep your reply structured, it shouldn’t come off as too scripted and unauthentic.

Fitting in at Kellogg

Kellogg is big on cultural fit. Throughout this blog, we have come across one fact multiple times; Kellogg pioneered the idea of cultural fit being a criterion for admissions.

Now you can get a clear picture of how important this aspect of your profile would be. The admissions committee members would focus on finding this answer out through your essays, video essays, and interview.

It’s upon you to prove that you’re a good fit at Kellogg. One very affective way to do this is by learning more about the school. ditch the old Google search and network with current students and alumni at Kellogg. Take time out and attend Kellogg’s admissions events if possible.

Use such methods to research about the school and its programs. When you know the school inside out, you will be able to give better and more in-depth answers to questions like ‘Why Kellogg?’ or ‘What can you bring to the table?’.