2009 Kellogg Business School Packages

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I wish the admissions committee had asked me... “I wish the admissions committee had asked me...” OK. A number of schools have variations on this question, and over the past few days, quite a few people have asked me what they are supposed to do with a topic like this. My answer: “That depends.” (No, I'm rarely capable of just giving a simple answer! Sorry!) But I'd like to take a few minutes here to discuss exactly what that depends ON. Does the application offer an “optional” essay space *as well as* asking this question, or is this the only place where you will get to write about a topic of your choice? Have you used the other essay topics effectively to illustrate your personal background and community involvement as well as your academic professional history? Is there anything you really wanted to write about but couldn’t fit in, for whatever reason? Do you have any big “red flags” to deal with on your application? Please bear in mind that “big” is the operative word here. You don’t have to explain away a single C+ grade from your freshman year. You don’t have to justify the fact that you hadn’t started your own non-profit organization by the age of 19. You don’t have to apologize for the fact that you didn’t spend your undergrad years at an Ivy League college. But there are things that you might have to address somehow , such as a major GPA crash in your junior or senior year, a GMAT score leaning towards (or falling below) the lowest score that the program generally accepts, a major gap in work experience, and so on. Is this the place to do it? That’s where my first question comes in. If a school offers you a space to explain any academic or career “glitches,” use that space to do so, not this one. Remember, this question almost always comes right at the end of the essay portion of the application -- it will probably be the last thing the adcom reads, so if at all possible, use it to give them something positive to remember you by. (If that's not possible--if this really is the ONLY place where you can deal with the negative aspects of your application--deal with it. There are ways to do so effectively, but I'll save that for another time.) If you make the most of this space, you can really personalize your application. You may drift out of the adcom’s minds pretty quickly if you simply come across as “the project manager with the 740 GMAT,” but with this essay, you have the chance to make yourself stick with them as “the project manager who used skydiving as a team-building exercise,” “the investment banker who teaches salsa dancing to senior citizens,” or “the marketing manager who taught herself five languages in her spare time.” This positive and distinctive use of this essay will be much more effective than telling them about your SECOND most important leadership experience (since you've probably already had a chance to write about the most important one). And it would be a Very Good Idea to stay away from bland "catch all" topics like "I wish the admissions committee had asked me how I achieve excellence in everything I do." Those types of essays usually end up being a) far too much to handle in the space provided, and b) way too generic, and don't tend to offer the adcom anything much that they can't learn from other areas of your application. Assuming that you've dealt with the really important professional/leadership experiences before you hit this point in your application (and most applications give you ample opportunity to do so), you can definitely take a light-hearted (though not frivolous, of course!) approach here. You don’t have to write about anything huge, heavy or mind-blowingly important -- rather, choose a topic that adds to the adcom’s perception of your well-roundedness, your “human interest” factor, and your potential to contribute something to the groups you work with over and above your work experience and academic abilities. You’ve already impressed them with those, naturally! Finally, don’t forget to ask yourself -- and answer yourself honestly: what DO you wish they had asked you? By Sonia Michaels. Sonia is available to help you with your optional and required MBA application essays. Posted by Sonia Michaels on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000 | Permalink | Post a comment

Northwestern Kellogg 08-09 MBA Application Tips Kellogg 2008-09 Deadlines              Application Deadline   Notification        Round 1    Oct 17, 2008          Jan 7, 2009 Round 2    Jan 12, 2009         Mar 30, 2009 Round 3     Mar 9, 2009           May 18, 2009 Please note that Kellogg has a separate set of deadlines for interviews. Please see the website for those deadlines. Kellogg's 2008-09 Essay questions   My comments are in red.  All applicants are required to answer questions 1, 2 and 3 in addition to 2 of the essays in question 4. For questions 1-3, please limit responses to 2 pages. 1: Briefly assess your career progress to date.  Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg. This question is the same as Kellogg's #1 for the last several years.  Kellogg wants to know your goals and how you believe Kellogg will help you achieve them. As I have said repeatedly, post-MBA goals are front and center in the MBA application. You need to connect the dots between your past, your desired future, and Kellogg to answer this question well. Thought and research are prerequisites. When writing an earlier Kellogg tip, I referenced an email from a client. In the email, he thanked his editor for pushing him to clarify  his goals -- which he hadn't wanted to do. He acknowledged how important they are. Make sure you know why you want an MBA before you start to answer this question. 2: Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experience of other Kellogg students. Almost identical to last year's question, which began with "Each of our applicants is unique." What are you going to bring to the Kellogg party that every other IT professional, investment banker, marketer, and consultant cannot bring? Is it a commitment to a particular community service? a sports craze? musical talent? dance ability, auto racing, a unique personal story? This essay begs for an anecdotal approach and individuality.  However, don't forget Kellogg's commitment to community and teamwork. If you can show those qualities too, this essay will be a home run.  Recently I spoke to a few MBA telethon participants with "typical" or "common" profiles.  While it is prudent for them to be concerned, they each have certain aspects of their background and experience that are highly distinctive. If you hail from an over-represented group in the applicant pool, you need to highlight those points of difference. This essay is a wonderful vehicle for showcasing at least one point of distinction 3: Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experience. Kellogg of course is famous for its teamwork. It certainly wants students with strong teamwork skills, but it also wants leaders. Don't be taken in by Kellogg's teamwork mantra and laid-back reputation. Employers wants to see leadership in Kellogg's grads, and you need to show leadership in your application -- especially in answering this question. This question allows you to both spotlight your outstanding leadership skills and show your knowledge of Kellogg. Go beyond your response to #1 and focus here on leadership. A corollary of this tip would be to use #1 to focus on non-leadership aspects of your experience i.e. teamwork, . As usual, you don't have a lot of room to elaborate. Choose 1-2 examples not discussed in depth elsewhere in the application. State how they prepare you for Kellogg in terms of allowing you to demonstrate "leadership potential" or "diversity of thought and experience." Don't forget to answer the last part of the question. 4. Applicants must answer 2 of the below essays.  (Re-applicants must answer question 4D and 1 other essay).  Please keep responses to two paragraphs. 4A - Describe a time when you had to motivate a reluctant individual or group. New question. Please note a few facets of this question. It is only two paragraphs. It does not ask for a treatise on motivation. It asks you to "describe a time" (emphasis added), not multiple times. It asks for a story, an anecdote. Yes in discussing this incident, you can draw a conclusion or two about motivation, but keep your response succinctly experiential. 4B  - I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me….. Have fun with this one. Let this essay show a different facet than is revealed by any of the other essays. If you play basketball every Sunday and haven't mentioned it anywhere, perhaps this is the place to talk about  the fun side of you. Or perhaps you are a cellist in a local orchestra. Or you were active in the Barack Obama's Iowa campaign. Or you lead a church youth group. Or...? 4C - What do others admire about you? New question. And not an easy one. Kellogg is asking for a self-reflection and awareness without arrogance . Talk to significant others or friends before answering this question. And whatever trait you decide to write about, illustrate it with an example. 4D - For re-applicants only: Since your previous application, what are the steps you’ve taken to strengthen your candidacy?  No trick questions here. How are you a better candidate today than when Kellogg rejected you last time? Have you addressed weaknesses in your previous application? If you aren't sure where you fell short, obtain an MBA Application Review. Responding to the Kellogg application essays will tell the committee a lot about you, your character, and your interests -- if you do a good job.  It is a solid and comprehensive set of questions. If you want to start now on your Kellogg application, please keep in mind that Accepted.com is running an Early Bird Special through the end of July: 10% off all MBA essay consulting and editing. Alternatively, consider our Kellogg consulting and Editing Comprehensive Packages. They too are 10% off this month. Start your applications early, submit first round, and save money. Posted by Linda Abraham on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:29:09 +0000 | Permalink | Post a comment

Average 2007 GMAT: 704
Average 2007 Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average 2007 GPA: 3.4
Class Size: 688
2009 Application Deadlines: Oct 17, 2008;  Jan 12, 2009; Mar 9, 2009 
Kellogg School of Management Admissions

Northwestern Kellogg MBA Application Tips

Date Rating Course 08/2008 Other 06/2008 Finance 05/2008 4.00 Other 02/2008 4.33 Other 02/2008 3.86 Marketing

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Date Title 9/12/2007 Kellogg MBA with Beth Flye