Kellogg School of Management 2009-10 Essay Question Analyses and Deadlines

Kellogg has a complex and dizzying table of deadlines so let me try my best to organize them here (please note that you need to first submit a short Part 1 application (where you can make your request for either an on- or off-campus interview) before you can submit Part 2 (which is the traditional application set with the essays, transcripts, etc.)

from: http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/Programs/FullTimeMBA/Applying/Deadlines.aspx

	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Part 1 of App AND Off-Campus Interview Request due	Oct. 2	Dec. 18	Feb. 19
Part 1 of App AND On-Campus Interview Request due	Oct. 15	Jan. 14	March 4
ON-Campus Interview to be Completed	Dec. 11	March 5	April 16
Part 2 of App Due by 11:59 pm CDT	Oct. 15	Jan. 14	March 4
Decision Rendered	Jan. 11	March 29	May 17

And here are the essay questions for MBA applicants (I did not include the joint MBA/JD questions here) with my comments. The instructions below are from the on-line application:

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When uploading your essay, please include at least a one-inch top margin on each page, and re-state the question at the beginning of the essay.

MBA Program applicants
1. Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg. (600 word limit)

The standard goals question. Be sure to start your essay with a discussion of how, professionally, you went from Point A to Point B (etc.) to where you are today. Be clear about what you want to do post-MBA (short and long term) and how Kellogg fits into your overall plans.

MBA and MMM Program applicants
2. Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experience. (600 word limit)

Please make sure you notice that Kellogg is asking for a description of your key leadership experiences plural and please use your best judgment as to how many you wish to write about. Given the word limit, I generally recommend writing about two key experiences which provide different insights into your strengths (e.g., one professional example and one sports or community example; one “thought” leadership episode and one “people” leadership episode). Lastly, don’t forget to conclude the essay with a thoughtful assessment of what other aspect(s) of leadership you’d like to strengthen and develop at Kellogg.

MBA and MMM Program applicants
Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would your peers select you to become a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit)

This is a different version of a former classic Kellogg essay question in which applicants were asked to evaluate their own applications from the point of view of an admissions officer. This time, you are asked to evaluate your application from the perspective of a student admissions committee member. What’s the difference? In my experience sitting on admissions committees, while faculty dwelled on things like GPAs and test scores, the student members cared much more about what it would be like to actually study and socialize with these prospective students. So, as you write this essay, think about the qualities that your future classmates would care about. (On the flip side, if you were a Kellogg student, what kind of fellow classmate would you want to have?) Consider the contributions you could make, whether abstract or concrete, that would be appreciated by the student body. Are you team-oriented? Do you have unique things to share? What makes you a good fit?

All program applicants
Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit)
Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.

These short essays are used to round out your application. See what you have covered so far in the essays above, and find the essay below that would best provide that final perspective on your candidacy.

a) Describe a time when you had to make an unpopular decision.

Answering this question provides you an opportunity to show your strength of character, your strong will, your leadership. Making a decision that is not supported by many takes courage, confidence and self-awareness. If you choose this question, be sure you also describe the thinking and reasoning behind your decision.

b) People may be surprised to learn that …

This is an open-ended question that allows you to talk about anything not immediately apparent in your application. Don’t take this question too literally – even if all your friends know that you skydive, the admissions committee won’t, so do use this essay to talk about something “interesting” about yourself. As you make your choice, though, remember that it isn’t necessarily what you write about that’s important, but how you write it. Use your topic as a way to show the reader something more about who you are – e.g., your values, your personal qualities, etc.

c) I wish the admissions committee had asked me …

And finally, this is the most open-ended question of the three options, just in case neither A nor B gives you the freedom to talk about what you want to. Again, consider what you have talked about in your essays so far and write about something that balances out the rest of the essays. Make sure that whatever you choose to write about provides deeper insight into who you are as a person.

Re-applicants Only (required essay)
Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)

Admissions committees don’t want to see the exact same application from last year, but would like to see that you have been serious enough about your MBA studies to take steps to improve your candidacy. Perhaps you took on a significant project at work or further worked on a skill that you wanted to develop. If your test scores weren’t impressive last time, perhaps you retook the GMAT and/or TOEFL and did better. Or maybe last time you simply weren’t 100% focused in terms of career goal and your target schools, and over the last several months you’ve talked to people in the field and done more research on Kellogg. Explain to the committee how you have tried to improve yourself since your last application.

Additional Information

If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.)

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