New Kellogg MBA Application Goes Live

The South Terrace of the new Kellogg Global Hub at night.

‘VIDEO IS NOT TYPICALLY GOING TO TILT A DECISION IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER’

Still, Smith says a candidate’s performance on the video questions isn’t likely to be a make-or-break exercise. “When we added this component, we put it at the very last part of the application we review so we still read the full application prior to the video essay so we get a perspective on the candidate,” she adds. “And then at the very conclusion of the review process, each reviewer will get to hear from the candidate on video. It is not typically going to tilt a decision in one diretion or another. It is very rare that it would change a decision in the totality of the review of the application so it is usually complementary. We find high value in seeing how a person communicates and whether they can think on their toes.”

Meantime, the second written essay, also with a 450-word limit, remains the same: Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg? Smith also chose not to make any changes to the required two letters of recommendation, ideally one from a current manager and the second from a former supervisor, previous employer, or client.

“Every year we review and refine our application to insure it is providing the best opportunity for us to get to know our prospective students,” Smith explains. “The admissions committee reflects on the kinds of responses and information that applicants provide. We ask ourselves, ‘Are we getting the best information and the most comprehensive view of our applicants?’ We try to gather a holistic span of information on each candidate. Kellogg is unique in that we still seek to interview as many applicants as possible. So when we come together and review each component of the application, we discuss whether we getting the kinds of things we are interested in learning about the candidates.”

SCHOOL HAD ALREADY ANNOUNCED APPLICATION DEADLINES

Kellogg previously announced 2017-2018 MBA application deadlines, with a first round cutoff of  Sept. 20 for a Dec. 13th decision. Round one candidates are expected to schedule an on-campus interview by Sept. 22. At Kellogg, unlike most other business schools, admissions seeks to match as many applicants as possible to do in-person interviews with staff, students or alumni.

The round two deadline is Jan. 10, with decisions released on March 28th, while the third and final deadline is April 11th, with notification on May 16th. For each of those rounds, interviews should be scheduled within two days of the application deadline.

As is true at most business schools, international applicants are encouraged to apply in either round one or two to allow enough time to gain a visa. The new live application can be found here.

DON’T MISS: KELLOGG’S MBA GATEKEEPER: KATE SMITH  or 2017-2018 MBA APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR LEADING BUSINESS SCHOOLS