How Kellogg Makes Its Cut

I left out some information on my extracurriculars in part one, and I have already had my interview. Can I access part one and resubmit the application?
Flye: I would recommend to just put the additional information in an e-mail and send it to mbaadmissions@kellogg.northwestern.edu. In the e-mail, ask us to add the additional information to your application.

I received an A in an undergraduate statistics class, but I didn't take calculus. I'm enrolled in a calculus course scheduled to begin in January. Will the lack of calculus be detrimental to my application?
Flye: No. I think it's certainly helpful to know that you're taking a calculus class. My take on that is that you're being proactive. What you may want to do is let us know when that course will be complete and when the grade will be sent to you. We always tell candidates to at least earn a B but certainly go after that A.

Evidence of academic readiness is one of a number of areas of criteria for admission. Other areas include leadership potential, quality of work experience, career focus, and extracurricular activities.

Can I do a double major in strategy and technology?
Flye: Of course. A double major in strategy and technology would certainly be a good option. Most of our students graduate with at least two majors.

Young: I can add that I'm pursuing a triple major in marketing, strategy, and finance. Kellogg offers a great range of concentrations and allows you to pursue whatever path you desire.

Can you talk about Kellogg's ties to the tech industry and how a person with a tech background fits in with Kellogg's student body?
Young: I can speak about this. I have a Bachelor's and a Master's in computer science and spent five years as a programmer and sales engineer with two startups in [Silicon] Valley. Professor [Mohan] Sawhney's tech-marketing class is incredible, and the Kellogg brand is well known at the major tech firms.

I've heard that individuals who are having their company pay 100% of their tuition have an easier time getting into the program. Is that the case?
Flye: Absolutely not. When there's information in the application noting that a candidate is being sponsored for an MBA by their employer, it's a positive data point. Obviously, the company has a lot of confidence in that employee and wants him or her to come back. But those candidates don't have an automatic advantage in terms of admission.

Can you talk about the type of jobs students have secured after focusing on social enterprise at Kellogg?
Flye: This is the first year that this major has been offered, so we'll know more once we see what 2006 graduates pursue. This major is designed to be applicable to a wide range of functional roles and industries -- from the non-profit sector to real estate. Social enterprise would be a great major for any particular industry or role that has an emphasis on corporate social responsibility.

In the essays, should applicants assume that your admissions team knows of all the different job functions across various industries, or should they elaborate with a description?
Flye: Though through our experiences we do have a great deal of knowledge about different industries, we always appreciate some descriptive content.

What are Kellogg's strongest concentrations and why?
Flye: There isn't one single area that's the strongest -- management & strategy, finance, and marketing. In fact, those three alone, in the three years I've been here, have been the most popular majors. There are three other ones that are close behind -- management & organizations, analytical consulting, and entrepreneurship.

Should both of my recommendation letters come from supervisors? Can I use a recommendation from a former subordinate whom I supervised to give you a more well-rounded look at who I am?
Flye: Both of our recommendations should be work related. In many cases, applicants do select current or former supervisors, but not always.

What's most important is that they select the person who really knows them well, so that recommender can give thorough testimony about the candidate's strengths, accomplishments, and areas for development. It's going to have to be an intuitive decision. If the subordinate has a close relationship to the applicant and knows him or her well and can give thorough and objective feedback, then selecting that subordinate could be appropriate.

Would someone applying at the age of 35 be at a significant disadvantage vs. someone at or below the average age for Kellogg, everything else being equal?
Flye: My immediate answer is no. We're not focusing on an applicant's age. What we're examining is the quality of work experience, in conjunction with a candidate's goals, which of course would include career direction or focus. Whether one is 25 or 35, we're still going to be looking at that information. Our average age for the class that entered in 2005 was 28.

Can you advise on how to attack Essay #3: "You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file"?
Flye: That person needs to step outside of him or herself and look at the application. Make an assessment of how you view your candidacy. Think about what you know about Kellogg. Highlight your strengths. If there's a particular weakness, an applicant can reference that, too. But applicants should also address what they are planning to do to strengthen that weakness. That essay is always enjoyable to read.

Could you please talk a little bit about the MMM program? From the stats, fewer people are admitted every year. Is it because it's more difficult to be accepted than a normal two-year MBA program?
Flye: The MMM program stands for our Master of Management & Manufacturing, which includes courses through the McCormick School of Engineering. The program is designed for a person who has a functional and/or industry interest in product development.

Candidates who come into the MMM program, which is two years in duration, take some required core courses at McCormick, plus required core and elective courses at Kellogg. On average each year, we enroll a class of anywhere between 50 and 60 students. As is the case with students in the other programs, the quality of the applicants and enrolled students is exceptional. In terms of selectivity, it's about the same. The interest has been very steady.

Can you give us some advice on preparing for an off-campus interview? What questions should I anticipate?
Flye: You should approach not just the Kellogg interview but any B-school interview in the same way you would approach a job interview. For example, it's important that you know yourself and be able to speak about why Kellogg is the right place for you and what your post-MBA goals are. The interview is a valuable opportunity for us to get to know the candidate and for the candidate to learn more about Kellogg. It's a two-way street.

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