Chat Transcript February 1, 2010, 2:55PM EST

Chat Transcript: Kellogg Admissions

Kellogg's Beth Flye and Carla Edelston field questions on the ins and outs of the application process at the top-ranked school, financing an MBA, and job placement

Beth Flye
Northwestern

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(Beth Flye's response to the 13th question has been changed to clarify that Kellogg does not have a special preference for applicants entering the consulting field.)

Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management (Kellogg Full-Time MBA Profile), which BusinessWeek ranked No.3 in its 2008 ranking of best business schools, remains popular with MBA applicants. In 2009, Kellogg admissions accepted 19% of the 5,268 applicants. Recently, Beth Flye (BethFlyeKellogg), assistant dean and director of admissions at Kellogg, and Carla Edelston (CarlaEdelston), senior associate director of the school's Career Management Center, fielded questions from prospective students and Bloomberg BusinessWeek reporter Francesca Di Meglio (FrancescaBW) during a live online chat. Here are edited excerpts of their conversation, which included everything from how to prepare for the admissions interview to career placement specialties.

Kapilm: Do you weight extracurricular activities?

BethFlyeKellogg: There is no assigned weight or value given to extracurricular activities, as that area is one of many criteria we take into account. However, we do review extracurricular activities as that area shows us more about the applicant—i.e., his/her passions, involvements—as well as [allowing us to] learn more about that person's leadership and team involvements beyond work.

Jarias84: How important are GMAT scores?

BethFlyeKellogg: A range of GMAT scores is represented in the pool of admitted applicants. The average score for the class that matriculated in 2009 was 707.

ktrbucks: I already have debt from my undergraduate program. Do you have any advice on how I can finance a graduate degree?

BethFlyeKellogg: We do have students at Kellogg with undergraduate debt, so know that it is definitely possible to finance your Kellogg MBA with those circumstances. Feel free to contact our Financial Aid Office at finaid@kellogg.northwestern.edu so that you can discuss this further with one of our officers.

toamarnath: Where have you placed students with a background in computer consulting?

CarlaEdelston: Students who have a background in software consulting go in a number of different directions ranging from functional roles in tech companies to strategy consulting. We don't "place" students but we provide tools so that you can do an effective job search.

BrianM: Can you compare and contrast the number of applications you've received this year vs. last?

BethFlyeKellogg: Our applications are slightly up compared with this time last year. There are no dramatic differences between the rounds thus far and the quality continues to be strong.

MBADC: Carla, what kind of resources does Kellogg offer to alumni in terms of career services after they earn their MBA and how does this set Kellogg apart from other schools?

CarlaEdelston: Kellogg is one of the only schools that offers free, unlimited career counseling to alums. In addition to individual counseling, we offer virtual job clubs, webinars, and turbo job workshops.

cerro: What if your GMAT is less impressive than your undergrad GPA? Does that hurt your chances of getting in?

BethFlyeKellogg: Remember that we do not weight any area of criteria including the GMAT score. When assessing one's intellectual ability, we examine the GMAT and the person's undergraduate performance. As an example, if your quantitative score was not as competitive and if you had never had a quant class, I would encourage you to take a statistics course to be more competitive, and to further prepare yourself to be a student.

Justina: As there are three rounds of admissions, does applying by the first round give an applicant any advantage?

BethFlyeKellogg: My response to your question is as follows: 1) Apply when you are ready as that is what is most important. 2) We strongly encourage candidates to apply for one of the first two rounds.

Justina: From your perspective, what are the advantages/disadvantages of pursuing a full-time MBA vs. part time?

CarlaEdelston: In the part-time program you are able to apply what you are learning in real time, and you have the advantage of earning an income while you are studying. As for the two-year program, students have the opportunity to partake in a summer internship, which is helpful to career changers.

Psampat: What can one do to separate oneself from the rest of the application pool?

BethFlyeKellogg: The best way to differentiate yourself from other applicants is to be your authentic self. We want to hear and read "your voice" about who you are; be careful not to fall into the trap of trying to articulate who you think the admissions committee wants to see.

chunghwan: Could I update my TOEFL and/or GMAT scores after completing the application?

BethFlyeKellogg: Feel free to send us your most recent TOEFL/GMAT score after completion of your application. The sooner, the better.

Justina: The Web site offers various students' personal experiences and perspectives, but is it possible for prospective students to contact current students for additional questions?