Making the Cut at Kellogg

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Admissions Director Beth Flye explains the process, including the interview and essays, and says, "the competition is high"

B-school applications are down this fall, but that might not make it any easier for MBA hopefuls to get into their top-choice school, at least at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, ranked No. 1 in BusinessWeek's latest rankings. Here, Admissions Director Beth Flye says it depends on the quality -- not quantity -- of applications they receive each year. Kellogg gave the nod to only 16% of the school's 5,000 applicants in 2003, and the competition to get in remains tough.  

Flye fielded admissions questions from a live audience during a Jan. 7 BusinessWeek Online chat hosted by reporter Mica Schneider. She was joined by Eric Jagher, a current second year at Kellogg who also works in the MBA admissions office. Here's an edited transcript of that event:

Q: All of us are eager to know about the quantity and quality of the applicant pool this year. Any insights?
Flye: I'm happy to report that the quality of the pool is exceptional. In terms for the volume, we're in line with industry trends right now. We've seen a decline in numbers, but again, the good news is that the quality is outstanding. And it's still early in terms of where we are in the cycle.

Q: By what percentage have applications dipped?
Flye: Compared to the past couple of years, we've seen a decline in the range of 20% to 30%, which is in line with our peer schools. The majority of applications have yet to come into the pipeline, but right now we're a bit more in line with where we were prior to the spike in applications in 2001 and 2002.

[Editor's note: Kellogg received 5,802 applications for its full-time MBA program in 2000.]

Q: It's not difficult to infer that fewer applications mean a less selective admissions process this year. Isn't it safe to say that if you're a current MBA applicant, you've got a better chance in 2004 of getting a nod than in previous years?
Flye: Though the volume may be down, the competition is still going to be high. I would say two things: not necessarily, and it depends on the mix of the applicant pool. And again, we're still waiting for the majority of the applications to come in.

Q: Eric, maybe you can shed some light on the application process. Do you envy the people applying to B-school in 2004? Do they have a better chance of getting into their top schools?
Jagher: I remember the process well, having gone through it just over two years ago. I don't envy the people applying in 2004, as I remember how long the process can take. I wouldn't say this year's applicants have a better chance, since the applications we've seen have been very solid.

Q: This audience member asks, "How is Dean Jain changing the school? I've heard that there may be less focus on teamwork and more on leadership."
Jagher: I would disagree with that sentiment. I think Dean [Dipak] Jain continues to encourage teamwork in everything that we do at Kellogg. Dean Jain, much to the joy of all students, has also made a significant effort to reach out to Kellogg alumni, so that they may assist us in the job search process.

Q: Would you throw some light on what happens to the file the moment it gets into the admission office -- what piece of data you read first and how you try to get to know the applicant?
Flye: First of all, the application file has to be assembled. Once all of the application information that we require is in, then the file is assembled and it goes into the reader pool. The first read is conducted by one of the members of our student admissions committee. There will be a second read with one of the admissions officers. Then the file comes to me, and in some cases the file may have an additional reader, since we want to be very thorough.

Q: Which pieces of the MBA application carry the most weight?
Flye: We have a very holistic approach, because every applicant is unique. We don't assign any particular weight or value to any item or criteria for admission.

Q: Kellogg is among the first schools that required each admitted candidate to do an interview. Why does Kellogg view the interview as just another piece of data, rather than giving it more weight?
Flye: Of course the interview is important, just as every criteria that we evaluate is important. The interview is valuable to us in assessing presence, interpersonal skills, and communication skills, as well as making an in-person assessment about each applicant's fit with our program.

Q: What questions can an applicant expect to hear during an alumni interview? What exactly is Kellogg looking to learn in its admissions interviews?
Flye: We don't have a set list of questions. Whether the interview is conducted by one of our students, one of our admissions officers, or an alumni interviewer, the goal is to have a sense of the candidate in terms of fit, interpersonal skills, maturity, and so forth. Of course we're also trying to get a better handle on the person's leadership experience and professional experience.

Q: Does it help a person's chances of acceptance to visit the school and interview with the admissions committee on campus, instead of doing an alumni interview?
Flye: Interviews count the same whether they're with one of our alumni, with a student interviewer, or with one of us on the admissions team. I would strongly encourage people to visit Kellogg. The advantage of interviewing [on campus] is that people have a chance to experience our culture firsthand via visiting classes and meeting current students.

Jagher: I would definitely encourage anyone interested in Kellogg to visit the school, sit in on a class, and maybe most important, take a walk around Evanston. It is a phenomenal place to live.

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Q: Speaking of Evanston, how soon should admitted students start looking for a place to live, and how soon should one plan to move to Evanston?
Jagher: Great question! In my class, some people started looking for places [to live] immediately after attending Day At Kellogg. Others waited until late May or early June. My advice would be to start early but not get too nervous if you don't find a place right away. I live in a great two-bedroom apartment, less than one mile from campus, and within walking distance to great restaurants, great retail, and even the beach!  

Q: This audience member asks, "What kind of GMAT scores would I need to attend Kellogg? I had a 3.8 at Amherst, if that helps."
Flye: First of all, we don't have a set minimum required GMAT score. The other thing, just to mention, is that if the person has taken the GMAT more than once, we will focus on the higher score. We do take the GMAT into account, but we look at the GMAT in conjunction with all the other criteria for admission.

[Editor's note: The average GMAT score among Kellogg's class of 2005 was 703.]

Q: Eric, what do you think was a "must do" in your application process, and what was a "must not do?"
Jagher: A "must do" would definitely be starting early and making a list of your accomplishments. In terms of a "must not do," don't refer to another school in your essays.

Q: What scholarships are available for international students who come on an F-1 visa (see BW Online, 12/22/03, "Smart Advice on Student Visas")?
Flye: We have a number of different scholarships available for which our admitted international applicants are eligible (these are merit-based scholarships). People do not have to complete separate scholarship applications, as we are assessing candidates throughout the cycle.

Q: Eric, what did you do before you began your MBA?
Jagher: I went to Washington University in St. Louis for my undergraduate degree and then worked in management consulting for three years. My undergrad grades were solid, and my GMAT was near the range of Kellogg's average.

Q: How has the job search been for you? Did you get the job you wanted prior to entering Kellogg?
Jagher: The job search has been a rewarding experience. TheCareer Management Center here at Kellogg has been a wonderful source of assistance in helping me with on-campus and off-campus searches. In terms of next year, I made the decision to return to management consulting. [Jagher recently landed a position at a Chicago consulting firm.]

Q: Are your classmates nervous about their job hunts?
Jagher: I think my classmates feel much more confident this year about finding a full-time job given the upturn in the economy. We came to Kellogg understanding the state of the economy at that time, and we understood that we would need to be creative at times in the job search.

Q: How does Kellogg view full-time professional experience that's obtained during undergraduate studies?
Flye: We would take it into account. The quality of full-time work experience is important to us. We do occasionally see [unique situations] with some international candidates. I have also seen that with some nontraditional candidates, people who are completing their education later and working full time.

Q: What elements should a candidate from a small- and particularly family-run business background add in their essays?
Flye: We certainly welcome a diversity of backgrounds with respect to different industries, which of course includes having worked in family businesses. I would advise this person -- as I would any applicant -- to make sure that he or she clearly educates us about their experience. What have you gained? In your role or roles, what impact did you have on that business? How might other students at Kellogg learn from you? And of course, how do your experiences link up with the career goal that you've got in mind?

Q: This audience member says, "I am a 2002 B.A. economics graduate and am working as an executive assistant to a [top executive] of a marketing and advertising agency. Will my experience as an executive assistant be seen as relative work experience?"
Flye: We would certainly take that experience into account when assessing the application. But again, we would have to see the entire application in terms of quality of experience and progression of experience. Just to be more specific, historically most of our candidates have had an average work experience of four to five years.

Q: What would be some of the concerns an admissions officer might have for an applicant who worked for seven years after college with impressive achievements and then became a successful artist during the next seven years?
Flye: Rather than concerns, it would be more of a question in our minds. The first question is more "why" concerning that person's career path and career choices. What's the intended goal, and how might the MBA fit into the picture? What would be important to us is that the candidate does a thorough job in providing answers to those questions.

Q: We've had a couple of questions regarding Kellogg's required application essays. When you review more than 5,000 applications, each with multiple essays, how do you rate one essay better than the other?
Flye: The good news is there are two people ahead of me, at least two people, who have done a very thorough read on the essays. Even though I'm also reading the essays, it's great that we've got collective perspective. The key to a really good essay is that it's clear that this person has been very thoughtful, reflective, and sincere.

Q: Eric, can you offer some more tips on the biggest dos and don'ts for the essays?
Jagher: My best piece of advice would be to make sure that your essays are consistent with other parts of your application. Be true to yourself, don't write what you think we want to hear.

Flye: I absolutely echo Eric's feedback. Don't fall into the trap of cutting and pasting content from multiple applications.

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Q: Many schools seem to indicate that they want to target younger applicants. Is this true, and if so, does that place the older candidates at a disadvantage?
Flye: We're not concerned about age. Again, what's important to us is the quality of one's experiences, both professional and in life (personal experience). And we take a person's level of maturity into account.  

Q: Is it better to have references from influential people in the organization the applicant worked for, or from middle-level managers who have worked directly with the applicant?
Flye: What is really key, with respect to our career progress survey, is that the applicant selects a person who knows him or her extremely well. This person should be someone in the applicant's working environment. What we're looking for is thorough information, including examples, about the applicant's skill set, accomplishments, and personal attributes, as well as areas for improvement.

Q: Outside of the application and the interview, is there anything an applicant can do to reiterate his or her strong desire to attend Kellogg?
Flye: Assuming that the candidate has done his or her job in letting us know that in the interview and in the essays, I don't think there is anything additional to do.

Q: How does Kellogg view community service? Are a lot of Kellogg students active in some type of community service?
Flye: We definitely like to see evidence of community service. It can provide insight about the person's experiences related to leadership as well as about what is important to that person -- what their passions are, and what matters to them.

To answer the second question, the answer is absolutely. A large number of our students are involved with a number of community service initiatives and organizations, such as Business with a Heart, Kellogg Corps, and our Social Impact Club, to name a few.

Q: We've got a few part-time MBA applicants tuning in tonight. Can you shed any light on part-time admissions?
Flye: My office here only evaluates for the full-time programs. I would recommend that this person visit the Kellogg Web site and visit the area for The Managers Program, where there will be contact information for their admissions office.

Q: What is the acceptance rate of Kellogg's Masters of Management & Manufacturing (MMM) program, vs. the MBA program?
Flye: The MMM program is equally competitive. Again, as is the case for our applicant pool in general, we continue to see some exceptionally strong candidates for the MMM program.

Q: How many offers were released from the first round of admissions? Is notification of admissions status done in any particular order?
Flye: We have released a small percentage of offers for round one. Our decision release date for round one is Jan. 26. So the majority of offers for this particular round will be forthcoming. Again, we evaluate applications within the round on somewhat of a rolling basis. As files become complete, we evaluate them. There's no prescribed order.

uiber

thanks!!!

aokceo

great!