Video essays 11-27

Video essays

Don’t stress too much about the video essay. It’s meant to be personal and authentic. If you’ve ever used Skype or Facetime, this should feel familiar and easy. We also added a lot of information about the video essays to our website, so that’s a great place to read more to ease your mind.

The video essay is about lifting you up off the pages of your written application and giving you a chance to showcase your Kellogg interest, personality and communication skills in a way that written essays and test scores can’t.

For more information about our video essays, take a look at this recent Poets & Quants story and this Crain’s story with Director of Admissions Kate Smith.

Additional topics: Test scores, essays, Letters of recommendation and the Interview

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Letters of recommendation 11-28

Letters of recommendation

Many applicants wonder who is most suited and desirable to approach for a recommendation. I know that was a tough decision when I applied. The admissions committee is most interested in someone who knows you and your work experience, regardless of title or prior connection to Kellogg. A supervisor who understands your daily contributions may be more illuminating for us than a CEO who is less familiar with your work.

It’s a good idea to help your recommender understand why you’re interested in Kellogg and how you want your Kellogg MBA to further your career goals. It’s important to try and talk with your recommenders about these points, but it’s even more important to allow them to provide their own opinions and write the recommendation themselves.

We know some applicants aren’t able to approach a current supervisor for a recommendation. Previous supervisors, clients, or project managers may be good alternatives. If you don’t choose a current supervisor, just let us know why (it would affect my bonus, I would be asked to leave, etc.) — we understand that indicating you’re planning to leave the work force can have consequences in different industries. Most applicants who don’t have a current supervisor write their recommendation provide an explanation in the Additional Information section of the application.

Additional topics: Test scores, essays, video essays and the Interview

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Essays 11-26

Essays

The essays are your opportunity to talk directly to the admissions committee and tell your story. Since this is about you and your experiences, there’s no right or wrong answer. The essays provide color about who you are and the important things in your background. We want to know what you’ll be adding to our Kellogg community, and contributing in our Kellogg classroom, so it’s really important to be yourself. Don’t worry about trying to say what you think we want to hear.

It’s also important to answer the question that’s been asked, in a way that lets us know you’re writing with Kellogg in mind, rather than say recycling a generic essay you’re submitting multiple places. Some applicants have a second reader look over their essay and guess what the prompt was to be sure their answer is as focused and relevant as possible.

Additional topics: Test scores, Letters of recommendation, Video essays and the Interview

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