Calling all Kellogg Fall 2009 Applicants!

riverripper, thanks a ton for your quick responses.

Is there anyone else interviewing off-campus? If so, have you received an invite yet?
I submitted in Mid-August but no feedback from them yet. My status on the Kellogg website is the following:

All the required elements of your application are complete.

If your interview has been completed, the application has been submitted for review to the admissions committee. If your interview has not been conducted, the application will be submitted to the admissions committee upon completion of the interview. The next status check update will be the admission decision (Admit, Waitlist or Deny). As the majority of decisions are updated twice a week, we recommend checking the status on Tuesday and Friday, between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. Please note the majority of decisions will be posted during the last several weeks of the deadline.

First time I read it I thought they are waiving the interview for me, but I think it's likely I will have my interview (I live between DC and Baltimore so I'm sure there's quite a few alumni interviewers in the area) -- hopefully soon.

How is everyone filling out their extracurriculars? Kellogg gives you very little space to input the titles. They also say please provide a brief description. Where? In the "offices held" section? The character limits force me to use acronyms for the titles of some groups and then just say "community service" under postions held, which I find to be pretty limiting.

Is this all they want to see? Should we use an optional essay to explain what the organizations were (the ones we don't elaborate on in the main essays)? They obviously don't want detailed descriptions given the space limits they enforce, but I have a hard time believing this is all the space they want us to dedicate to it. Or do they just care about the hours?

Any help ASAP would be greatly appreciated.

I would advise against using the optional essay for these activities. You have the opportunity to talk about these in your essay "I wish the adcom had asked me"

to visit kellogg, do we have to register on their website (if so where?) or can we just turn up?

You can just show up. TG is Friday in the atrium, it will definitely give you the best taste of the culture outside of the class environment plus there is free beer and often are events. There is an eating contest this week and a drag show in a few more weeks. Monday you can have lunch with a student which is a good time to pick people's brain in a less formal environment. If you visit on Tuesdays just go to the Keg at night and you will see hundreds of Kellogg students there...currently there are weekly beer olympics with sections competing against each other in various different drinking games. I dont drink but its a time for everyone to let loose and just have a good time.

You can request classes. I would suggest trying to get into Marketing with Hennessey or Grayson, or Business Strategy with Mazzeo. If you let me know what day you are coming I can check class schedules for you. Definitely dont come on Wed, we dont have classes...there are still lots of students on campus but they are there for recruiting, group work, or meetings so it will be harder to get to interact with them.

https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/Programs/FullTimeMBA/Admissions_Events/On_Campus_Events.aspx

River, I am planning a visit on 14th October ( Tuesday)..and planning to go there directly from O'Hare. Hope to catch up with you for a few minutes, if you are free.

What does TG stand for? I visited Kellogg on a Friday and I remember a bunch of people were playing Rock Band on a huge screen in the atrium.

I may be wrong but TGIF is the global acronym for Thank God Its Friday ?

For Tuesday classes I suggest Hennessey's marketing class at 8:30-10 and 10:30 to 12 if there is room. Tuesdays are kind of an offday for me, I only have one class but typically have lots of meetings and stuff going on pm me about your trip I will try to catch up with you.

I just got my alum interview email and have to schedule it. Does anyone know if there's an advantage to interviewing sooner rather than later? I've heard Kellogg has a semi-rolling sort of admissions process.

I suggest getting it out of the way. They do semi rolling admissions but your interview has to be submitted before they give you any decision so getting it done can definitely speed things up.

River,
Great, thanks for the tip and will do. I believe that Kellogg doesn't even review the application until interview feedback has been submitted (I could be wrong here).

Soni - I'm trying to remember - when did you submit your part 1? Just trying to get a feel for how long before i hear about the interview...

cheers,
ac.

Very early, August 15th. First app I worked on since Kellogg released essays in June.

ah that's right thanks!
ac.

River, do you have your interview experience posted anywhere or tips for the interview? I assume Kellogg alum interviewers generally don't pull out tough questions and I should expect the standard line of questioning.