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souvik101990
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I'd surely not recommend anyone spend 4 hours to drop 10% of the word count. But despite not explicitly mentioning anything on their websites, several schools such as Haas, Sloan, and Ross (from my own experiences in their sessions) have mentioned to strictly stick to their word limits.

That being said, of course you wouldn't want to skip something important like a crucial detail or a significant learning away to just fit into the word limit.


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There are some consultants who claim that you're allowed to write essays win a 10% over limit, but I'd advice against it. All the school sessions I have been in have claimed that word count limit exist for a reason. I'm sure nobody will reject you if your essay is 460 words instead of 450, but I'd rather go the extra mile to stick to their instructions.

You do mention a good point but also missing another important one. If you end up spending 4 hours to remove those extra 10% words (which will be 45 for a 450 word limit essay) when you could have used those 4 hours for another essay or another school's application; then yes, going 10% above limit is acceptable. Dont go overboard with the extra words or dont make it a habit though!

But now that you're here, please share some video interview tips. I think one thing that I didn't do well last year was

1. Not wearing a suit.
2. Not optimising the light in my room which made my video super dark.
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There are some consultants who claim that you're allowed to write essays win a 10% over limit, but I'd advice against it. All the school sessions I have been in have claimed that word count limit exist for a reason. I'm sure nobody will reject you if your essay is 460 words instead of 450, but I'd rather go the extra mile to stick to their instructions.

You do mention a good point but also missing another important one. If you end up spending 4 hours to remove those extra 10% words (which will be 45 for a 450 word limit essay) when you could have used those 4 hours for another essay or another school's application; then yes, going 10% above limit is acceptable. Dont go overboard with the extra words or dont make it a habit though!

But now that you're here, please share some video interview tips. I think one thing that I didn't do well last year was

1. Not wearing a suit.
2. Not optimising the light in my room which made my video super dark.

hah! Sure. Its been a while (2015). But I think, definitely wear a suit (only the suit jacket, shirt and tie are needed as they wont know whether you are wearing shorts or jorts instead of a pant), make sure to provide your most professional/best picture via video essays.

1. Be professionally dressed
2. Make sure to not have any background noise
3. Have proper lightning in your room; treat this as a job interview over skype
4. Practice your answers so that you stay within the time limit
5. Your answers should complement your application and should be in sync with what you write in your essays/application; coherence is the key here.
6. Practice, practice, practice
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Thanks. Definitely all good items. I do have to ask you. Now that you're on the either side, what would you say is actually tested in the video interview? Ability to think instantly? Presentable? Fluency? All of the above?
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Thanks. Definitely all good items. I do have to ask you. Now that you're on the either side, what would you say is actually tested in the video interview? Ability to think instantly? Presentable? Fluency? All of the above?

All the above. All these application components have now moved towards what you or anyone in a top business school will go through during recruiting interviews: fluency, consistency, thinking on your feet, how you would answer a client's question without being condescending while still being on point, can companies put you in front of the clients on a daily basis (presentable), coherency within a time limit and not ramble on for 15 minutes when your answers could have taken 5 minutes and finally, the usual traits that Kellogg likes in people: likeability, team work, eagerness to help etc.
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Just did my video essays...I think it went well...I think I forgot to breathe during the second question lol and started to feel a little flustered but I don't think it came across on the video. I did practice a lot a head of time.

Nicely done. How many rounds did you practice? I'm also curious about the external factors. Were you wearing a suit? How was the lighting? Etc.


I am not sure exactly how many rounds I practiced but it was several with the actual technology and then before that I practiced with a friend over skype so they could make sure I looked/sounded ok. I didn't wear a suit. I wore a purple business casual top that I would normally wear to the office. I added a couple of lamps so that the lighting was good and I propped my laptop up on some books so that it was at eye level. Hope that helps!
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Yeah I am going to try adding more lamps and natural light. About the dress code, being a guy I don't have much of a choice :(


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Just did my video essays...I think it went well...I think I forgot to breathe during the second question lol and started to feel a little flustered but I don't think it came across on the video. I did practice a lot a head of time.

Nicely done. How many rounds did you practice? I'm also curious about the external factors. Were you wearing a suit? How was the lighting? Etc.


I am not sure exactly how many rounds I practiced but it was several with the actual technology and then before that I practiced with a friend over skype so they could make sure I looked/sounded ok. I didn't wear a suit. I wore a purple business casual top that I would normally wear to the office. I added a couple of lamps so that the lighting was good and I propped my laptop up on some books so that it was at eye level. Hope that helps!

Hey do you think it's possible to share what two other questions you were asked? Thanks again for sharing your insights with the community!
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Sure! I dont remember the exact wording...but these should be close:

1. If you had an extra day of the week what would you do
2. Was the same question they advertise on their website
3. This is the one I don't fully remember...it was a team question and I think it may have been tell me about a time that you worked on a dysfunctional team why was it dysfunctional and what did you do to fix it? ...I had a similar one for Yale...but I can't remember which on was about a team and which one was about working on a team where one person wasn't pulling their fair share.
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Sure! I dont remember the exact wording...but these should be close:

1. If you had an extra day of the week what would you do
2. Was the same question they advertise on their website
3. This is the one I don't fully remember...it was a team question and I think it may have been tell me about a time that you worked on a dysfunctional team why was it dysfunctional and what did you do to fix it? ...I had a similar one for Yale...but I can't remember which on was about a team and which one was about working on a team where one person wasn't pulling their fair share.

What do you think you could have done better on these questions?
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Sure! I dont remember the exact wording...but these should be close:

1. If you had an extra day of the week what would you do
2. Was the same question they advertise on their website
3. This is the one I don't fully remember...it was a team question and I think it may have been tell me about a time that you worked on a dysfunctional team why was it dysfunctional and what did you do to fix it? ...I had a similar one for Yale...but I can't remember which on was about a team and which one was about working on a team where one person wasn't pulling their fair share.

Thanks for sharing!
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....

...
But now that you're here, please share some video interview tips. I think one thing that I didn't do well last year was

1. Not wearing a suit.
2. Not optimising the light in my room which made my video super dark.

Since we're discussing this, I have a "vanity" question. I have a (well-trimmed) beard, do you think its appropriate to carry to the video essay / actual interview? If there's a slightest chance of this not going well with an old-school ad com member or alum, I'd rather shave it off.

I know this sounds a little immature, but I'd rather ask than risk.
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Since we're discussing this, I have a "vanity" question. I have a (well-trimmed) beard, do you think its appropriate to carry to the video essay / actual interview? If there's a slightest chance of this not going well with an old-school ad com member or alum, I'd rather shave it off.

I know this sounds a little immature, but I'd rather ask than risk.

Nah, it should be fine until you keep it well trimmed. I have seen people go in for the recruiting interviews with beards. If a school is that particular with how a person looks even though that person is well groomed, then Ill say that you dodged a bullet there!!
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Sure! I dont remember the exact wording...but these should be close:

1. If you had an extra day of the week what would you do
2. Was the same question they advertise on their website
3. This is the one I don't fully remember...it was a team question and I think it may have been tell me about a time that you worked on a dysfunctional team why was it dysfunctional and what did you do to fix it? ...I had a similar one for Yale...but I can't remember which on was about a team and which one was about working on a team where one person wasn't pulling their fair share.

What do you think you could have done better on these questions?

I had practiced similar questions so I feel like my answers were good the only thing I would have changed is to talk slower...I think I got nervous and sped up my answers...so I would say remain calm...take some time between the questions to do a couple of deep breaths if needed.
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About to submit my essays. Anybody thinks that the text box format option is less preferable than the PDF option? FuturePM91 - what did you do?
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Only a handful of Kellogg applicants this year? Strange. The forum seems very quiet. I wonder why?!

I'm putting in my application too. Am facing dearth of time though. Wrapped up my GMAT on Sep 10th and started my application yesterday only. Am hoping to submit it within R1 deadline. Fingers crossed!
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About to submit my essays. Anybody thinks that the text box format option is less preferable than the PDF option? FuturePM91 - what did you do?

I uploaded a pdf
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