clardj
Hey there! I’ll be starting the 2Y program this fall. Some high level takeaways from the app process (applicable to all schools really): 1) put yourself in the position of the adcomm whos reading hundreds of applications. Stand out and make their job easier by SHOWING as much as possible NOT TELLING. With essays, use imagery and tell stories. It can feel tempting to use the word count to simply explain the answer to the question, but resist! Tell them what you learned, how you grew by giving them good stories to understand. 2) Look at the app in detail thoroughly before starting any specific component. Strategize and think about how you can bring out certain detail in certain areas. Maximize your application by thinking through all of the points of your narrative you want to get through and being deliberate about which part of the app you want it to come through. That includes your resume. Know the themes Kellogg cares about and try to draw these out in your essays and with the work experiences you highlight. Teamwork, diversity, self-awareness, high-impact leadership to name a few. Try to attend events and meet with current students/ alum to get their perspective - have a sense of specific courses, professors, clubs, competitions at Kellogg you’re interested in ahead of time and ask their perspective. Then you can highlight both the Kellogg-specific course/club in your app and also mention you talked to XYZ about it! Double win! Don’t sleep on essay prep. It takes time to get your narrative out there in the best way possible. I’d recommend working with people who have been through the b-school essay writing process from the start. Get them to review or work with a consultant. Having family members or other people that don’t understand the context and how adcomms think will only be moderately helpful - may even be negatively helpful. Hope that helps!! Good luck!
This is really good 👍