Hey everyone, my Kellogg interview was honestly a killer experience—extremely challenging, far more advanced than anything I had anticipated. Even after 3–4 mock interviews and prepping for all the common questions other applicants got this cycle, my luck was different: I had a very experienced adcom.
She started right away saying she’d read my essays and resume, so no basic walk-throughs. My ears rose up instantly. First came questions on my choice of undergrad, and she cross-questioned whether it was coincidental or intentional—I had to defend with logic and purpose. Then she asked where I see my industry in 5 years. I gave a positive view, but she immediately pushed back: if things look so good, why switch careers and why need an MBA? That one was tough to navigate.
She probed my hobbies—why exactly these three, what their origin was, and whether I’d left others out. Then came behavioral ones: what 3 things my current manager would say about me vs. 3 things my former manager would say, and how they’d differ—it felt like a live recommendation letter. She also pressed on location: why Evanston, a college town, and not Chicago with its global opportunities. I felt she was hinting at whether I was also applying to Booth.
The whole thing ran 55 minutes instead of the planned 30–45. She kept pressing me left, right, center—scribbling notes with a firm face, almost no smile. Honestly, it felt like an HBS-style grilling. Compared to the very linear, straightforward interviews with second-years, this was in another league. Definitely an interview I’ll remember for a long time.
Key Takeaways from My Kellogg Interview
• The interview was far more rigorous than expected; preparation for “linear” questions wasn’t enough.
• Never flaunt or overstate—every answer can be cross-questioned.
• Only share points you can back up with logic, examples, or experience.
• Avoid trying to sound superior; keep answers grounded and balanced.
• Self-awareness matters more than “knowing everything.”
• The interviewer’s goal was to test if I am consistent with my application on paper and in person, and how well I understand myself. Her questions at its core tested “INTENSIONALITY/COLLABORATION/LOW-EGO” aspect. WHY-WHY-WHY was constant followup.
• If you’re lucky, you may get a second-year interviewer with fairly linear questions. If your stars aren’t aligned, you may end up with a fiery experience like mine.