This in-depth Kellogg school guide is designed to help you make a decision about whether Kellogg is a good fit for you. In it, we give an overview of the school and its MBA program, including location, information about the MBA community, and ranking. We then give you a detailed look into the MBA course, including program offerings, extracurricular activities, and post-MBA opportunities.
This guide also includes a wealth of resources that will strengthen your Kellogg application, including essay guidelines, interview advice, and letter of recommendation planning support.
We know this guide will be helpful for you and your MBA journey, and we wish you the best in your decision and application process! If you have any questions after reading, please feel free to contact us.
School and Program Overview
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Located 30 minutes north of Chicago, the US’s third-largest city, Evanston is a university town that has an array of culture and amenities alongside plenty of natural scenery. With a population of 75,000, you will have a good balance between urban opportunities and a quaint lifestyle while being surrounded by other bright students attending Northwestern.
Evanston is full of charming neighborhoods, hip stores and cafes, award-winning restaurants, and beautiful parks and beaches. Because it is small, however, everything is walkable or bikeable. There are also multiple public transportation options to get around the city, including trains and buses into Chicago.
Because it is outside of the big city, accommodation is relatively affordable. Off-campus apartments average $1200 (one-bedroom). Kellogg also provides on-campus housing options, with apartments costing anywhere from $1,100 to $2,000 per month.
Overall, Kellogg’s location is one full of opportunities and unique experiences, but you will have to reflect on whether a suburban, university-town experience matches your needs and desires.
Kellogg’s Community
With its Global Hub, Kellogg of Management at Northwestern University has reinforced itself as a haven for collaboratively minded leaders.
Kellogg’s community is defined by forward-thinking approaches to business and an appreciation for diversity. Growth is also a key principle at Kellogg. According to Kellogg’s Admissions Team, “Growth is a challenge every leader and organization confronts – across sectors, markets, countries and economies. At Kellogg, we develop brave leaders who inspire growth in people, organizations and markets.”
Photo courtesy of @mmmkellogg on Instagram
Thus, Kellogg admits students who can prove a desire to challenge the status quo, motivate teams to drive impact, seek and appreciate diversity, and are collaboratively minded.
Class Size and Demographics
Out of thousands of applicants for the Class of 2024, 503 were admitted and accepted spots at Kellogg.
48% of Kellogg’s Class of 2024 are women, and 37% are underrepresented minorities. The demographics of American students are listed in the chart below:
Photo courtesy of kellogg.northwestern.edu
38% of Kellogg’s Class of 2024 is made up of international students.
Most students came in from consulting (24%) or finance (19%) backgrounds, although a wide range of industries are represented, as illustrated in the chart below:
Photo courtesy of kellogg.northwestern.edu
The average GMAT score for the Class of 2024 was 729 and the median GRE was 163Q, 162V.
Tuition
Currently, annual tuition at Kellogg is $78,276 for the two-year MBA and $108,016 for the one-year MBA.
With living expenses included (assuming a moderate lifestyle), that number goes up to just over $117,259 for an individual attending the full-time program annually and $157,578 for the one-year MBA.
Photo courtesy of kellogg.northwestern.edu
Note that Kellogg has a range of merit-based scholarships. Additionally, their financial aid office can advise admitted students on ways to finance their education.
Costs and Financing
Kellogg offers both merit- and need-based scholarships, which are given at the same time that candidates receive their admission letters. Kellogg’s financial support is available for both international and American students. Learn more about Kellogg’s financial aid opportunities here.
For information on how to get company MBA sponsorship, see our guide or visit this page.
To search for third-party scholarships available for MBA candidates, click here.
For US nationals seeking federal loans, visit the US government website for financial aid. For private loans, see this list to see what firms are offering the best rates.
For international students interested in loans, we recommend the following institutions: Mpower Financing, Juno, or Discover.
Program Length
Kellogg has multiple MBA options available. The full-time MBA is two years long. There is also a part-time/evening MBA program and one-year MBA program for students with time-related constraints.
Ranking
Across multiple ranking sources, Kellogg is consistently placed at the top. Financial Times has Kellogg at #5 globally for all MBA programs, while it is ranked in 3rd place by US News.
Employment Information
Another important consideration to make when deciding whether any business school is right for you is the MBA’s ROI – where graduates go and how well they succeed. You want to ensure that the investment you make in your MBA, both in terms of time and money, gets you the career boost you’re aiming for!
The first key indicator of the school’s preparation and reputation is how many students receive job offers immediately after graduation (this is usually within three months). Secondly is the median base salary, which shows the value that employers see in candidates as a combination of their previous experience and skills and knowledge gained during the MBA. Employers are willing to pay candidates more when they can trust that the MBA has provided them with solid leadership skills. We provide the median base salary for all MBA graduates, but we also recommend looking at Kellogg’s latest employment report to see detailed post-MBA salary information for your industry.
You will also want to consider each school’s career services and any resources they offer to support your post-MBA success. Part of the investment you make towards your MBA includes ensuring that you are getting the help you need to prepare for interviews, salary negotiations, and network-building. We include information about Kellogg’s career services below.
Key Statistics
Of those that sought employment after completing their MBAs in 2021, the top two functions that graduates pursued were consulting (33.7%, median base salary of $165,000) and finance (18.8%, median base salary of $150,000).
Photo courtesy of kellogg.northwestern.edu
The median base salary for all graduates was $158,400, and the median signing bonus was $30,000.
92% of graduates received jobs in the United States, and 34% of them ended up on the West Coast.
Employment Services and Resources
Kellogg’s Career Management Center supports students and alumni in their post-MBA journeys. The center provides one-on-one coaching, a private job board, and resources and workshops on topics like interviewing and salary negotiation.
Is Kellogg Right for You?
Now you’ve got the basics of what Kellogg is all about. Before you read on to the details of Kellogg’s MBA program, you may be wondering if the school is really right for you and your situation.
Our team here at Ellin Lolis Consulting is always excited to support our clients in deciding which MBA is right for you. From mapping out your business school brand and objectives to planning your visit to your top-choice schools, we get to know you so we can offer you the best support along each step of the decision-making process.
Learn more about our all-in consulting services here!
Academics at Kellogg
Now you’ve got the basics of what Kellogg is all about. Before you read on to the details of Kellogg’s MBA program, you may be wondering if the school is really right for you and your situation.
Considering the fact that you can only do one MBA, choosing where to apply is the most important decision you will make during your application process.
Though there are many components to a successful business school application, it’s important to know what you want out of your MBA. One of the most important aspects of an MBA program is academics. After all, you’ll spend most of your time in the classroom, preparing for class, or studying for exams!
In this section, we go into depth about just what you can expect during your Kellogg MBA.
Curriculum
Kellogg’s MBA curriculum is focused on the fundamentals of growth and providing a foundation for students’ specialized interests. Although it is not required, students also have the option to pursue majors or pathways to further specialize their degrees.
Photo courtesy of @kelloggschool on Instagram
The core of Kellogg’s full-time program consists of nine courses in areas like accounting, management and organizations, marketing, finance, managerial economics, decision sciences, operations, and management and strategy. The one-year program focuses less on core courses and instead allocates more room for electives aligned with students’ areas of specialization.
All full-time students must also complete a 6-12 week period of relevant work between the first and second years of the MBA. Students are then required to complete a Leadership and Crisis Management course during the pre-term orientation of year two. Electives, which students pursue in year two, are in areas such as Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Management and Organizations, Marketing, and Strategy. These courses are taken during the second year of the program.
Students who decide to specialize in a major can choose among the following areas: Economics, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Strategy, Managing Organizations, and Management Science. (Note: If you choose not to elect a major, “General Management” will be noted on your transcript.)
In addition to majors, Kellogg provides “pathways,” which are sequences of courses designed to address particularly relevant and high-demand skill sets or industries. Some of the current pathways offered include Data Analytics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Scaling, Healthcare at Kellogg, Real Estate, Social Impact, and Venture Capital & Private Equity. Students have the flexibility to pursue any number of pathways.
Joint Programs
For students interested in studying at the intersection of business and other fields, there are four joint programs available: the MBAi program, in partnership with McCormick School of Engineering; the MMM program, which provides an MBA from Kellogg and an M.S. in Design Innovation from the Segal Design Institute; the JD/MBA program in conjunction with the Northwestern School of Law; and the MD/MBA program with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Notable Faculty
As one of the best business schools in the world, Kellogg has a number of stellar professors. Here are just a few of them.
Mohanbir Sawhney is a globally recognized scholar, teacher, consultant and speaker in business innovation, modern marketing, and Artificial Intelligence applications in business. He has published multiple bestselling books and articles for reputed journals like Management Science and the Journal of Interactive Marketing.
Victoria Medvec is a globally renowned expert in negotiations and consults multiple Fortune 500 companies. She is also known for her dynamic teaching style, bringing multiple examples from real-life business cases into the classroom.
Florian Zettelmeyer is an award-winning professor of marketing at Kellogg. He also founded and directs the Program on Data Analytics at Kellogg, the school’s Big Data and Analytics initiative.
Pedagogy
Instruction Style
In general, there are three primary teaching styles: case studies, experiential learning, and lectures. Kellogg’s MBA combines all three. In fact, coursework is divided approximately as follows: case method (30%), lectures (30%), team projects (30%), and experiential learning (10%).
Photo courtesy of kellogg.northwestern.edu
There are eight experiential learning opportunities and courses available to Kellogg students. This includes the Asset Management Practicum, Analytical Consulting Lab, and Kellogg Board Fellows Program.
Labs
Kellogg has a number of labs that allow students to expose themselves to relevant business challenges and collaborate with others to solve problems. We describe these labs below.
The Analytical Consulting Lab (ACL) offers students the chance to work with actual company data, develop meaningful analytical models for managerial decision-making, and present results and recommendations to company executives. Next, the Asset Management Lab places students in a quarter-long internship with a local or national asset management firm, developing their capacities in deal selection, due diligence, and/or investment efforts.
The Education Consulting Lab provides students interested in consulting, the education sector, or both the opportunity to work with school districts, charter school networks, and other educational organizations on projects of strategic importance to the schools and organizations. Next, the Healthcare Strategy Consulting Lab brings students in direct contact with leaders across the healthcare industry to analyze their problems and present recommendations to the client. The Private Equity Lab and Venture Lab place quarter-long internships with leading private equity and venture capital firms. Real Estate Lab allows students to work in a research and advisory role on a real estate project for a sponsor firm or organization.
Lastly, Kellogg’s Global Lab (G-Lab) connects students with international companies to help solve a pressing business or management challenge. During this twelve-week experiential learning course, students closely interact with the faculty advisor. Teams of four students spend the first ten weeks on campus conducting research, analysis, and interviews in line with the work plan they develop with their clients. After a mid-term progress review and completing their on-campus activities, the teams travel to the client sites to spend the final two weeks completing their research, presenting final recommendations, and working with management on implementation plans.
International Study Programs
Apart from the Global Lab mentioned above, there are a few other global study opportunities available.
First is the Global Initiatives in Management program, a course that exposes students to business and market dynamics within a specific region or global industry. The course combines in-class lectures, discussions, and cases with ten days of international field research. During the GIM’s travel period, students will meet with local business and government leaders, conduct research, and experience the local culture.
Next, there are the Kellogg Worldwide Exploration Student Trips (KWEST). KWEST is planned by students for students: second-year students spend nearly a year planning experience, then lead first-year students to different locations around the world for week-long, non-academic experiences. The main purposes of KWEST are to create interpersonal bonds and gain international exposure.
Lastly, for students who are interested in spending longer periods of time abroad, there are full-time exchange opportunities available as well. Through Kellogg’s 25 partner schools, students have a wide array of opportunities to learn about business from a different cultural perspective, be immersed in a foreign culture, and broaden global networks.
Networking and Extracurricular Activities
The quality and extent of any business school’s community and network are key to assessing how the MBA will support your goals and objectives. While the MBA’s academic offerings are certainly one of the most important considerations, the influence and support of others connected to the school are one of the most influential aspects of getting an MBA.
Photo courtesy of @mmmkellogg on Instagram
In clubs and extracurricular activities, you will meet others who can expand your perspectives, give you innovative ideas, and potentially become future business partners. When exploring each school’s extracurricular opportunities, see whether there are activities that align with your goals, values, skill gaps, or general interests.
As for the school’s networks and alumni community, some programs have stronger connections than others. You will want to consider whether the school has good connections to the regions and/or industries that you are aiming for and whether or not alumni networks exist where you are headed post-MBA. Not only will this be a chance for you to stay connected after graduation, but it can also get you lifelong career support and opportunities.
With plenty of student-led clubs and extracurricular activities available at Kellogg, there are many ways to refine leadership, networks, and skills during the MBA.
Photo courtesy of @kelloggschool on Instagram
Whether you are interested in networking with others from your region or social group (e.g., Africa Club, Chinese Business Club, Women’s Business Association), exploring your industry/background further (e.g., Entrepreneurship Business Club, Kellogg Tech Club, Kellogg Impact Consulting Club), or simply finding others with similar personal interests (e.g., Groupwerk: Kellogg’s Dance Crew, Habitat for Humanity Club), there are certainly a number of clubs that fit your profile and objectives.
Networking and Alumni Opportunities
In addition to experiencing Kellogg’s tight-knit student community, MBA students and grads have access to the school’s one-of-a-kind alumni community. Kellogg’s alumni network has more than 65,000 members present in most major cities and regions around the globe, as well as several affinity networks tailored to specific interests.
There are also regular events, both in-person and virtual, for alumni to connect and learn about key issues related to business.
Summary: What Makes Kellogg Special?
Apart from being a consistently well-ranked school, there are a few key aspects that make Kellogg unique:
- Many degree options: Unlike many other M7 business schools, Kellogg offers a wide range of degree options to fit students’ schedules and interests. Whether you need to continue working and, thus, pursue a part-time degree, or are interested in pursuing a major, joint degree, or pathway to specialize your degree, Kellogg has many options that can adapt to you.
- Student leadership: Kellogg has a number of opportunities to practice leadership on campus, whether it’s in the wide range of experiential learning courses and labs, global treks, or student-led clubs.
- Collaborative culture: Kellogg is known for its integration of collaboration into its community, coursework, and activities. Most academic deliverables must be done in groups, and students must rate one another on their contributions. And with a strong emphasis on networking through opportunities like KWEST and a ton of extracurricular activities, students form tight bonds that go well beyond the MBA.
Kellogg Resources & Templates To Get You Accepted
Now that you know just about everything there is to know about Kellogg and its opportunities, you may be considering applying. Luckily, our expert team at Ellin Lolis Consulting has a wealth of Kellogg-specific resources to make your application stand out and succeed. We’ve compiled them below:
Kellogg Essay Analysis
With an acceptance rate of around 20%, Kellogg is a highly selective MBA program.
This guide, which includes tips from our expert essay editing team, will help you use your Kellogg admissions essays to stand out. You’ll find an analysis of who Kellogg is looking for, the essay questions, and what to (and not to!) do. We’ve also included sample essays. All in all, using this guide will ensure you give your Kellogg application your best shot.
Kellogg Interview Prep
The Kellogg interview is one of the most sought-after – and most difficult – interviews to land in the business school world. Luckily, we’ve created this exclusive guide to help you prepare for a Kellogg interview that stands out among the competition.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up not only our best tips from our interview team but have also included sample Kellogg interview questions.
Additional Kellogg Resources
Looking for even more resources to ensure you get into Kellogg?
Our MBA Resource Center is the perfect tool to start – or improve! – your Kellogg application. In our MBA Resource Center, you get access to:
- Dozens more successful Kellogg essays
- An exclusive essay brainstorming guide
- Letter of recommendation guides and templates
- Résumé templates
- Additional resources like interview mocks and sample interview essays
Our MBA Resource Center is the tool you need to turn an average application into an outstanding application that earns you a spot at Kellogg!
Our clients get admitted to Kellogg
If your eyes are set on Kellogg, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare and execute a successful application. As one of the most selective MBA programs out there, getting admitted to Kellogg is no easy task. Luckily, Ellin Lolis Consulting is here to offer our comprehensive expertise to you.
From brainstorming your ideas for your essays to negotiating your scholarships, our all-star team ensures that you get exactly the support and guidance you need along every step of the application process.
Don’t just take our word for it – take a look at the following testimonials from some of our clients who were admitted to Kellogg:
Landing a spot at Kellogg is no easy task. Now is the time to make sure your accomplishments truly shine.
Ellin Lolis Consulting began with one mission: provide the best possible service to our clients and get them the best possible results. We know that applying for an MBA can be a difficult, long process, but our goal is to take away as much of the stress as possible by acting as your ally in the process.
So if you need much more than just a few comments on your essay but instead want focused help shaping how you present your life’s greatest hits to one of the world’s toughest critics, you can count on us.
That’s why we have a 98.9% success rate. We love digging deep into your story, finding what makes you unique, and sharing your accomplishments and why you belong at Kellogg, all without losing your voice.
If you want our one-of-a-kind, expert support in getting admitted to Kellogg, apply to work with us and let our award-winning team help you make an unforgettable first impression on Kellogg’s admissions committee.
Additional MBA Resources To Help You Secure Your Spot
While preparing your MBA application, the following resources created by Ellin Lolis Consulting will help you ensure you are not just doing everything right, but developing an outstanding and competitive application.
Deciding and Planning
- How to Decide Where to Apply to Business School
- Your Complete Timeline for MBA Application Success
- How to Create Your Business School Brand
- When Should You Start Preparing Your MBA Application?
- MBA Application Rounds: When Should You Apply?
- 3 Key Ways MBA Consultants Help You Build a Better Application Strategy
Writing your Essays and Résumé
- Your Complete Guide to Writing Winning MBA Essays
- How to Choose Your MBA Essay Stories (webinar)
- How to Write an MBA Goals Essay that Lands You an Interview
- 3 Reasons MBA Consultants Are Critical When Identifying and Telling MBA Essay Stories
- How to Use Storytelling to Write Standout MBA Essays
- How to Highlight Uniqueness in Your MBA Essays
- How to Discuss Failures and Weaknesses in Your MBA Essays
- How to Write an MBA CV
Letters of Recommendation
- How to Choose the Best Recommenders for Your Application
- How MBA Consultants Can Help you Obtain Better Letters of Recommendation
- How to Secure MBA Letters of Recommendation
MBA Interview Prep
- How to Be an Interview Rockstar and Leave a Great Impression
- The 5 Toughest MBA Interview Questions and How to Ace Them
- 5 Critical MBA Interview Mistakes Non-native English Speakers Make (And How to Stop Making Them)
- Ask These Questions During Your MBA Interview
- 3 Key Ways MBA Consultants Can Help You Prepare for Your MBA Interviews
- The 3 Most Common MBA Interview Mistakes (and How to Avoid Making Them) (webinar)
After Getting Accepted
- You’ve Just Been Accepted to Business School! Now What?
- MBA Application Fundamentals: What To Do After You’re Admitted
Get Expert Help
We hope you have enjoyed this guide to the Kellogg MBA.
I know that applying for an MBA can be a difficult, long process, but arming yourself with information about your top-choice programs, planning ahead, and finding your application ally can take away as much of the stress as possible in the process.
So, whether you need help developing your Kellogg essay or guidance shaping how you present your greatest hits to one of the world’s toughest critics, you can count on my amazing team and me.
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
