New Considerations When Applying to Kellogg

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University has recently released its â€Å"Facts and Figures†Ã‚  statistics for the new Class of 2018, and boy is it impressive! With record numbers across the board, it is important for prospective MBA candidates to understand what some of these key facts and figures are, as well as what strategic insights about  the school can be  uncovered from the new numbers. Record GMAT Score The first and most prominent metric that jumps out in Kellogg’s â€Å"Facts and Figures† is the school’s impressive GMAT average, which  has climbed to 728! To put this in context, Kellogg’s 2012 â€Å"Facts and Figures† listed their  average GMAT score as 708 20 points lower than it is today, less than five years later. Kellogg’s average GMAT score has been rapidly rising every year. In fact, its current  number is 2 points higher than Harvard’s last reported average GMAT score, representing a significant change in the schools approach to admissions  as more  Ã¢â‚¬Å"numbers driven†. Historically, Kellogg has used a much more  holistic approach to admissions, often admitting candidates who may have been â€Å"soft† in their GPA or GMAT numbers. While Kellogg remains holistic,  it is  clear that key quantitative data points, like GMAT scores, have increased in importance. Record Gender Diversity Kellogg has always placed an emphasis on gender diversity, both in admissions and within the student community, consistently boasting one of the most active Women’s Business Association and strongest female alumni networks. So Kellogg’s record percentage of women in their program represents a strong actualization of the school’s mission. I suspect Kellogg will continue to take a leadership role in this category and aim to grow their 43% women closer to a 50/50 ratio. Shrinking the Two-Year Class Since taking over the helm at Kellogg, Dean Sally Blount has sought to re-balance the school’s two-year and one-year programs the goal with this approach is to shrink the two-year class and increase the one-year class. This plan is not only a strategic one to attract specific audiences (those for whom the two-year  program may not be the best fit) but also, potentially, a functional one that will allow the school to improve the statistics of its two-year  program, which is reflected most notably in the advertised class profile. Interested candidates should use these trends to identify the best program type for their unique profile. Candidates with â€Å"softer† data points and a strong business background may want to consider the one-year program as a potential option, given the increasing competitiveness of Kelloggs  two-year  program. Kellogg’s â€Å"Facts and Figures† are always a great representation of trends at the school. Use the factors  above to develop the optimal strategy for your own application to Kellogg. And for more information on Kellogg, check out Veritas Preps Essential Guide to Top Business Schools. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation  for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on  Facebook,  YouTube,  Google+  and Twitter. Dozie A.  is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him  here.