How Kellogg applicants are assessed – Part 4
When Kellogg admissions officers review an application, they evaluate potential students based on six categories. Here, Melissa Rapp, director of admissions for Kellogg’s Full-Time MBA Programs, demystifies what happens once you submit your materials and helps you think about how to craft the story that will help the Admissions team learn more about you.
TODAY’S TOPIC: LEADERSHIP 
ADDITIONAL TOPICS: Work experience, Intellectual ability, Professional goals
Many people pursue an MBA to gain experience and improve their management and leadership skills. The Kellogg Admissions team is looking for both demonstrated leadership in the past and an applicant’s leadership potential.
It is important to note that leadership experience means different things for different types of candidates. For example, someone with a military background will present different accomplishments than someone with a few years as a junior analyst or a teacher. What showcases your leadership is going to depend on the path that you’ve taken and the organizations that you’ve been a part of – and we take both into account when assessing applicants.
Regardless of what your path looks like, our Admissions team looks for individuals who have taken on new responsibilities and opportunities, in whichever ways they can. Maybe this means you’ve led an initiative within your company, you’ve secured promotions quickly or that you’re deeply involved with a volunteer commitment. Your roles don’t have to be formal, just indicative of your drive. The better you can help us see how these activities fit within your overall career narrative, the more clearly we can identify how you might fit in the Kellogg community.
We also consider timeliness. The further along you are into your career, the more we’re going to expect some demonstrated benchmarks. If you’re seven or eight years out of college, consider presenting more recent examples. Likewise, if you’re early in your career, don’t worry about competing with more experienced applicants. Our Admissions team is just as concerned with where our students are headed as where they’ve been.
For more information about Kellogg’s application components, visit our website.
Melissa Rapp is the Director of Admissions for the Full-Time MBA and MS in Management Studies Programs. Melissa joined the Evanston Admissions team in January 2016 and was previously the Director of Admissions for the Evening & Weekend MBA Program located on Kellogg’s Chicago campus. She has over 15 years of higher education and admissions experience.