Kellogg School of Management is part of Northwestern University’s family of schools. It is an elite, top-ten business school that is a stalwart in multiple diverse industries. You may wonder what are the Kellogg GMAT scores that you need to get in? What is an acceptable Kellogg GMAT score range? What’s the Kellogg average GPA? We’ll let you know all that you need to know for applying to Kellogg. You’ll find out more than just the Northwestern GMAT scores you’ll need to get in, but also information on the class profile, tips, and guidelines for admission.

Northwestern Kellogg Business School Overview

Kellogg School of Business is located in Evanston, Illinois, which is about a half hour drive from Chicago. Kellogg is well-known for their marketing program, which is the best MBA marketing program in the world. World-renowned professors and researchers have extremely close ties to Kellogg, and it is the premier school for the industry.

A unique factor in Kellogg’s admissions process is their interviewing policy. All applicants can sign up for an interview. Interviews are not by invitation only and are mostly conducted by alumni. On-campus interviews are conducted by the admissions committee.

Northwestern Kellogg Business School GMAT Ranges

Alright, now let’s get to the magic number. What Kellogg GMAT scores do you need to get admitted?

The answer is that there is no magic number. The average GMAT score for the Class of 2017 is 724 out of 800. The mid-80% scored between a 690 and a 760. Again, Kellogg GMAT scores vary from individual to individual. Focus on the whole picture and the story you are painting for the admissions committee. If you’re score is below the mid 80% range or is on the lower end of the range, you should consider taking the exam more than once. Showing that you will work harder to achieve something greater demonstrates ambition. This is a value that is very important to Kellogg so make sure you that you reflecting that in your story.

In the same vein, your GMAT score is not a complete representation of you. If your GMAT score is lower than you’d like, despite taking the exam 2-3 more times, don’t fret. Show your mathematical and verbal prowess through the other components of the application. Highlight instances at work where you’ve been able to problem solve and use logic. This will help balance out the lower GMAT score.

Northwestern Kellogg Business School Average GPA

The average GPA at Kellogg is 3.5 out of 4.0. GPA is most likely less important as a statistic than the GMAT is for Kellogg’s admissions team. The GMAT statistics are widely publicized for the class profile but the average GPA is not, which leads us to believe that Kellogg’s GMAT scores are more important that Kellogg’s GPAs. Do not fret if your GPA is not as good as the average. The rest of your application should make up for that. GPA is also judged differently based on undergraduate school, undergraduate program, major, etc. Thus, you shouldn’t be overly concerned with where your GPA falls.

Northwestern Kellogg Business School Class of 2017 Profile

Pre-MBA Background – Undergraduate Majors

Industry Background

Northwestern Kellogg Business School Class of 2016 Profile

Class Profile

Northwestern Kellogg Business School Statistics

What does the admissions office say?

According to the Kellogg admissions website, there are a number of things that they look for in applicants: (1) intellect and smarts: they want smart students that can not only do well in school but also do great things in the real world; (2) work experience: straight-from-undergrad students can apply but it is harder to prove to the admissions committee that they are ready for a MBA when they have little to no work experience. There has been a trend recently in which the average work experience of incoming classes is becoming greater. It’s not always the case, but it has been generally true that students who have more than a few years of work experience get more out of a MBA than students with two or less years of full-time work experience. There is also the community factor in which students making up a class will be at different points in their lives; (3) leadership: Kellogg is looking for leaders that will one day lead their respective industries and eventually lead the world; (4) drive and motivation: the admissions committee will inquire about what drives you, what motivates you. They are looking for ambitious people that will become successful so knowing how you operate is important for them to know; (5) extra-curricular activities: what do you like to do in your spare time? Kellogg does not want work robots. They want well-rounded individuals who care about things outside of work. Take a look at their plethora of clubs. That should indicate that they value life outside of work. Do you play any sports? Do you like community service? Do you have any special hobbies or special interest groups that you are a part of? Make sure you are shedding light on what else you bring to the table; and finally (6) Interpersonal skills: To be a part of the Kellogg community, you will need to be someone who will contribute to the community. How well do you work with others? Do people like working with you? Many classes and programs at Kellogg are collaborative, so the admissions committee likes to make sure that the people that they are choosing for their class are people that will work well with others.

Three things to keep in mind about Northwestern Kellogg Business School

1. One-Year MBA program: Kellogg recently announced their one-year MBA program, which piloted a couple years back. This program is for applicants that do not want to have an internship between the first and second year. The program is from June to June and is a fast-track MBA. This program is specifically for students that do not want to change careers and have a business, finance, or management background already and want to add to their current education to get further in their line of work. If you are looking to change careers or industry, you should seriously consider the two-year program. An internship is incredibly important in deciding whether your line of study meets or exceeds your expectations, or should be abandoned.

2. Pre-term orientation and KWEST: Kellogg places a lot of importance on community and prioritizes setting up the community before school starts. There are two specific programs for this, pre-term orientation, which is a mandatory orientation week for incoming students, and KWEST, which is an optional but highly recommended and attended program that allows students to travel and meet some classmates before pre-orientation starts. These trips go to many different countries and spots so no matter where you’re from, you will probably get a completely unique experience. Past destinations include, Alaska, Hawaii, Yosemite National Park, Chile, Egypt, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, and Turkey. Themes include hiking, sailing, snorkeling, and wine-tasting!

3. Premier faculty: Kellogg’s faculty is filled with famous stalwarts in the industry. You’ll recognize more than a few. It is recommended that you look into the faculty at Kellogg. Many have their own blogs where they post on the subjects that they master. You’ll not only get to learn a lot about the subject, but also you’ll learn more about what the school is about.

When applying to business school, you’ll need to know more than just what’s the NU GMAT score or what’ is the Kellogg GMAT scores you need to get an acceptance. Your application will require the full package. Take extra care in communicating your story and painting yourself as a well-rounded individual. You now know what type of applicants the admissions committee is looking for, so take the next step and show the admissions committee how you are the perfect candidate. Have any other tips? Share in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

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