For this Admissions Director Q&A, we welcome Brad Rosenwinkel, Senior Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid for the Kelley Full-Time +Flex MBA program at Indiana University.
Originally from the Chicagoland area, he has more than two decades of experience in higher education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at various institutions across the country including his alma mater, Valparaiso University, the University of Denver Daniels College of Business, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Berkeley Haas, and Michigan Ross. While his career has focused on admissions, he has led outreach, marketing, recruitment, financial aid, student services, and career services efforts while collaborating with colleagues on best practices.
As a first-generation college student, he is driven by his passion to support others and volunteers with the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship and Chicago Scholars programs. A sports enthusiast, Brad is a certified referee with the United States Soccer Federation as well as an avid traveler, having visited nearly all Major League Baseball stadiums, all 50 US states and more than 20 countries, including more than 15 trips to India.
Having previously spent eight years with the Kelley MBA Program, he returned to Bloomington in 2024 for his second stint and is excited to return to a community dedicated to supporting each individual while providing innovative approaches gained from his experience across the industry.
Keep reading below for Brad’s insights and advice about the application process at Kelley and some of the highlights of the MBA program.
Clear Admit: What is the one aspect of your program that you wish applicants knew more about?
Brad Rosenwinkel: One aspect I wish more applicants understood is just how deeply experiential learning is woven into the Kelley MBA. This isn’t a program where you learn a framework in class and hope to apply it someday. From day one, students are challenged to reflect on their leadership journey, engaging in real consulting projects, industry immersions, and leadership experiences that shape their careers in real time. Me, Inc. pushes them to take a step back, gain clarity of their path, and create a strategic plan to achieve their goals. Through our Academies, students work directly with companies on live business challenges in marketing, consulting, finance, and more. Programs like GLOBASE give them the opportunity to have a social impact and develop global solutions with international partners. One recent student helped a sports tech startup through his Academy which led to a full-time offer. That level of applied learning—not after graduation, but during the program—is what sets Kelley apart, and I’d love for more applicants to better understand it early in their research.
I also want to take a moment to highlight not just what we do, but how we do it. Kelley is a place that is personal. You will develop deep relationships and know literally each of your classmates, faculty, and staff members within the program. And each of them will be personally invested in your success. This is not a place to just come for a degree and move on; you will be pushed and challenged to grow and develop both personally and professionally from all angles yet have this substantial support system surrounding you. There will be hard times and even moments of doubt, but we will not let you fall. We’re not just here to celebrate the victories but to work with you through the challenges. And we enjoy it. That is what makes Kelley different and such a special place. People here truly care, about you, each other, this place, and this culture.
Clear Admit: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the committee offers a final decision?
BR: Our approach is a bit different than many other programs. First, we try to be as efficient as possible by conducting interviews concurrently while applications are reviewed rather than waiting. Additionally, all reviews and interviews are conducted by members of the Kelley MBA team; we don’t contract outside assistance. This allows us to dig deeper into not just the quantitative aspects of the application, but really evaluate the qualitative aspects and fit with the program today. We also try to ensure that each of the steps along the way are conducted by different members of the team to provide various viewpoints and perspective.
That said, once an application is submitted, it undergoes what we call a “quick scan” by a senior member of the admissions team to determine at a very high level if the candidate is competitive within the overall applicant pool. This often incorporates a high-level review of transcripts, test scores, resumes, and career goal essays. While not all candidates are invited to interview and not all interview invitations are sent at once (to help us pace the volume), we try to cast a wide net. An interview invitation can come at any point in the process; it often depends on our internal capacity and timing and is not necessarily a reflection of the candidate. Interview invitations tend to occur in batches throughout each round all the way up until very close to the decision release (again, because we’re processing and reviewing applications simultaneously and managing workflows).
From there, applications undergo what we term a “full read” by a member of our admissions team. Each reader evaluates the application independently, looking at academic readiness, professional experience, leadership potential, ability to contribute, and overall fit with Kelley’s values and community. Simultaneously, interviews are conducted either virtually or in person by the Kelley MBA team and focus on behavioral questions that help us assess communication skills, motivation, cultural fit, presence, and how a candidate will represent to employers. Again, some interviews may occur before the application has had a full read and vice versa. This keeps the process moving so workflows are never stagnant.
When both the application evaluation and interview (for those invited) have been completed, the full application—including the interview summary—is reviewed by a senior member of the admissions team to provide a recommendation for decision. At this point, we may also extend interview invitations to additional candidates. Again, this isn’t necessarily a reflection of the candidate, but rather the deeper review process revealing strengths that may not have been as clearly apparent at first.
If all evaluations (quick scan, full read, interview, and recommendation) align, applications are placed into “buckets,” either strong or not a good fit. It’s important to note that few applications fall into these first two categories, as nearly every candidate has something that makes them competitive, but few are strong across the board. These two buckets are put aside for the time being and we move to the others that fall somewhere in the middle for one reason or another. This is where the art of the process really takes hold. Each of these “middle” candidates is then reviewed by another senior member of the admissions team and, depending on what areas of concern or questions may arise, could also include faculty or other staff members (e.g. career services) across the program to gain their perspective.
Again, all the steps until now are ongoing concurrently. Once all of that is complete, the senior members of the admissions team convene to review the overall applicant pool and make decisions.
Like most programs, we look at the whole picture: not just scores or job titles, but also the story, impact, and potential the candidate brings. Some of these items jump out right away, while others may not be revealed until further review. We’ve also integrated tools that allow us to identify strengths across applications more consistently, but our process remains deeply personal and holistic. Again, we take a very personalized and deep review including a variety of perspectives to come to the best conclusion we can with each application. It is a very involved process but throughout each of our rounds, we aim to notify applicants of a decision via email within 6-8 weeks of the application deadline as noted in our application timeline.
Clear Admit: How does your team approach the essay portion of the application specifically? What are you looking for as you read an essay? Are there common mistakes that applicants should try to avoid? What is one key thing they should keep in mind as they sit down to write?
BR: Our team reads essays with the goal of understanding three key things: your career goals, your motivation for pursuing an MBA, and why Kelley is the right fit for you. We want to hear your story—not just your résumé in paragraph form. We’re looking for purpose, clarity, and an authentic voice. A memorable essay described an applicant’s path from rural Ghana to launching a fintech startup—and how that shaped her passion for inclusive innovation and impact. What stood out wasn’t just the story itself, but how clearly she tied her next steps to Kelley, identifying specific resources within the school and how the culture aligned with her values. Applicants who reflect, not just report, stand out.
Common mistakes include vague goals (‘I want to be a leader in business’), generic language that could apply to any school, or essays that try to impress but lack personal insight. One key piece of advice: write with intention, not perfection. Be yourself. We’re not expecting literary brilliance—we’re looking for thoughtfulness, self-awareness, and a clear sense of why this next step makes sense for you.
Clear Admit: If your application features an impromptu video interview/video essay, how does it differ from the main interview? What should applicants know about this step in the process?
BR: At this time, Kelley does not include an impromptu video interview or video essay as part of our application process. We’ve chosen to prioritize live, behavioral interviews conducted by our admissions team, which allow for more organic, two-way conversations to get to know you personally. That said, if we were to incorporate a video component in the future, it would not be designed to trip applicants up—it would serve to understand your communication style, comfort level presenting your ideas, and ability to think on your feet. It would complement the written portions of the application, not replace them.
In the meantime, our behavioral interviews are roughly 30 minutes, conducted either virtually or in-person by staff or second-year MBA students that are trained members of our admissions team, and focus on your professional experiences, career goals, leadership potential, and fit with Kelley’s collaborative culture. We want to get to know the person behind the résumé—so bring authenticity and self-reflection.
Clear Admit: Is there anything in particular international students should keep in mind during the admissions process?
BR: One of the most important things international applicants should keep in mind is timing. We strongly recommend applying in our first two rounds to allow plenty of time for visa processing and relocation planning. Applying early allows candidates plenty of time to get their financial documents in order, schedule a visa appointment, and plan their move to Bloomington. The most disappointing aspect of our work is seeing candidates that wait until Spring or even Summer and then struggle to find available visa appointments to be able to join us.
During the admissions process itself, it’s helpful to clearly articulate your professional experience and career goals. Our team understands a wide range of global academic and professional backgrounds, and we evaluate your achievements within your local context, but it is helpful for us to better understand the specific impact of what you have accomplished.
Once admitted, Kelley provides robust support for international students—including career prep workshops focused on U.S. hiring practices and visa sponsorship, plus a peer mentorship program that connects incoming international students with second year students. Our alumni network is also highly engaged across key markets both within the U.S. and around the globe, and Indiana University has Gateway offices in Accra, Bangkok, Berlin, Mexico City, and New Delhi.
Clear Admit: What is your favorite spot on campus?
BR: One of my favorite spots is the Arboretum just outside the graduate building, where students can step out into the beautiful park-like setting with vast green spaces to wooded areas with wildlife openly roaming throughout the day (including what must be the largest squirrels in the world!). We’re fortunate to be in the center of the Indiana University campus and the open, relaxed space not only provides a respite when needed but reflects a big part of what makes IU and Kelley special: a collaborative, supportive community where people genuinely enjoy learning and growing together—both in and out of the classroom, building deep, meaningful, and life-lasting relationships.
Clear Admit: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your MBA program or admissions process?
BR: One thing I always emphasize with prospective students is the combination of rigor, relevance, and return that defines the Kelley MBA. The program is academically demanding by design—integrating foundational business theory with applied learning every step of the way. Our reputation and consistent history as one of the top schools in the world has been built on the strength of that experience, which challenges students to think critically, collaborate effectively, and lead with confidence.
A major part of that is our faculty, who are not just world-class researchers, but also exceptional teachers and industry consultants. They bring cutting-edge insights into the classroom—whether that’s innovation in supply chain management, behavioral economics, or AI strategy—and they make time to coach, mentor, and connect with students personally. That accessibility and expertise go a long way in shaping both the classroom dynamic and post-graduate success. We consistently deliver strong career outcomes, typically with more than 90% of students receiving job offers within three months of graduation. But behind that statistic is an award-winning Graduate Career Services team that provides one-on-one coaching and tailored industry prep from day one. It’s a personalized, strategic approach that makes a measurable difference.
And our impact doesn’t stop at graduation. The Kelley alumni network—more than 135,000, the largest business school network in the world—spans the globe, and it’s one of the most engaged, responsive networks you’ll find. Whether you’re looking for a mentor, a referral, or a coffee chat in a new city, chances are there’s a Kelley alum eager to meet you, get to know you, and support you.
If you’re looking for a program that blends academic excellence, deep support, global opportunity, strong ROI, and meaningful relationships, I think you’ll find what you’re looking for at Kelley.
