We take our Admissions Director Q&A to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management for a conversation with Steve Thompson, Senior Director of Admissions.
In his role, Steve Thompson leads talent acquisition strategy to draw the best and brightest candidates to Kellogg’s portfolio of eight Full-Time MBA programs. Prior to his current role, Steve gained broad experience across both student and academic experience at Kellogg, serving as Director of the Executive MBA Program on the Miami campus. Before joining Kellogg, he served as Executive Director of IE Business School’s International MBA Program.
Keep reading to learn more about Kellogg’s admissions process, advice for international students, and unique features of the MBA program.
Clear Admit: What is one aspect of your MBA program that you wish applicants knew more about?
Steve Thompson: An important but sometimes less visible aspect of Kellogg is how quickly our curriculum evolves to reflect emerging trends, technologies and ways of doing business. Because our faculty are deeply connected to industry and practice, new ideas often move from the marketplace into the classroom in real time.
An example of this approach is our AI Foundations for Managers course, which launched last year and gives students a practical, cross-disciplinary understanding of artificial intelligence through the lenses of marketing, strategy, operations, finance and management. Each quarter, students can choose from multiple versions of the course taught by faculty across these disciplines, and the range continues to expand in response to changing market dynamics and student interests.
The new Influencer Marketing course offers another example. The course explores how brands partner with creators, build influencer strategies and navigate the opportunities and risks of an increasingly creator-driven economy. The strong student demand for the topic reflects how quickly marketing continues to evolve.
We’re also continuing to grow our entrepreneurship offerings. This year, our New Venture Launch experience evolved into two complementary courses: one focused on building and scaling a venture, and another focused on developing the leadership, resilience and self-awareness required to lead it. Together, they reflect our belief that successful entrepreneurship requires both a strong business model and strong leadership.
Applicants are often surprised by how frequently we refine existing courses and introduce new learning experiences to ensure students are prepared for where business is headed next.
CA: 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?
ST: Once an applicant hits “submit,” we recognize the significant time, reflection and energy that went into preparing their materials. That’s why we take great care in reviewing each application in depth, aiming to truly understand the individual’s experiences, values and motivations.
To help bring each applicant’s story to life, we introduced the video essay several years ago. It adds an important dimension to the application, allowing candidates to showcase their personality and share insights beyond what’s captured on paper.
Together, these elements form the foundation of our holistic review process—one that considers not only what a candidate hopes to gain from Kellogg, but also the unique perspective and contributions they will bring to our community.
CA: 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 applicants should try to avoid? What is one key thing candidates should keep in mind as they sit down to write?
ST: Applicants have the opportunity to tell their stories and help us get to know them through the essay portion. We encourage thoughtful reflection and authentic answers – there is no perfect response. While AI tools may serve as a sounding board, what we’re really looking for in the essay is applicants’ genuine voice, reactions and experiences.
The first part of the written essay question asks candidates to tell us how they got to where they are and why they’re looking to enter Kellogg now:
An MBA is a significant investment of time, energy, and resources, and the decision to pursue one deserves serious reflection. Tell us about the pivotal experiences and decisions that have brought you to this moment in your career, how they have shaped your ambitions, and why now is the right time to take this next step.
The second part of the written essay is designed to allow candidates to go beyond what they are hoping to get out of the program and to reflect on what they bring to the table that will uplift Kellogg and their peers:
Now turn the lens outward: beyond what you hope to gain, what do you hope to contribute to the students who will learn alongside you?
The strongest essays are those that are unique to the applicant, thoughtful and detailed. Overall, avoid trying to craft the “right” answer and instead make sure the response sounds like you and gives concrete examples of what has shaped you and encouraged you to apply.
CA: Could you tell us about your interview process? Approximately what percentage of applicants are invited to interview, who typically conducts interviews, and what should candidates expect in terms of interview style and format?
ST: We aim to interview as many applicants as possible; however, the number of interviews we can offer depends on the volume of applications in each round. To maximize interview opportunities, invitations are extended on a rolling basis through the week leading up to decision release.
Interviews are conducted by current students and admissions officers who are eager to learn more about your background, career aspirations and how an MBA can help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
CA: If your admissions process includes any video-based components, such as video essays or recorded interview responses, what advice would you offer applicants preparing for this part of the process?
ST: The video essay and the interview serve different but complementary purposes in our application process. The video essay is an impromptu, on-camera opportunity for applicants to bring their application to life. By the time we get to this step, we’ve read your resume and written essay—now we want to get to know the person behind the words. You’ll answer five spontaneous questions designed to highlight your personality and share more about the experiences that shaped your journey. It’s a chance to be authentic, not scripted.
The interview, on the other hand, is a more in-depth, two-way conversation. It gives you a chance to engage directly with someone from the Kellogg community, and it gives us an opportunity to better understand your interpersonal style, communication skills and motivations for pursuing an MBA. Both components help us get a more holistic view of you as a candidate and future Kellogg leader.
CA: Is there anything in particular international students should keep in mind during the admissions process?
ST: Kellogg is proud to have a dedicated team that supports our international students throughout the visa process. To ensure ample time for securing a visa, we strongly encourage international applicants to apply in Round 1 or Round 2. Once admitted, it’s important to begin the visa process promptly to avoid delays.
International students are a vital part of the Kellogg community. Your unique backgrounds and global perspectives enrich classroom discussions, enhance collaborative learning and deepen the overall MBA experience. We’re excited to learn about your journey and how you’ll contribute to our vibrant community.
CA: Conversations about MBA value often center on jobs, salaries, and ROI. What are some of the other ways students benefit from the MBA experience that may be harder to quantify upfront?
ST: Outside of jobs, salaries, and ROI, one of the greatest values of a Kellogg MBA is the outstanding Kellogg alumni network. From day one, Kellogg students become part of a global network of over 70,000 alumni in more than 120 countries across every industry and endeavor. We believe that our relationship with students is life-long, so we continuously strive to provide students and alumni with the tools they need to thrive long after graduation, including the Keep it Kellogg initiative where we help connect alumni’s job postings with high-caliber talent from Kellogg’s extensive alumni network.
CA: Are there any trends in the applicant pool, admissions process, or MBA experience that you are particularly focused on right now?
ST: Artificial intelligence continues to be a major focus for us, but our approach goes beyond simply teaching students how to use AI tools. We’re focused on helping future leaders understand how to work alongside AI while applying the judgment, creativity and interpersonal skills that technology cannot replace.
One example is an AI-powered case study platform developed by Kellogg faculty that was featured this past year in The Wall Street Journal. Rather than giving students all the information upfront, the tool requires them to gather insights through conversations with AI-generated stakeholders, mirroring the ambiguity and complexity of real-world decision-making. It’s a powerful example of how we’re using AI not as a shortcut, but as a way to deepen critical thinking and problem-solving.
At the same time, we believe the AI era makes distinctly human capabilities even more important. Across the Kellogg experience, we emphasize leadership, collaboration, empathy and creativity alongside technical fluency. As AI becomes increasingly capable of processing information and identifying patterns, we see even greater value in leaders who can exercise sound judgment, build trust and bring people together around a shared vision. Those are the qualities that will differentiate successful leaders in the years ahead.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your MBA program or admissions process?
ST: This past year marked the 60th anniversary of Kellogg’s One-Year MBA, the first program of its kind in the United States. What began as an innovative approach to management education has evolved into one of the most distinctive offerings in our portfolio, giving students with prior business training the opportunity to customize their MBA experience, access the full breadth of Kellogg resources and return to the workforce in just 12 months. Six decades later, the program continues to attract ambitious professionals seeking both acceleration and impact.
