When You DAK, I DAK, Just Like That

Written by:
Kellogg
5 minute read

As promised, I am dedicating this entry to the first Day At Kellogg weekend coming up February 10th-14th. But before I do that, I would like to take a moment and tell you about some new friends that I made since the beginning of the winter quarter.

In my class, the class of 2012, 33% of the student body has an international citizenship (i.e. other than U.S.). However, that number does not taken into account the many exchange students that we get each quarter from all over the world. At the beginning of this quarter, I got to meet many of the exchange students who will be studying at Kellogg for the next couple of months. They come from the Europe, South Africa and South America. They offer a different perspectives and approaches in classes and on group assignments. This is not only an academic exchange, but also a cultural exchange. I had the pleasure of becoming friends with everyone especially the students from the University of Cape Town. They have really cool accents and taught me a lot already about their culture and certain customs (such as the windsurfing dance). I am very glad that I had the chance to meet them and call them my friends. Now I have people to show me around when I visit South Africa in the near future. So here is a special shout out to Kirby, Andrew, Maryke and Leor.

Now let’s talk about DAK. Before attending DAK I last year around the same time, I was on the fence about coming to Kellogg. I was lucky enough to get into multiple schools so I had options. I already knew about Kellogg’s reputation of being a very team and community-oriented school, an aspect that is important to me and fits my personality. At DAK, I truly experienced what the school is like and got to talk to many current students who offered their honest opinions. I also met some of my current friends who all obviously ended up coming to Kellogg over that weekend. After leaving Evanston, I knew that this school is where I belong and I would enjoy my next two years here. So if you are admitted, I definitely recommend that you attend and see the school for yourself. Below are my top 10 advices if you are coming.

  1. Keep an open mind and talk to as many current students and other admits as possible. These people could be your future classmates/teammates. It will be great to start building those relationships now. After all, networking is an important aspect of business school.
  2. Dress warmly. Coming from California, I was not used to the cold. So if you are not used to the cold weather, make sure you bring a thick coat, scarfs and gloves. But not to worry, you’ll get use to the weather. It’s really not as bad as you think and don’t let the weather be your only deterrent. I have embraced it, and I think you can too.
  3. Arrive on Thursday to attend the reception Thursday night if possible. I got in Thursday afternoon when I came to DAK, explored Evanston a little bit and went to the reception at a local bar. The reception is a small informal social gathering where you will get a chance to meet your fellow admits in your section and your section leaders. I got to have more personal conversations with my section leaders and they were able to answer a lot of my questions.
  4. Learn about student leadership at Kellogg. This is what attracted me to Kellogg. This school is very student-driven, so there are lots of opportunities to take on leadership roles in clubs, various organizations and conferences.
  5. Attend the KWEST fair. KWEST is a great experience. You go on a one-week trip with about 19 other first years and 5 second year leaders before you start school. These people will become your first friends at Kellogg. Definitely check out the fair and see the locations for this year. Talk to the leaders of different trips and hear about the awesome activities they have planned for you.
  6. Talk to people from different professional clubs and affinity groups. You are here to get a job after business school, and these people can help you. Find out what resources they offer and how they can help prepare you to get your dream job.
  7. Go on the housing tour. Check out the various housing options in Evanston. Get a head start on where you want to live when you come here. This is also a great opportunity to perhaps find your future roommate.
  8. Attend the closing ceremony and social in Chicago. Great food and wonderful company. Mingle with your new friends you made over the weekend and check out the social scene in Chicago.
  9. Get all of your questions answered!!! This is your opportunity to know everything you wanted to know about Kellogg. Business school is a big financial and time commitment, so you want to make sure you get all the information you need to make the right decision for yourself.
  10. Leave Evanston with the decision to come back in August to attend the Kellogg School of Management. It was the best decision that I ever made, and I hope to see you here.