Kellogg School of Management

I always have troubles reviewing schools, but I guess I’ll just speak to why I chose to do my doctorate at Kellogg over other peer schools like Wharton, etc.
*They have a top (seen by many as ‘the’ top) Marketing program in the world. Northwestern is where the AMA was born. This is where Philip Kotler spent his storied career revolutionizing the maketing field. Their faculty are among the world’s leaders in research.
*The resources offered by Kellogg are amazing. If you’re coming here for a doctorate, all the research resources you’ll ever need will be given to you: computer, software, research funding, travel grants, IT support, and a very very generous stipend/​fellowship to support your living expenses. If you come here for an MBA, then you should already have an idea about how heavily-​recruited Kellogg is by corporations and the big consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Booz&Co, and Bain&Co).
*Aside from just Marketing, Kellogg is a Top 5 business school (as recognized by most MBA rankings), and Northwestern University is an elite private undergrad institution that turns heads. I really didn’t look too much at these two rankings since the faculty and their respective department matters more for Ph.D. considerations, but it’s nice to know I’m in good company all around.
*Evanston is the type of college-​town I fell in love with after spending a summer in Chapel Hill, NC (a nice change from my undergrad in La Jolla, CA). There is a small-​town spirit, and the city is very very revolved around Northwestern (NCAA football season is underway, and all the businesses have their Purple on).
*Unlike some other small college-​towns, Evanston has a big bustling city in Chicago right in its backyard. The heart of downtown is located just 12 miles south of Evanston, which can conveniently be reached by the ‘El’ (Purple Line), Metra (UP-​N to OTC), Northwestern Shuttle (Intercampus to Northwestern Memorial Hospital or the Chicago Express to The Loop), by car, or even by bike (Chicago is extremely flat compared to California, and I’m loving it).
*The food scene is much better in Chicago and the surrounding area than it is in the other cities that house the programs I got into (Philadelphia, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Gainesville, Boulder, St. Louis, and Houston), and if you look at my reviews, then you know I LOVE my food. Chicago is one of the only three cities in the US that has a Michelin Guide; it’s the home of famous epicurean destinations of ‘Alinea’ and ‘Next’ (chef: Grant Aschatz), ‘L2O’ (chef: Laurent Gras), and Charlie Trotter’s namesake. Combine this with famous Chicago fare of Deep Dish Pizza (you can find Lou Malnati’s in downtown Evanston, or go out into the city for Pequods), Chicago Dogs (Hot Dougs in Chicago and Portillo’s everywhere), Italian Beef (Al’s Beef and Portillo’s), and everything else!
Before applying, I thought I had no chance of getting into my dream school for my PhD, but here I am today. If Kellogg is a good fit for you, just apply and see what happens!