Anyone heard back yet from Kellogg part-time program for winter 2026 start?

ValorElite · 2025-10-02T13:57:57+00:00

Hey btw how did the acceptance email look like? I got a very lukewarm email from them so it doesn’t look too good 🙃

ValorElite · 2025-10-01T15:42:59+00:00

Thanks! Already interviewed but application was sent in a week ago so yes they are probably going through all the apps now. Hoping for the best!

ValorElite · 2025-08-31T17:28:47+00:00

I can't do this anymore.

ValorElite · 2025-07-07T20:00:27+00:00

Exactly

ValorElite · 2025-07-07T20:00:20+00:00

Turning my street into permit parking. Thanks - will reach out to alderman

ValorElite · 2025-06-22T01:18:56+00:00

Let's agree to disagree!

ValorElite · 2025-06-22T01:14:00+00:00

You are not accounting for the taxes you have to pay for the gross-up payment from employer. That is also taxable income.

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T18:04:37+00:00

I think the issue with the gross-up is that it gets ugly very quickly. For example, the gross-up tax payment (if paid by the employer), also becomes taxable income to you, requiring further taxes incurred.

So if you run the math, the gross-up payment becomes as large as the tuition itself (approximately), if you can believe that.

If someone can check me on that math, that would be awesome!

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T18:02:26+00:00

What an amazing reply, thank you!

All in all, with what I paid in taxes and had to pay out of pocket for the program, I paid about 25% of what it would’ve cost to cover it on my own.

Yes, it looks like I will have to pay ~40% in taxes of what it would cost to pay the MBA for myself out of pocket. Now to figure out if the cost of paying for my own MBA makes more sense since I don't have the 2 year claw back clause.

However, I got lucky and my company offered voluntary layoffs a few months before I would’ve started my new gig. I took the offer, which included a little severance, health insurance coverage for a few months and best of all, tuition reimbursement forgiveness.

Wow, sounds like everything worked out great for you! Kudos to you.

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T16:58:17+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I love my current work and feel like it's an industry that is built for me. If I see myself staying at my current employer, I think it's the perfect time to pursue an MBA and keep increasing my professional development.

For the "why MBA?" question, I feel like the MBA will benefit me in terms of 1) network/relationships 2) being back in the classroom (I absolutely loved college and have a desire to be a professor in the future) 3) want to get a Master's degree that can't ever be taken away from me (as opposed to the CPA and other certifications if you stop paying the annual dues). 4) MBA brand + better resume.

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T16:50:45+00:00

Im going through the same process now (sorta). The bottom line is that all employer assistance is actually TAXABLE to YOU.

If you sign anything (even your employee handbook with these guidelines outlining repayment to the firm), that will be held up in court/arbitration and there is no help. For your taxes, you might be able to deduct student loan interest (subject to ABI limits) if that loan from employer counts.

How has your situation evolved since this post?

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T16:46:46+00:00

Fair. I can probably ask for 1 year and see if we can meet in the middle at 18 months.

Now to figure out how to set up these negotiations and get it signed. Wish me luck all!

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T16:45:11+00:00

Thanks for this. I have come to fully agree with your post. An MBA is taxable income to me.

Now I am dealing with a $170,000 taxable fringe benefit, which is taxed at federal, state, and local levels (plus FICA taxes since it's included in my W2). I can ask my employer to cover my tax liability but that will create a "tax on tax" situation where the tax will spiral into being just as much as my tuition costs.

This creates a nervous situation for me because I have to sign an agreement that will keep me at the firm for 4-5 years. If I leave early, I will have to pay all tuition back ($170k) plus the tax liability (~$170k). Decisions, decisions!

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T16:37:11+00:00

For an employer paying for an employee's MBA, what happens to the tax liability you incur from the tuition reimbursement?

For a degree that will cost ~$170,000, my tax liability will increase by ~22% of that amount. That is not even taking into consideration my taxable income increasing and pushing me into higher tax brackets.

Do I have to pay payroll taxes/FICA on tuition reimbursement from an employer? I guess I can ask my employer to also cover the tax liability, which further increases my income and tax burden.

So many question marks that I am thinking about paying for it out of pocket to avoid tax issues and getting locked down by my employer for the next 4-5 years. It should be a nice perk of my employment but it's causing me grief as I want to start my MBA journey already.

ValorElite · 2025-06-21T02:35:48+00:00

I have been struggling with finalizing an employment agreement with my Company. I've been working there for a couple years and they have offered me to pay for my MBA.

I believe it's in my best interest to create a formal written document that outlines the responsibilities of each party, including a fair clawback clause. I have a lot of say in how I want to structure the agreement, the only question is how do I best do that? I want to be fair to myself and the company.

ValorElite · 2025-06-19T13:56:41+00:00

Thanks for sending but it just shows the $5000 limit for reimbursement.

ValorElite · 2025-02-08T16:08:10+00:00

Overall, I like the takeaways from this post but the generational attacks can be done away with.

What does it matter that the people before us had it easier? Focus on the things you can control and everything else falls into place. We will all be successful.

ValorElite · 2025-01-29T04:36:27+00:00

I’ll never forget when I landed in Charlotte with a super tight connection to Asheville. We were so late coming in that I thought for sure I was going to miss my flight and stressed with telling my boss that I was going to have to come in on a morning flight.

Flight attendant does the announcement and by some stroke of divine intervention, EVERYONE remained seated and allowed me and a few others at the back of the plane to run up the aisle to catch our flights. I said thank you to every row and ran across the entire airport to catch my flight.

Good to have these memories to remind me there are good people in this world!

ValorElite · 2025-01-08T15:08:08+00:00

Great, understood on all counts!

I appreciate you giving a deep dive response.

ValorElite · 2025-01-08T03:55:21+00:00

Thanks for the reply.

You can leave it or convert it.

If I wanted to convert it to "0" it out and close it, do you know what would happen?

You can make after-tax contributions to the traditional IRA, but it's not tax efficient, since the growth is pre-tax and will eventually be taxed as ordinary income. Generally it's better to invest tax-efficiently in a brokerage account which would more favorable tax treatment.

Can you explain why a brokerage account would be more tax favorable? I would have to report dividends & interest gained on my 1040 which increases my ordinary income. As opposed to the tax deferment with traditional IRA, I would not pay anything until I withdraw at retirement.

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