kellogg mba essays

MBA Admissions
ISB Admissions
MBA Application Tips
MBA Essay Tips
Business Schools

2024-2025 Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

Admit expert.

July 23, 2024

Thinking about pursuing an MBA at Kellogg? Well, get ready to put your thoughts into words! In this article, we’re diving into the essay prompts for Kellogg MBA admissions. Don’t worry, we’ll break things down and give you an analysis and a few tips to tackle these prompts like a pro.

The application process at Kellogg is distinctive in that it includes both written and video essays.

So, if you’re aiming to make a splash with your Kellogg MBA application, stay tuned for the juicy tips and insights coming your way. Let’s make those essays work for you!

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Kellogg MBA essays for the 2025 admissions

Written essays.

All applicants are expected to submit the following two essays:

Essay Prompt 1 (450 words)

Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here.

Essay Prompt 2 (450 words)

Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style.

Reapplicants will receive a prompt about their growth since their last application: How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be? (250 words)

To learn more about what Kellogg is looking for and how to make your application stand out, get in touch with us at [email protected]

Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines


Application Deadline	September 11, 2024	January 8, 2025	April 2, 2025
Decisions	December 11, 2024	March 26, 2025	May 7, 2025

Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis

What kellogg admissions committee seeks.

The Kellogg MBA admissions committee is looking for applicants who demonstrate a strong sense of intentionality. This means candidates should show clear, purposeful thinking and deliberate actions in their career and educational choices. The committee seeks individuals who have a well-defined path and who can articulate their motivations for pursuing an MBA, their specific goals, and why now is the right time for them to pursue this degree. Additionally, the committee wants to understand why Kellogg is the best fit for the applicant’s aspirations and what the applicant will contribute to the Kellogg community.

In essence, the admissions committee is interested in five key aspects:

Motivations for pursuing an MBA : Understanding the underlying reasons driving the decision to pursue an MBA.
Specific goals : Outlining clear, achievable goals that the applicant aims to accomplish with the help of an MBA.
Timing : Explaining why this moment is the right time to embark on the MBA journey.
Fit with Kellogg : Demonstrating how Kellogg’s unique resources, culture, and community will serve as a catalyst for achieving the applicant’s career aspirations.
Contribution to the Kellogg community : Highlighting how the applicant will add value to the Kellogg community through their unique skills, experiences, and perspectives.

How to Write This Essay

1. articulate your motivations for pursuing an mba.

Begin with a brief story that captures the inspiration behind your goals. This could be a pivotal moment in your career, a personal passion, or a professional challenge that highlighted the need for further education. Make sure this story sets the stage for why an MBA is crucial for your future.

2. Outline Your Specific Goals

Clearly define your short-term and long-term career goals. Your short-term goals should be specific and achievable immediately after graduation, while your long-term goals should convey your broader vision and impact on your industry or community. Be concise but specific, ensuring that your goals are ambitious yet realistic.

3. Explain Why Now Is the Right Time

Discuss the timing of your MBA pursuit. This could involve your current career stage, the evolving trends in your industry, or personal circumstances that make now the ideal moment for an MBA. Emphasize how the current timing aligns with your career trajectory and aspirations.

4. Demonstrate Kellogg’s Fit for Your Goals

Research Kellogg thoroughly to identify specific programs, resources, and opportunities that align with your goals. Rather than listing numerous resources, focus on a few key aspects that are most relevant to your career aspirations. Explain how Kellogg’s curriculum, culture, and community will uniquely support your journey. For example, if you’re interested in entrepreneurship, you might highlight the Zell Fellows Program or Kellogg’s robust network of successful entrepreneurs.

5. Highlight Your Contribution to Kellogg

Think about how you can add value to the Kellogg community. This could involve your professional expertise, leadership skills, cultural insights, or extracurricular interests. Mention specific clubs, activities, or initiatives at Kellogg where you can contribute meaningfully. For instance, if you have experience in organizing events, you might discuss how you could help plan a major conference or lead a student club.

Intentionality: The Key to a Compelling Essay

Given the 450-word limit, it’s crucial to be intentional in your writing. Allocate roughly 90 words to each of the five key points. You might use fewer words for the timing aspect, allowing more space to discuss why Kellogg is the perfect fit for your goals. Your narrative should be coherent and focused, seamlessly connecting your motivations, goals, timing, Kellogg’s fit, and your contributions.

Wrap up your essay by reiterating your enthusiasm for Kellogg and summarizing how the MBA program will help you achieve your goals. Highlight the mutual benefits – how Kellogg will aid in your professional growth and how you will enrich the Kellogg community. A well-structured, intentional essay will resonate with the admissions committee and demonstrate that you are a thoughtful, purposeful candidate ready to make a meaningful impact.

By carefully considering each aspect of the prompt and thoughtfully structuring your response, you can craft a compelling essay that showcases your intentionality, ambition, and fit for the Kellogg MBA program.

What the Admissions Committee Seeks

Kellogg School of Management’s admissions committee looks for candidates who exemplify a unique combination of leadership, empathy, and creativity. They are in search of individuals who elevate the performance and morale of those around them without seeking the spotlight. This particular essay prompt provides an opportunity to showcase these qualities through a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision.

Kellogg leaders are known for their high-impact, high-empathy perspective, leveraging creativity and innovation to create opportunities and solve problems. Collaboration with a sense of empathy and intentionality, coupled with a strong sense of purpose, is highly valued. The pay-it-forward mentality of Kellogg’s alumni network underscores the school’s emphasis on community and collective success.

Understanding the Prompt

This essay prompt asks you to describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. It’s essential to focus on one concrete example rather than blending multiple experiences. While the prompt mentions both professional and community contexts, it is advisable to discuss a work-related example unless you have substantial leadership experience in a community-based organization.

When selecting your example, consider the following:

Did you take a risk to advocate for a position that could improve your organization’s future?
Did you collaborate with others to achieve a common goal?
How did your decision impact the broader organization or community?

Structuring Your Response

A well-structured response can follow the CAR (Challenge/Action/Result) or STAR (Situation/Task/Action/Result) model:

Situation/Challenge : Begin by describing the context of your story. Outline the specific challenge or situation you faced, the stakeholders involved, and the complexities of the decision at hand.
Task : Clarify what you needed to accomplish. Define your objectives and the stakes involved in making the decision.
Action : Provide a detailed account of the actions you took to address the challenge. Highlight how you navigated obstacles, collaborated with others, and applied your problem-solving skills. Emphasize the values that guided your decision-making process.
Result : Describe the outcome of your actions. Focus on the positive impact you had on your organization or community. Share any measurable results or qualitative improvements that resulted from your decision.
Reflection : Conclude with a reflection on how this experience influenced your leadership style. Discuss the insights you gained about your values and how this has shaped your approach to leadership. Consider how these lessons will enable you to contribute to the Kellogg community.

Example Analysis

When reflecting on a suitable example, think about significant professional challenges you have faced. For instance, you might describe a situation where you had to advocate for a new strategic direction that involved considerable risk. Explain how you rallied your team, gathered diverse perspectives, and made a decision that ultimately led to successful implementation and organizational growth.

Throughout your essay, focus on demonstrating key attributes that Kellogg values:

High-Impact Leadership : Show how your decision led to substantial positive changes.
Empathy and Collaboration : Highlight your ability to understand others’ perspectives and work collaboratively.
Innovation and Creativity : Illustrate how you used innovative thinking to overcome obstacles.
Purpose and Intentionality : Reflect on your commitment to meaningful goals and the intentional steps you took to achieve them.

By structuring your response effectively and selecting a compelling example, you can convey your potential as a Kellogg leader who is prepared to tackle challenges in any setting, be it the boardroom or the neighborhood. This approach will help you create a narrative that not only showcases your professional accomplishments but also aligns with the values and vision of the Kellogg community.

Video Essay

The Kellogg admissions team advises the following in regards to the video essay: We’ve read your essays, we’ve read your resume — now we want you to bring all that to life in a video. Show us the person behind all those carefully crafted words. The video will be comprised of three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.

Take a look at this article on video essays to get more tips on Kellogg’s Video essays.

Video Essays for MBA Admissions: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Create One

There are 3 video essays:

Video essay 1: Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee.

– Consider this your opportunity to share what you would want your future Kellogg classmates and our admissions committee to know about you. What makes you, you?

Video essay 2: What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?

– This is an intentionally broad question so you can answer honestly and meaningfully. We want to know why you’re pursuing an MBA and why you’re choosing a particular Kellogg Full-Time Program.

Video essay 3: This question will be based on a challenge you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from it.

Other Essays

Additional information.

We know that life is full of extenuating circumstances. Whether you want to explain gaps in work experience, your choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance or something else, you can use this section to briefly tell us anything we need to know about your application.

Address any employment gaps or academic concerns honestly, providing a clear and concise explanation of the challenges you faced and how you have overcome them. This will demonstrate your determination and resilience as a candidate.

Focus on highlighting your strengths and unique qualities that set you apart. Discuss your engagement in extracurricular activities, such as local philanthropic drives, sports, or hobbies, and explain how these experiences have shaped you as a person and contributed to your work ethic.

Ensure that your narrative centers around your suitability as a candidate and adds value to the discussion of your candidacy for the program. Avoid irrelevant information and stay focused on showcasing your potential to thrive in the MBA program.

Reapplicants

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)

In this answer, show how you have improved your candidacy in a way that can be seen and touched. A higher GMAT score could be one sign of improvement that can be seen. Also, give us your grades from any new math classes you’ve taken.

You could also talk about a promotion at work or some new volunteer work. You might also need to take on more responsibility at work or in extracurricular activities. Or, talk about how your goals for your career have changed. Lastly, you could talk about how you’ve changed your own goals.

Let us help you get into Kellogg

We will help you write essays that portray your unique strengths and experiences in the most favorable light so that your application shines above the rest. We have helped hundreds of students get into top US business schools. Let us help you too.

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

Take the first step towards your MBA dream and schedule a free 1 on 1 application strategy call with us.

USC Marshall MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

2024-2025 USC Marshall MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

The USC Marshall MBA program is known for its emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and global leadership. For the 2025 admissions cycle, applicants are tasked with presenting their career goals and personal qualities through a series of essay prompts. These prompts offer candidates the chance to demonstrate their unique perspectives, professional

Kenan Flagler MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

2024-2025 UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

The UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA program is known for developing future business leaders with a strong commitment to making a positive impact. For the 2025 admissions, the essay prompts are designed to help applicants showcase their career goals, leadership potential, and unique qualities. This article offers an in-depth analysis, actionable tips,

2024-2025 Kelley MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

The Indiana Kelley MBA program is renowned for its focus on experiential learning and leadership development, attracting candidates with diverse backgrounds and ambitions. For the 2025 admissions, the essay prompts give applicants a chance to showcase their professional goals, personal reflections, and unique qualities. Crafting standout essays is crucial for

2024-2025 Tepper MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

The CMU Tepper School of Business is renowned for its rigorous focus on analytical decision-making, innovation, and leadership. One of the most critical components of the Tepper MBA application is the required essay, which allows applicants to showcase their unique perspectives on leadership and community engagement. For the 2025 admissions

We are here to assist you!

Want to get in touch with us sooner?

Send us a mail [email protected]

GMAT CLUB TESTS
FORUM QUIZ - NEW!
QUESTION BANKS
DECISION TRACKER
SCHOOL DISCUSSIONS
MARKETPLACE
T&C and Privacy Policy
GMAT Club Rules
Login Register Forgot password?
${glob_var/L_LOGIN_LOGOUT}
Quick Search

How to Answer Kellogg’s Video Essay Questions

Kellogg’s round 2 application deadline is quickly approaching! If you are applying, you’ve likely seen that the application includes three video essays that are due within 96 hours of the application deadline. As such, today we’re sharing our tips for how to prepare for and answer Kellogg’s video essay questions.

Unlike in years past, you won’t know Kellogg’s video essay questions in advance. We get it, this adds another layer of stress to the process. But remember that all applicants face the same uncertainty, and, with a little prep, you’ll be ready to use this part of the application to your advantage.

To help you get started, we’re sharing our best tips for tackling Kellogg’s video essay questions as well as a list of sample prompts you can use to practice.

Timing is Key

Tactically speaking, once you see each question, you will have 20 seconds to think about your answer and 60 seconds to record your response. Our first word of advice is to focus the bulk of your practice on getting the timing right – a minute is shorter than you think! We’ve practiced live with countless clients over the years and most of them initially get cutoff mid-thought.

Using the list of potential Kellogg video essay questions at the end of this article, practice answering them (out loud!) with a timer running. Then do it again. This will give you a sense for what talking for 60 seconds feels like. Kellogg’s portal also offers practice questions to help you get the timing right – use this resource!

Content Should be Complementary, not Repetitive

Our next word of advice is on content. The admissions committee will have just read your written essays, so don’t overtly repeat them. Kellogg’s video essay questions are an opportunity to build on what you’ve included in the rest of your application.

It is also an opportunity to showcase your personality – as such, it’s ok to have a little fun with these, especially the first question where you will likely be asked to introduce yourself. Perhaps throw in a hobby you love or mention your family, pets, spouse, etc.

For the second and third questions, you won’t know the exact prompts but, if you consider the list at the end of this article, you’ll see that they tend to fall into general categories. With those in mind, prepare a few brief stories and think about how you could make them fit several different questions. These should be some of your best stories that you want the adcom to know but just didn’t fit squarely into an essay.

Delivery is the Icing on the Cake (the Best Part, Right?)

Lastly, put thought and practice behind your delivery. This is what separates good video essays from great ones. Look directly at your webcam, speak slowly and clearly (a computer mic can sound muffled!), and – most importantly – smile!

In our experience, mindset is everything here. Put on the shirt or dress that makes you feel like a million bucks, imagine there is a warm, receptive face on the computer screen and talk directly to it. As we said earlier, this is likely the admissions committee’s only chance to see you ‘live’ (Kellogg’s interviews are done by alums), so make the most of it.

Practice Makes Perfect

When you sit down to record your video essays, it would be unwise to assume you have a comprehensive list of potential questions from a source you found on the internet so don’t get complacent. While Kellogg isn’t trying to trick you with these, they are looking to see how you think on your feet and whether you can communicate coherently and effectively. This is exactly what you’ll need to do in an MBA classroom and as a future business leader.

With that said, after grounding yourself in the stories you might leverage from your arsenal, take a stab at answering the following…in 60 seconds…on camera. Practice will help, even if you end up getting a question that surprises you.

Introduce yourself by telling admissions something they wouldn’t already know from your resume. (**Note that all applicants were asked this question in round 1**).
Why is Kellogg the right program for you?
Tell us about a time when you experienced a team conflict.
Share an innovation you made in the past year.
Tell us about a time you created value.
Tell us about a positive impact that you made. Why was it important to you?
Tell us about a time you solved a problem in a creative way.
Tell us about a time you contributed to improving a process in your organization.
Tell us about a time you worked with a diverse team.
Tell us about a time when you initiated something that encouraged people to collaborate.
What is the most challenging aspect of working in an internationally diverse environment?
Tell us about a time when you faced a conflict on a team that affected its productivity. How did you face it?
If you were a team leader and you had a member of your team who constantly under-delivered, what would you do?
Tell us about a time you were out of your comfort zone.
Share a misconception people have about you. If you had the opportunity, how might you shift their thinking?
What will your classmates be most surprised to learn about you?
Share an important relationship in your life.
Tell us about a time you experienced a professional failure. What did you learn from it?
Tell us about a time you’ve asked for help.
Tell us about a time you took a risk. What did you learn?
What accomplishment are you proudest of?
Tell us about an organization or activity to which you have devoted a significant amount of time. Why was it meaningful to you?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Who is someone you deeply admire and why?
Whose leadership style do you admire and why?
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received that you also shared with other people?
When you have a problem, who do you approach for advice and why?
How would your teammates describe you?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?
Talk about an environment you work well in and thrive in.
How long have you considered an MBA and what have you learned about yourself / your goals in the process of doing so?
Tell us about a life experience you’ve had outside of the classroom or the office that prepared you to pursue graduate-level education.

With a little practice, you’ll do great. Video essays tend to stress applicants out more than they need to. This might be easy for us to say from our seat at the table but view them as an opportunity more than a hurdle!

As always, we’re here to help, including with hourly advice on things such as interview skills and waitlist strategy. Click here to request an initial consultation .

The post How to Answer Kellogg’s Video Essay Questions appeared first on Vantage Point MBA .

VantagePointMBA

Published in MBA , Vantage Point MBA , Admission Consultants and Blog

Kellogg MBA Essay Advice and Application Deadlines: 2024-2025

Kellogg School of Management has opened its application for the 2024–2025 application cycle, updating its essay questions for 2024–2025 applicants. In doing so, Kellogg joined the list of top MBA programs that include a “goals” essay in their application. This is a change for Kellogg, which traditionally did not ask MBA applicants to directly discuss their goals or why Kellogg was a good fit in its essays.

In its second essay, Kellogg continues to ask applicants about leadership, but does so in a different way, tying in values. This change replaces Kellogg’s long-standing values essay.

See details below on the 2024-2025 essay questions and Personal MBA Coach’s tips on how to tackle them!

Looking for help with your Kellogg MBA applications? Personal MBA Coach’s team includes Frenk Nebiu. Frenk is a former Kellogg Admissions Director with 8+ years of professional experience across consulting, higher education, and nonprofits.

Reach out today to find out how Frenk and the Personal MBA Coach team can support you with your Kellogg applications through our Comprehensive Packages .

The 2024–2025 Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines:

Round 1: September 11. 2024

Round 2: January 8, 2025

Round 3: April 2, 2025

Read Personal MBA Coach’s Top Tips For Tackling Kellogg’s MBA Essays Below!

Kellogg mba essay 1.

Though Kellogg’s first essay is what Personal MBA Coach often considers a “ goals/why MBA essay ,” this question also includes a contribution element. With a 450-word limit and several questions to answer, it will be important to be succinct as you tell Kellogg what you plan to do after business school, why NOW is a good time in your career path to pursue an MBA, and how Kellogg specifically will help.

Personal MBA Coach recommends that you begin by briefly setting the stage for Kellogg in terms of where you are in your career and why now is a good time for you to make a transition. This is not the time to cover your past accomplishments in detail (leave this for your resume and the short-answer questions ). However, it is important to illuminate for the reader where you currently are in your professional career and why NOW is a good time to pursue an MBA.

Next, share your career aspirations with Kellogg. Personal MBA Coach recommends discussing both your short-term and long-term goals here. Remember to select goals that are logical, ambitious, and achievable. (For more on how to think about MBA goals, check out this blog ).

In your next section, let Kellogg know how they factor into this path. To do so, think about the skills you need to gain to be successful in your career and how a Kellogg MBA will help you develop these skills. While it is important to research Kellogg’s unique offerings, do not simply include a laundry list of things you will do on campus. Instead, be thoughtful in selecting a few specific classes, clubs, or programs you are interested in and how these will help you succeed.

Finally, show the value that you will add on campus, considering your uniqueness. While this essay is NOT a classic personal story essay and there will be limited space to include your story here, you should consider your specific areas of expertise (either personally, professionally, or both) and how you might share them with your peers and the broader Kellogg community.

Kellogg MBA Essay 2

For the second year in a row, Kellogg has reworked its leadership essay. While the objective is similar to that of recent years—giving Kellogg an example of how you are an accomplished leader—this year’s essay has a bit more depth to it. After removing the separate essay question on values, applicants must now weave their values into the leadership story.

Also new this year, candidates are instructed to use a professional example in this essay.

Be sure to think of a decision for which you can clearly articulate the challenge faced. This story should also be easy enough to explain that you do not have to waste too many words setting up the situation.

A strong essay will discuss the actions you took and show which specific leadership skills and values you called upon as you made the decision. MBA admissions committees today are increasingly looking for candidates who are interested in not only driving their specific businesses but also in creating value for broader society. Similarly, DEI remains top of mind.

While neither of these topics is specifically covered in this essay, keep these themes in mind as you choose a story to tell. You want to show the type of leader you will be by detailing how you have led in uncomfortable or difficult situations in the past.

Optional Kellogg MBA Application Essay

Personal MBA Coach always advises to tread carefully here, as less is more with optional essays .

Need help tackling these new Kellogg MBA essays? Check out our Comprehensive Packages to see how we support you!

Additional Kellogg MBA Application Essays

Kellogg requires candidates considering options other than the full-time MBA to answer these additional essay questions.

One-Year applicants: Why is the Kellogg One-Year Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (250 words)

MBAi applicants: Why is the Kellogg McCormick MBAi Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (450 words)

JD-MBA applicants: Why is the JD-MBA Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (250 words)

MMM applicants: Why is the MMM Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (250 words)

This year, Kellogg asks applicants to the One-Year MBA program , MBAi, JD-MBA, or MMM program to answer an additional essay. For those unfamiliar with the MMM program, it is a dual degree program offering graduates both an MBA from Kellogg and an MS in Design Innovation from the Segal Design Institute at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.

The question for all four programs is essentially the same, but applicants to the MBAi have a little more space to work with.

Since you will discuss your career goals in Essay 1, these essays give applicants a chance to expand on their interests in these specific programs and how the specific offerings of each program are best suited to help them achieve their career goals.

Be specific here, outlining what you will take advantage of on campus and how each opportunity will help you.

You should also consider how you will contribute specifically to the program of your choice by sharing what you uniquely bring to the table. Be sure not to repeat anything already discussed in Essay 1.

Reapplicants are also required to answer one additional question:

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)

Reapplicants should use the required additional essay to demonstrate growth. We advise candidates to review our tips for reapplicants before tackling this essay.

Finally, Kellogg has historically included video essay questions. Though not formally announced, we expect these will remain this year. See details below.

Woman at Desk Reviews Kellog MBA Application Deadlines

Kellogg MBA Video Essay Questions

“We’ve read your essays, we’ve read your resume — now we want you to bring all that to life in a video. Show us the person behind all those carefully crafted words. The video will be comprised of three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.”

This component of the application offers admissions committee members the chance to learn more about you on a personal level.

Once you submit your application and payment, you will be able to access the Kellogg video essay through your application status page. The school has not shared these essay questions in advance.

Read Personal MBA Coach’s tips for handling videos and other Kellogg MBA application extras.

Schedule a consultation today for 1:1 Kellogg application support including essay brainstorming and unlimited editing , resume review, and more!

You also may like these other blog articles:

Find out why we are consistently ranked #1. Sign up for a 30-minute consultation today!

We have over 200 5 Star Reviews. Find out WHY!

schedule consultation

MBA Resources

The Anatomy of a Great Kellogg Mba Essay

MBA & Beyond Team

14/12/2023 | 5:16 pm

We are back with another MBA essay series where we undoubtedly to our dedicated applicants who wish to book a seat in their dream college. This time we’ll discuss “The Anatomy of a Great Kellogg Mba Essay .” So, let’s prepare you to knock it out of the park.

Here is a quick guide on Kellogg MBA Essays with dos and don’ts regarding the Essays and video statement and some tips regarding short answer questions and reapplication so that you can build the most unique and authentic application to stand out.

Before delving into essays, let’s dispel a myth: essays aren’t just about ‘writing’. Two key takeaways from this article are ‘Introspection’ and ‘Research’. First, reflect deeply on your personality, aspirations, and MBA purpose. Then, research your target programs, activities, goals, and classes. Our experts recommend engaging with students and alumni to gain insights into the Kellogg MBA community

If you’d like personalized, honest, and in-depth feedback on your profile and essays, feel free to book a 1:1 Profile evaluation with our profile experts (students and alums in the top 10 B-Schools).

Here is the Snapshot of the article:

Just a warm-up statement! Undoubtedly, getting a good score on the GMAT will increase the chances of your selection. But trust us when we say it doesn’t help you make the cut (which most applicants assume after getting a good score). Nevertheless, an extraordinary essay and video statement are important to build a strong case of why you should deserve that seat and make you stand out. We speak to the admissions team of top B-schools every year, and while up-to-the-mark scores help them understand your quantitative aptitude, what they look for in ‘academic potential’ is much beyond that.

You must showcase your intellect, curiosity, perseverance, and willingness in your essays to go above and beyond in your journey.

We strongly believe in embracing authenticity as it is the direct connection to the reader’s interest. Also, adcoms believe in quality over quantity, so utilize those limited worthful 450 words for each question into a remarkable essay that can reflect you as a person while also demonstrating a strong fit to the school (from its class to culture and community). Kellogg’s intention is not to enroll students with impressive academic backgrounds. Still, they want upcoming leaders with multifaceted personalities who can be an asset for their institution and add and create new elements in their class and community.

1.Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value.

The question is very straightforward but choosing the right example where you created a lasting value is a task. So think about this question twice, dive deep into your leadership stories, and write them down. (Quick tip: Don’t neglect the word recent in the question, and frame your answer in something that can grab the attention of adcoms).

Now, when you are writing all your stories, use the STAR approach. Showcase the situation your organization was in, what task they wanted to accomplish, what leadership skills you showed that helped elevate people, places, or circumstances, and lastly, how your actions resulted that revealed you and the organization got success. The last component, ‘i’, will answer the second part of ‘how you created value. This ‘i’ refers to ‘impact’. Write down the impact created by your action and when you think about effects, think qualitative impact. A

Once you are done writing all your stories, identify the one.

2. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn?

Want to pursue an MBA but not sure if your profile fits?

Talk to our Profile Experts to know your chances for a top MBA Program.

This will serve as the narrative of your story, reflecting on a challenging situation where you learned to handle crises, manage people and resources, and address mistakes. You may seek clarification on whether acknowledging your mistakes is appropriate. They are keen on understanding your weaknesses.

While writing this, an important thing to note is to emphasize the learnings rather than describing the weakness/failure. Also, bits important that you exemplify how you can implement these learnings further to impact the Kellogg community – it will demonstrate your competitiveness and collaboration, which Kellogg highly values.

The adcoms want to test the collinearity in your values and goals. They believe that values guide you in your life and work. Make sure to distinguish matters from a list of great adjectives. It must be something you feel, embrace, and reflect on in your life & work and the way they drive your decisions and actions in certain aspects that matter to you.

The key point to note is bringing authenticity and removing self-biases while discussing your values. They can easily sense that in your essay as they have gone through tons of them, not to mention the extensive years of experience they have.

Q) What values are important to you, and how have they influenced you?

The best opportunity to tell a story that is personal to you or that talks about “you.” The b-school members want passionate students and well-rounded individuals who can easily gel up with classmates. But, again, do not simply put what you think adcoms want to hear. Try to be as authentic as possible while connecting your values to Kellogg’s values and how they fit well with its culture and community.

The key strategy to excel in this essay question is to weave together your past, present, and future. Explain how your values and perspectives will impact your fellow Kellogg classmates. Additionally, highlight specific instances where your wise actions have had a profound and motivating effect. Incorporating these personal moments will enhance your essay.

For each value you choose to highlight, discuss “why” this value is important to you and “how” this has impacted or shaped you. For example, it might be driving excellence, helping others, giving back to the community, leading a team, etc.

VIDEO ESSAY

The video essay simply means that you are adding life to your essay from a virtual medium. Bring your personality’s shine and confidence on your face and show the person that crafted an excellent essay to adcoms. Before giving you some tips, the school has guidelines an applicant must adhere to.

No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length

Single take (no editing)

Speaking directly to the camera

Do not include background music or subtitles

We can sense that you must be nervous yet excited but don’t be scared. Schools don’t want to hear the “right thing”; they want to hear “you”, one you know very well. Show your dynamic personality and the desire to be part of them. We always give this advice and keep continuing this “Be you, not an ideal.”

The important point to remember is more than just mugging up things and dictating your essay. Even you can self-analyze that your video will be boring and can create a negative impact. Refrain from praising their curriculum; you will already mention why you want to join or post-MBA goals in your essays. We are confident that you have more to your personality, then why tell that story again?

Sometimes taking opinions from the right person will give you the right perspectives, which you may need to be aware of. In this task, you can take help from your close ones or an expert who will hear you and give you honest feedback. Jot down the points and create combinations that benchmark your personality in their minds.

You can book a 1:1 session with our experts to get personalized feedback on your profile and roadmap for your applications if you require it.

The best thing is Kellogg allows you to practice the video format a few times with practice questions before your official video. So make your mirror your best friend, and let them help boost your confidence, communication, and expression.

To introduce yourself, share your intriguing background, a quirky hobby, and a notable achievement outside academia. Choose something distinct and memorable to describe here. While you’ve outlined your goals, explain why their MBA program aligns with your aspirations and what excites you about joining their community.

The main aim of a video statement is to challenge you on how well you cope with the tension in your aura and how calm you are with deep knowledge like an ocean.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1Y applicants: Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg 1Y opportunities that will help you reach this goal. (250 words)

The most important thing to keep in mind here is COLLINEARITY. There should be a strong connection between your professional experience, short-term goal, and how Kellogg will support you.

As you will discuss extensively in your essay, be concise and direct here. This question is tailored for business background applicants, focusing on how you can achieve your goals within a one-year timeframe. Be specific to the campus resources you’ll leverage and outline how you’ll convert these advantages into opportunities.

This article will further help you understand how you can create strong collinearity.

Reapplication

Again, this presents a prime opportunity offered by Kellogg. If you’ve improved academically, earned a promotion, initiated a new project, increased community involvement, volunteered recently, or tackled a personal challenge, you can submit a new application with supporting evidence. Highlight the changes since your last application to demonstrate your dedication, belief in consistency, and commitment to growth. This positions you as an ideal candidate for Kellogg and leaves a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

Read the success story of a reapplicant!

With this, we end this article with all the information regarding Kellogg Mba Essays, but this is still ongoing from our side. If you need an upper hand, our team is always there to show you the right direction.

1:1 SESSIONS WITH ALUMS AND STUDENTS OF TOP B-SCHOOLS-

We offer a limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week to maximize your chances. We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools. In this call, the experts will try to dig out your USP for top B-schools and provide you with honest feedback on your profile and chances to your target schools.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Articles You Might Like

Should an International Candidate go for an INSEAD R3 MBA?

Top MBA programs starting in January 2025

Upcoming Events

Ultimate Guide to Secure Scholarships from Top EU & US Business Schools

September 21, 2024 | 9:00 pm

UPCOMING EVENT: Ultimate Guide to Secure Scholarships from Top EU & US Business Schools. Register now

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

June 26, 2024

Kellogg MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile

Kellogg values individuals; who you are as a person, what you’ve done, and how you will engage with the school’s greater community are all very important. Yes, academics and work experience are also key parts of your profile, but the school’s essay prompts seek to elicit more information about your personality, values, and goals so the admissions committee can determine your “fit” with its program. That is one of the reasons they also require video essays.

Kellogg has three excellent videos on preparing its application , and I urge you to watch all of them so you’ll understand better what the school is looking for. In addition, Kellogg provides detailed explanations of its different MBA programs so you can find the one that is right for you. Each MBA program requires that you write these essays, and in some cases, you must provide an additional essay related to the specific dual degree being pursued (e.g., MBA/JD, MMM, MBAi).

Ready to get to work on your Kellogg application? Read on.

Kellogg application essay tips

Kellogg application deadlines, kellogg class profile, question 1: intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful kellogg leaders. help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an mba, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. moreover, share why you feel kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here. (450 words).

This essay seeks to elicit an honest answer from you as to why you want an MBA from Kellogg. It isn’t that different from the typical question “Why do you want an MBA?” but requires a more thoughtful and personal answer. I suspect that Kellogg has chosen this specific wording to weed out essays written by AI, which tend to be vague generalizations. Please don’t respond with canned responses like “I need to hone my business skills” or “an MBA from Kellogg will enable me to advance in my career.” That really says nothing! You can hone your business skills on YouTube; you can advance your career by having a mentor. Reflect on your real reasons for earning an MBA, and respond with specific examples. This could be an instance from your past when you realized you didn’t know how to manage your team well, or perhaps you’ve observed coworkers with MBAs and seen how they approach problem-solving strategically.

For this essay, you need to think back on times when a lightbulb came on, and you thought, “Wow, if I had studied XXX, I could do this job faster and more efficiently.” This is true whether or not you have a business background or degree. And you need to be specific about your goals. “I intend to be a project manager with Amazon, Google, or Microsoft” is a poor answer, as is “I want to do strategic consulting.” Many of these companies have recently been laying off people, so if you don’t know about current trends in your area of interest, shame on you! These are also banal answers, because every computer engineer who applies answers the same way.

Look at the job descriptions on your target company’s website. What positions is it hiring for, and what do applicants for that position have to know? Having this information will show the committee that you have done your research and that you have feasible goals.

As for what you will contribute to the Kellogg community, find something in your background that sets you apart from other applicants. This doesn’t have to be a professional quality. If you say, for example, “I am a strong leader and good at managing my team,” how does that help you stand out from the pack? Don’t you think that other individuals applying to Kellogg also have this quality? Think about values you cherish, hobbies that might help bring a group together, ideas for a business to start discussions, or even research you’ve done on your own. And take a look at the class profile to see where your classmates have come from. Finally, if you are an international candidate, you can always discuss how things are done in your country, compared to how they are done in the United States.

Question 2: Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods.

Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (450 words)

Again, this essay requires a specific example, not a hypothetical situation. They don’t expect you to discuss how you found a cure for cancer or peace in the Middle East. It can be something relatively small that still made an impact on the company, on you, or on someone else. For example, you realized that women were underrepresented in a specific department, so you brought that up with the department head and volunteered to help recruit more women and develop programming to keep them. The key here is to refer back to the values you hold that propelled you to take this action.

Reapplicant Essay: Reapplicants will receive a prompt about their growth since their last application: How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be? (250 words)

For this and any other reapplicant essay, you need to show what’s changed from your former application. It could be a new test score, it could be a promotion, or it might simply be a reevaluation of your goals and the realization that what you thought you wanted to do wasn’t really feasible. Keep your message short and to the point, and don’t reiterate anything you said in your previous application essays.

Video essays: Things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:

Video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.
A video essay link will appear on your Application Status Page after you submit your application and payment.
You will need an internet-connected computer with a webcam and microphone.
The video should take about 20-25 minutes to complete, including setup time.

The video essay doesn’t need to be a Hollywood-perfect documentary! Don’t over-rehearse or read from a script. You won’t know the questions until you’ve submitted your application, but the questions are usually about something you know, and you will have time to prepare for them.

Practice speaking into a camera, and record yourself to be sure you are looking at the camera and not somewhere else. Also, speak slowly and clearly. If you rush, you’ll look nervous, and worse, your listeners might not be able to understand what you are saying.

Have a neutral background with lighting in front of you. And lock the doors so no one can interrupt you while you are recording. If you want to discuss something personal that defines you, you could consider, for example, filming yourself in the outdoors hiking, in your studio creating art, or playing a musical instrument.

Kellogg isn’t trying to trip you up with this video component; the admissions committee wants to find out who you are apart from your work, and they are looking for reasons to admit you, so breathe deeply, do a few practice runs before you begin (to be sure your equipment is working), and don’t forget to smile!

For expert guidance with your Kellogg MBA application, schedule a free consultation with an Accepted MBA expert. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to Kellogg’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too!


Round 1	September 11, 2024	December 11, 2024
Round 2	January 8, 2025	March 26, 2025
Round 3	April 2, 2025	May 7, 2025

Source: Northwestern Kellogg website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Kellogg directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Here is a look at the Kellogg MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the Kellogg website ):

Class size: 529

Female: 48%

International: 39%

U.S. students of color: 42%

Average GMAT score: 731

GMAT score range: 620-780

Median GRE Verbal: 163

GRE Verbal range: 148-170

Median GRE Quant: 163

GRE Quant range: 146-170

Average GPA: 3.7

GPA range: 2.8-4.0

Average years of work experience: 5

Undergraduate majors:

Economics/Business: 50%
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics: 38%
Humanities: 25%

Industry background:

Consulting: 26%
Financial services: 19%
Technology: 19%
Healthcare/Biopharma: 8%
Consumer products: 5%
Government/Education/Nonprofit: 4%
Media and entertainment: 4%
Manufacturing: 3%
Military: 3%

Getting into Kellogg, or any of the top-tier MBA programs, is very competitive. Schedule a free consultation and we’ll match you with an experienced admissions consultant who will work with you one-on-one to create an outstanding application and prepare you to ace your interview. So give yourself the edge, and get accepted !

Dr. Christie St-John has more than 25 years of higher ed and admissions experience, including ten years in admissions at Dartmouth Tuck. She was formerly the director of MBA recruiting and admissions, director of international relations, and an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University. Having also served on the board of directors of the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance and the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, Christie has a deep knowledge of MBA and other graduate admissions. Want Christie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

Which B-School Is Best for You?
Accepted’s Business School Selectivity Index
Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for MBA Applicants

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Stay on top of the latest insights.

Advice, tips and insights from the admissions dream team., table of contents, kellogg mba essays: strategy & tips.

By Jayne Mulcahy

Kellogg Global Hub in Evanston, Illinois.

Kellogg MBA essays have been released for the 2024–25 application cycle, with a new prompt for Essay 1 and revised language for Essay 2.

As in the past, the Kellogg essays explore applicants’ approach to leadership and their value system. Based on my years of experience evaluating and selecting candidates for Northwestern’s full-time MBA program, I’ve put together some tips below on how to tackle this year’s Kellogg MBA essays.

The key to delivering a series of standout essays to Kellogg — including required video statements — is to embrace your authentic story. Weaving a well-crafted narrative that conveys your passions and clarity of purpose in a way that elicits emotional impact is the secret sauce in creating a connection to an admission reader’s heart.

First, you’ll want to understand why Kellogg is asking each question and what the admissions committee is hoping to uncover. The clues, of course, are embedded within the Kellogg essay questions themselves.

Tips for Kellogg MBA Essay 1

Essay 1 asks:

This is a version of the classic “Why an MBA, why now, and why this school” question — seen through the lens of leadership traits. Notice the focus on “intentionality”; the Kellogg admissions committee is looking to understand whether you are deliberate and purposeful in your actions and decisions. It’s more important than ever to be crystal clear and direct about your reasons and your goals — your “whys.”

Go one step farther and share the “whys behind your whys.” The prompt asks about your journey, so be sure to share the personal experiences, perspectives and motivations that brought you to the point of applying to Kellogg. Help the Admissions Committee know you are making an informed decision about your future professional goals by linking them to specific experiences from your past. For example, don’t just say that your goal is a position as an associate in investment banking to influence future mergers and acquisitions. Share the “why,” and your personal motivation or interest. Maybe you worked as a nurse in a hospital that was acquired, and this experience motivates you to want to be involved in the business side of healthcare mergers and acquisitions in the future.

The word “catalyst” is another clue about what the admissions committee wants to learn from your response to this Kellogg essay question. They want to know what features and facets of Kellogg’s offerings and community attract you, and how those features will boost you toward your goals. Make sure you do your research thoroughly – but don’t simply share a dry list of classes, professors, programs and student organizations gleaned from the website that interest you. Every adcom and application reader has seen thousands of such lists.

What makes you stand out is how you link those offerings to your personal goals. For instance, you can say something like, “I am interested in taking class X to build my financial modeling skills, which will be vital in my ambition to do Y. I look forward to learning from professors with expertise in Z, the industry that I plan to enter. I am excited to learn from other students who share my passion for [insert activity] during the annual [insert event] sponsored by [insert club.]

Finally, this Kellogg essay question asks how you will contribute not just to your class but to its community of lifelong learners. This is an opportunity to introduce yourself and highlight some unique passions, experiences or perspectives that speak to what you will bring to the school, both inside and outside the classroom. How will you show up and get involved at Kellogg – and beyond?

I think one big, missed opportunity that many applicants make is to only think about how they are going to contribute during their time in the program/classroom. Does Kellogg have an alumni organization in the city that you would join post-graduation? Does the larger alumni community host or offer events that you could contribute to? Does the Career Center website highlight any annual events involving alumni from your desired industry that you would be excited to contribute to after graduating as a speaker? Would you be willing to serve as a club mentor? Since Kellogg values lifelong learners, this is also a good place to showcase curiosity and open-mindedness. How would you continue to learn and benefit from your links to Kellogg?

Show, Not Tell – On Video Too

Remember, it’s always best to show, not tell, and illustrate your points with one or two examples. These examples can show how you’ve contributed to group settings in the past and how you envision yourself engaging in the Kellogg community. The challenge is both to sift through your experiences to identify the best points to highlight, and to stay within the word limit.

Note that in addition to written Kellogg essays, the school also asks you to introduce yourself in a video essay. In the video, you’ll respond to three prompts to introduce yourself, explain your career goal and reasons for seeking a Northwestern MBA, and share a challenge you faced and what you learned from it. It’s important to keep this in mind while crafting your essays. You should plan complementary narratives for each format that reinforce but do not repeat each other. And keep in mind that the video offers an opportunity to share additional information or personal stories that don’t fit in your essays. For more advice, see our related blog on Kellogg MBA video essays.

Tips for Kellogg MBA Essay 2

Essay 2 asks: Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (450 words; hard cut off at 480 words)

In this Kellogg MBA essay, the admissions committee is looking to learn about your leadership journey thus far and gain a sense for how you will grow as a leader at Kellogg. Highlighting the role of leadership in addressing challenges “from the boardroom to their neighborhoods” reflects a core Kellogg value — that leadership is essential, universally applicable, and not something that one turns on or off. Consistently acting as an authentic leader to address any situation is crucial.

This Kellogg essay question also recognizes that leadership occurs in all kinds of different settings, but Kellogg now specifies (in a change from last year) that you must share a professional experience that shaped your leadership style. Ideally, the story you share will demonstrate the kind of leader you are today. However, the prompt does not rule out a story about a situation where you did not yet have formal leadership responsibilities but still had to make a tough decision that taught you important lessons about how you want to lead in the future.

This essay is an opportunity for you to share a compelling example of how you’ve faced a challenging situation, the action you took and the values that underpinned your decision.

And while the subject is “you,” Kellogg leaders recognize the value of bringing others along. Inevitably, the difficult decision would involve or impact others. Who were the players involved or that had to be considered in making this decision? How/when did you take other perspectives into consideration when navigating the difficult decision? While it’s smart to explain how you considered others in handling the situation, avoid the “we” game. Even if you were part of a team or group that addressed the challenge, make sure you are specific about your actions and contributions to the situation, because that is what the Admissions Committee wants to most understand. It’s useful to use examples that illustrate how recognizing differences and diverse perspectives create better solutions.

Tell a Story

The Northwestern Kellogg essays — especially Essay 2 — are your opportunity to tell a story. Think through: why must you tell this story? How is your organization better off thanks to the decision you made? What leadership experience can you share that reveals how you’ve succeeded in elevating others? What story will illuminate the impact you’ve had as well as the values guiding your behavior?

Keep in mind this values statement from the Kellogg website:

WE VALUE INDIVIDUALS WHO:

Approach business problems with a mix of hard and soft skills.
Seek to adapt to the evolving business world with open curiosity and innovation.
Believe in strong, empathetic collaboration as a way to strengthen work, perspectives and outcomes.
Embrace the power of diversity in your teams and networks.

Kellogg wants to get to know the authentic you and enroll those who lead with empathy. They don’t wish to read the ‘heroes’ journey where your strength and resilience led to success without thinking about the impact on others. This is an opportunity to reflect how you currently embody Kellogg values and will positively contribute to your classmates’ experience.

Formatting Guidelines

The directions for the Kellogg MBA application essays indicate the following: You can either upload your essays as a file or copy and paste your essay text into the form. Be sure to include the essay prompt in bold at the top of your essay. If you’re uploading a document, you should use 12-point Times New Roman font, 1.5 line spacing and 1-inch margins.

Also, note that the school now explicitly states that if you use AI as a tool for drafting your essays, you should do so with integrity (i.e. do not use it as a replacement for your own genuine insights and reflections) and you must also reference which tool you used at the end of the essay. Our advice at Fortuna is not to use AI; AI cannot tell you what is important to convey about your own story, and it’s best not to give the impression that you have taken shortcuts.

View our Kellogg & Chicago Booth Admissions Masterclass , an hour-long strategy session with essential advice and insight from Fortuna’s former Kellogg & Booth gatekeepers. View other MBA Essay Masterclasses in our series on Fortuna’s YouTube channel.

Let’s Get You In.

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions directors and officers from the top business schools, including Kellogg. With our unparalleled collective expertise, we excel at helping you develop a clear vision of your goals for business school and beyond. We work closely with you throughout the application process and provide expert guidance at every stage to maximize your chances of admission to a top school.

Our free consultations are consistently rated as the best in the industry. To learn more about Fortuna and assess your chances of admission to Kellogg and other top programs, request a free consultation .

Want More Advice?

Check out our team’s latest articles, videos, and analysis related to how to get into Kellogg:

Kellogg MBA Video Essays & How to Tackle Them
Kellogg MBA Interview: What You Need To Know + 7 Tips on How to Prepare
M7 Admissions Masterclass: Kellogg & Chicago Booth
Business School Profile on Kellogg

Jayne Mulcahy is an Expert Coach with Fortuna Admissions who formerly evaluated and selected MBA candidates as part of Northwestern Kellogg’s Full-Time MBA admissions team. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation.

Posted on July 8, 2024

Share this article on social media

Sign up now for a free 30-minute discovery session to get personalized feedback on your profile and learn how Fortuna can help you secure admission to your dream school!

Sign up for a free consultation

Sign up for our free bi-weekly newsletter and get the best MBA admissions advice straight to your inbox.

First Name *

Last Name *

How to Successfully Complete the Kellogg Video Essay

Sep 12, 2024

Why does Kellogg require a video essay?

How does the kellogg video essay work, which types of questions are asked, the difference between a good and great video essay, make sure you get into kellogg.

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on September 16, 2019. It has been updated with new information and tips below!

With its Global Hub, Kellogg of Management at Northwestern University has reinforced itself as a haven for collaboratively-minded leaders. However, if you want to experience the Global Hub for yourself, you’ve got quite the road ahead, as Kellogg is one of the world’s most elite, competitive business schools.

Despite this fact, many applicants dedicate countless hours to writing Kellogg’s admissions essays and then rush through the video essay component.

This is a huge mistake.

In addition to giving the admissions committee the chance to “put a face with a name,” the video essay is an essential part of the Kellogg application, as it allows committee members to determine if your communication style and values are a good fit with the Kellogg community.

In fact, in our experience helping our Kellogg applicants secure a place at the school, we have noticed that the video essay can be as influential in an applicant’s admissions decision as the admissions interview .

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you understand how the Kellogg video essay works and have shared a list of Kellogg video essay questions to ensure you put your best foot forward!

When we first started working with Kellogg applicants many years ago, the video essay component had not yet been introduced. However, since its launch in 2013, the video essay has quickly become a critical part of the application.

That’s because it gives the admissions committee the chance to truly “meet” candidates — as well as identify red flags in potential members of the Kellogg community.

According to Kellogg’s admissions committee,

“The Video Essays provide applicants with an additional opportunity to demonstrate what they will bring to our vibrant Kellogg community – in an interactive way. Each applicant will complete two short video essay questions. The questions are designed to bring to life the person we have learned about on paper.”

They also give applicants this advice:

With that in mind, it’s extremely important to make sure you fully understand this component of the application.

The way the video essay works is very simple.

After submitting your application, you will receive an email from a company called Kira Talent. This email will contain a link that allows you to access the video essay platform.

After signing in and starting the session, you will get three Kellogg video essay questions in total, one at a time. After receiving the questions, you will have 20 seconds to think and then 1 minute to answer. There are no opportunities to redo the question, and you only get one chance to speak and provide your answer.

Unlike previous years, where some of the questions applicants received were random, Kellogg has pre-announced the three questions you will need to answer this year. We’ll go more into detail about the types of questions you can expect below.

If you’ve taken the TOEFL exam , you’ve already practiced for the type of format you can expect in the Kellogg video essay!

After signing in and “starting” the session, a video will appear on the screen. This video will show a member of the Kellogg community, who will read the question you are tasked with answering. The question will also appear in written form under the video.

After the time runs out, the screen video will disappear and your image will be visible on the screen. At this point, your 20 seconds to think will automatically appear.

After the preparation time runs out, the clock to answer (60 seconds!) will start, and you will need to give your answer during this period of time. Remember: you cannot redo any of the questions.

After you answer the question, the system will upload your answer to the server (depending on your connection this can take a while) and will present you with the next question.

DO NOT leave your computer during the upload time , even if it’s taking a while. You cannot pause the process, and you may end up missing questions!

Technical requirements

Given past applicants’ issues with iPad and mobile versions of the application, we strongly suggest you record your answer on a computer .

If you do end up experiencing technical issues, access the support page here .

Regardless of when you submit your application, you need to submit your video essay response no more than 96 hours after the round’s deadline . Find Kellogg’s most current application deadlines here .

If you submit your application early, you can submit your responses to Kellogg’s video essay questions at any time, as long as you make the final deadline.

Answer time limits

You will have 20 seconds to think and 60 seconds to answer each question. Remember: you cannot redo any of the questions.

The Kellogg video essay questions are grouped into three different categories, each with a different focus.

Question 1: Introduce Yourself

The first question Kellogg asks gives you the chance to share who you are beyond your CV and admissions essays.

“ Please introduce yourself and tell us something that is not on your CV that you want us to know about you.” Consider this your opportunity to share what you would want your future Kellogg classmates and our admissions committee to know about you. What makes you, you?”

Despite the innocent-seeming question, be careful about what you choose to show here. Keep in mind that Kellogg prefers community-focused, growth-minded leaders, so don’t miss an opportunity to reinforce your personal brand and your fit with the school’s values. You should also focus on reinforcing elements of your profile that you might not have had a chance to explain elsewhere, such as volunteer work or a special skill you possess.

You do not need to speak about your goals or why you want to attend Kellogg.

Questions 2 & 3: Randomized interview-type questions

For this question, there won’t be a specific prompt you can answer in advance. Instead, you’re going to receive a random behavioral-based question. This question may be focused on your characteristics, or it may allow you to share a professional example that highlights your personality traits.

The best advice for this section is to think about what it’s asking you and what you can show about yourself, your achievements, and your values.

If the question asks about your favorite book, the admissions committee will get a certain impression of you based on what you choose. If you choose a book that’s all about adventure, we’ll assume that’s important to you. If you choose a book about economics, we’ll assume that’s a key part of your life.

So think about how you want the admissions committee to learn about you beyond what you’ve already shared in your application.

If you get a question that’s more like a traditional behavioral interview question, try to draw on examples. Furthermore, make sure to show your human side and demonstrate that you genuinely care for others and want teams you join to succeed. It can be easy to answer in a very conversational way, but doing so can often lead to an answer without a point, so make sure you use your planning time to structure the key elements of your answer.

Regardless, be careful about what you choose to show here. Keep in mind that Kellogg prefers globally-minded leaders who embrace diversity, so don’t miss an opportunity to reinforce your personal brand and your fit with the school’s values.

Here is a list of the types of questions you can expect.

Tell us about a time you took a risk. What did you learn?
Tell us about a time you experienced a professional failure. What did you learn from it?
Tell us about a conflict you have had with your boss/with a team at work. How did you manage to resolve it?
What accomplishment are you proudest of?
Tell us about an organization or activity to which you have devoted a significant amount of time. Why was it meaningful to you?
What will your classmates be most surprised to learn about you?
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received that you also shared with other people? / What is the most important feedback you’ve ever received?
Tell us about a time you worked with diversity in the workplace.
Tell us about a time you contributed to improving a process in your organization.
Tell us about a time you solved a problem in a creative way.
Tell us about a time when you faced a conflict on a team that affected its productivity. How did you face it?
Tell us about a positive impact that you made. Why was it important to you?
Whose leadership style do you admire and why?
Tell us about a time you contributed to your company or community.
Tell us about a time you created a good environment in your personal or professional life.
What’s the biggest misperception co-workers might have about you?
Tell us about a time when you had to reshape a strategy due to a sudden change in the scenario.
Tell us about a relationship you leveraged to reach your goals and how you did it.
Tell us about a time when you had to deliver a tough task at the last minute.
Tell us about a time when you solved a problem in a creative way.

TOP TIP : Remember that Kellogg values teamwork-oriented, collaborative individuals.

Given the importance of the video essay in your Kellogg application, it’s crucial to make sure you don’t just have a good video essay, but that you have a great video essay.

Now that you’ve learned how the video essay will work, we’ve gathered our top 5 tips here to ensure your video essay performance brings you one step closer to reaching your goal of attending Kellogg.

You have stressed about every aspect of your Kellogg application, and now you are ready to record your video essay! With the right preparation, this can be your chance to shine and get a highly-coveted spot at Kellogg.

However, maybe you don’t know where to start in preparing, or maybe you ramble on and lose your focus while answering. Maybe you’ve even downloaded the sample questions and written out your answers. The problem is, when you try to apply these templates to your own story, it doesn’t quite work.

Our video essay prep focuses on helping you determine how to present yourself to Kellogg while using appropriate, impact-driven language without being artificial, or worse, robotic.

Regardless of where you’re from or what type of experience you have, we are focused on helping you do your best.

Want to put the Ellin Lolis advantage to work for you? Schedule your preparation session with our team of interview experts today!

Real MBA Essays That Got People In

School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted

Get Access Now

98.9% Success Rate

With our expertise and 98.9% success rate in placing our consulting clients in at least one of their target schools, we can add more value to your application than you ever thought possible.

Recent Articles

5 Critical MBA Interview Mistakes Non-native English Speakers Make (And How to Stop Making Them)

Sep 2, 2024

Mistake #1: Writing a script for every answer Mistake #2: Getting caught up on individual words Mistake #3 – Not controlling your pace Mistake #4 – Not choosing the right examples for your audience Mistake #5 –...

8 Tips To Ensure You Have A Successful Virtual MBA Interview

Aug 30, 2024

Prep and test your tech Choose your location wisely Be personable on camera Refer to notes if you need Dress the part Stay focused Be mindful of timing Effectively tell your story during your interview...

2024-2025 IMD MBA Essay Tips

Aug 9, 2024

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on June 8, 2020. It has been...

Ready to start your MBA Success?

How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays

Tips and tricks that will help you craft the best application essays possible and get admitted into Kellogg.

Posted January 9, 2024

Featuring Matt P.

Planning Your MBA Application

Starting friday, september 6.

12:00 AM UTC · 45 minutes

Introduction.

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is consistently ranked high and is one of the top seven business schools (“M7”) in the United States. The essay portion of the Kellogg MBA application is unique because it comes in two parts: a written essay and a video essay portion.

The written essays are due along with the application while the video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline. Once the application and fee have been uploaded, a link will appear on the application portal that will give the applicant access to the video portion.

2022-2023 Kellogg Application Deadlines

Round 1: September 14, 2022

Round 2: January 10, 2023

Round 3: April 5, 2023

To read more about the MBA program at Northwestern, visit The Kellogg School of Management–MBA Program and Application Overview .

Written Essays

The written essay portion is a great place to highlight the skills and experience that can’t be found on your resume or any other part of your MBA application. Your essays should present a compelling, concise, and clear story of your path to business school generally as well as Kellogg specifically. Kellogg requires two essays for all its applicants and a third for certain kinds of applicants (JD-MBA, reapplicants, etc). See the additional questions here .

2022-2023 Prompts

Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

Reading this prompt closely provides several insights. Firstly, Kellogg asks for an example, not examples. Choose one that makes the most compelling case. Secondly, in asking about challenges, Kellogg acknowledges that leadership comes with difficulties. Talk about the trials you faced throughout the story, don’t just throw them in at the end. Lead the adcom through the ups and downs of the example and make sure that the lessons learned tie into the overall narrative and aren’t tangential.

Values are what guide us in our life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

This question is purposefully left broad to allow you the space to craft a response that is genuine to your story. A good way to start brainstorming your response is to work backward. Make a list of the major decisions you’ve made in your life and identify why you made them. Then, see if there are any reasons that come up often. Going through the process like this will help you write your response to the second part of the question as well, as how the values have influenced you. You don’t have very many words so stick to one or two of the most important ones and choose examples that concretely show them.

Free trial!

From 135 top coaches

Access a library of videos, templates, and examples curated by Leland’s top coaches.

Example essays.

Example Resumes

Application Prep

Video Courses

Video Essays

The video essays are your chance to bring your candidacy to life in a way that is impossible to do on paper. Instead of seeing numbers and credentials, the admissions committee will see a person. The video essay is optional, however, it is definitely strongly preferred that you complete it.

Kellogg says that the video should take about 20-25 minutes to complete, including time for setup. You’ll need to have a stable internet connection as well as a computer with a webcam and microphone. For each question, you’ll have up to one minute to respond.

There are three video essay prompts, all designed to help you make your case for admission. They are as follows:

Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee. – What do you want your future classmates and the adcom to know about you? What makes you, you?
What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you? – Answer honestly and meaningfully, why are you pursuing an MBA and why are you choosing the Kellogg full-time program?
One question will be based on a challenge you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from it.

Kellogg MBA Essay Tips

For each written essay, you are only given 450 words, and for the video you only have a minute for each prompt, both are not a lot. For this reason, make sure that every part of your answer is directly relevant to the question at hand. Here are several tips for acing your essays and making your application that much more competitive.

Use unique stories and anecdotes that aren’t found in other parts of your application.

Essays are a way for you to further expound on your candidacy and provide information that can’t be found elsewhere, whether that be on your resume, letters of recommendation, etc. Be intentional about where you choose to include certain information. If you have an important example that’s a bit lengthier, put it in your written essay. Have a funny or entertaining story? Talk about it in your video essay to add character.

Build Kellogg values into your answers.

After reading your essays and watching your video, the adcom should know exactly why you want to go to Kellogg specifically. You could go to any M7 and be successful and if you can get into one, you can get probably get into another. Even if Kellogg isn’t your top choice, showing that you understand what’s important to the institution will prove to the admissions committee that you care enough to have done some research.

You can do this by reading articles online–both on the school’s official site and third-party publications–taking tours of the campus, talking to alumni, contacting admissions for specific questions, and more. Get creative and work the values into your goals and plans.

Get specific.

When you talk about your strengths and the attributes you portray, make sure you’re providing concrete and specific examples. It’s easy to list off different things; it is much harder to prove how you’ve demonstrated them in the past. They should also be directly and obviously relevant to your overall narrative.

Remember: the admissions committee will not know any information that you don’t explicitly tell them. You have limited space to present a compelling reason that they should give you a seat in the class. Make that more likely by clearly demonstrating what you bring to the table.

Build a cohesive narrative.

At the end of the day, your entire application is basically one long story. Each part of the story should be related to the overall idea. Your candidacy is the culmination of the different parts of you that you’re choosing to present to the adcom.

As you write and film your essays, keep this in mind. Is the example you’re providing directly relevant to the narrative? If not, consider whether it should be there. There is a fine line between trying to portray as much of yourself as you can, in order to show your wide variety of strengths, and focusing on a set of core values. The right balance is usually somewhere in the middle.

Start early!

Start as early as you possibly can on your written essays. Usually, it takes a lot more time than you think it will to write multiple drafts, revise, receive feedback, and polish. For many people, it’s helpful to have a rough idea of your story before you start writing. Working with a coach can be really beneficial for this.

After writing your first draft, put it aside for a few days so that when you go back to it, you’re reading with a fresh perspective. Several drafts later after receiving feedback, read your essay out loud. Doing so will give you an idea of what it will sound like to an admissions committee member.

For the video essays, you should also start early. Practice your responses several times until you feel very comfortable giving them in a smooth manner. The last thing you want is to stumble over your words or be constantly “uhhh” and “umm”-ing your way through the answer. Talk to yourself in the mirror, practice recording yourself on Zoom, or role-play it with a friend.

Hopefully, you find these tips helpful as you put together your Kellogg MBA application. We know that it can be a very stressful process. For personalized, one-on-one advice and guidance, work with a Leland coach . We have lots who are Kellogg alumni who will be able to help you find the right narrative to tell. Here are some of our highest-rated MBA admissions coaches:

Leland provides you with the content, community, and coaching that you need to get into your dream MBA program and accomplish other ambitious goals. Sign up today to gain access to additional free resources, community events, small group classes, world-class coaching, and more.

Browse hundreds of expert coaches

Leland coaches have helped thousands of people achieve their goals. A dedicated mentor can make all the difference.

Browse Related Articles

July 4, 2024

How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay—With Examples

The MBA essay is critical to your business school application. Read our guide to writing the perfect MBA essay, with successful admit examples.

January 4, 2024

HBS 2+2 Deferred MBA Essay Prompts & Tips (2024)

As of 2024, HBS has changed its deferred MBA essay prompts away from the traditional, "What else should we know about you?" to three smaller essays. Read more and nail your HBS 2+2 application here.

March 12, 2024

MBA Essay Too Long? Here's How to Fix It

The word count of most MBA application essays is very limited. This article by an expert Leland MBA coach will give you 8 tips to help you keep your essays under the limit while still maintaining a compelling story.

May 4, 2023

Why ChatGPT Can’t Write Your Personal Statement

While ChatGPT is multifaceted, there is a compelling argument against using AI for your personal statements. Here is one expert's take on the revolutionary technology and application essays.

August 27, 2024

Top 10 Deferred MBA Programs in the US—and How to Get In (2025)

Aiming for an MBA, even while you're still in college? Perfect, learn all about deferred admission MBA programs like HBS 2+2 and receive key insights into the application process.

How I Got Into Chicago Booth Scholars (Deferred MBA) – An Interview With Bruce Erickson

A recent admit to Chicago Booth's deferred MBA program talks about his application, including the challenges, what made his story stand out, how to navigate the interviews, approaching the essays, overcoming imposter syndrome, and more.

May 11, 2024

Craft a Powerful Essay for Stanford GSB: What Matters Most & Why?

A GSB MBA, expert admissions coach, and pro writer, outlines his top advice for nailing the challenging and broad Stanford essay prompt, to help you get into one of the most prestigious MBA programs in the world.

June 27, 2024

A Guide to the Columbia Business School Essays (2024-2025)

Coach Melanie E. walks you through each Columbia Business School essay prompt for the 2023-2024 cycle, breaking down what adcoms are looking for and offering expert advice on how to nail your responses.

Stanford GSB Deferred Enrollment Program: What You Need to Know

Interested in applying to the highly competitive deferred enrollment program at Stanford? We've got you covered with this overview, including who Stanford is looking for, application details, and more.

March 1, 2024

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples

Get ready to ace your UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA application with this comprehensive essay guide.

March 2, 2024

Georgetown McDonough MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples

Looking to ace your Georgetown McDonough MBA essays? Our comprehensive guide provides an overview, valuable tips, and real examples to help you craft compelling and impactful essays that will set you apart from the competition.

UW Foster MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples

Learn everything you need to know about writing impactful UW Foster MBA essays with our comprehensive guide.

Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essays & Analysis 2024 - 2025

Northwestern Kellogg has updated its MBA Essay Questions for the 2024 - 2025 application cycle. The 2 core essays continue to maintain the 450 word limit, but focus on career goals and leadership in this year's new prompts.

Here are the Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essay Written and Video Questions for 2024 - 2025.

Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essay 1

This year, Kellogg has chosen to ask applicants a classic career goals essay, including a specific "Why Kellogg" component.

Start with a story about a past experience that shaped your interest in your target industry or role. This could be a personal or professional experience, but it should lead to a mission statement that clearly states what impact you want to have through your career. You don't need to have a grandiose mission like solving world hunger or becoming President, but you should aim to showcase the overall positive impact you will have on others through your work.

Now that you have a mission, outline the short-term and long-term goals that will help you achieve it. Ensure that you state your target role, industry, and geography.

You can now discuss the skills you already have gained so far that are useful for these goals. This could be transferable skills from your career, extracurriculars, or personal experiences, direct experience in your target industry, and even expanding your network to include people from your target industry.

Then, discuss the skills that you still need to develop to achieve your goals. Kellogg asks you to explain why this is the right time to pursue an MBA. You may have reached a point in your career where you cannot move forward without covering these skill gaps, so you need an MBA.

Finally, be specific with the skills, knowledge, and community you need from your MBA. Research classes, student clubs, extracurriculars, conferences, competitions, and any other resources that will help you achieve your goals. For example, you may be planning to pivot to a strategy role from a tech role after your MBA. Going forward, you would need to develop your strategic thinking and communication skills, which you'll get from certain courses in your curriculum.

You also need to demonstrate how you can give back to Kellogg's community. Note the use of the word "intentionality". Again, do your research and seek opportunities where your skills and experiences will add value to your MBA cohort and the larger university. Speak to alumni, current students, and school staff to add a personal touch to your essay and show that you are already getting involved with the school's community. If you can, you should also consider visiting the school campus to understand its culture and speak to students.

Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essay 2

This question requires you to narrate a compelling story of a professional challenge you faced. Highlight how you embraced the situation, formed your strategy, and managed to create a “long-lasting impact”. Finally, reflect upon your learning from this situation - recount how you grew professionally, improved your leadership style/skills and added value.

Kellogg appreciates candidates with the potential to take calculated risks in service of the larger value-added proposition. Thus, your ability to take calculated risks, overcome challenges, and push beyond the boundaries would be an excellent point to add.

Consider using a story in the SCAR framework to answer this question. Start the essay by defining the situation , explaining the challenge at hand, stating the action(s) you took and concluding with the result of your leadership efforts.

Here's the SCAR framework in action:

Situation: Provide some context

Challenge: Describe the immediate challenge you faced

Action: Explain what you did to overcome the challenge

Result: Give a concrete result, try to quantify

Analysis:

Demonstrate leadership skills by reflecting upon your values that resonate with Kellogg’s core cultural values. These could be - teamwork, collaboration, long-lasting impact, sync with the Kellogg purpose in post-MBA career, innovative approach, etc.

Learning - How you dealt with challenges and received feedback are important for all MBA programs. Therefore, reflect on how this situation enabled you to grow further and highlight your willingness to learn and develop throughout your MBA.

Northwestern Kellogg MBA Reapplicant Essay

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)

Write about how you’ve grown since the last time you applied to Kellogg. This answer is where you would refer to your improved GMAT/GRE score and add recent leadership experiences such as extracurricular activities, community work, and/or new projects you began since the last time you applied. Also, mention any promotions or new responsibilities you’ve been given since you last applied.

Northwestern Kellogg 1-Year Applicant MBA Essay

Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg 1Y opportunities that will help you reach this goal. (250 words)

A classic career goals essay. Don’t over-complicate it. Start by stating your post-MBA career goal. Don’t commit to a specific company and role, but show that you’ve done your research. Ideal is to apply to 3 companies in a similar space, such as McKinsey, Bain & BCG or Pfizer, J&J & AstraZeneca.

Next, explain the skills you already have and the skills that you’ll need. Ideally, this would be a mix of soft skills and technical skills. Examples of soft skills include public speaking. Technical skills might be valuations of early-stage startups. Tie the skills you need to specific electives, trips, treks, societies, programs and clubs at Kellogg.

Northwestern Kellogg MBA Video Essays

Guidelines: .

Three questions will be available post-application submission and payment.

Essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.

For the final assessment, join through an internet-connected laptop or computer with a webcam and microphone.

Answers should be consistent with your application, but try not to repeat yourself verbatim. For example, feel free to refer to a project you already wrote about, but if you wrote about it from a leadership standpoint, best to use it from a different angle such as teamwork.

Northwestern Kellogg Video Essay 1

Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee.

Think of this as your elevator pitch. Share with the admissions committee what makes you different. Talk about some key aspects of your professional role and what you do outside of the office.

Northwestern Kellogg Video Essay 2

What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?

Begin by explaining your career goals. These should be clear to you by now. Avoid sounding overly committed, but show that you’ve done your research. If you’ll be taking on a new job after MBA, a good idea is to refer to 3 specific companies or roles which you would consider. Then talk about the skills you’ll need and how an MBA at Kellogg is going to give you these

Northwestern Kellogg Video essay 3

This question will be based on a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.

For this behavioural question, stick to the SCAR format. Describe the situation, explain the challenge, what you did and what the result was. A good story will demonstrate one or more of the 12 key traits .

Check out our Kellogg MBA Interview Guide for in-depth insights into Kellogg's interview process, what they're looking for in prospective candidates, interview schedule and questions for 2024, and tips to ace your interview.

For the full Northwestern Kellogg MBA application course with example essays based on real essays by previous applicants, check out the Kellogg application program on MBAconsultant.com .

We help determined applicants get admitted to top business schools. Get in touch if you think we can help you with your MBA application. Book a free 20 mins chat now.

Recent Video

Mba essay guides.

MBA Essay Analysis Blog Banners (10).png

Client Testimonials

Connect with us.

Decoding The New Kellogg MBA Essays

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share on WhatsApp
Share on Reddit

Kellogg’ Global Hub in Evanston, Ill.

The most obvious part of the Kellogg culture from the moment you set foot on campus is the collegiality amongst the students. The school’s lakeside location in the urban suburb of Evanston, about 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, reinforces the close-knit, community-centric feel, where students walk to and from campus and a multitude of micro-interactions build strong ties with classmates. It’s part of what makes Kellogg’s MBA experience so unique – you get to live, work and play in a distraction-free enclave that’s also in close range of a global business hub.

The MBA program’s collaborative learning style places a heavy emphasis on teamwork – ‘we’ rather than ‘I.’ So what exactly does this culture of collaboration entail? It’s often characterized as “high impact, low ego,” and that’s about as good a definition as exists.

As such, nearly every aspect of the application has some component geared toward discerning if a candidate is the right fit. Kellogg takes great pride in identifying candidates who have really self- reflected on what they want, how Kellogg will get them there and how their aspirations support a broader vision for having a positive impact. This year, Kellogg has re-calibrated its second essay question, replacing ‘how have you grown in the past and intend to grow at Kellogg’ with a one squarely aimed at understanding the values that shape you.

As a Fortuna Admissions coach and former Kellogg Alumni Admissions Interviewer, I’m practiced at discerning how the best candidates translate their experiences into a narrative that’s both genuine and distinctive. So let’s talk strategy.

First, you’ll want to understand why Kellogg is asking each question and what adcom is hoping to uncover. The clues, of course, are embedded within the questions themselves:

Essay 1: Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

Essay 2: Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

Let’s start decoding, piece-by-piece.

ESSAY 1 DECODED

“Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value.”

To unpack the opening statement: What the question is asserting here is that walking through Kellogg’s door means that you’re not only going to receive a world-class MBA, but you’re also expected to add value by engaging in the classroom, the greater community and, ultimately, the world as a Kellogg alum. How will you drive the type of MBA experience that leaves your classmates wishing they had more time with you? The MBA experience is only as unique as the collective contribution of the class, and this means that Kellogg is trying to uncover your capacity to lead and participate in this collective experience during school and beyond.

“Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value.”

This part is directed at your specific leadership experience. Kellogg is trying to get a sense of who you are as a leader, and how you’ve shaped the organizations and communities in which you’re involved. The words to pay attention to are “created lasting value.” (This notion is so important it’s mentioned twice in the same prompt.) This is your opportunity to tell a story. Think through — why must you tell this story? How is the world better off from you having told this story? What leadership experiences can you share that reveal you’ve succeeded in elevating people, places and/or circumstances because of your conscious participation? What story will illuminate the significance of this shift, showcasing the situation before you came in, while you were there and after you’ve left?

“What challenges did you face and what did you learn?”

This is both the substance and resolution of your story. Who are the characters of your story? What setting are you in? What are the stakes of you not succeeding in your leadership challenge? How did you grow through the challenge? Don’t just share what you learned and stop there; essays that nail this question will also demonstrate how what you learned will translate to your unique contribution towards the Kellogg class of 2021, during your MBA and beyond.

ESSAY 2 DECODED

“Values are what guide you in your life and work.”

Your values aren’t a laundry list of adjectives, they’re emblematic of the beliefs that guide your decisions, actions and engagement in the things that matter most to you. Similar to Stanford GSB’s iconic ‘what matters most to you and why’ essay, Kellogg is looking to know what it is it that inspires, drives and motivates you. Candidates who do the thoughtful introspection required to write with authenticity and substance will deliver a valuable view into who they are as a person, not just the inner workings of a dazzling intellect. Your values inherently extend beyond yourself, into your relationships with people and the places where you imagine making a positive impact.

“What values are important to you and how have they influenced you?”

This is an opportunity to tell a story that’s personal, vulnerable and honest. You might lead with one specific value and the emblematic story that helps connect the dots between what has shaped you and who you’ve become. As you look back, what are the seminal moments, influences and interactions that have forged you into an ever-wiser human being? Has anything rocked you to the core, prompting you to rethink the path you’d charted for yourself? This can be anything from the loss of a family member to a horrible mistake or a failure that illuminated what’s most essential for you.

Another tact is to lead with an origin story, the background of your childhood or the environment that shaped you. Then, how have those forces and experiences informed the person you are today and your aspirations for the future? The way to really nail this essay question is to coherently connect past, present and future. How will your values and perspectives influence the type of experience you create for your future Kellogg classmates? For the win: how will this accumulated wisdom inform the type of leader you will become in the longer term?

VIDEO ESSAY DECODED

Lastly, Kellogg asks each applicant to complete a video essay component after submitting the application. This year, the school gives you two of the three questions upfront. The first asks you to ‘introduce yourself to the admissions committee’ in the spirit of what you’ll bring to future classmates and ‘what makes you, you?’. The second drives at your career goals and ‘why Kellogg.’ The third is randomly generated with the objective of understanding how ‘you handled a challenging situation in your career or personal life.’

Consider this video component is a huge opportunity to showcase your personality. As you prepare, imagine how to convey what’s not obvious in your resume, credentials or LinkedIn profile. What will help make your application sticky and memorable? Again, reflect on the story you want to tell and offer a dimension that might be missing.

Play with ways to take advantage of the medium itself in your storytelling. Among my favorite efforts at a ‘introduce yourself’ video response was from a candidate who gave a brief viola performance, then used an element of the instrument itself as a metaphor to convey his personality and interpersonal style.

5 Top Tips to Performing Well on the Video Essays:

1. Plan your answers. Jot down a few bullets or talking points or outline a quick structure, e.g., main answer and supporting examples. But avoid overly scripting – you want to appear fluid and natural on camera.

2. Stand for more energy.

3. Record yourself when you practice. What type of impression are you giving off? Are you friendly and approachable? Would others feel comfortable working with you?

4. Don’t forget to smile. When you enjoy yourself, it shines through and makes a connection with the viewer (you’re on camera, after all).

5. Visualize success. Ask yourself, if the person reviewing my video essay takes nothing else, what is the number one thing I want them to remember about me?

The key to delivering a series of standout essays to Kellogg is to embrace your genuine story. Do this successfully, and you’ll be embraced in return: Among Kellogg’s signature traditions during MBA orientation is the moment when the Dean of Admissions offers a rousing speech called “One of You,” which runs down a list of remarkable highlights about new students. What this means for MBA candidates is that there’s a place for you based on your true, authentic self. Weaving an authentically crafted narrative that conveys your passions and clarity of purpose — in a way that elicits emotional impact — this is the secret sauce in creating a connection to an admission reader’s heart.

Jason Yeh is an expert coach at MBA consulting firm Fortuna Admissions , as well as a former Kellogg Admissions Interviewer and Kellogg MBA Alum. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation .

DON’T MISS: AN INTERVIEW WITH KELLOGG’S MBA GATEKEEPER or 2019-2020 MBA APPLICATION DEADLINES AT LEADING SCHOOLS

Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login Logout Search for:

Advice Column: Insider Tips From Current MBA Students (Part 2)

The ‘Introduce Yourself’ MBA Essay

3 Reasons To Pursue An MBA In Europe Right Now

What You Need To Know To Get Into INSEAD & LBS

How To Use Poets&Quants MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
How To Select An MBA Admissions Consultant
MBA Admission Consulting Claims: How Credible?
Suddenly Cozy: MBA Consultants and B-Schools
The Cost: $6,850 Result: B-School

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

Our Clients
Tips & Advice
Client Login
Request Consultation

How to Approach the New (!) Kellogg Essays

Great Kellogg essays will earn you a spot on this beautiful campus.

If you’re applying to Kellogg and have been patiently waiting for them to release their essay questions, the time has come! The prompts have been reworked this year, after a number of application cycles without changes. Without further ado, here are the prompts for this year’s Kellogg essays:

Kellogg Leaders are primed to tackle today’s pressing concerns everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Tell us about a time in your life where you’ve needed a combination of skills to solve a problem or overcome a challenge. Which skills did you use? What did you accomplish? (450 words)
At Kellogg, our values are based on research that concludes organizations comprised of leaders with varied backgrounds and perspectives outperform homogeneous ones. How do you believe your personal and professional experiences to date will help to enrich the Kellogg community? (450 words)

Note: There is also a third required essay for those applying to a specialized MBA program and/or for those who are reapplying. Finally, Kellogg has three video essay questions that will need to be submitted within 96 hours of the application deadline (a link will be sent to you after you submit your application).

Advice for Approaching the Kellogg Essays

While the Kellogg essays may have changed, the qualities they look for haven’t. Let’s start by defining exactly what those qualities are. Kellogg shares that they value individuals who:

Approach business problems with a mix of hard and soft skills.
Seek to adapt to the evolving business world with open curiosity and innovation.
Believe in strong, empathetic collaboration as a way to strengthen work, perspectives and outcomes.
Embrace the power of diversity in your teams and networks.

A strong thread throughout each of these criteria is that Kellogg highly prioritizes soft skills – in short, they want leaders who bring people together to innovate and solve challenges. Before you even consider how you will approach the Kellogg essays, give thought to how you embody this statement and brainstorm examples that prove this is true.

Think Long and Hard About the Story You Select for Essay One

As the first essay prompt indicates, Kellogg is looking for you to share one concrete ‘story’ in your answer. So, essentially, you have one shot to demonstrate why, as proven by a past experience, you are a strong leader that can overcome challenges and have impact on the organizations of which you are a part. That’s a lot of pressure to put on one story, so it’s important to choose wisely.

Our recommended approach is to brainstorm a variety of stories you could potentially use here and not simply go with the first one that comes to mind. Just because an accomplishment was personally significant to you doesn’t mean it is the best material for this essay.

Most applicants will likely share a professional example, but an extracurricular situation could work equally as well. Whichever you choose, we recommend that it is relatively recent (within the last two years) and involves teamwork of some kind. Kellogg wants to see the kind of leader you are today and given the heavily team-oriented nature of the program, telling a story about a time you accomplished something without the help of others doesn’t demonstrate the fit they are looking for.

Once you’ve brainstormed a list of stories, consider which skills (beyond teamwork, which is non-negotiable) each one highlights. Compare this list of skills with the personal branding you’ve developed earlier in the application process – which story feels most cohesive with the picture you are trying to present of yourself? Which story highlights the broadest list of MBA-applicable skills, notably those that are important to Kellogg which places a lot of value on soft skills? In fact, we think a successful essay could speak to primarily (if not all) soft skills given Kellogg’s culture and also because hard skills can be showcased through your test score, GPA, and resume. Ask yourself these questions as you narrow down your list to that perfect example.

Revisit Your Personal Branding (Again!) for Essay Two

You may find your head spinning upon reading the second essay prompt, wondering how you’ll possibly narrow down the list of ‘things’ you might share. Note that we’re using the term ‘things’ here because, while the essay prompt references ‘experiences’, we’d suggest that you can also think beyond discrete situations or characteristics and consider including more conceptual influences or themes that make you who you are. For instance, perhaps you’ve lived in seven countries in your lifetime – that combination of ‘experiences’ and their influence on you could be a topic of discussion.

To start, we recommend that you revisit your personal branding work. What formative experiences or influences did you identify as being the driving force behind what you’ve done to date and what you hope to do in the future? Consider these the top contenders for inclusion in this essay because, beyond painting a picture of who you are, they should connect with why Kellogg – and an MBA in general – is right for you (in other words, they tell Kellogg who you are AND, critically, why they should care).

Of note, make sure you don’t lean entirely professional in this essay. Even if you feel like your differentiated work experience is your key ‘selling’ point, it is important to weave in some personal background as well. Kellogg (and business schools in general) want you to bring your whole self to campus, so being comfortable opening up in the application demonstrates you are ready to contribute in this way if admitted.

Once you’ve chosen and described the ‘things’ that make you unique, it is critical to share discrete ways in which you will utilize your perspective, skill set, etc. to improve the experience of others in the Kellogg community. Avoid a laundry list here and, instead, demonstrate you’ve put real thought into how you will contribute on campus with a few specific and impactful examples.

Structure Ideas for the Kellogg Essays

For Essay 1, we recommend a structure somewhat like this:

P1: Share the context of the situation you will discuss and the problem or challenge at hand
P2: Describe the actions you took, emphasizing elements of teamwork, collaboration, and innovative problem solving
P3: Wrap up the story, covering the ‘results’ and the impact you had on your team or organization
P4: Summarize the skills you demonstrated as well as any learnings you gained and talk about how you envision applying them at Kellogg and beyond

For Essay 2, we recommend a structure somewhat like this:

P1: Introduce the first ‘thing’ that makes you unique, including how it has influenced or changed the way you see the world
P2: Describe how you will use this perspective to enrich the Kellogg community
P3: Introduce a second ‘thing’ that makes you unique and how it has influenced or shaped you
P4: Share another concrete, actionable way you will apply this uniqueness at Kellogg

Kellogg Video Essay Tips

Kellogg requires you to record and submit responses to three questions, which you will not know in advance. The only clues they give are that the questions are designed to ‘help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today’.

Not knowing the questions can feel intimidating, but we recommend you prepare an introduction of yourself that highlights your personality (hobbies, interests, etc. are fair game!) and also brainstorm a list of the best stories you imagine using for behavioral interview questions.

Procedurally speaking, once the clock starts ticking, you will have 20 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to answer each question. Focus the bulk of your practice on getting the timing right – a minute is shorter than you think! So, practice (out loud!) using the STAR format to tell each of your stories within this timeframe so you ensure you don’t get cut off before you can share the awesome ‘result’ you drove.

Katie is a passionate mentor and coach, helping her clients craft a unique, compelling story by leveraging her experience as a corporate executive, alumni interviewer, and campus recruiter. Before completing her MBA at Kellogg, Katie spent five years in banking where she learned practical finance skills as well as how to operate in a demanding, high pressure environment. She pursued an MBA in order to transition to an industry role where she could utilize her finance knowledge to drive change within an organization. Post-MBA, she worked in finance and strategy for a leading CPG firm, progressing to an executive role leading the finance function for a $2B business segment. Her experience managing diverse teams led to a passion for developing others. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she led her firm’s MBA recruiting efforts and served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Kellogg.

MBA Application Deadlines for 2023-2024

How to ensure your tuck mba essays are stellar, no comments, post a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Live Virtual Programs

Learn from our esteemed faculty in a rich, interactive digital environment, and equip yourself for a new, dynamic business landscape.

Saved Programs 0

Explore group and custom solutions

Accelerate your growth: build an outcome-based partnership between Kellogg and your organization.

Center for Nonprofit Management

In this era of dramatic social and economic change, nonprofit leaders are being challenged as never before — and the need for leadership development has never been greater.

Gain the Kellogg edge

A distinctive cross-disciplinary approach puts the Kellogg advantage to work for you.

Executive Programs
Online Programs
C-Suite Programs
Group and Team Registrations
Executive Scholar Certificate
Request A Brochure
Find a Program
Our Partnership Philosophy
Design Process & Team
Association & Specialty Programs
Academic Partners
Group Registrations
Inquiry Form
Our approach
Nonprofit Custom Programs
Equity Essentials
Nonprofit Management Essentials
Join Mailing List
The Kellogg Advantage
Our Learning Environment
Our Faculty
Thought Leadership
Participant Perspectives
Alumni Benefits
Subscribe to Newsletter
Executive Education
Individual Programs

A Kellogg credential that is uniquely you .

Growth-minded leaders like you understand that lifelong learning is an essential part of staying ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving global marketplace. With the Executive Scholar Certificate, you can earn a credential that distinguishes you as a leader, is customized to your professional development goals and rewards you special Scholar benefits upon certificate completion.

Become a Kellogg Executive Scholar by attending any four in-person or live virtual executive programs within five years of your first eligible program.
Choose from one of the specializations below or build your own certificate. A specialization can be earned by attending any two live virtual or in-person programs from within the specialization’s topic area as listed on our website. Your remaining two live virtual or in-person programs can be selected from any of the eligible programs on our website.
There are no admission or academic requirements since all of our programs are non-degree continuing education.
Please note that online self-paced programs are not counted toward the Executive Scholar Certificate at this time.

As your academic partner, our team is available every step of the way to offer personalized advising to plan your path to certificate completion.

VIDEO: Begin your journey to lifelong learning with the Executive Scholar Certificate

Personal Consultation

Please contact us to schedule an advising session

847.467.6018
Schedule Consultation

Available Specializations

Family Enterprises
General Management*
Growth & Innovation
Nonprofit Management*

* Please note that the General Management and Nonprofit Management specializations have separate requirements.

General Management

Option One:

Complete one program from each of the following topic areas: Finance Leadership Marketing or Sales Operations

Option Two:

Combine Women's Senior Leadership Program or the Executive Development Program with any live virtual or in-person program

Nonprofit Management

Nonprofit leaders may choose to pursue an Executive Scholar Certificate in Nonprofit Management . This specialization requires the completion of four programs offered by the Center for Nonprofit Management followed by an eligible general Executive Education program as your capstone. Programs in this specialization cannot be applied toward other specializations and must be completed within five years.

Executive Scholar Benefits

FOR YOU: RECOGNITION, A POWERFUL GLOBAL NETWORK AND MORE

The Kellogg Executive Scholar Certificate gives you the opportunity to earn a credential from a world-class business school, leadership development paths aligned with your unique goals, and exceptional Scholar benefits which include:

A Certificate of Professional Achievement, including a digital certificate for your social media profile
A 15% discount on all Executive Education year-long Chief Officer Programs
A 30% discount on Kellogg Executive Education open enrollment programs
Membership in the global Kellogg alumni network and access to the online network
Opportunities to participate in alumni clubs and events
Access to cutting-edge research and thought leadership content from Kellogg faculty and leading practitioners
A Kellogg branded email account

Please note that personalized career advice is not available to Executive Scholars.

FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION: DEVELOP LEADERS & STRENGTHEN YOUR ORGANIZATION

Organizations who support completion of the Executive Scholar Certificate enjoy:

A flexible option to develop current and future leaders with limited time away from the workplace
Expansive program offerings to help your employees build and strengthen a variety of competencies
Employees return with broadened industry and global perspectives
Kellogg's focus on practical application means executives can have an immediate, positive impact

What Participants Say

"The Kellogg Executive Scholar program offers the unique opportunity to tailor my learning experience to ensure I’m staying on the leading edge of the learning curve in a rapidly and ever-changing marketplace, packaged in a manner that is conducive to both my professional and personal life."

Brand Manager, Eli Lilly and Company

"As someone who has already completed an MBA and a Master of Medical Management (MMM), I have been amazed at how much I have been able to add to my knowledge through Kellogg’s executive scholar program. The faculty are academically based but bring a wealth of real-world experience through their research and consulting experiences. This combination, rare in most business schools, separates Kellogg from other programs focused on executive education."

Professor of Wound Healing & Tissue Repair , University of Illinois at Chicago

"The Executive Scholar program is perfect for busy professionals like me. My goal with the program was to learn the latest scientific discoveries, marketing concepts and business case studies from the top business marketing school in the country. Not only did I benefit from the coursework, I developed a professional network to help me through the transformative changes at the NPB — and made a lot of friends in the process."

Vice President, National Pork Board

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i become a kellogg executive scholar.

Simply submit your online Scholar application. There are no admission or academic requirements since all of our programs are non-degree continuing education. The application serves to inform the school of your intent to become an Executive Scholar, allowing the school and advisor to monitor your progress toward completing a certificate. The application is non-binding and does not obligate you to attend any programs.

If you would like to speak with an advisor, please email [email protected] or call 847-467-6018 .

Is there a fee to become an Executive Scholar?

There is no additional fee required to become an Executive Scholar nor does it obligate you to attend our programs. Our 2-5 day program fees vary from $5,000 to $12,000. Since the certificate requires attendance in four programs, your total cost is highly dependent on your program selection.

Why should I consider the Executive Scholar Certificate?

The Executive Scholar Certificate offers a practical, flexible approach to achieving your career goals and receiving a Kellogg credential. With more than 40 programs, you can tailor a curriculum around your individual needs.

Can I change my Executive Scholar Certificate specialization?

Yes! Professional development plans are often disrupted due to unpredictable career changes. Our program is flexible to your needs so that your specialization can be revised at any time on your learning journey with the approval of the Executive Scholar Advisor. (Please note that a specialization requires completion of at least two eligible programs in the selected specialization's portfolio.)

Pages in Executive Scholar Certificate:

Other pages in individual programs:, pages in executive education.

Custom Solutions
The Kellogg Experience
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Kellogg Faculty Blogs
Read Kellogg Insight

Kellogg School of Management

IMAGES

The Anatomy of a Great Kellogg Mba Essay
2024-2025 Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis and Tips
Kellogg MBA Essay Questions & Analysis 2024-2025
Why Kellogg MBA Essay Prompt Answers
MBA Essay for Harvard, MIT, Kellogg, Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue
Why Kellogg MBA Essay Prompt Answers

VIDEO

How Paula broke barriers and built a new business path as a Kellogg Leader
Calicut University 2nd Sem BBA Marketing Management Important Essay Questions with Notes
Kellogg Executive MBA Global Network
Ask Me Anything: Kellogg MMM Program
Why Kellogg Changed Essays for 2024-2025
How to Answer Kellogg MBA Values Essay

COMMENTS

How to Apply
We want to get to know you. The written and video essays are your chance to tell us your story and why Kellogg is the right next chapter for you. Take some time to think through the experiences that led you here and how they have shaped where you want to go. Written essays. The following two essays are required of all applicants: Question 1 ...
Kellogg MBA Essay Questions & Analysis 2024-2025
The following essay topic analysis examines the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management's (Kellogg) MBA admissions essays. The Kellogg MBA essay questions are for the 2024-2025 admissions season.You can also review essay topic analyses for other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.
Kellogg Application tips: Written and video essays
Please note, video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline. Learn more . At Kellogg, we believe in a holistic approach to the application process. We look at all areas of a candidate's application. For us, this is much more than a test score, essay or job title. All applicants have unique strengths and attributes.
Northwestern Kellogg Essay Examples & Tips, 2024-2025
Northwestern Kellogg 2024-2025 Essay Tips. Essay 1: Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel ...
Kellogg application tips: Written and video essays
You'll complete video essays after you submit your application and payment. This is a great opportunity to tell us more about you and explain why Kellogg is the right place for you. The video portion of the applications will include three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that ...
2024-2025 Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis and Tips
Kellogg MBA essays for the 2025 admissions Written essays. All applicants are expected to submit the following two essays: Essay Prompt 1 (450 words) Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you ...
2024-2025 Kellogg MBA Essay Tips
Kellogg MBA Essay Question 1. 1. Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to ...
How to Answer Kellogg's Video Essay Questions
Using the list of potential Kellogg video essay questions at the end of this article, practice answering them (out loud!) with a timer running. Then do it again. This will give you a sense for what talking for 60 seconds feels like. Kellogg's portal also offers practice questions to help you get the timing right - use this resource!
Kellogg MBA Essay Advice & Application Deadlines: 2024-2025
Kellogg School of Management has opened its application for the 2024-2025 application cycle, updating its essay questions for 2024-2025 applicants. In doing so, Kellogg joined the list of top MBA programs that include a "goals" essay in their application. This is a change for Kellogg, which traditionally did not ask MBA applicants to directly discuss their goals or why Kellogg was a ...
2024-2025 Kellogg MBA Essay Tips and Example Essay
2.1. Essay 1 Tips. Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment.
How to Answer Kellogg's Video Essay Questions
Using the list of potential Kellogg video essay questions at the end of this article, practice answering them (out loud!) with a timer running. Then do it again. This will give you a sense for what talking for 60 seconds feels like. Kellogg's portal also offers practice questions to help you get the timing right - use this resource!
The Anatomy of a Great Kellogg Mba Essay
Here is a quick guide on Kellogg MBA Essays with dos and don'ts regarding the Essays and video statement and some tips regarding short answer questions and reapplication so that you can build the most unique and authentic application to stand out. Before delving into essays, let's dispel a myth: essays aren't just about 'writing'. ...
Kellogg MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024
Kellogg application essay tips. Question 1: Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best ...
Kellogg MBA Essays: Strategy & Tips
Tips for Kellogg MBA Essay 1. Essay 1 asks: Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best ...
Full-Time MBA Application Series: the Video Essays
A Kellogg MBA is your gateway to a global community, countless personal and professional opportunities and access to the sharpest minds in business. ... I hope you have a little fun with it and I look forward to reviewing your video essays soon! Read the full MBA Application Series to gain insights on other sections of the Kellogg application ...
How to Successfully Complete the Kellogg Video Essay
The way the video essay works is very simple. After submitting your application, you will receive an email from a company called Kira Talent. This email will contain a link that allows you to access the video essay platform. After signing in and starting the session, you will get three Kellogg video essay questions in total, one at a time.
Kellogg MBA Essay Questions and Tips
P4: Forward-looking discussion of how these values have influenced your future career plans and desire to pursue a Kellogg MBA. Kellogg MBA Video Essay Tips. Kellogg has provided two of the three questions you will be asked and outlines the topic of the third prompt. Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee.
How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays
The essay portion of the Kellogg MBA application is unique because it comes in two parts: a written essay and a video essay portion. The written essays are due along with the application while the video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline. Once the application and fee have been uploaded, a link will appear on the application ...
Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essays & Analysis 2024
Northwestern Kellogg has updated its MBA Essay Questions for the 2024 - 2025 application cycle. The 2 core essays continue to maintain the 450 word limit, but focus on career goals and leadership in this year's new prompts.Here are the Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essay Written and Video Questions for 2024 - 2025.Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essay 1 Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our ...
Kellogg Full-Time MBA Admissions
Connect with us. We have a wide range of events happening all year long. Join us in-person or virtually for Preview Days, campus visits, tours and info sessions to get a sense for what Kellogg is all about. View all Full-Time MBA events. Full Time. Chat with a Kellogg Student: One-Year Program Experience. Sept. 4, 2024. 9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. CT.
Poets&Quants
The most obvious part of the Kellogg culture from the moment you set foot on campus is the collegiality amongst the students. The school's lakeside location in the urban suburb of Evanston, about 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, reinforces the close-knit, community-centric feel, where students walk to and from campus and a multitude of micro-interactions build strong ties with classmates.
How to Approach the New (!) Kellogg Essays
Structure Ideas for the Kellogg Essays. For Essay 1, we recommend a structure somewhat like this: P1: Share the context of the situation you will discuss and the problem or challenge at hand. P2: Describe the actions you took, emphasizing elements of teamwork, collaboration, and innovative problem solving.
10 Ways to Write An MBA Admissions Essay That Stands Out
When I wrote my own MBA admissions essay, I remember feeling lost, rambling without a clear direction. Crafting a standout essay requires self-awareness, authenticity, and alignment with the ...
Two-Year MBA Program
All Two-Year MBA students are required to complete a 6-12 week period of work during the Summer Quarter between the first and second years of the MBA program. This practical experience, directly related to the student's field of study (MBA degree) and a graduation requirement, is aimed to deepen and broaden the student's knowledge and ...
Executive Scholar Certificate
The Kellogg Executive Scholar Certificate gives you the opportunity to earn a credential from a world-class business school, leadership development paths aligned with your unique goals, and exceptional Scholar benefits which include: ... "As someone who has already completed an MBA and a Master of Medical Management (MMM), I have been amazed at ...

2024-2025 Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

Kellogg MBA essays for the 2025 admissions

Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines

Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis

How to Write This Essay

2. Outline Your Specific Goals

3. Explain Why Now Is the Right Time

4. Demonstrate Kellogg’s Fit for Your Goals

5. Highlight Your Contribution to Kellogg

Intentionality: The Key to a Compelling Essay

What the Admissions Committee Seeks

Understanding the Prompt

Structuring Your Response

Example Analysis

Video Essay

Other Essays

Reapplicants

Let us help you get into Kellogg

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

Related Posts

2024-2025 USC Marshall MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

2024-2025 UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

2024-2025 Kelley MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

2024-2025 Tepper MBA Essay Tips and Analysis

We are here to assist you!

How to Answer Kellogg’s Video Essay Questions

Timing is Key

Content Should be Complementary, not Repetitive

Delivery is the Icing on the Cake (the Best Part, Right?)

Practice Makes Perfect

VantagePointMBA

Kellogg MBA Essay Advice and Application Deadlines: 2024-2025

The 2024–2025 Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines:

Read Personal MBA Coach’s Top Tips For Tackling Kellogg’s MBA Essays Below!

Kellogg MBA Essay 2

Optional Kellogg MBA Application Essay

Additional Kellogg MBA Application Essays

Kellogg MBA Video Essay Questions

You also may like these other blog articles:

The Anatomy of a Great Kellogg Mba Essay

Want to pursue an MBA but not sure if your profile fits?

VIDEO ESSAY

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Reapplication

1:1 SESSIONS WITH ALUMS AND STUDENTS OF TOP B-SCHOOLS-

Leave a Reply

Which program are you applying to?

Kellogg MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile

Kellogg application essay tips

Question 2: Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods.

Reapplicant Essay: Reapplicants will receive a prompt about their growth since their last application: How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be? (250 words)

Video essays: Things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:

Stay on top of the latest insights.

Tips for Kellogg MBA Essay 1

Show, Not Tell – On Video Too

Tips for Kellogg MBA Essay 2

Tell a Story

Formatting Guidelines

Let’s Get You In.

Want More Advice?

Share this article on social media

Sign up for a free consultation

Sign up for our free bi-weekly newsletter and get the best MBA admissions advice straight to your inbox.

How to Successfully Complete the Kellogg Video Essay

Why does Kellogg require a video essay?

Technical requirements

Answer time limits

Question 1: Introduce Yourself

Questions 2 & 3: Randomized interview-type questions

Real MBA Essays That Got People In

98.9% Success Rate

Recent Articles

5 Critical MBA Interview Mistakes Non-native English Speakers Make (And How to Stop Making Them)

8 Tips To Ensure You Have A Successful Virtual MBA Interview

2024-2025 IMD MBA Essay Tips

Ready to start your MBA Success?

How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays

Planning Your MBA Application

Table of Contents

2022-2023 Kellogg Application Deadlines