write an essay about kellogg's

Kellogg Essay Examples (23-24): Cracking The Code to Win

Are you an applicant trying to crack the code of Kellogg’s MBA admissions process? Crafting a stellar application essay can be daunting for many, but with our helpful tips and tricks as well as detail-oriented Kellogg essay examples, you’re sure to create an effective piece of writing that will set your candidacy apart. Whether it is through illustrating growth in professional experiences or leveraging diversity stories – we’ll show you how to tell the story of who you are and why Kellogg should say yes! We understand that the road to MBA admission can seem murky—but fear not! With this post focused on 2023-2024 Kellogg essay examples, get ready to take ownership of your story and begin your journey toward achieving your business school dreams.

Introducing Kellogg and Its Application Process

Kellogg School of Management , a part of the esteemed Northwestern University, is renowned for its emphasis on global and experiential learning. The application process at Kellogg is designed to assess not just the academic prowess of potential candidates, but also their leadership attributes, team skills, and potential to make an impact. The process typically involves multiple essays, recommendation letters , and an in-person or virtual interview . These components strive to give the admissions team a holistic view of each applicant, ensuring that those accepted will not only thrive in the academic environment but also contribute meaningfully to the Kellogg community.

Why studying Kellogg essay examples is key to success

Studying Kellogg essay examples is key to success for several reasons. These examples provide invaluable insight into what the admissions committee values and is looking for in potential candidates. They offer a blueprint for effective storytelling – showcasing not just the what, but the how and why of your experiences, aspirations, and values. Examining these essays can help applicants understand how to balance between personal anecdotes and professional accomplishments, demonstrating both competence and character. Understanding the structure, tone, and content of successful essays also allows applicants to avoid common pitfalls, craft compelling narratives, and ultimately stand out in a highly competitive applicant pool.

How to read and analyze Kellogg essay examples for improved application essays

When reviewing Kellogg essay examples, it’s vital to approach them analytically rather than imitatively. The goal is not to replicate another applicant’s story but to glean insights on structure, tone, and content. Start by examining how the essay begins – does it grab your attention, and how does it do so? Take note of the balance between personal anecdotes and professional aspirations; a compelling essay seamlessly weaves these elements together. Look at how the writer demonstrates their understanding of Kellogg’s culture and values. Do they make clear connections between their goals and what Kellogg can offer? Pay attention to the language and style – is the tone formal or conversational? Does the writer use complex sentence structures or keep it simple? These considerations can help in honing your own unique narrative that is compelling and authentic.

Tips for writing an effective Kellogg essay

In crafting an effective Kellogg essay, it’s crucial to be clear, concise, and authentic. First off, start with a compelling introduction that hooks the reader’s attention. Draw on experiences that have shaped your professional aspirations, ensuring to tie these elements back to Kellogg’s values and offerings. Remember, specificity is key. Instead of writing in broad strokes, detail precisely how Kellogg’s resources or programs align with your goals. Finally, maintain a balance in tone – while professionalism is essential, a bit of conversational flair can inject personality into your essay. Keep the language simple and clear, and always proofread for grammar and punctuation errors. A well-crafted essay not only communicates your suitability for Kellogg but also reflects your ability to communicate effectively and thoughtfully.

Question 1: Analysis and Tips

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)

Analyzing the Question

This question from Kellogg is seeking to understand your problem-solving skills, leadership ability, and flexibility to use a combination of skills. It’s looking for evidence of how you’ve navigated complex situations to achieve a desired outcome. Your response should demonstrate your ability to think critically, adapt, collaborate, and lead, tying into the overall theme of leadership that Kellogg emphasizes.

The mention of boardrooms and neighborhoods suggests a consideration for community. Therefore, it is important to select leadership examples that not only demonstrate your ability to rally and guide others toward a common goal but also showcase your innovative approach.

This essay question allows for a wide range of recent examples, both personal and professional. Instead of solely measuring the importance of an experience based on monetary value or percentages, the focus should be on the challenges faced and the lessons learned. These challenges can range from logistical hurdles, such as coordinating internal teams while managing client expectations, to interpersonal obstacles, such as building a positive working relationship with a difficult colleague. Effective responses will highlight transferable skills that were developed or strengthened throughout the process, with the result being a lasting and positive impact.

When it comes to structure, we highly recommend using the STAR approach for crafting your response. Begin by setting the stage with a detailed description of the situation, including the key players and stakeholders involved. Then, transition smoothly into discussing the task at hand—clearly outlining the specific goals you needed to accomplish. Furthermore, it is imperative to recognize the challenges faced, highlighting the multitude of factors and complexities that were overcome to achieve victory. As you move forward, provide a cohesive and chronological account of the actions you took throughout the project or process. To maintain narrative flow, integrate the challenges you encountered and how you overcame them within this section, rather than separating them into distinct segments.

Finally, wrap up your response by commenting on the positive outcome of your efforts and how the story resolved. Conclude with a reflective note, discussing the valuable lessons learned and how they continue to shape your ability to bring significant value to the Kellogg community.

Tips for Convincing Response

• Choose an impactful story: Select a situation from your past experiences that had a significant impact on your professional or personal life. This could be a challenging project at work, a community initiative, or an unexpected crisis that required quick thinking and action.
• Detail your skills: Explicitly mention the skills you employed to address the situation. This could range from technical skills to soft skills like communication, team management, strategic thinking, or negotiation skills.
• Showcase problem-solving ability: Illustrate your problem-solving process clearly – how you assessed the situation, identified the problem, considered various solutions, and decided on the most effective one.
• Highlight your achievements: Conclude your response by discussing the outcome of the situation. What did you accomplish? How did the situation improve as a result of your actions? This should ideally tie back to the skills you employed.
• Connect with Kellogg: Finally, subtly highlight how this experience has prepared you for Kellogg’s leadership-focused environment. Show how this instance has honed your abilities and how you intend to further develop these skills at Kellogg

During my tenure as a Project Manager at XYZ Corp, we were faced with a complex challenge. A high-stakes project we were handling for an important client was falling behind schedule due to unforeseen technical issues. As the leader of the team, it was my responsibility to navigate this situation and deliver the project as promised.

I utilized a combination of technical, analytical, and interpersonal skills to tackle this problem. First, I applied project management and technical skills to understand the nature of the technical issues and assess their impact on the project timeline. I collaborated with the technical team to explore potential solutions, and we decided to implement a more efficient algorithm that could speed up our processing time.

Simultaneously, I leveraged my communication and negotiation skills to manage the client’s expectations. I clearly communicated the issues we were facing, and the steps we were taking to resolve them, and negotiated a slight extension for the project delivery.

To ensure that the team was motivated and focused, I employed leadership and team management skills. I arranged daily stand-ups to track our progress, identified and addressed any concerns team members had and fostered a positive and collaborative work environment.

Despite the odds, we managed to complete and deliver the project within the extended deadline. The client was satisfied with our transparency and the quality of our work. As a result, we not only retained the client but also secured a new project from them.

This experience was instrumental in enhancing my problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills. I also learned the importance of agility and adaptability in managing unexpected challenges. I believe the skills and experiences I have gained align well with Kellogg’s focus on cultivating versatile leaders who can navigate complex situations effectively. I am excited about the prospect of further developing these skills and leveraging them to tackle pressing issues in the Kellogg community and beyond.

Question 2: Analysis and Tips

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)

Analyzing this question, it becomes apparent that Kellogg is seeking individuals who contribute diversity and richness to their community. Therefore, your response should demonstrate how your unique personal and professional experiences can add value to the Kellogg community.

In essence, since the aim of this Kellogg MBA essay question is to provide the admissions team with greater insight into who you are, it’s beneficial to begin with some reflections on your personal journey, experiences, and accomplishments, and then work backwards to uncover the prevailing qualities. Remember that it’s not your direct “answer” to the question that will set you apart (which may even be somewhat ordinary), but rather the series of anecdotes and supporting evidence you provide that will effectively convey your unique candidacy to the admissions team.

The admissions committee is eager to learn how your background, perspective, and experiences can contribute to the Kellogg community. To conclude your essay effectively, it would be prudent to establish connections with Kellogg’s offerings. Gaining insights into the school’s curriculum, special programs, and extracurricular activities—whether through a campus visit or conversations with alumni—will enable you to craft a standout response.

To address this convincingly, focus on the following areas:

• Professional Experiences: Share specific examples of how your professional experiences have shaped you as a leader and how you can bring these insights to Kellogg. Discuss the skills and competencies you have developed, such as problem-solving, leadership, communication, etc.
• Personal Experiences: Talk about your personal background and experiences that have influenced your values, beliefs, and perspectives. Relate how these elements will enhance the diversity of the Kellogg community.
• Contribution to the Kellogg Community: Clearly articulate how you plan to use your experiences and skills to enrich the Kellogg community. This could involve discussing your plans to participate in specific clubs, initiatives, or programs, and how your unique perspective would contribute to these activities.
• Alignment with Kellogg’s Values: Highlight how your experiences and perspective align with Kellogg’s values of leadership, diversity, and community.

Remember to keep your response authentic and personal. The readers should get a sense of who you are as an individual and what you can bring to the table, so make sure your personality shines through in your response.

Throughout my professional journey and personal life, I have sought to embrace diversity, thrive in leadership roles, and contribute positively to my community. These experiences, I believe, align remarkably with Kellogg’s values and will enable me to enrich your esteemed community.

Professionally, as a project lead in a multinational tech firm, I have had the privilege of working with and leading diverse teams spread across different continents. This exposure to various cultures, work ethics, and perspectives has honed my problem-solving and leadership skills. I have learned to appreciate the power of diverse ideas and have seen firsthand how a multifaceted team outperforms a homogeneous one. At Kellogg, I intend to share these experiences and insights, potentially influencing my peers’ understanding of creating and managing diverse teams.

On the personal front, I come from a small town in Asia with a unique cultural heritage. My upbringing in a multicultural environment has instilled in me a deep appreciation for diversity and an understanding of different perspectives. I believe my background will add a unique flavor to the Kellogg community, broadening its cultural and experiential diversity.

Beyond just adding to the diversity at Kellogg, I plan to contribute actively to the community. Particularly, I am interested in the Technology Club and Entrepreneurship Club. As someone who has worked in the tech industry and harbors entrepreneurial ambitions, I can bring a unique, ground-level perspective to these clubs. I would love to organize workshops and seminars to share industry insights and foster a culture of technological innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.

Lastly, my experiences have reinforced my belief in the power of community and collaboration. Throughout my academic and professional life, I have always prioritized contributing to my community, be it through mentorship roles or voluntary services. At Kellogg, I intend to continue this trend, using my experiences to contribute to the community positively and constructively.

In conclusion, I believe my professional experiences, personal background, commitment to community service, and alignment with Kellogg’s values equip me to make a significant contribution to the Kellogg community. I look forward to enriching and being enriched by this diverse community of future leaders.

Mastering your MBA essays for Kellogg

Considering the high caliber and diversity of candidates applying for the Kellogg MBA program, it’s undoubtedly a daunting task to stand out from the crowd. The admissions committee seeks applicants who not only excel academically and professionally, but also demonstrate distinct personal experiences, unique perspectives, and a strong commitment to the community. The scrutiny and attention to detail in their evaluation process can be intimidating, as even minor shortcomings or inconsistencies in your application or essays can potentially impact your chances of admission. Therefore, it is essential to critically assess the quality of your essays to ensure they effectively highlight your strengths, uniqueness, and alignment with Kellogg’s values.

The Kellogg essay examples provided above should serve merely as sources of inspiration, and by no means as templates to emulate. Each candidate brings a unique set of experiences and perspectives, hence, it is paramount to reflect this uniqueness in your essays. Instead of replicating these examples, let them inspire you to weave your own narrative that genuinely encapsulates your individuality. Remember, the objective is to distinguish yourself from other applicants, so strive to imbue your essays with personal experiences, distinctive insights, and an authentic voice that resonates with the ethos of Kellogg. Your essays should unequivocally reflect who you are, what you value, and how you envision contributing to the Kellogg community.

Final thoughts on cracking the code with Kellogg essay examples

In conclusion, cracking the code with Kellogg essay examples comes down to understanding your personal narrative and how it intersects with Kellogg’s values. The essay should be a window into your professional aspirations and how Kellogg’s unique resources and culture can help you realize these goals. While showcasing your proficiency in clear and effective communication, also embrace your uniqueness and authenticity.

You have what it takes to craft a great Kellogg application essay; you just need the know-how of how to do it. What sets The Admit Lab apart is our focus on delivering a portfolio-driven approach that helps applicants craft narratives to stand out from the competition. With our unique approach, you can create an eloquent portrayal of your journey thus far —and why you deserve a seat at the world’s greatest business school, Kellogg! So if you’re ready to join the Kellogg community take ownership of your story and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for advice and guidance every step of the way. We’ll be more than happy to guide you in any way we can. And if writing powerful essays just isn’t your strong suit, remember that we offer top-notch MBA admissions consulting services so that you can stay ahead of the competition. So grab hold of this golden opportunity and plan for success – let the journey begin!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Philippe Barr is a former professor and assistant director of MBA admissions at Kenan-Flagler Business School. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Dr. Barr has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple MBA programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

Follow Dr. Barr on YouTub e for tips and tricks on navigating the MBA application process and life as an MBA student.

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Kellogg MBA Essay Examples

Looking for Kellogg MBA essay examples? You’ve come to the right place. The Kellogg School of Management is considered one of the best MBA programs in the world , and is also home to one of the best part-time MBA programs in the US. Getting accepted is extremely competitive, but you can help your application stand out and win the hearts of the admissions committee through your Kellogg MBA essays. In this blog, we’ll look at how to write an MBA essay for Kellogg and some MBA essay examples!

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Article Contents 8 min read

How to write an mba essay for kellogg.

Getting accepted to Kellogg Business School is very competitive, seeing as it is among the top of MBA rankings not only in the US but worldwide, and globally known for its business education excellence. Kellogg takes a holistic approach to admissions, which essentially means that the admissions committee will look at every aspect of your application materials closely to determine if you’re a good fit. In other words, having a high GPA or impressive GMAT score is not enough to get you into Kellogg. You need to come armed with a stellar MBA resume , strong MBA extracurriculars and, most importantly, nail your Kellogg MBA essays.

Kellogg’s MBA program emphasizes a strong sense of purpose. Moreso, the school has a strong inclination for social impact, diversity, creativity, empathy and innovation in business. The statement of purpose for the Kellogg School of Management is: “To educate, equip and inspire leaders who build strong organizations and wisely leverage the power of markets to create lasting value.”

Kellogg’s MBA program has two MBA essay questions you will be required to respond to in short essay form. Like many MBA programs, Kellogg’s MBA essay topics are focused on leadership and the value you can bring to their program.

Kellogg’s admissions committee is looking for “leaders who possess a blend of analytical, creative and social intelligence and who can uplift teams to their full potential” in their candidates. Brainstorm on these qualities a bit after you read the Kellogg MBA essay prompts and start jotting down some experiences or ideas you can explore in your essay.

The prompts for Kellogg MBA programs two required written essays are:

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

Kellogg gives a word count limit of 450 words for both essays. Of course, keep in mind that the quality of your writing matters more than the quantity, so don’t focus too much on the word count when you’re drafting your essay. Once you’re ready to start revising your essay, eliminate anything unnecessary or irrelevant, and be sure to ask a friend of MBA essay consultant to serve as a second set of eyes for you.

Reapplicants: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words) ","label":"IMPORTANT","title":"IMPORTANT"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Kellogg has also introduced new, optional MBA video essays . While you can choose not to submit a video essay as part of your application, this is another opportunity to help your application stand out, share more about yourself with the admissions committee and generally put a face and personality to your application package.

The MBA essay questions for the Kellogg video submissions are:

• Introduce yourself to the admissions committee.
• What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?
• Tell us about a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.

To complete your Kellogg MBA video essay, you’ll be provided with a link to on your online application once you’ve completed your initial application to Kellogg and provided payment. Your MBA essay is due 96 hours after you complete your application, so be sure you’re prepared to complete the video essay in that time frame!

Once you’ve clicked on the link, you’ll be able to set up your computer’s webcam and microphone and record your answers to the 3 questions. You’ll be provided 20 seconds to think about the question once you’ve read the prompt, and then 1 minute to record your answer. Your video essay will take an estimated 20-25 minutes to complete, including setup.

Kellogg provides practice video essay questions, which simulate the video essay recording experience and allow you to practice giving your answers as many times as you want. This is similar to an MBA mock interview , so we highly encourage you to use the practice questions to get comfortable and rehearse your responses! ","label":"TIP","title":"TIP"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

Brainstorming Questions

If you’ve started brainstorming for your Kellogg MBA essays, ask yourself some questions to get your creative juices flowing:

• When have I acted as leader professionally or personally? How did I create value for myself, my team or others?
• What has been my biggest challenge as a leader? What did I take away from it?
• What leadership qualities do I possess? How do they create value for myself or others?
• What are the 3 most important values for me? Why are they important?
• Which values define me personally? Which values define me professionally?
• How do Kellogg’s values align with my own?
• Why am I choosing Kellogg?
• What are my short-term and long-term career goals?
• How will a Kellogg MBA benefit me or help me achieve my goals?

Here are some Kellogg MBA essay examples to help inspire you when writing your own! If you’re looking for more examples from top business schools, read some Chicago Booth MBA essay examples , Stanford MBA personal statement examples , Wharton MBA essay examples or Harvard MBA personal statements .

Kellogg MBA Essay Example #1

Prompt: 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? 

Recently, I was appointed as the team leader for a major project at my workplace with [company]. The project involved implementing an innovative digital solution to streamline internal communication processes, aiming to enhance efficiency and collaboration within the organization. Because of the company’s move to a hybrid work environment, where employees would be working from home half the week and in-office the rest of the time, there was a need to transition to implement new digital communication processes. As an experienced digital communications and computer technology expert, I was asked to lead the transition. The project was critical to our company's long-term success, and I recognized the opportunity to exhibit leadership and create value for the entire team and the organization.

As the team leader, I initiated the project by carefully studying the existing communication challenges and identifying potential solutions. I independently evaluated which digital options would be most beneficial and feasible for our new hybrid team. Then I organized a series of brainstorming sessions where team members were encouraged to contribute their ideas, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration. Through active listening and effective communication, I ensured that every team member felt valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and skills. I presented the potential solutions I had vetted and accepted ideas for other solutions so we could debate their value as a team.

To create lasting value, I emphasized the importance of a well-defined project plan and assigned clear roles and responsibilities to each team member. By assigning tasks to key team members, we were able to test our potential digital solutions, identify weaknesses and gaps in communication and assess the overall level of comfort with the transition before implementing it fully. I also prioritized open and transparent communication, providing regular updates to the entire team and addressing any concerns or challenges promptly.

During the project's execution, there was a challenge as some team members were hesitant to adopt the new digital solutions. It required active listening, careful persuasion and showcasing the potential benefits to overcome this resistance. It also required me to work with team members to address their concerns and help them get comfortable with unfamiliar technologies and digital platforms.

Through this experience, I learned the importance of patience and empathy when dealing with resistance to change. Recognizing that people have different comfort levels and motivations allowed me to tailor my approach, fostering a positive environment for collaboration and engagement. By embracing these lessons, I am confident in my ability to lead and create lasting value, aligning with Kellogg's purpose of developing leaders who drive positive change.

Want some more MBA personal statement examples?

Kellogg MBA Essay Example #2

Prompt: Values are what guide us in our life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you?

The three values that have intersected in both my personal and professional life have been empathy, social responsibility and a commitment to learning. In my professional life, I have strived to lead both myself and others with empathy and honesty, to demonstrate and encourage social responsibility and to devote myself to continuous development. In my personal life, these values have remained important to me as well, and I believe these values are indivisible from one another.

These values have influenced me to actively participate in community service initiatives, volunteer work, and sustainability efforts. It has also shaped my career choices, leading me to seek opportunities where I can make a meaningful difference in people's lives and address pressing societal challenges. Currently, I work for an international NGO, which has allowed me to express these personal core values in my professional sphere. I believe that knowledge is a lifelong pursuit and that embracing learning opportunities leads to self-improvement and success. This value has influenced me to seek out new challenges, take risks, and push beyond my comfort zone in my work by accepting new roles and taking on new projects.

By remaining open to new ideas and experiences, I was able to participate in a two-year long project in Haiti, to help provide disaster relief. I have gained a broader perspective and developed adaptability, resourcefulness and deepened my empathy for others. My experiences in Haiti also allowed me to reaffirm my commitment to social responsibility, as I lived and worked alongside good, hardworking people everyday and saw the value of giving back to a community and the healing that comes from rebuilding. Working and living in Haiti allowed me to learn incredible new skills, from well-building to first aid to creative engineering. It taught me that continuous learning doesn’t just involve technical skills but also the development of personal qualities such as resilience, patience and fortitude.

These values of empathy, social responsibility and lifelong learning have guided me through amazing professional growth and opportunities, but they have contributed to deep personal development and improvement, too. I know they will continue to guide me and push me further in both my career and my personal life.

As a top business school, not just in the US but globally, getting accepted to Kellogg is quite competitive. However, the school also has a relatively high acceptance rate among top b-schools, of around 20%, making it one of the easiest MBA programs to get into among the top-ranked business schools.

Yes, the Kellogg MBA essays are an important part of your overall application. Kellogg uses a holistic admissions approach, so any writing example you submit as part of your application will be scrutinized, and it is your chance to distinguish yourself from other qualified applicants.

Kellogg’s MBA program values leadership, social impact, diversity, empathy, creativity and innovation.

No. Kellogg has two required written essays and one optional MBA video essay submission. There are no optional written essay questions.

Although it is optional the video essay is an essential part of your application. It not only allows the admissions committee to put a face to your application, they also want to know your communication style, personality and determine how you fit with the Kellogg community.

Kellogg provides practice questions you can rehearse with as many times as you like, to get comfortable with the video essay format and questions. We highly recommend you treat these practice questions as a sort of mock interview before submitting your official video!

Kellogg provides a word count limit of 450 words for both its required, written MBA essays. 

Yes. Although the MBA video essay is optional, it’s still an excellent chance to expand on your application, share more about your background with the admissions committee and help your application stand out. 

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > Business Schools > How to write Kellogg MBA essays for 2023 intake – Video essay tips included

How to write Kellogg MBA essays for 2023 intake – Video essay tips included

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Mar 10, 2023 | Business Schools , GMAT Focus Edition , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

Getting into Kellogg MBA is a dream for most candidates. To do that you’ll have to convince Kellogg’s admissions officers that you’re the one they’re looking for. One of the ways you can do that is by writing a spectacular MBA essay for their 2023 intake. In this article, Prashant Tibrewal, an admissions consultant who has helped numerous students with their MBA application, shares his analysis and tips on the Kellogg MBA essay for 2023 intake. He also shares his first-hand experience of visiting the Kellogg School of Management. Here is what he has to say.

Sitting inside the White Auditorium, listening to Kate Smith, Assistant Dean, Admissions and Financial Aid at Kellogg School of Management , address a select group of AIGAC members, I cannot resist getting distracted by the picturesque views of Lake Michigan, right beside the Global Hub, the spectacular new home to the Kellogg MBA. The Global Hub represents not only the transformational impact that Kellogg is set to bring about in management education but also the future-focused and global vision of the school.

Entering the building, you cannot miss the grand 34-foot-wide stairway inspired by the famed Spanish Steps in Rome, running up from the ground to the first and second floors. With collaboration oozing out of this architectural marvel, the 6000-square-foot central atrium is aptly named the Collaboration Plaza. If you are an MBA aspirant, there is no way you can visit the new campus and not make Kellogg your most cherished aspiration.

Kellogg Presents an exciting portfolio of full-time MBA programs, including the Two-Year MBA, One-Year MBA, MMM, and the JD-MBA. As you research the option most suitable for you, it may be a good idea to connect with the school to understand the pre-requisites for each of the options. Should you find yourself prepared to apply in the 2020-2021 intake, the application is now open, with the following deadlines:

Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines

Kellogg mba application essays 2022-2023.

There are 2 compulsory essays for the 2023 admissions of Kellogg MBA program. Here are the Kellogg MBA essay topics for the 2023 intake:

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

Certain applicants will respond to additional questions:

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

MBAi applicants: The Kellogg McCormick MBAi Program is designed to train the next generation of leaders who can help businesses deliver successful outcomes through AI-driven technology. Tell us about your firsthand experience with this disconnect between business and technology and how MBAi will prepare you to successfully lead businesses at the intersection. (450 words)

MMM applicants : The five core values of the MMM Program are curiosity, creativity, empathy, open-mindedness and a learning mindset. Describe a situation in which you demonstrated one of these values. Why is this value an important part of the MMM experience for you? (250 words)

JD-MBA applicants : Please discuss your post-JD-MBA career goals and why the JD-MBA Program is the right program to help you reach those goals. (250 words)

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

All applicants have the opportunity to provide explanations or clarification in  Additional Information . Use this section if you think the person reviewing your application might have a few questions about one or more of your responses. This could include:

• Unexplained gaps in work experience
• Academic, GMAT, or GRE performance
• Extenuating circumstances that we should be aware of when reviewing your application

Kellogg MBA Essay 1 Analysis

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)

The first essay for Kellogg has remained the same as that of last year. “We’re looking for those individuals who have found or plan to find unique ways to demonstrate the Kellogg purpose in their careers.

As you consider leadership, in particular, keep in mind that Kellogg was the school that pioneered the team-based learning model that is now ubiquitous among the top business schools.

If you are planning to take the GMAT, we can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 2500 reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial  and judge for yourself?

We want all of our students to be able to step up when their teams need them”, suggests Kate Smith in the Kellogg admissions blog. As you strive to match your demonstrated aptitude and skills with the Kellogg purpose, it is advisable to understand the traits that the school is looking for in its students. These include:

• The ability to motivate a team, to drive impact
• The courage to question the status quo and to seek unconventional solutions
• Creativity and talent that is rooted in self-awareness
• Robust diversity in their networks and teams
• Eagerness to pitch in and collaborate with an engaged, ambitious community of peers

Effectively, leadership and teamwork come across as the underlying traits that Kellogg values the most. This essay, in very explicit terms, asks for one , recent example. Let’s break the question into smaller parts to understand what it seeks:

“A recent example…” – How recent is recent? Clearly, you cannot afford to bring in college stories here. Post-college, you have probably worked with one or more organizations.

If you have worked with multiple organizations, it will be important to choose an example from your current organization (unless you joined, let’s say, only three months ago).

While we routinely recommend this to applicants, Kellogg cuts the chase by explicitly mentioning it. On the other hand, If you have worked with just one organization throughout your career, present an example from your current role.

As individuals, and as professionals, we continuously evolve – and the recency of the example serves as valid corroboration of how much you may have evolved through your career.

“… where you have demonstrated leadership and created value” is a prompt that hints at the fact that leadership and the creation of value often go together.

Your example, therefore, shouldn’t focus solely on activities related to leading teams or projects or budgets; rather, it should establish how, in each instance, you succeeded in creating value for your organization, your team, and/or even for yourself.

While you have had good training in presenting quantifiable impact and high dollar savings, creating value goes beyond that.

As you narrate your story, it will be interesting to ask yourself if you went beyond the deliverables of the project to build and influence teams, demonstrated innovation and creativity, and put in conscious effort to deliver lasting impact.

“What challenges did you face…” – An achievement devoid of challenges is akin to playing tennis without nets.

It is important to establish why your achievement makes you proud. Explain what made this initiative or exercise so challenging and how you shaped your response to those challenges.

“… and what did you learn” – indeed! Learning is often associated with failure, but a leader is someone who is forward-looking and continues to learn even from achievements.

You probably learned something about team dynamics or working with multi-cultural teams, or inspiring people to work towards a common goal, or even discovered the extent of your own capabilities.

Kellogg MBA Essay 2 Analysis

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

This essay replaced the “how have you grown in the past and how do you intend to grow at Kellogg” essay that Kellogg asked two years ago.

It is often insightful to compare an old essay prompt with the new one to draw deeper messages and gauge what the admissions teams may be looking for.

If you compare the current and the previous essay prompts, what is clearly common is the school’s intent to understand you beyond your professional achievements, and your ability to contribute to the class at Kellogg.

This further gets established through Kate Smith’s statement, “Our goal this year is to uncover what motivates and inspires you. What drives you? How will this make you a meaningful member of the Kellogg community?”

While the question does not insist on isolating a single value; it may be wise to identify just two or three strongest values that you can back with examples, instead of spreading yourself too thin by presenting a range of values.

Further, this is one of those questions that require reading well between the lines. The prompt starts with the statement that values guide you in your “life” and “work”, suggesting that you may want to present examples from both the fronts.

If a certain set of values are important to you, you are likely to have strong examples to show how these values have influenced you and your decisions in the past.

The essay wouldn’t be complete without presenting how these values will continue to drive your aspirations and plans – at Kellogg, in your professional career, and in the larger scheme of things.

In other words, it may be a good idea to present how you may be equipped to contribute to the Kellogg community in specific ways, how your long terms goals are influenced by your values and how this may impact your career choice post-MBA.

450 words isn’t a lot of space to communicate all of this, but it is often useful to start with a larger perspective and then narrow it down through multiple reiterations.

Kellogg MBA Reapplicant Essay Analysis

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

This is the best opportunity to convince the school that you have indulged in introspection to evolve a fresh perspective and enhanced your eligibility by upskilling or retooling.

If you applied in R1 last year and are applying in R1 again, you have had almost a year to plan afresh. Recapitulate the entire effort you may have expended to improve your profile.

If you applied in R2 last year and are now applying in R1, you have had just about 8 months, and this span may not reflect significant changes in your profile.

Did you still create opportunities to enhance your skills? You presented certain career goals in your last application. Did you take up professional initiatives and self-learning opportunities to move towards your professional career goals? Did you assess what might have gone wrong, talk to alumni and industry experts and attempt to position yourself better this year? If your GMAT score was not good enough, were you willing to push yourself and retake the test?

If you ended up scoring the same again – the school will still appreciate your intent and your commitment to the goal of pursuing an MBA.

Talk about the new projects, new learnings from these projects, things that you got to do for the first time, interactions you have had that had an impact on you and your career plans.

Do not forget to include the experiences that helped you refine your core and soft skills further.

If you presented a goal or a career plan last year that you failed to justify in the interview; or if, after more thorough research, you have decided to opt for an alternative plan that you can validate, do not hesitate to make a statement.

Feel free to present the specifics of the research you engaged in to arrive at a more rational career plan. For all logical purposes, this is a better approach than presenting the same career plans again, when you are not too confident about being able to substantiate them.

Kellogg MBA Additional Essay Analysis

All applicants have the opportunity to provide explanations or clarification in Additional Information. Use this section if you think the person reviewing your application might have a few questions about one or more of your responses. This could include:

• Academic, GMAT or GRE performance

As straightforward as it looks, candidates often end up overdoing the additional essay by presenting things that may not be required.

It is important to value the reader’s time and adhere to the instructions. While some schools keep the additional essay open-ended, Kellogg has presented clear guidelines that suggest that you should this space only to explain any inconsistencies or extenuating circumstances.

While this looks like a place where you are likely to touch upon the aspects of your profile that aren’t obviously your strengths, it is important to not get too defensive and to not list excuses that look immature.

Go ahead and present specific reasons why you may not have the best college GPAs or a high GMAT score, but don’t blame it on a particular committee you were a part of during college or an office project deadline that coincided with your GMAT date.

Instead, show through external certifications or course, how you are academically capable, despite not having done so well in the college first year, even with your grades improving in the subsequent years.

You may touch upon the quantitative tasks that you may have taken at work to alleviate concerns about your quantitative ability because of a low GMAT Quant score.

Above all, remain cognizant of the fact that schools are looking for reasons to select you and not to reject you. You may not need to justify everything where you think you fall short; as long as you are giving the school enough reasons to believe that you are a deserving candidate.

Kellogg 1-Year MBA Essay 2023

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 Kellogg 1-Year MBA, unlike most other 1-year MBAs in the US, has a class profile that’s pretty similar to that of its 2-year version.

The 1-year MBA is just an accelerated format, meant for a small group of about 90-100 participants with a good business background. Applicants to the Kellogg 1-Year MBA, therefore, have to write this career goal essay, in addition to the other required essays.

While it’s a standard career goal essay, it is different in that it requires you to present a higher level of goal clarity than a typical applicant to a two-year program.

A one-year program moves ahead at a significantly higher pace, and if you do not know exactly what you want to do post MBA, the kind of recruiters you would target, and the kind of roles you would like to apply to, you may not be in a position to make the best use of the opportunity.

Further, an important ask of the essay is “the current experience you will leverage to support the transition”.

It is important to relate your current skill set and industry / functional exposure to your future plans if you are hoping to make a smooth career transition through the one-year degree.

This essay isn’t as elaborate as the other ones, with just 250 words to communicate all that you would like to – but you will need to work well to pack a punch even with specific courses and opportunities at Kellogg that will enable you to achieve the desired career transition.

Clearly, if you have decided to apply to the Kellogg 1-Year MBA, you better have the right experience, goal-clarity, and academic background to fit in.

Kellogg invites its 1-Year MBA applicants to fill in an Eligibility form before you start working on the application – something that you may certainly want to make use of.

Kellogg Video Essays – 2023 admissions

Following are the instructions for the Kellogg Video Essay:

After submitting your application and payment, you will be able to access the video essay through your application status page.

You will be asked to answer three questions:

• 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: The third question will ask about a challenge you’ve faced and what you have learned from it.

There are practice questions that you may complete as many times as you like to get comfortable with the format and technology. The practice questions and experience will simulate the actual video essay experience, so this is meant to be a useful tool to help you feel prepared.

You will have 20 seconds to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response.

We estimate the video essays will take 20-25 minutes to complete — which includes time for set-up and answering all the practice questions. You will need an internet-connected computer with a webcam, microphone, and an updated version of Adobe Flash in order to complete the video essay.

Kellogg 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?

Is this supposed to be your Elevator Pitch? Probably yes, albeit a more personal one. Having presented most of your information through your resume and application essays, this should be your space to “connect” with your future classmates as well as the admissions committee.

While the video will allow the admissions committee to see you and hear you, it is your passion and your story that will invite them to feel your presence and personality. Prepare a story that is authentic, exciting, and enchanting. Above all, sound fluent, but not rehearsed!

Kellogg 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 are pursuing an MBA and why you’re choosing a particular Kellogg Full-Time Program.

While the first question was about you, the second question is about you and Kellogg. What leads you to Kellogg?

What are the opportunities and platforms you seek to leverage at Kellogg to achieve your career plans? What research have you done to discover and explore the most relevant opportunities and activities that you plan to participate in once you are on campus?

These are all obvious extensions to the second question. As you articulate your thoughts to answer these questions, it may be a good idea to present your plans for taking any initiatives at Kellogg that will further help you, and hopefully your peers, interested in pursuing a similar career path.

Kellogg Video Essay 3

The third question will ask about a challenge you’ve faced and what you have learned from it.

This is one question that you wouldn’t know in advance, but the prompt suggests classic behavioral interview questions that require you to draw examples from your professional or personal life.

Possibilities are immense and varied, ranging from challenges within a team to challenges while working with a client.

The key is to go prepared with a set of diverse stories that you can leverage in varied situations. An instance or example may involve multiple challenges, and if you are well prepared, you will be able to summon the one that’s asked in the essay.

Do not forget, of course, to follow the Challenge-Action-Result framework by not only discussing the challenging situation itself but also delineating the action you took to counter that challenge and the results that you were able to achieve or deliver.

You will have just about 20 seconds to think about the question before you start answering – important, therefore, to not start your video session unprepared.

Here are a few Sample Video Essays for Kellogg Essay 3 that you may want to practice:

• Describe a challenging time when you had a difference of opinion with a teammate.
• Describe a time when you took an initiative that wasn’t successful.
• Describe a time when you had a conflict with your senior/manager.
• Tell us about a time when you had to make a split-second decision.
• Tell us about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
• Discuss a challenging project where you couldn’t meet the deadline.
• Discuss an instance when you were misunderstood.
• Discuss a challenging time when you had to convince or negotiate with a colleague/superior.

I hope this analysis of Kellogg MBA essays for the 2021 intake will help you make a very strong application and the gatekeepers at Kellogg will gladly give you your place at Kellogg; your new home for the next 2 years.

Applying to Wharton? Read our detailed Wharton Essay Analysis

About the Author

Prashant Tibrewal is the founder of Admit Square Consulting and has mentored 1000+ MBA aspirants to get into top global universities such as Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Oxford, HEC, ISB, etc. Prashant has also served on the Board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) and led the AIGAC Conference 2020, attended by admissions officers from 25+ top-ranked MBA programs.

Admit Square Consulting has mentored applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to top MBA programs. With a proven track record of 10+ years, and admits to universities such as Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Cambridge, INSEAD, etc., Admit Square was awarded the Most Successful International MBA Consulting Company in India at the India Education Awards, 2019. With a team of Consultants from top business schools such as MIT, Yale, LBS and Oxford, Admit Square offers 100% Money-back Assurance on its services. You may send your details to  [email protected]  for a free profile evaluation.

About The Author

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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 Karla M.

From Waitlisted to Admitted: Insider Tips for MBA Admissions

Tuesday, april 9.

6:00 PM UTC · 60 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.

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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:

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Kellogg application tips: Written and video essays

By: the Kellogg admissions team , Full-Time MBA Program

  As you move through the MBA application process , one of the most important aspects is telling your personal and professional story as fully and authentically as possible. Each part of the application provides an opportunity for you to share what makes you unique. When you are submitting your written and video essays, consider examples that demonstrate who you are, what drives you and what you plan to achieve as a future Kellogg Leader.   Written essays   The application will give you two short essay prompts:

• 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?
• 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? 

Candidates for the MMM, MBAi, JD-MBA and One-Year MBA programs will answer an additional question to let us know how their program of choice will help them reach their post-MBA goals.

Those who have applied before will also have the opportunity to discuss what steps they’ve taken since their last application to become a stronger candidate. 

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 brought you to where you are today. 

Please note, video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.   Learn more

Today’s changing business landscape demands leaders who possess a blend of analytical, creative and social intelligence and who can uplift teams to their full potential — those are the candidates we at Kellogg are looking for. Know that there are no perfect answers to our essay questions. Instead, when you are writing your essays, think about how you can leave your mark on Kellogg and the world.

We also 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. Please make sure we see and hear everything that makes you special.

If you are ready to become a Kellogg Leader, complete your application today.

To explore more application tips or learn more about Kellogg, visit our admissions site or sign up for an event to speak to an admissions officer.  

Good luck, and we look forward to reading your application soon!    Read next: Kellogg expands management education options for early-career professionals

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?

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. 

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• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

July 19, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

Northwestern Kellogg 2023–2024 Essay Tips

Required essay 1: 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) .

Challenges and obstacles can be powerful learning opportunities. Kellogg wants to learn three primary things here: (1) what are some of the key skills and strengths you already possess, (2) how do you apply them and use them synergistically, and (3) how do you act (and react) in situations that do not go as planned. You of course want to convey that you are not easily discouraged by setbacks and instead use them as learning tools or stepping-stones on your path forward.

For this essay, you could discuss a one-time occurrence or an ongoing issue that you deal with regularly (and have learned to “overcome” when it arises). And because the school does not stipulate that the challenge you share be strictly professional or personal, you should consider every possible option you have from the various facets of your life—your workplace, academic background, family, personal life, community engagements, and so on. Also, the problem could be something you faced alone or as part (or leader) of a group. We recommend using a narrative approach to present your story, but in addition to clearly explaining how you approached and prevailed over the challenge at hand, ensure that you detail the inner workings of your decision making—the thought process and motivation(s) behind your actions. This way, the admissions committee will get a clear impression not only of what you accomplished but also of the abilities and aspects of your character that enabled your success. And be sure to not focus solely on one skill; the prompt specifically notes “a combination of skills,” so you will need to describe a situation in which you drew from different areas and capabilities to create synergy.  

With just 450 words for this essay, you have limited space, but if you can work it in easily, consider mentioning a skill that you could gain at Kellogg that would have made your experience easier or somehow more successful. Similarly, Kellogg does not specifically ask you to explain what you learned from the experience, but if word count allows enough for you to include this element in your essay, we would encourage you to do so. This would demonstrate to the admissions committee an advanced level of self-awareness and highlight your ability to learn from obstacles, rather than be daunted by them. 

One final note: do not be afraid to reveal a weakness or error on your part. Although this is not a “failure” essay, if your own actions helped create the problem or you failed to see the obstacle right before you (and should have), you should not shy away from an honest discussion of your responsibility. Such incidents are usually very effective learning opportunities and could therefore make for a compelling essay.

Required Essay 2: 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)

At its core, this is a kind of diversity, equity, and inclusion essay, which many top schools are introducing this year (if they did not already have one). Kellogg is directly stating its belief that when people who represent a diversity of experiences, viewpoints, and capabilities work together, the results are better than those produced by teams of individuals who are more similar than different. The admissions committee is not asking you to comment on this part of the prompt specifically, though, but rather to keep it in mind when formulating your response. Your job with this essay is to convey the special attributes you possess that would be additive to the Kellogg learning environment and community by describing the situations and circumstances that have helped you develop them. Although your personal background, strengths, and abilities might overlap with those of other Kellogg applicants in some way, you can differentiate yourself here via the stories you choose to illustrate them. 

A good way to start identifying your best options for this essay is by making a list of things you believe are notable about you and that would be helpful to have in an MBA environment and then pinpointing the experiences you have had that engendered these qualities. As the prompt notes, you can draw from both your career and your personal life. Look for and especially consider experiences from your past that not only allow you to discuss your strengths and standout characteristics but also involve situations in which you worked with or alongside individuals who were different from you. If you can show the admissions committee concrete evidence that you know how to collaborate and communicate effectively with diverse coworkers, clients, and/or team members, your essay will be even more powerful. 

You will then need to demonstrate both self-awareness and a thorough understanding of the Kellogg MBA experience by drawing connections between (1) what you have done and who you are and (2) what you can subsequently provide at the school as a member of its community. To do this effectively, you will need to truly familiarize yourself in depth with what the Kellogg MBA experience is like. Go beyond the school’s website and published materials and connect directly with students, alumni, and other people who can provide firsthand, insider knowledge. Absolutely visit campus if at all possible, and sit in on a class. Read news articles about the school as well as student blogs, check out Kellogg’s YouTube channel , and, if offered, attend admissions events in your area. As you do all this research, look for places where your skills, strengths, and personality would not just fit but also contribute in some way. You want to make sure that in your essay, you are not merely showcasing traits, events, and achievements that you think are interesting or singular. They also need to clearly fit with Kellogg specifically. 

To further familiarize yourself with the Kellogg program and get an insider’s perspective on its academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics, be sure to download a complimentary copy of the  mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the Kellogg School of Management .

Reapplicants: 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) 

Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Kellogg wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the previous year to do so, because a Kellogg MBA is vital to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts over the past year are presented in the best light possible.

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. (280 words) 

However tempted you might be, this is not the place to paste in a strong essay you wrote for another school or to offer a few anecdotes that you were unable to incorporate into any of your other essays. Instead, this is your opportunity, if needed, to address any questions an admissions officer might have about your candidacy. We encourage you to download our free  mbaMission Optional Essays Guide , in which we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay, along with multiple sample essays, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your profile.

Video Essays: 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.

We find these videos to be a great opportunity for you to tell us more about your story, experiences and why kellogg is the right place for you., here are some 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, which includes time for setup., after submitting your application and payment, you will be able to access the video essay through your application status page., here are some additional tips:, there are practice questions that you may complete as many times as you like to get comfortable with the format and technology. the practice questions and experience will simulate the actual video essay experience, so this is meant to be a useful tool to help you feel prepared., we encourage you to practice so you are comfortable with the format once it is time to complete the official questions. you will not have an opportunity to re-do the answer to the official video essay questions., you will have 20 seconds to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response..

During a Q&A session at a past mbaMission annual conference, a Kellogg admissions representative explained that the school’s video component sprang from the admissions committee’s desire to actually see and hear the applicants they were evaluating. Given that Kellogg’s interviews are conducted by alumni, the video is the committee’s only “live” interaction with candidates. Keep this in mind as you tackle this segment of the application, and make being authentic and natural your primary goal. Kellogg is not looking for the next viral TED Talk presenter or late-night TV host. They just want to get to know you as a unique individual who may one day join its community. 

So, start by taking a deep breath. We understand that these video essays can make you feel like you are being put on the spot, but Kellogg is really not trying to scare you. The admissions committee simply wants a more dynamic representation of your personality than a written essay can provide. You cannot answer any of the school’s video questions incorrectly, so do not concern yourself with trying to give the “right” answer. Just respond to each query honestly, as smoothly as you can (despite any nervousness you may be feeling), and be yourself. 

In the past, Kellogg has provided the questions applicants would encounter in the application’s video segment, but this year (at least at the time this post was written), the specific questions posed are unknown. Do not let this panic you. The core reason for this component is still to put a face to a name for the admissions committee and to see how you communicate and conduct yourself when questioned in this way (very similar to how you will eventually be interviewed by recruiters as a Kellogg student). Not knowing the questions beforehand just ensures a higher level of spontaneity and therefore authenticity. We would not be surprised to learn later that candidates were asked similar questions to those posed in the past, which focused on introducing oneself, one’s career goals, one’s interest in the Kellogg MBA program, and a challenge one has faced—pretty basic stuff for an MBA admissions interview, really. 

Remember to speak with energy and enthusiasm. You are trying to connect with others, so charisma is welcome, and a little less rigid and traditionally “professional” demeanor is okay. Forego any fancy or dramatic tactics, and just be as natural and authentic as possible. As they say, you only have one chance to make a first impression, so dedicate some time to prepping (just in case) to ensure that your introduction is engaging, substantive, and true to who you are. 

Even though you do not know exactly what you will be asked, you can still practice and prepare to some extent. We encourage you to download a free copy of the mbaMission Interview Guide , which includes a list of 100 common MBA interview questions that you can use in getting comfortable with responding to the types of queries you will likely encounter for these videos. And even though this is not an official Kellogg interview, our school-specific Northwestern Kellogg Interview Guide could still be a helpful resource. One minute is not very long, so run through several practice sessions—perhaps in front of a mirror—to get a sense of how quickly those 60 seconds will pass when you are in front of the camera. Although you can prepare as much as you want, you get only one chance at the recording. If you stumble while answering or ultimately are unhappy with your answer, unfortunately, you cannot do anything about it. You will not be able to rerecord your responses or try again another time. This might make you nervous, but we encourage you to view the situation a little differently. Kellogg wants to get to know the  authentic  you through these video essays. If you fumble for words or lose your train of thought, just laugh or shrug and continue with your response. Accepting a mistake with a sense of humor and grace will give the admissions committee a more positive and natural impression of your personality than rigid scripting and overpreparation ever could.

The Next Step: Mastering Your Kellogg Interview

Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. And to help you develop this high level of preparation, we offer our   free Interview Guides ! Download your free copy of the   Northwestern Kellogg Interview Guide  t oday.

To learn more about the essays for other top business schools, visit our  MBA Essay Tips and Examples Resources Page .

2023-2024 Business School Essays MBA Essay Tips Northwestern University (Kellogg)

Tags: business school essay free guides Insider's Guides MBA application essays Northwestern Kellogg optional essay reapplicants video essay

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2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• BU Questrom School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Chicago Booth School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Essay and Examples
• Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Duke Fuqua School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Emory Goizueta Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Esade Essay Tips and Examples
• Georgetown McDonough School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Harvard Business School 2+2 Deferred MBA Program Essay Analysis 2024
• Harvard Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• HEC Paris Essay Tips and Examples
• HKUST Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IESE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• INSEAD Essay Tips and Examples
• International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Essay Tips and Examples
• Ivey Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• London Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Michigan Ross School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• MIT Sloan School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• NYU Stern School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Ohio Fisher College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Oxford Saïd Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• SMU Cox School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essay Tips and Examples
• Texas McCombs School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Tips and Examples
• The Wharton School Essay Tips and Examples
• Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• USC Marshall School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UW Foster School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2023–2024
• Villanova School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Yale School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

Click here for the 2022–2023 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
• George Washington University (GWSB)
• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Ivey Business School
• London Business School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale University (School of Management)

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How to Approach the New (!) Kellogg Essays

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.

A Wharton MBA Essay Example and Tips for Making Yours the Best They Can Be

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Kellogg Essay Samples

Kellogg’s MBA essays reflect a holistic approach. Kellogg is looking for both strong academic potential as well as leadership and a track record of involvement. Depth or breadth are valued. The Kellogg essays are essential to showcasing fit.

SBC has four former Kellogg Admissions Officers and multiple Kellogg MBA graduates who deeply know the nuances of applying to Kellogg successfully. If you’d like to speak with one of our Principals about your candidacy, please request a free analysis here.

Successful Examples of Kellogg Essays

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

Pizza should be a delicious comfort food. But following our acquisition of ABC Bakes, a manufacturer of pizza crusts, it had become nothing but a source of stress. I had the challenging responsibility of leading the new management team in developing a budget and operating plan for the following year.

The successful development of a budget and operating plan requires a truly cross-functional effort, with contributions from accounting, finance, sales, marketing and operations. However, this management team was new to the company and had never worked together. These individuals were all several decades my senior, and while all of them were talented, accomplished operators, few had been exposed to the rigor of private equity ownership. My key challenge would be the successful cohesion of this cross-functional team to execute against an eight-week timeline, culminating in a budget presentation to my CEO.

First, I organized a kick-off meeting to bring the team together. This meeting was a forum to discuss each team’s responsibilities – and how each function would both depend on and be accountable to others. Informed by the learnings from this meeting, I followed up with a detailed timeline listing deadlines for each group, including when they owed others certain information. I also scheduled a weekly check-in meeting to discuss each group’s progress towards completing the budget.

A challenge I did not anticipate were the clashing incentives inherent in the project. As the investor, I wanted to push the team to commit to an aspirational budget that maximized financial performance. Management understandably preferred a less risky approach given their compensation was tied to meeting the budget. While meeting with the CEO of ABC I expressed that if we didn’t push ourselves, we wouldn’t reach the levels of performance we all desired. The CEO countered that if we set unattainable goals, management would become dejected and unmotivated when they inevitably didn’t meet those goals. Coming out of this meeting, we both better appreciated the other’s perspective, and settled on a budget where we both felt a bit uncomfortable – a good compromise.

In the end, I created a collaborative project dynamic that relied on frequent communication and interdependent teamwork. This successfully led to a measured, but ambitious budget, that was developed in both a timely and effective manner. Significant value was created both operationally and financially, as the company, guided by this budget and operating plan, achieved a 17% increase in revenue and a 49% increase in earnings the following fiscal year. As a leader, I learned the value of open communication and necessary compromise – tools that I continue to apply with my other portfolio companies. These strategies have consistently driven improved teamwork and performance among our teams.

Compassion and empathy are guiding values both personally and professionally. I learned the value of these traits as a child, watching my father handle my uncle’s drug addiction and its impact on our family. Through all the pain he brought, my father cared for and loved him. This demonstrated to me that to understand and help my uncle, you had to approach him with a level of compassion that allowed him to show his best self. I also learned this didn’t just apply to friends and family – you had to show the same respect and understanding to the check-out clerk at the grocery store as you did your boss in the corner office.

I applied this lesson when I got to college and started working at the Bulk Mail Center. I worked alongside a blue-collar workforce, printing pamphlets and newsletters the university distributed. My colleagues had experienced extremely different circumstances than me – most had no more than a high school degree and many had criminal backgrounds. As I worked with them longer, taking time to better understand them as people, barriers broke down, and I was able to see them as caring and intelligent individuals. By approaching them with compassion, I was able to see their best selves and learn from them as a result.

As a PE Associate, I am exposed to many levels of a company’s organization and interact with diverse executives. I utilize an empathetic and compassionate perspective in this position, aiming to identify with employees at all levels and functions of an organization – whether I’m meeting with the COO or walking the factory floor with a production worker. By doing so, I’ve been able to gain a broader perspective on how value is created by every member within an organization. Recently a shift leader at a portfolio company, an immigrant from (Country) with limited English, demonstrated a newly implemented quality-control process to me– a learning I was able to suggest to another portfolio company with great success.

In my personal life, I have demonstrated these values through my work with (group), an education non-profit benefiting underprivileged children. I worked with (group) by fundraising at quarterly events supporting the organization’s mission and helping with an annual Christmas party and gift drive. Through a better education, we hope these children won’t be defined by their current circumstances, but will grow, thrive, and be empowered to become their best selves.

Compassion and empathy allow people to be respected and heard – this makes for better businesses, better communities and ultimately a better world. These will continue to be vital values both as I lead investments in companies and as I contribute to the community around me.

During my third year at TTT, Sam, the Senior on my government audit, was detained by a prior client, and I was left to lead the government audit. This audit was unique as our firm was required to hire two subcontractors—a Staff, Alicia, and a Senior, María—from a minority-owned firm to perform most of the testing, but TTT was responsible for directing the work. Both subcontractors reported to me and I was responsible for managing workflow and reviewing work.

This created a unique dynamic in that María had more years of experience than I did; moreover, she had two years of previous experience with our client. As I began the scoping, I quickly realized that not only would there be significantly more work “in scope” this year, but also the internal control testing needed to be completely redesigned.

The first thing I did was schedule a call with my TTT Senior Manager and Sam to discuss my concerns, both of whom agreed that I would need to redesign the testing. María, however, was indignant at the insinuation that she had executed prior year audits incorrectly. She also expressed concerns about the additional time that might be required to correct the identified issues.

To address her concerns and frustration, I met with María right away. I assured her that the audit in prior years had been flawless but the scoping provided by my firm was incorrect. I also walked her through the new control testing methodology. Ultimately, the redesign would require only a slight increase in billable hours in the current year but would significantly decrease the hours in future years, creating value to both the audit team and the client. I further explained to María that the previous internal control testing regimen did not provide sufficient audit evidence to verify compliance with government regulations, so making these updates early would save us all the inconvenience of having to perform additional testing later on.

This discussion was a turning point in my relationship with María. I acknowledged her strong operational understanding of the client and the audit procedures and she recognized my organizational and strategic abilities. Communication and camaraderie within the team improved ten-fold and the audit operated with great efficiency and speed.

My experience leading María taught me how important it is to maintain open communication and obtain buy-in from the team regarding new changes. I also learned to better leverage the strengths of different team members. Having María’s support made a world of difference as she used her strong relationship with the client to help troubleshoot the implementation of the new audit plan, identifying alternate ways to test the internal controls and contribute to our success.

Many of the values that are important to me today were instilled by my parents throughout my childhood. As entrepreneurs, my parents taught me the need for ingenuity and hard work to get a job done. They also taught me the importance of showing gratitude for the things that I have and empathy towards others.

My parents worked hard to succeed as entrepreneurs, my mom as a healthcare consultant and my dad as a farmer. I found that same self-starter spirit at an early age, always seeking ways to get creative and satisfy an unmet need. From selling candy on the playground in elementary school to starting a business in high school unlocking iPhones, my resourcefulness carried into college where I majored in entrepreneurial management. Throughout college, I started several new ventures that leveraged my skills and interests. For example, after learning from a family friend how expensive swimming lessons were at the local golf club, I earned my instructor’s license and taught private lessons at a much more affordable rate.

While I was fortunate to live comfortably from my parents’ hard work, I learned the meaning of gratitude when my childhood home burned down during a thunderstorm in the summer of 2005. Although the house was a complete loss, I only felt gratitude that none of my family members were hurt. Since then, I’ve known that material things are not important to me. The things that are most important to me are intangible, including my family’s health, time with loved ones, and the sense of security that comes with stable income and housing. To this day, I consider myself incredibly privileged to have the things that I do and try to express that gratitude every day.

Growing up, my parents ensured that I understood my privilege by involving me in numerous charitable causes, such as volunteering at local group homes and at food drives. I continue to seek ways to help those going through challenging times, including my work with the Animal Humane Society. Beyond these volunteer efforts, I take great care to incorporate empathy and compassion into my personal life. Someone once told me that “People won’t always remember exactly what you said, but what they will remember is how you made them feel,” and for that reason I try to show kindness and respect to everyone that I meet.

I want to continue championing these values in my career, and earning my MBA from Kellogg will equip me with the tools I need to lead and empower teams with empathy, compassion, and gratitude. As an active leader and team member, I hope to inspire my classmates to bring empathy, gratitude and compassion into their work.

I began to learn about the power of integrity when I first flipped through Davidson College admissions materials. While immersed in these pamphlets, it was challenging to go two pages without seeing a reference to the honor code and its impact on campus. This emphasis on integrity continued as my class came together for our honor code signing ceremony, as I took self-scheduled finals, and as I left my laptop unattended in the student union. It never ceased to amaze me that this focus on integrity could permeate every aspect of the Davidson experience. From my time at Davidson, the first thing I notice about new communities is whether they place this same emphasis on integrity. In the workplace, this idea comes to life through working under different project leadership. When leaders emphasize the importance of doing the right thing, even if it’s not easy and may not maximize our annual revenue, it trickles down to the daily behaviors of the team. As I ultimately want to lead a portfolio of team-based projects grounded in integrity, a Kellogg MBA would give me the necessary leadership skills to achieve this goal as well as a strong community supportive of this ideal.

The importance of trust became apparent much earlier; I realized that running the soccer ball down the entire length of the field by myself was not an effective strategy. I couldn’t score, and my teammates were understandably frustrated. However, if I passed, my strengths and the skills of my teammates could complement one another, and the team would be much more successful. While trust looks different amongst a team of consultants, the lesson is the same. If one team member tries to own a deliverable individually or independently present every time there’s a client meeting, the team eventually suffers due to a lack of trust. The team also fails to leverage its full range of skills and strengths. At Kellogg I will be working in multiple teams concurrently, each comprised of unique individuals with diverse backgrounds working towards different goals. The opportunity to contribute to and lead this range of teams will further hone my ability to build and facilitate groups that successfully operate in an environment of trust.

My conversations with (student) and (student 2) demonstrated that Kellogg fosters these same values. (Student) highlighted the trust between the administration and students that enables most aspects of Kellogg to be student-led. (Student 2), a Davidson and Kellogg alumna, spoke of her initial concern that a larger community couldn’t replicate Davidson’s focus on integrity. She grew to understand this concern was unfounded as peers treated academics and extracurriculars with focus on doing the right thing and supporting their classmates.

Trusting a 24-year-old engineer to manage a sales territory is a big risk, especially when the customers are demanding surgeons and the competition is far more experienced. Despite these considerations, I was promoted early to a territory manager and tasked with growing a new medical device business.

After finding initial success, I learned that a key product was being divested due to product consolidation. This threatened my business with Dr. Smith, but I was confident that I could leverage our relationship to retain the business. I assured leadership not to worry and even projected sales growth for that product in my annual business plan. Dr. Smith tried a comparable product I offered, but ultimately went to a competitor who inherited the divested product because it was the best decision for his patients and practice.

I learned from this experience to never assume that past success is an indicator for future success. I began to expect adversity and use feedback to constantly improve my customer service. Overcoming this challenge caused me to become introspective with my relationships and career goals. The professional growth and maturity I developed early in my career allowed me to establish myself as a credible and reliable vendor, which led to retaining other at-risk customers and winning new business.

Now, I crave an opportunity to grow as a leader and become a product manager in the medical device industry. A Kellogg MBA will empower me to follow my passion of creating value for healthcare providers by delivering innovative products and solutions. Kellogg offers experiential and design-centric learning opportunities through the MMM program and a collaborative environment, which I enjoyed when I visited campus in the spring. From our tour guides to the participants in the Marketing Strategy class I audited, the students and staff were engaging and helpful.

The Healthcare Enterprise Management pathway feels tailor-made to my career aspirations. Classes such as Healthcare Strategy and Biomedical Marketing will provide me with industry-specific foundational knowledge and electives such as Medical Product Early Stage Commercialization will teach me the technical skills necessary for my career track. I will utilize the broader Northwestern network by partnering with an interdisciplinary team in NuVention: Medical Innovation and gain entrepreneurial experience taking a medical device concept to market.

Kellogg’s vast extracurricular offerings will help me grow personally and as a leader. I look forward to competing in case competitions with the Marketing Club and coordinating events with industry sponsors as a leader in the Healthcare Club. As an avid skier, I am excited about bonding with classmates at the annual ski trip. Kellogg is the best MBA program for me and I look forward to sharing my passion with the Kellogg community.

“What does he even do every day? Why do you and I subsidize his income while we do all the work?” These were the questions that JJJ asked me about another teammate, ABC, seemingly on a daily basis. Last year, the sales territory I led merged with another territory and I was tasked to lead a team of five sales reps producing $10 million in sales. The celebration from the promotion was short-lived when I realized the challenges of managing a team of senior sales reps across an expansive geography.

Our medical device business is very entrepreneurial; we are paid a commission on every sale plus a bonus on growth. JJJ supported our largest account while ABC supported a few smaller accounts but spent a considerable amount of time cultivating those relationships and performing sales calls. As the team leader, I had an obligation to grow our territory each month while keeping our customers satisfied and I knew we couldn’t do that if the internal strife on our team continued.

To address the conflict, my strategy was to speak with both individuals and then host a team meeting to collaborate on creative, growth-centric adjustments to the compensation plan. JJJ and I had constructive conversations reminding each other that we are tasked with growing every account in our territory, not only the largest ones. ABC and I discussed the importance of communication and transparency; we talked about his role in supporting our largest accounts and communicating with the whole team on sales activities and ongoing deals. At our team meeting, I introduced a compensation plan where a portion of bonus commission would be awarded, based on merit, to the teammate who closed the most new business that quarter.

The modified compensation plan was a success and created value both internally and externally. Team morale was noticeably better; with the new growth-based incentive, we spent less time focusing on each other and more time focusing on our targets and driving new business. I knew the compensation model would have a lasting impact when two other territory leads contacted me about implementing it for their teams. As an added benefit, senior management was impressed that we worked through these problems without their intervention. Through this experience, I learned that in times of conflict, leadership is more about listening than prescribing. I continue to apply this philosophy when I coach my junior reps on overcoming objections and closing new business. We encounter unique business challenges daily that require empathy to navigate. As a growth-minded leader, I will bring my style of empathetic and creative problem-solving to Kellogg.

Feeling the weight of every eye in the room, I took a calming breath and began my presentation. I was outlining my team’s next initiative to a group of product managers, directors, and VPs from across the company, and it was the first high-stakes test of the public speaking strategies I’d been working on for several months. Public speaking had never been my specialty, but as I progressed in my career I had to present more frequently in front of larger, more senior audiences. I could tell I wasn’t projecting the same gravitas as my colleagues, and my manager agreed this was something I should address in order to advance.

I took a two-pronged approach to improving as a public speaker: I looked for outside help to learn new techniques, and I turned to introspection to understand what triggered my anxiety. I joined Toastmasters, attended improv classes and seminars, and started a journal to reflect on my development. I also volunteered to be a teacher with my director and the senior VP for our department. This allowed me to practice speaking in front of senior managers in a low-stakes, non-work environment.

My efforts created a positive feedback loop: I could tell I was improving, which made me more confident, and helped me improve faster. I built stronger relationships throughout the organization, which allowed me to feel more confident speaking in front of colleagues whose opinions I valued. As a result of my preparation, my big presentation was a success, and my manager commended me on my improvement. I’m proud of the headway I’ve made, and there will be many opportunities for me to continue gaining confidence and growing as a public speaker through Kellogg’s student-driven culture and focus on empowering students to lead.

I want to grow at Kellogg in new areas, too, and approach them with the same resourcefulness and tenacity. Discussing Global Lab with an alumna got me excited to learn about solving business problems in a real-world, international context. Speaking with students during my campus visit inspired me to build relationships through the Women’s Business Association’s peer mentorship program and cultivate community at Kellogg by organizing events like Ski Trip and the Charity Auction Ball. As an officer in the Tech Club, I’ll develop my leadership skills, and joining Net Impact will help me contribute off-campus by sharing what I’ve learned through the Inner City Mentoring Club, which has a similar mission to .

I’m excited to take advantage of all these opportunities during the 1Y program. While a year goes by quickly, 1Y alumni have told me that it’s just enough time to focus on personal growth while still maintaining my career trajectory.

Errors in economic consulting are sometimes worth millions; in antitrust litigation, defense attorneys entrust my team with finding these expensive errors. Often these cases are thousands of pages of industry reports, data methodologies, and client strategy documents—our job is to find where something was wrong. On one such case, I was tasked with managing a team of unfamiliar faces from outside my LA office. Motivating this new group throughout the routine of casework was a new challenge for me.

Initially I stressed the importance of the details, since minor errors in analysis could change the trajectory of the case; our diligent review was essential to success. Initially, the project hummed along, but a challenge soon emerged. One of my team members, “Bill,” was several years my senior with a higher title, and didn’t appreciate his reduced role on this project. Although the chain of command had been established, he subtlety attempted to circumvent me and seek tasks from my boss. Sensing his frustration, I decided to delicately confront Bill without turning the situation toxic. I didn’t reprimand him, but instead thanked him for his willingness to take a role beneath his normal responsibilities; I even confided to him that this was an important opportunity for me and asked if he had any managerial advice. After our conversation, he recommitted to the team and even became my second in command.

Our commitment eventually paid off: we found a costly blunder. The opposing economist had innocently confused “the San Francisco metropolitan area” with the city of limits of San Francisco and correcting this seemingly minor error in his model decreased the predicted damages by almost $30 million. With our successful outcome, the partner on the project called me into his office to thank me for my effort on this project. Although my team members had already dispersed back to their respective offices, I asked if he could call and thank Bill and the rest of the team as well. As someone who hasn’t always held the manager role, I appreciate the satisfaction that comes from simple acknowledgement of work done well.

This experience taught me that there is no single prescription for leadership. My style for managing self-motivated consultants shouldn’t mirror my style as captain of my co-ed soccer team. In this situation, my team didn’t need someone to tyrannize, but someone to galvanize them as the case progressed. I also learned that success sometimes comes at the expense of my own ego; I built the team’s trust by my willingness to take on even the simplest task to inch us toward completion. While my leadership style will evolve as my responsibilities grow, a key tenant of my leadership style will always be adaptability.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Kellogg, Booth and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team: Meet Beth who held the position of Director of Admissions for Kellogg’s Full Time MBA program selecting candidates for the 2-year, 1-year, MMM and JD MBA programs.

Meet Kim , who was an Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Chicago Booth.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

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Everything you Need to Know About the Kellogg MBA Essays

Introduction.

The Kellogg MBA essays can be the most challenging part of the school’s application process. But, in reality, they are an opportunity to showcase your authentic self to the admissions committee. In your essays, you can present what best separates you from the rest of the applicants - your personality.

While this may seem straightforward, it can be challenging to know the best approach to selling yourself as an applicant in your essays. Besides being familiar with your strengths, you must know what structure, craft methods, and information would be best to include in your essay for the best chances of admittance.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about the Kellogg MBA essays and provide tips on how to craft your essays for the best chance of a successful evaluation when applying to the Kellogg School of Management.  

Purpose of the Kellogg MBA Essays 

The written and video essays fall under Kellogg’s holistic review process, with no essay being more important than the other. The admissions committee is looking to fill the spots with students that will excel in the classroom and contribute to the community with the ultimate goal to create the most diverse class possible. The school values intellectual ability, leadership, impact, work experience, professional goals, and interpersonal skills, all of which can be displayed in your MBA essays. 

The Kellogg MBA essays consist of two written and three video essays. The written essays are meant to allow you to explain why you feel you belong at Kellogg. Many MBA programs are offered worldwide, so the admissions committee wants to ask you: Why Kellogg?

In these essays, you are encouraged to evaluate past experiences and consider how they influenced your personal and academic goals. This personal reflection will make it easier to discern your values and aspirations based on personal anecdotes and your reactions to adversity.

The three video essays are meant to bring the written essays to life. Personality can be hard to gauge through words alone, and this is remedied with the video essays. These videos will present your personality, highlighting your true authentic self. The video essays would also be another opportunity to reflect and share experiences that shaped you on your path to pursuing an MBA. These essays encourage you to be open and deeply consider how you got to where you are today.

What Are the Kellogg MBA Essays?

The first written essay usually focuses on challenges and experiences in leadership; the admissions committee wants to know what you learned in leadership positions and how you created value from these experiences. This essay will provide insight into your leadership qualities and determine how you will utilize these traits as a Kellogg student.

In a leadership position you may also be asked to think critically about risk factors, which is an important skill to showcase as an applicant. You could provide anecdotes of times you demonstrated leadership and emphasize your involvement and impact on the community around you.

When explaining work experience, reflecting on career progression and critical thinking skills used in the workplace would be a great demonstration of what you’ve learned and how it has affected your ability to lead. 

Collaboration is highly valued at Kellogg and this dependence on collaboration makes your interpersonal skills vital to the admissions committee. With Kellogg being one of the first schools to utilize a team-based learning curriculum, leading a team to success effectively is essential as a potential admit.

Kellogg pioneered a learning method now used amongst other top business schools, making an innovative thought process important. Kellogg’s MBA program aims to inspire, educate, and equip students with the tools they need to create value as leaders.

This essay is an opportunity to illustrate how you can do that, what skills you already possess that will ensure your success, and how innovative you can be. It’s always helpful to be introspective, so you should ask yourself: Where have you been? Why do you need an MBA? What do you want to do next? 

Below is an example question for essay 1, which has been used once before in Kellogg’s application process: 

Ex. 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?

The second written essay usually focuses on your values and how they have influenced you in your life thus far. The admissions committee wants to know what motivates you and how this drive will aid your contributions to the Kellogg community.

This essay question asks for some introspection, encouraging you to think about how you acquired your defining values and how you have, and will, utilize them in meaningful change. Unlike the first essay, this one may be the one that closely resembles the required video essays.

Both of the prompts allow the admissions committee to get to know you better, take away the academic obligations, and become more familiar with what makes you unique. This essay will be an opportunity for the committee to see if you possess the qualities needed to become a student that will be an asset to the Kellogg community. 

Below is an example question for essay two used once before in Kellogg’s application process: 

Ex. Essay 2

Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you, and how have they influenced you?

Video Essays

The purpose of the video essays is ultimately to get to know you better. Usually, you are allowed to introduce yourself and answer a question centered around how a current social or economic issue has influenced you. These video essays will bring your written essays to life, allowing the admissions committee to put a face to the intricately crafted essays you submitted.

Video essay 1 is merely an introduction; here, you will present anything you feel the admission committee should know about you and highlight your values. 

Video essay 2 asks about your professional goals and your interest in the Kellogg MBA program . This question could be seen as an extension of the first video essay but with a more academic and aspirational focus.

The broad nature of the question is purposefully designed to encourage you to write honest and meaningful answers that fit your aspirations precisely. A current social or economic issue will determine the final video essay. This essay intends to gauge your response to adversity and evaluate your understanding of significant societal problems. Video essay number three could also give you the chance to display how innovative you can be when presented with a difficult situation. 

Depending on the type of MBA program you’re applying to, additional questions will be asked along with the two required written essays. A one-year MBA applicant, for example, will have to answer a different additional question than a JD-MBA applicant would.

This difference is due to the specifications of each program. There are different sets of values desired in an admit for each MBA program, and which program you select should be based on your personal career goals. The additional question would ask what each specific program’s values mean to you and how they will influence your professional aspirations. 

Top Tips for Crafting the Kellogg MBA Essays  

1. only use meaningful info.

Both the written and video essays have specific guidelines for their formatting and structure. The written essays should be 450 words each, and the additional program-based questions range from 250-450 words. For such broad questions, this word count may seem too small to condense your thoughts effectively.

With this in mind, the information presented in your essays should be meaningful and imperative to understanding your essay's main focus. Each sentence used should build off of one another, with filler being discouraged. Any info you feel is essential for the admissions committee to know, but does not align with the essay question you are answering, should be expressed in the application’s additional information section. 

2. Be Open and Honest

Know that there is no right way to answer the essay questions. Each question is looking for an honest answer from you, with profound reflection being a key factor in its effectiveness. You could consider these questions a test of your intrapersonal skills.

Before sitting down to write these essays, think about your values and how they have influenced you in your professional and academic work. This reflection will allow you to choose the values that resonate with you most. You should also consider accomplishments and personal events that align with the values you selected. By doing so, you will provide personal anecdotes in your essays to convey your individuality to the admissions committee. 

3. Research Kellogg and Practice 

Researching the school’s programs, activities, clubs, classes, and professors will make it easier for you to discuss how you plan to contribute to the Kellogg community. This method applies more to the written essays, which will gauge the involvement and impact you plan to make as a Kellogg MBA student.

You can assess what programs and activities you want to be a part of based on your passions and interests. The professors and classes you are excited to take will highlight your motivation to be admitted and make you stand out as a well-spoken and knowledgeable applicant. 

For the video essays, Kellogg provides practice questions for you to become familiar with the technology and format. You will have 20 seconds to think about the video question and a maximum of one minute to give your response.

This time constraint makes knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it very important to ensure your answers are eloquent. The practice questions will be much like the video essay you will submit, except you can complete them as often as you need to feel comfortable.

By practicing, you will get the chance to rid yourself of possible application jitters and avoid saying information that may not relate to the question. It is also essential to make sure you are in a space where you will not be interrupted, as you will not have the chance to redo the official video essay questions.

Remember to be yourself and enjoy the process. The admissions committee wants to know you as a person, so feel free to present your personality. 

Kellogg MBA Essay Example 

The following example is a sample introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion based on a past Kellogg MBA essay question. The sample answers the question: 

‘ 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? ’ 

Sample Introduction:

“To marry my passion for art with my fervent desire to have a positive impact on society, outside my full-time job as a management consultant, I founded an NGO called [NAME] in 2015. Leveraging my strong business acumen, I ideated [NAME's] entire value chain - underprivileged women in [CITY] would be employed to make artisan jewelry, which my team of five peers and I would package, market, and sell to boutique fashion stores. All proceeds from this enterprise would go back to the women. “

This paragraph would be considered a successful introduction. Not only does it perfectly describe the leadership position in question, but it also provides some insight into who the applicant is in the first sentence. From the introduction alone, we know that this applicant has a passion for art and the desire to impact society positively.

The rest of the introduction describes the leadership position and what role they had in it, along with its purpose. The applicant provides this explanation concisely, with every sentence essential to the reader’s understanding. 

Sample Body Paragraph:

“Leading [NAME] has thoroughly challenged my grit, character, and ingenuity. My first major trial came just weeks after our inception. Social norms forbade many women from working, and getting raw materials to them proved to be a logistical nightmare. This started to take a toll on the team. Morale fell, and disagreements brewed.

That was when I realized the importance of persuasive communication as a leadership trait. I organized a weekend retreat to realign the team to our greater mission, especially since impact, and not money, would be our enabler. I ensured that learning from and empowering each other became the team’s mantra. Rejuvenated with a newfound cohesiveness, we convinced over 60 women to join us and creatively leveraged neighborhood suppliers to source raw materials.”

This is a successful and effective body paragraph, answering the last part of the essay question. This paragraph uses a structural approach that states and describes the challenge, lists the effects of said challenge, states the solution, and lists the solution’s outcome along with what they learned.

By structuring the body paragraph this way, each part of the question is answered thoroughly and is imperative to understanding the challenge presented. The section also highlights the applicant’s leadership qualities with a detailed personal anecdote that applies to the essay question; these qualities are what the admissions committee will be looking for.

Thus, by shining a light on your leadership ability and how you applied what you’ve learned, your essay will stand out from the rest. 

Sample Conclusion:

“To date, [NAME] has had a lasting impact on the lives of over 300 women. I am undoubtedly one of them. I am wiser with my learnings and more excited, inspired, and confident than ever to lead teams and leave a positive impact in the years to come.”

While this conclusion is concise, it provides everything needed to answer the essay question. The applicant provides the impact the challenge had on them, what they learned, and their desire to apply it to their future endeavors. The first sentence also highlights the impact the leadership position had on other people. This conclusion answers the essay question and sells the applicant as someone willing and excited to excel at Kellogg. 

1. When will I be able to submit the video essays?

The link to submit your video essays will appear on your application status page after submitting your application and application fee. 

2. When are the written and video essays due?

The written essays are due with your application, and the video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline. Kellogg has three application rounds. The first is usually mid September, the second is around the beginning of January and the third is around the beginning of April. The applications are expected to be submitted no later than 5pm Central time on the date of that rounds application deadline. International students are encouraged to apply in the first two rounds to allow time for visa processing. 

3. What qualities is the Kellogg admissions committee looking for in applicants?

The admissions committee is looking for intellectual ability, work experience, professional goals, leadership, impact, and interpersonal skills. You can display these qualities in your written and video essays. 

4. Is work experience required to apply to the Kellogg MBA program?

While work experience is not required, it is recommended that you have at least two years of full-time work experience. Kellogg believes this will improve your academic experience at Kellogg and enrich classroom discussion. 

5. When is the best time to submit my application?

Applications are accepted in all three rounds, but the prime time to apply would be in the first two rounds . This early application allows time for visa processing and will enable you to stand out in the applicant pool. 

6. Are there different essay requirements for reapplicants?

Reapplicants must answer the same essay questions as first-year applications. They will also be required to submit their response to an additional reapplicant essay question that asks for an update on their professional and academic career since they last applied. 

Writing the Kellogg MBA essay can produce feelings of angst and nervousness. But with the necessary personal reflection and proper planning, this nervousness can seem silly by the time your application is submitted. By being yourself, researching the university, and providing meaningful answers when crafting your essays, you are sure to produce an essay that makes you stand out in the applicant pool.

Remember, there is no right way to answer the questions, and the admissions committee is looking for an authentic personality. So relax, be yourself, and you’ll be sure to succeed on your journey to becoming a Kellogg admit when you’re writing the Kellogg MBA essay.

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Kellogg MBA Essays: Tips for 2023-2024

This year’s MBA application prompts have been released, so it’s time to start brainstorming what your topics will be. Wondering where to start, what to write? No worries, we have all the tips you need to get a nice start on writing a quality essay for the Kellogg School of Management.  

At Menlo Coaching, we noticed that most MBA essays will fall into one of a number of categories: personal essays, career goals essays, and behavioral essays etc. Read ahead for our expert guide on approaching these essays for Northwestern Kellogg. 

The Behavioral Essay

• 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)

The Personal Statement Essay

• 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)

Optional Video Essay

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 brought you to where you are today. 

Please note, video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.  

Applying to Northwestern Kellogg

Student life at Kellogg is very active in the surrounding Evanston area, and the school frequently participates in philanthropic events, such as the Charity Auction Ball held in the winter, for example. Through the story you relate in your essay, the admissions council is looking to see if you reflect the same values that the school does. Kellogg is looking for students who are ready to be fully immersed in the programs, eager for group study spaces, and excited to collaborate with their fellow students. The best way to represent that you possess those qualities is through the type of essay you choose to write. 

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Like we touched on earlier, schools are looking for the right fit for their campus community, just as you are searching for the school that aligns best with your goals. In the personal essay, this is your chance to show Kellogg the values that drive you both as a person and as a student. These values tell the admissions council what you prioritize, the moral code you live by, and, most importantly, who you are as a person. 

Kellogg is looking for applicants who are willing to be vulnerable. Doing this allows you to more fully understand the concepts you are learning, especially when the lessons deal with situations in your real life. Being vulnerable also enables students to relate to one another, thus creating a comfortable, encouraging learning environment. 

In these essays, you can talk about almost anything; typically, applicants will write about relationships in their lives, or times when there was a hardship they had to overcome. Be warned, though: there are some topics to avoid, and we have outlined a few things to watch out for in this article . 

To make it simple: the behavioral essay is meant to show the Kellogg admissions team that you have developed some sort of leadership skills, what your values are as a leader, and how you are going to most benefit from their development programs. 

The admissions committee is looking for applicants that are self-reflective. Whether it’s through a setback you’ve experienced, or how you dealt with situations that have gone awry, the school is looking for students who are resilient and able to learn from their mistakes.

Do not overexaggerate (or underexaggerate!) the situations you decide to write about. Be honest about what happened; Kellogg is looking for genuine people to join their campus community, and they are less likely to admit an applicant who has overinflated their prior experiences. 

Last but not least, make sure to describe what you learned and how you implemented this in a subsequent situation. This is an expected element of the behavioral essay, even if it’s not directly written in the prompt. Kellogg utilizes case studies and experiential activities to help leaders realize their full potential, and they want to see that you have that ability already within you. Prompts that deal with these topics can be daunting, especially when they require you to write about a weakness you have or a failure you’ve experienced. 

The Optional Video Essay

Northwestern Kellogg also invites applicants to record an optional video essay, after submitting their application.

When it comes to  video essays  specifically, we have some advice:

• Practice—but don’t memorize:  it’s always clear if someone has memorized what they intend to say in a video essay verbatim, and this can make your content seem staged and inauthentic. If you find that you’re repeating the same speech over and over again, change the first sentence. You’ll be surprised at how this will throw you off!
• Make sure that your setting is appropriate:  you want to make sure that your lighting is good and that there are no empty tequila bottles in the background.
• Speak slowly and clearly:  clear diction can make a big difference when it comes to reviewing your video essay.

If you are interested to know more about the use of video essays in the admissions process at Northwestern Kellog, you can head to our page on Kellogg admissions basics .

Writing strong, coherent, genuine stories is an essential part of your MBA application. These essays are meant to help you stand out among many other applicants, so it is worth your time to do the work and write about situations unique to your life and that you truly learned from.

Trust our proven MBA application consultant expertise to navigate the Kellogg MBA essay prompts and optimize your chances of admission.

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June 26, 2022

Kellogg MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023 – 2024], Class Profile

Kellogg values individuals; who you are as a person, what you’ve done, and how you will be engaged in 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 about your personality, your values, and your 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. And 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, 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.

Kellogg is unique in that we ask you to complete written essays as part of the application as well as video essays. This is your chance to tell us why you think Kellogg is the right place for you. Take some time to think through the experiences that led you here and how they have shaped where you want to go.

Question 1 (450 words)

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?

This is a new question, and it indicates what is most important to Kellogg:  your ability to face a challenge and come up with creative solutions. In the process, you must also show your strong teamwork skills and collaborative nature. You’ll want to discuss how you motivate others, how you encourage your team to look beyond difficulties and seek nonconventional methods to achieve a goal, and what skills were most valuable in the process. 

If you have cross-functional skills and also cross-cultural skills, this is the place to show those. Briefly, reflect on examples that will demonstrate how you overcame a challenge, and this can be at work or outside of work. You’ll want to add something that the admissions committee doesn’t already know about you, so try to come up with a story that isn’t fully described on your resume. 

Once you’ve selected a strong example, think about how to describe the challenge in simple terms. Please don’t focus too much on technical details that people who are not in your profession won’t understand. Next, describe how you had to think of ways to work around the difficulty presented. Did you brainstorm with your team, or ask advice from people who might have dealt with a similar situation? How did you involve other people, and what did you learn from that? Which of your own skills were brought into play, and what did you discover that you didn’t know? Why did you make the choices that you did?

Question 2 (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?

Certain applicants will respond to an additional question about their interest in our specialty programs.

Kellogg’s essays in the past have inquired about candidates’ “values.” This is similar yet brings the focus back to Kellogg and how your unique experiences will add to its community. Reflect on your values – how did you acquire them?  Family, culture, faith, a significant event in your life? Values represent principles that are important to you, guide your life, help you make decisions, and help you shape the world around you. In brief, they make you who you are, and each of us is unique in this respect.

In this essay, the Kellogg admissions committee wants to find out what you value and how that has been manifested in your actions, especially when interacting with people who might have a totally different value system. Are you someone who is open to others’ ideas and opinions? Can you give an example of when your judgment was challenged and you ended up seeing things differently? Or alternatively, did you manage to change someone else’s perspective, and if so, how did you do so? Again, the core of this question is conveying how you will collaborate with others and how you will be engaged in the Kellogg community. It doesn’t mean listing a lot of clubs you’re interested in or jobs you’ve had, but more importantly, what has enriched your life that you think will do the same for others? To answer this question well, you need to really understand the “personality” of Kellogg and its community. The best way to do that is to reach out to student ambassadors or talk with alumni of the program who can share with you valuable insights.  

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

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.

We find these videos to be a great opportunity for you to tell us more about your story, experiences and why Kellogg is the right place for you.

Here are some 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, which includes time for setup.

The video essay should not be perfect!  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! 

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. 

Kellogg isn’t trying to trip you up; the admissions committee is 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, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Package , which includes comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to Kellogg’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too!

***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 2024 (data taken from the Kellogg website ):

Class size: 503

Female: 48%

International: 38%

U.S. minorities: 37%

Average GMAT score: 729

GMAT score range: 620-780

Median GRE Verbal: 162

GRE Verbal range: 150-169

Median GRE Quant: 163

GRE Quant range: 148-170

Average GPA: 3.7

GPA range: 2.6-4.0

Average years of work experience: 5

Undergraduate majors:

• Economics/Business: 45%
• Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics: 38%
• Humanities: 24%

Industry background:

• Consulting: 24%
• Financial services: 19%
• Technology: 17%
• Government/Education/Nonprofit: 7%
• Consumer products: 7%
• Healthcare/Biopharma: 7%
• Media & entertainment: 4%
• Military: 4%
• Manufacturing: 2%

Getting into Kellogg, or any of the top-tier MBA programs, is very competitive. Our Comprehensive MBA Application Package has everything you need to get you there. 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:

• Academic Performance in Your MBA Admissions Profile
• Nine MBA Resume Mistakes to Avoid
• Which B-School Is Best for You?

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Kellogg MBA Application Essay Writing Guide And Samples

EssayEdge > Blog > Kellogg MBA Application Essay Writing Guide And Samples

Application to the MBA program requires great preparation for the process. The applicant has to be aware of the smallest details of each stage of the process to be sure that the application will be successful. We have decided to do an overview of the application stages and pay extra attention to the Kellogg MBA essay. We have gathered the most popular questions and tried to answer them comprehensively. Also, we have prepared some successful samples and analyzed them, so you will have the opportunity to have a kind of pattern in front of your eyes when writing your own essay. Our MBA essay editing wishes you all the best with your application to the business school at Kellogg University.

Table of Contents:

Kellogg MBA application essay: general requirements and prompts

The unique and pretty unusual difference between a regular application to any school of business and Kellogg school of business is the difference between application essays. When preparing for the submission Kellogg MBA application essay, you should know that you are required to submit two types of essays. It may seem so obvious and easy as other educational institutions, no matter London Business School or Harvard business school , require usually two or even three essays such as personal statement or statement of purpose . However, Kellogg requires a regular written essay and a video essay for submission. Therefore, you have to get extra aware of the conditions provided by Kellogg University . We highly recommend perusing the conditions and contacting the admissions office in case of any misunderstandings to clarify the points that may need clarification and extra explanation. To understand the main specifications and peculiarities of Kellogg MBA application essay, we have gathered and structured the main points you have to keep in mind when taking up the process. This year is the year when Kellogg requires two mandatory essays for submission. The length of them is similar and equals 450 words per essay. The same requirement had the application years before. Many applicants face the issue of the lack of words to describe everything they want to say. Therefore, huge attention should be paid to the content you provide for the admissions committee. We highly recommend thinking attentively about each word you want to include in your essay. However, if you feel any difficulties with this challenging task, you can always refer to our highly proficient essay editor , who will help you polish your paper and make it incomparable. Kellogg MBA application essay is the document that is supposed to fully uncover your outlook on life or a particular issue within several words. As a rule, Kellogg provides the topics for the essays. Therefore, it can be simpler for some candidates to speak out their mind as they have to answer a question provided as the topic of the essay or write the thoughts they have regarding the topic. However, some applicants find this type of essay a difficult one because some people may not have enough thoughts to share regarding the provided thesis or, vice versa, too many ideas that should be included in the essay to answer the question comprehensively. Therefore, take the writing process seriously as Kellogg MBA application essay isn’t that easy as it may seem to be. Also, one more crucial point you have to be aware of when preparing the pack of the documents is that different types of applicants, depending on the field of studies and type of application, have to provide one or more supporting documents. Those are supplementary essays. Each of them is about 250 words. About their unique features and topics, we will talk in the next paragraph.

Kellogg MBA essay questions: how to answer them to get admitted?

As we mentioned before, all applicants are supposed to submit two essays to apply to the university. Kellogg MBA essay questions are supposed to uncover the aspects of the applicant’s personality. This year the questions are pretty general and, therefore, can be answered in different ways.

• The first topic is about leadership.

The applicant is supposed to provide the story they had recently, where they had to prove their leadership skills. It can be any situation or case. However, the applicant is supposed to also provide some examples and conclusions after having such an experience.

• The second topic is about values you have both in your personal life and at work.

Kellogg MBA essay questions are directly referred to the life and work of the applicant. You are supposed to share the most important aspects of your life outlook so the admissions committee can estimate your value as a future student. What is the most important and what you don’t like about these aspects of life? These are the points that should be discussed and fully uncovered in your essay.

These are the questions that must be undoubtedly answered and submitted as application essays with the pack of the rest documents. However, these are not the only essays that must be submitted. Depending on your status and circumstances of application, you are supposed to submit several more essays and answer more Kellogg MBA essay questions.

• If you are an applicant who wants to pursue a one-year MBA. Thus, you are to provide the information about the goals you have set that may become real after pursuing your 1-year MBA degree. The word limit for this essay is 250 words. Therefore, try to avoid unnecessary data that is not related to the topic of the essay. This question is pretty straightforward, so, try to submit a comprehensive answer to this question. If you are an MBAi applicant, who wants to get a degree in this field. Each of Kellogg MBA essay questions is supposed to observe the specific aspect of applicants’ candidacy in the context of future education.
• If you are the applicant who wants to receive the degree in the MBAi program, which is aimed at AI technologies and their implication in the business to make processes better and more efficient, you have to provide the information about the case you had in your career. Many companies struggle with having an outstanding specialist in the field of AI but with strong leadership skills at the same time. Therefore, you are asked to share the case you had when business and AI technologies had kind of a disconnect in your practice. Answering this one among all Kellogg MBA essay questions will provide the admissions committee with the necessary information about you at work and your abilities to overcome difficulties and implicate new features to make the business and workflow better. To provide full information about this issue, you have 450 words.
• If you are an applicant who wants to pursue the MMM MBA degree. MMM MBA degree is a two-year dual degree program. You have a chance not only to boost your business skills but also to get knowledge in the fields that are closely related to business improvement. This year Kellogg MBA essay questions that are created for the MMM MBA applicants suppose observing your mindset. Are you curious about your work? Do you like creative tasks? Are you an open-minded person who is ready to take up any challenges? Choose one point and tell the admissions committee the situation when you had to demonstrate one of these values in your work process. Also, you are to describe in your essay why these factors are important in the context of your receiving the MMM degree at Kellogg. The volume of this essay is 250 words, so you have to be careful when including the information in your paper to stick to the word limit.
• If you are an applicant, who wants to become a JD in MBA. Therefore, you are supposed to answer one of Kellogg MBA essay questions for this field of education too. The admissions committee wants to know what your career goals are and how the education program at Kellogg will help you achieve those goals. Be careful when answering this question as you have only 250 words to speak out your mind. Our main advice is to be direct in your thoughts as you have a limited amount of words to answer the question.
• If you are the reapplicant who wants to enter the Kellogg again. One of those Kellogg MBA essay questions is also prepared for you! You have to describe the actions and steps you have taken to make your candidacy an appropriate one for entering the University of Kellogg. You have 250 words to put your thoughts on the paper. We highly recommend structuring your essay appropriately, as, with this word limit, there is a big chance of having misunderstandings to put everything you want together.

These essays are an integral part of the admissions process. You have to submit them as part of your application. However, will also have to submit several video essays. To know more about them and the conditions of their submission, we recommend referring to the official site of the university.

Kellogg MBA essay length: tips on dealing with this requirement

Kellogg MBA Essay is one of the most well-known requirements for Kellogg applicants. Kellogg, among other things, wants to know why you want their MBA program and what makes you unique compared to other candidates applying. This can be difficult to answer in 500 words or less! Here are some tips that will help you put together an MBA essay now and fit Kellogg MBA essay length.

• Kellogg applicants should spend time writing an essay with depth and creativity. However, you should be careful as too much creativity can fill too many words.
• Applicants must know their strengths compared to other candidates applying for the Kellogg program before taking up the writing process! There are two main parts to writing a good Kellogg MBA essay: what you have done so far (courses, activities, or personal life) and why it makes you unique! Try to create the list of things that must be undoubtedly included, so you can approximately estimate the number of words you need to cover everything.
• To stick to Kellogg MBA essay length, try to keep your focus on showing how your past experiences make you better than others who apply for this specific program. Make sure to put yourself as someone outstanding – not just an average person trying to get into Kellogg! The best way is to use numbers or data that are not mentioned in your other documents.

Kellogg MBA essay word count: what content to fit in 450 words

Kellogg MBA Essay is a challenging task for Kellogg applicants. Applicants have to write a compelling essay in 450 words, and this should cover Kellogg’s mission, Kellogg school culture, personal profile with adequate examples, Kellogg career goals, etc. It is not easy at all, but it needs some skills and tips to make your application more competitive! We are sharing the latest updates of the Kellogg MBA essay word count here so that you know what content works best!

• Fit the right pieces

A common mistake many applicants make while writing their essay is that they try to fit every sentence into word limit no matter if it’s relevant or not, which results in a messy upshot without any clear message about the applicant’s background and future goals. Kellogg applicants need to avoid this mistake so that they can succeed in their application! Use relevant data and examples. Remember that fitting the word limit with the unnecessary words won’t play in your favour. Also, vice versa, if you have 453 words instead of exactly 450, it won’t be a crucial mistake. So, keep your content in the right length for it.

• Include the key points that are important both for you and university

Applicants should carefully go through the requirements and Kellogg MBA essay examples to know what topics Kellogg admission officers like best. Then, you can frame your essay accordingly with those ideas. Applicants must remember that Kellogg school is looking for candidates who share similar goals, values, and vision of future career path, which means it’s not enough to write a generic story without any clear direction where you want to see your life after graduating from Kellogg! It’s better to spend time preparing an outline before writing each sentence because it will help you keep things straightened out while putting the main points clearly in front of Kellogg admission officers!

• Kellogg Career goals

Kellogg MBA Essay questions ask applicants to share their future career plans with Kellogg school. Applicants have a great chance here to convince the Kellogg admissions committee about their passion and dedication towards Kellogg’s specific area of study because only successful candidates, who are planning for a relevant career path after completing the program from Kellogg, will be chosen. The best way is to include some examples related to what you have done so far, which helped you learn something new or develop an interest in that field etc. In short, keep your essay focused on convincing Kellogg school why it should select you, not others! In this way, you have the chance to provide only crucial and detailed information without deviating from Kellogg MBA essay word count.

• Stick to the main idea in your essay

Applicants must write down all relevant information about what makes them unique before writing anything else. Otherwise, there is no point in writing Kellogg MBA Essay because Kellogg admission officers will think that you are just another applicant, and there is no way they can select someone who doesn’t stand out from the crowd! In addition, Kellogg is looking for applicants with specific goals, a clear understanding of future career paths, and an overall passion for Kellogg. Therefore, simply, if you don’t think about Kellogg essays topics and miss the research stage before writing the paper, you risk failing the challenging task of sticking to Kellogg MBA essay word count and get lost in a crowd of worthy candidates.

Kellogg MBA essay examples

We know how important it is to have successful samples in front of your eyes when preparing your own essay.

Therefore, we have prepared essay of accepted student Kellogg took into consideration. You can look through it and be aware of the main and the most important structural features. It is an awesome idea to read samples and take notes at the same time. Imagine, you catch a feeling of something special you have just read and, of course, you want your essay to be kind of like that. Therefore, you can take notes and implicate some interesting features in your essay. However, we highly recommend being careful when reading the examples. It is prohibited to copy-paste any data or use someone’s experience and background as yours. Remember that the admissions committee can check everything. You can find one of Kellogg MBA essay examples below and start your admissions journey with EssayEdge!

Kellogg MBA essay analysis

As we mentioned above, it is crucial to take notes when reading essay samples. Our advice is not only to take over some cool features but also to do a thorough Kellogg MBA essay analysis. Think about the details, lexis, grammar, and structure of the paper you have read. Then, write down the list of things that caught your attention, what you liked the most about the paper on the whole, and what you would like to avoid in your own paper. It is all-important. In this way, you can create an outstanding essay that will certainly catch the readers’ attention. Right now, you can start and try to do this “exercise” with the following Kellogg MBA essay examples. Wish you the best of luck!

Essay of accepted MBA student Kellogg

I used my initiative to create and grow a program at my company, an executive recruiting and management leadership consulting firm, to do the same for college students as Kellogg does for its MBA candidates: educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. With a goal of building a strong network and learning about the ways different companies are managed, I joined XXX after completing my Master of Management Studies at XXX in XXX. When I started, many of my colleagues said that they had fallen into this industry, especially when joining straight from a university. The younger generation of business professionals would not know about the [EXECUTIVE RECRUITING] industry since we work with high-level employees, rarely hired entry-level talent, and did not have a formal internship program, nor did our competitors. I saw the gap. Since we were growing, we needed to promote our brand, attract analyst-level researchers, and create a talent pipeline. I started the internship program in my home office, XXX, and then co-led a program nationally the following year. Now, I am expanding the program globally. My first year was not a success. I started recruiting too late in the year, which limited our talent pool, and I rushed [HIRING] decisions. Also, the company lacked engaging projects for the interns; they mostly did data entry, which meant they were not viewed as core team members. However, it was a good starting point, and the head of XXX asked me to co-lead a program with a XXX colleague. I jumped at the opportunity. I had learned from the prior year and started recruiting earlier, built both centrally- and locally-managed functions, and developed a straightforward appraisal and offer process. We also developed more hands-on projects for the interns. Overall, I had XXX interns in XXX offices, which led to seven full-time hires. This year, we are expanding into other countries. Through building this program, I have learned how to work with different offices, best practices in recruiting, and how to ask for support and consensus. Additionally, I had seen a gap in the system, even in a company that is XXX years old, and I realized I was right not to have been afraid to see room for improvement. Furthermore, I have learned that I thrive leading and building programs, which is what I will do at Kellogg and in my career moving forward. I am proud to have created value for the firm by establishing recruiting relationships with local colleges, including XXX, and creating a pipeline of incoming talent, as well as leadership opportunities for employees to become internship managers in their offices.

See more: MBA essay examples .

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How To Get Into Kellogg

Apr 12, 2023

• Understand who Kellogg is looking for
• Know Kellogg’s program and how you can use it
• Prepare a winning application
• Make sure you get into Kellogg

Update : This article was originally posted on August 2, 2022. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

As a haven for globally and collaboratively minded leaders, Kellogg is one of the best places to prepare for a successful career solving some of the biggest problems in business. Considering that Kellogg offers one of the best-ranked MBAs out there, earning a spot at this school requires you to really stand out among the competition. 

In this guide, we will go through how to get into Kellogg. While many applicants think that simply marketing themselves well is enough to gain admission, successful applicants are the ones who understand a) who Kellogg is looking for, b) how Kellogg’s MBA program, community, and opportunities fit their profile and goals, and c) how to prepare a Kellogg-specific essay and interview. Read on for our expert advice on how to master these three things.

1. Understand who Kellogg is looking for

Growth is a key principle at Kellogg. 

According to Kellogg’s Admissions Team , “Growth is a challenge every leader and organization confronts – across sectors, markets, countries and economies. At Kellogg, we develop brave leaders who inspire growth in people, organizations and markets.”

Each year, Kellogg selects around 530 students to take part in its two-year program. Though there is no one “perfect” type of Kellogg student, the university does favor high test scores (the mean GMAT for the Class of 2025 was 731 and the average GRE score was 163 Quant, 163 Verbal ). 

Additionally, Kellogg is committed to admitting a diverse class, as the composition of the Class of 2025 reflects. 48% of the incoming class are female, 39% are international, 42% are U.S. students of color, and 9% identified as LGBTQ+. 

In our experience, Kellogg also responds well to applicants with a demonstrated history of giving back. 

So, if this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll have to think of the ways in which you align with the main characteristics of Kellogg’s students. This means forming your business school brand and then focusing on the aspects of that brand that align with changing the status quo, collaborative leadership, and giving back to society. 

2. Know Kellogg’s program and how you can use it

The second thing you must do to get into Kellogg is to know the MBA program and how it applies to your career goals. If you want to get into Kellogg, you really need to show the admissions committee why it’s a good fit for you (and why you’re a good fit for the community too)!

While you will have to do your own research to find the specifics of what aligns specifically with your goals and profile, below we are highlighting some of the main aspects of Kellogg’s MBA program so you can be informed about what makes it unique in comparison to other business schools.

Kellogg’s collaborative culture 

Kellogg is known for its integration of collaboration into its community, coursework, and activities. Most academic deliverables must be done in groups, and students must rate one another on their contributions. And with a strong emphasis on networking through opportunities like KWEST and a ton of extracurricular activities, students form tight bonds that go well beyond the MBA.

Student leadership opportunities

Kellogg has a number of opportunities to practice leadership on campus, whether it’s in the wide range of experiential learning courses and labs, global treks, or student-led clubs. For example, students must complete a Leadership and Crisis Management course during the pre-term orientation of year two, and the Asset Management Lab places students in a quarter-long internship with a local or national asset management firm, developing their capacities in deal selection, due diligence, and/or investment efforts.

Multiple degree options

Kellogg offers a wide range of degree options to fit students’ schedules and interests. Whether you need to continue working and thus pursue a part-time degree, or are interested in pursuing a major, joint degree, or pathway to specialize your degree, Kellogg has many options that can adapt to you.

Students who decide to specialize in a major can choose among the following areas: Economics , Finance , Marketing , Operations , Strategy , Managing Organizations , and Management Science . (Note: If you choose not to elect a major, “General Management” will be noted on your transcript.)

In addition to majors, Kellogg provides “pathways,” which are sequences of courses designed to address particularly relevant and high-demand skill sets or industries. Some of the current pathways offered include Data Analytics , Diversity, Equity and Inclusion , Entrepreneurship , Growth and Scaling , Healthcare at Kellogg , Real Estate , Social Impact , and Venture Capital & Private Equity . Students have the flexibility to pursue any number of pathways.

There are also four joint programs available: the MBAi program , in partnership with McCormick School of Engineering; the MMM program , which provides an MBA from Kellogg and an M.S. in Design Innovation from the Segal Design Institute; the JD/MBA program in conjunction with the Northwestern School of Law; and the MD/MBA program with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Looking for more than just a summary of the Kellogg MBA? Luckily, we’ve created a complete guide on Kellogg, including program specifics, MBA class profile, and Kellogg post-MBA salary and employment information. Additionally, we have dozens of sample Kellogg MBA essays (including MMM essays and sample video essay answers!) that got our past clients into Kellogg, plus essays for numerous other top schools, all in one place. Click to join !

3. Prepare a winning application

Last, but certainly not least, is knowing how to write an outstanding essay and prepare for a successful interview. Below are our top tips on succeeding at both of these key aspects of your Kellogg application!

Write an outstanding essay

Writing any admissions essay is a tough task , however, impressing Kellogg’s highly selective adcom is especially challenging. Below, we discuss how to successfully respond to Kellogg’s main essay questions.*

*Though these questions are accurate at the time of publication, check out our Kellogg Essay Analysis post for the most up-to-date questions and analysis. 

Essay 1 tips

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)

Though you may be tempted to cram in as many examples of leadership as you can in this question, Kellogg clearly asks you for a single experience, though they do not dictate that you must draw this example from your professional experience. 

As such, considering Kellogg’s focus on growth-minded leaders and on teamwork, brainstorm a list of examples in which you demonstrated collaborative leadership that created impact . Be sure to stick to the STAR framework to ensure you deliver a winning answer. 

End your essay by showing the result you were able to achieve (we suggest you focus on examples with positive outcomes) and what you learned about leadership in the process. If you have space, you may also include a conclusion sentence that shows how you will apply this lesson at Kellogg. 

Essay 2 tips

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

Kellogg’s second essay gives candidates the chance to show how they align with Kellogg’s values and explore how they make decisions. More importantly, it gives you the chance to show you are a self-aware, values-motivated leader with a clear vision for your future. 

When considering how to approach this essay, first take a look back at your personal and professional experiences to identify the “tipping points” in your life. What has led you to the point you are at now? What has made you YOU? The question specifically asks for “life and work” examples, so we suggest you try to make sure you cover who you are outside of the office as well. 

Then, describe not only what these experiences were, but also how they impacted who you are and your life choices. 

Finally, we suggest that you include two or three values in your essay. The Kellogg Admissions Committee has emphasized in the past that they prefer to see an essay that discusses more than one value, so make sure to show off different aspects of what makes you you!

TOP TIP: If you’re struggling to define what your values are to start with (a very common challenge for this essay!), you might want to check out this post , designed to help you define your values. 

To learn more about Kellogg’s essays (including how to complete its joint program, one-year, and optional essays) and check out sample essays that got our clients into Kellogg , click here !

*Note: these are the latest essay questions as of the date this guide was published, but we suggest that you check for recent changes, as schools often update their essay questions closer to the round 1 deadline. You can access Columbia’s essay questions and more application info here .

Prepare a winning interview

Unlike other business schools, all Kellogg applicants must interview. This means that making sure you shine in your interview is an especially difficult task. 

Kellogg interviews are conducted either by admissions committee staff or by alumni and usually last 45 to 60 minutes. Interviews with alumni tend to be slightly friendlier than interviews conducted by admissions committees. Nonetheless, the interviewer is still trying to gauge how solid your motivations for wanting to pursue an MBA are, how interested you seem in the Kellogg program, and if you truly have a growth mindset . 

Interviewers often ask many standard MBA interview questions, as well as questions designed to test just how collaborative you really are. You can also expect numerous follow-up questions. Usually, the Kellogg interview is blind, meaning the alumni interviewer will only have access to your CV. However, if you interview with the admissions committee, it’s safe to say they will have carefully read your application before your interview. 

Our clients who have interviewed with Kellogg in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly and demonstrated a genuine interest in their answers. Since Kellogg interviews all of its applicants, the pool of alumni interviewers is also larger and more diverse than most other schools. As such, though questions do tend to focus on standard MBA interview questions, be ready for anything.

Create a successful video essay

Kellogg applicants must also submit a video essay. 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. 

The questions asked by Kellogg are grouped into three different categories, each with a different focus: introducing yourself, explaining why you chose Kellogg, and talking about a challenge you faced. For more on how to respond to these questions, see our post on Kellogg’s video essays .

Make sure you prepare a successful Kellogg application

Getting into the Kellogg MBA is no easy feat. 

With multiple essays, numerous letters of recommendation, and admissions interviews, a successful application to Kellogg requires that you carefully think about all aspects of your profile and craft the most cohesive, compelling narrative possible. 

Starting from scratch, though, can leave many applicants like you feeling confused and uncertain they are developing an application that will impress the Kellogg admissions committee. 

That’s why we created our MBA Resource Center , which includes everything you need to get into the Kellogg MBA, all in one place . This includes dozens of sample essays, recommendation letter questions and guides, sample letters of recommendation, MBA CV templates, interview mock sequences, and even sample answers to the most common interview questions. 

In short, our Resource Center puts the Ellin Lolis Advantage into your hands, giving you exclusive access to the materials we used to help maintain our 98.9% success rate.

The Ellin Lolis MBA Resource Center has helped countless applicants around the world get into Kellogg. Sign up today to put this competitive advantage to work for you. 

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Kellogg — The Overview of the Kelloggs Food Company

The Overview of The Kelloggs Food Company

• Categories: Company Kellogg Mission Statement

About this sample

Words: 871 |

Published: Aug 30, 2022

Words: 871 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Overview of the company, strategic decisions.

• Growth strategy.
• Diversification strategy.
• Stability strategy.
• Time sensitive
• Encourage and bolster physical action in all divisions of the populace.
• Sponsor occasions worried about physical exercises and arrange network exercises concentrated on physical action.
• Create a feeling of ID between the organisation and physical action.
• Use the grains packs and wrappings to impart the 'balance' message to clients.
• To utilise sustenance marking that will influence clients to have the capacity to make the privilege choice about the parity of nourishment.

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José Andrés: Let People Eat

By José Andrés

Mr. Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen.

In the worst conditions you can imagine — after hurricanes, earthquakes, bombs and gunfire — the best of humanity shows up. Not once or twice but always.

The seven people killed on a World Central Kitchen mission in Gaza on Monday were the best of humanity. They are not faceless or nameless. They are not generic aid workers or collateral damage in war.

Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, John Chapman, Jacob Flickinger, Zomi Frankcom, James Henderson, James Kirby and Damian Sobol risked everything for the most fundamentally human activity: to share our food with others.

These are people I served alongside in Ukraine, Turkey, Morocco, the Bahamas, Indonesia, Mexico, Gaza and Israel. They were far more than heroes.

Their work was based on the simple belief that food is a universal human right. It is not conditional on being good or bad, rich or poor, left or right. We do not ask what religion you belong to. We just ask how many meals you need.

From Day 1, we have fed Israelis as well as Palestinians. Across Israel, we have served more than 1.75 million hot meals. We have fed families displaced by Hezbollah rockets in the north. We have fed grieving families from the south. We delivered meals to the hospitals where hostages were reunited with their families. We have called consistently, repeatedly and passionately for the release of all the hostages.

All the while, we have communicated extensively with Israeli military and civilian officials. At the same time, we have worked closely with community leaders in Gaza, as well as Arab nations in the region. There is no way to bring a ship full of food to Gaza without doing so.

That’s how we served more than 43 million meals in Gaza, preparing hot food in 68 community kitchens where Palestinians are feeding Palestinians.

We know Israelis. Israelis, in their heart of hearts, know that food is not a weapon of war.

Israel is better than the way this war is being waged. It is better than blocking food and medicine to civilians. It is better than killing aid workers who had coordinated their movements with the Israel Defense Forces.

The Israeli government needs to open more land routes for food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today. It needs to start the long journey to peace today.

In the worst conditions, after the worst terrorist attack in its history, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up. You cannot save the hostages by bombing every building in Gaza. You cannot win this war by starving an entire population.

We welcome the government’s promise of an investigation into how and why members of our World Central Kitchen family were killed. That investigation needs to start at the top, not just the bottom.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said of the Israeli killings of our team, “It happens in war.” It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the Israel Defense Forces.

It was also the direct result of a policy that squeezed humanitarian aid to desperate levels. Our team was en route from a delivery of almost 400 tons of aid by sea — our second shipment, funded by the United Arab Emirates, supported by Cyprus and with clearance from the Israel Defense Forces.

The team members put their lives at risk precisely because this food aid is so rare and desperately needed. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification global initiative, half the population of Gaza — 1.1. million people — faces the imminent risk of famine. The team would not have made the journey if there were enough food, traveling by truck across land, to feed the people of Gaza.

The peoples of the Mediterranean and Middle East, regardless of ethnicity and religion, share a culture that values food as a powerful statement of humanity and hospitality — of our shared hope for a better tomorrow.

There’s a reason, at this special time of year, Christians make Easter eggs, Muslims eat an egg at iftar dinners and an egg sits on the Seder plate. This symbol of life and hope reborn in spring extends across religions and cultures.

I have been a stranger at Seder dinners. I have heard the ancient Passover stories about being a stranger in the land of Egypt, the commandment to remember — with a feast before you — that the children of Israel were once slaves.

It is not a sign of weakness to feed strangers; it is a sign of strength. The people of Israel need to remember, at this darkest hour, what strength truly looks like.

José Andrés is a chef and the founder of World Central Kitchen.

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