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2023-2024 Kellogg MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

Admit expert.

• August 10, 2023

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

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

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

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Kellogg MBA essays for the 2024 admissions

Kellogg mba application deadlines, kellogg mba essay analysis, video essay, other essays, let us help you get into kellogg, written essays.

All applicants are expected to submit the following two essays:

Essay Prompt 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?

Essay Prompt 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?

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

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

Kellogg 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)

Essay 1 Analysis

This question aims to explore various facets, prompting you to not only discuss your skills but also their evolution, application in challenging situations, effectiveness, and the ultimate outcomes. This comprehensive framework provides a platform to showcase the breadth of skills and talents you offer. By skillfully navigating these elements, you can make efficient use of the word limit and demonstrate to the admissions committee that you embody the qualities of a Kellogg Leader.

How to start writing this essay?

The first thing you should know what qualities Kellogg MBA adcom looks for and use those stories which highlight these qualities.

Some of the qualities Kellogg looks for are:

• Strong, empathetic leader
• Thinking outside the box, innovation, problem solving
• Empathy, creativity, adaptability
• Community, collaboration
• High impact, low ego leader
• Diversity, equitably/inclusion

Now follow this framework to create a structure for the essay 1

• Start by delving into the concern you identified, providing a clear explanation of its significance and why you felt compelled to address it. Explain the reasons behind your decision to take action.
• Move on to describing your approach to making a difference. Detail the specific areas where your skillset came into play during the strategic planning process. Showcase how your abilities were crucial in shaping your strategy.
• Summarize the tangible outcomes that emerged from your strategic efforts, underscoring the positive impact you were able to generate within the community. Highlight the transformative changes that resulted from your actions.
• Conclude by outlining the valuable insights you gained from this experience. Discuss how these takeaways will inform your future endeavors and demonstrate your commitment to applying these lessons in various contexts. 

Here are a few tips to help this essay

Outline concerns & skills

Before you begin writing the essay, set aside some time to create a list of challenges you’ve faced in both your professional workplace and your community. From this list, choose a particular concern that you personally tackled, demonstrating the full extent of your skill set. Take a deeper look within to understand why this specific skill set was crucial in addressing the issue. This form of mind mapping encourages thoughtful consideration of each aspect, allowing you to discuss them in a coherent and relevant manner within your essay.

Impact and accomplishment

When addressing impact and accomplishments, begin by describing the tangible results or material outcomes that stemmed from your actions. Before delving into your key takeaways, consider discussing these outcomes within the context of the ‘community’ aspect, aligning with the question’s emphasis on leadership and influence within communities. Be it in the boardroom or the neighborhood, emphasize how your skills have been harnessed to enhance the lives of others.

Once you’ve outlined the direct consequences of applying your skills and implementing your strategy, transition into discussing your takeaways. Reflect on the lessons you gained from these experiences and briefly mention how you intend to apply these insights in the future.

It’s beneficial to research and understand the attributes of a Kellogg leader – what qualities the admissions committee is seeking. Aligning your responses with these expectations can strengthen your essay and present you as a candidate embodying the traits they value.

Do you want to impress Kellogg’s Adcom?

At Admit Expert, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Schedule a free call with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

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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)

The Kellogg values, often referred to as their ‘purpose,’ are summarized as “To educate, equip, and inspire leaders who build strong organizations and wisely leverage the power of markets to create lasting value.” Examining this statement in the context of the question reveals their belief in the transformative potential of diverse thought and opinions within leadership. Such diversity can ignite change and drive superior performance compared to organizations led by a homogenous group. This notion resonates with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices, where the incorporation of diverse perspectives is believed to drive change, expand the talent pool, enhance financial performance, foster innovation, and facilitate decision-making .

In this context, it becomes crucial to demonstrate your engagement with individuals from various backgrounds, your exposure to international settings, and your experience across different industries. These experiences enrich your perspective, offering a breadth of acquired knowledge and resources that enable you to approach challenges from a novel angle.

In your essay, spotlight the distinctive blend of personal and professional experiences that have broadened your worldview. Emphasize how these encounters have introduced you to fresh ideas, diverse individuals, and new vantage points, enabling you to reevaluate and expand upon your previous understanding.

Tips to write Essay 2 effectively

First follow this framework

• Begin by introducing the specific personal and professional experiences you’ve chosen to highlight.
• Elaborate on the valuable insights gained and the skills honed through these experiences.
• Transition into outlining your strategic approach for applying these learnings and skills within the Kellogg community. Emphasize the distinctive contributions you aim to bring to the table, aligning with Kellogg’s ethos.
• Conclude by discussing your vision for integrating these takeaways with Kellogg’s values in your post-MBA professional pursuits. Illuminate how you plan to synergize these principles to drive positive change and influence in your future endeavors.

Follow these essay tips

Sort carefully

Given that this essay encompasses both your professional and personal experiences, there’s a wealth of material to navigate. It’s advantageous to categorize both these areas and assess which instances best illustrate your interactions with diverse individuals and situations.

To facilitate this process, consider the following aspects: where, what, who, and how.

• Where: Reflect on the environments or settings where you encountered diversity. This could be within workplaces, community involvement, travel experiences, or educational contexts.
• What: Identify the specific encounters or situations that exposed you to diversity. Whether it’s collaborating with internatinal teams, participating in cultural events, or engaging with varied perspectives during projects.
• Who: Recognize the key individuals who played a role in facilitating these experiences. This could include mentors, colleagues, friends from different backgrounds, or community leaders.
• How: Analyze how these experiences were facilitated. Was it through networking, volunteering, seeking out opportunities, or participating in cross-cultural initiatives?

By addressing these fundamental questions, you can effectively pinpoint experiences that underscore your takeaways. You can then elaborate on how these insights will contribute to enriching the Kellogg community. This structured approach ensures you highlight the depth and breadth of your exposure and its potential impact on your contribution to the Kellogg environment.

Discuss application

Equally essential is the exploration of how you intend to apply these takeaways and lessons. To ensure a balanced treatment, avoid relegating the latter half of the question to just a few lines. While briefly touching upon your experiences is important, the primary focus should shift towards how you plan to leverage these insights at Kellogg and the unique value you’ll contribute to an equally talented and diverse cohort.

Highlight a range of qualities garnered from your experiences, emphasizing how they enrich your interpersonal and communication skills. These enhanced abilities lead to effective interaction and a personable demeanor, allowing you to adeptly navigate challenging group dynamics. For example, if you’ve acquired proficiency in one or more languages during your personal or professional journey, you could discuss how this linguistic skill fosters deeper connections. Understanding people in their native tongue enables you to build friendships and establish rapport, particularly with individuals from diverse backgrounds. In doing so, you will be able to showcase how your skills align with the Kellogg values.

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

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

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

There are 3 video essays:

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

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

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

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

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

Additional Information

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

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

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

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

Reapplicants 

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

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

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

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

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

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

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Tuesday Tips: Kellogg MBA Essay Tips 2023-2024

If you are getting ready to apply to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management this year, these Kellogg MBA essay tips will help you prepare to knock it out of the park. The Kellogg School is a close-knit community that values a diverse community and philanthropy. Our insiders tell us that candidates who show the right combination of high-impact leadership and humility demonstrate “Kellogg DNA.”

Is Kellogg the right fit for you? To find out, do your research. For example, what are the programs, activities, clubs, and classes you are most excited about? While you are talking to students and alumni, look for ways you will contribute to the Kellogg MBA community.

Advice From One of SBC’s Resident Kellogg Experts

Caryn Altman, a tenured consultant on our SBC team, previously served as a Kellogg admissions officer and also holds an MBA from the school. For these Kellogg MBA essay tips, Caryn describes the importance of “unique points of difference” throughout your entire application—essays, resume, interview, etc. It can be challenging to distinguish yourself from other applicants of similar backgrounds.

“This is especially the case for those coming from oversubscribed professional backgrounds such as consulting and banking, along with oversubscribed populations from particular areas of the world,” Caryn notes.

Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.

Kellogg MBA Essay Tips

Essay one: 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).

This essay focuses on leadership using a behavioral essay framework (the clue is “tell us about a time…”). Details about exactly what you did, said, and learned provide details about your skills.

As you structure the essay, spend some time setting up the background of the story. Then use most of the space to describe what you did, thought, felt, and how you behaved. Also, use details to entice the reader and set yourself apart. A few well-placed specifics will add color without adding length to these Kellogg MBA essays. Make sure you are outlining the skills that you used in this example.

If you choose a challenging situation that you overcame, make sure you demonstrate lessons learned. In addition, describe the various skills you used. Also, a willingness to be open to feedback and improve will be an asset.

As you consider the skills you highlight in your example, do not neglect teamwork, a Kellogg core value. Your leadership experience is likely part of a team at work or in an extracurricular activity. Also, collaboration demonstrates maturity and social skills. Finally, make sure you explain what you accomplished in this example. Ideally, it is impactful to the organization and those around you.

Essay Two: 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)

This essay question is a hybrid of a classic career goals essay and a personal essay. Kellogg is interested in candidates who can integrate their values into their personal and professional goals. This question is also looking for what is unique about you. The ideal Kellogg class is a diverse group of people with varied backgrounds.

Consider what you will contribute from your unique background. Therefore, the story you tell provides insight into your decision to pursue an MBA. During the brainstorming process, you might come up with a whole list of facts about your background and perspective. Think about your upbringing, family background, places you have lived, and the people who have influenced you. Also, is there anything surprising about you? Because this isn’t a question about your entire work and life, choose only one or two main experiences to share.

Learn more about this program on B-Schooled Podcast #86 : Spotlight on Kellogg School of Management

The Video Essay

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

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.

Watching a video essay gives the admissions committee a truer sense of who you are. Therefore, the Kellogg admissions committee advises: “Be yourself. We don’t want scripted answers — we want to get to know you and learn something new. Please do not try to reuse an example from an essay that might, in some roundabout way, answer the video essay question asked. We already read that essay, so why tell us that story again?”

Kellogg’s video essays should reveal your personality. Preparation will help you be comfortable and be yourself when you are recording the video. That said, it’s essential not to sound as if you are “acting.”

Also, it would be useful to do a few rounds of practice in front of the camera to get comfortable. Draft a friend or family member to ask you some common interview questions and record your answers. Think of a few personal stories about your background that may be good examples for the video questions you are presented with.

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)

Provide tangible evidence that you have improved your candidacy in this answer. Some visible improvements could be a higher GMAT score. Also, grades from any new quantitative classes you took.

In addition, you could describe a promotion at work or new volunteer activities. Another area could be increased responsibility at work or in your extracurriculars. Or, discuss how your career goals have changed. Finally, you could focus on how you have refined your personal goals.

Now that you’ve seen these Kellogg MBA essay tips, would you like personalized help with your MBA applications? Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your needs, from our All-In Partnership  to test prep to hourly help with targeted tasks. Contact us today for a  free 15-minute advising session  to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.  Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on  our SBC team .

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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How to apply

Applying to the Full-Time Kellogg MBA Program

Discover key tips on how to prepare for and navigate the application process.

We are thrilled you’re interested in the Kellogg School of Management and can’t wait to learn more about you. Our application process is designed to give us a sense of who you are, what drives you, and why you think Kellogg is the right place for you. And just remember — you’re not alone in this process! Our admissions team is available to answer any questions you may have.

As you get started, and throughout this process, we recommend becoming familiar with what is required for each section of the application. You’ll see information and key resources sprinkled out below to help you prepare, navigate and successfully complete your application.

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While test scores and work experience are an important part of an application, your candidacy isn't based on those components alone. We take everything into account, including your values, goals, and the impact you’ve had on your organization.

We value individuals who:

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

What we look for:

• Academic readiness
• Work experience
• Professional goals
• Interpersonal skills

Application process

The most important thing you can do during this process is to be your authentic self. We can’t stress enough that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers. Rather, we encourage you to tell your story as authentically and honestly as possible, because we truly want to get to know you and the experiences that helped shaped you as a person, student, and employee.

Criteria for admission

Eligibility.

A bachelor’s or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university by the time of matriculation is required to apply. Previous study in business or economics is not required, with the exception of the One-Year Program . Since much of the MBA curriculum utilizes quantitative skills, we encourage students to complete introductory courses in calculus and statistics prior to enrolling.

Evaluation and Assessment

When we evaluate our applicants, a few qualities really stand out to us, including the ability to push past comfort zones and question the norm. These qualities help us understand if an applicant is ready to seize all of the opportunities that come with joining Kellogg.

The committee assesses your:

• Application responses
• Transcripts

Test scores

• Letters of recommendation
• Interview report

Video essays

For international candidates, the committee also assesses:

• TOEFL or IELTS

Professional experience

The committee also values professional experience, including military service, that has provided a breadth and depth of skills and experiences to serve as a foundation for the MBA classroom. We look for people who are not afraid to question the status quo, can motivate a team to drive impact, and are eager to dive in and collaborate with an engaged, ambitious community of peers.

Program of interest

There is no "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to business, so why should your MBA be any different? At Kellogg, we are proud to offer five distinct Full-Time MBA Programs  — One-Year , Two-Year , MBAi , MMM , and JD-MBA  — all uniquely designed to fit your personal and professional goals. If you haven’t already, we highly encourage you to research all program options to make sure you’ve found the right fit for your needs.

Each applicant is allowed to apply to one full-time Kellogg program per year . Once you submit your application, you will be given the option to select one alternate Full-Time MBA program of interest and/or the Kellogg Evening and Weekend MBA program. Individuals who select an alternate program will be asked to provide a short paragraph explaining why they are also interested in the alternate program.

These components of the application are core to evaluating your experience and aptitude, giving us a better idea of your ability to tackle the challenging MBA curriculum.

Tips for Employment and Resume/CV

You’ll be asked to provide a current resume or CV as part of the application. It should be similar to one you would use for a job application, but tailored to a more general audience as it will be reviewed by those with different backgrounds. You are not obligated to submit it in a specific format or length. Instead, try to ensure our team can look at your resume and application and easily understand your professional background and accomplishments.

In addition to submitting a copy of your resume/CV, you’ll also complete an employment section of the application to provide us with a more in-depth understanding of your career history, key transitions between jobs, and promotions. Make sure to double-check the accuracy of the information in this section.

Education and transcripts

Your education is a major part of how you got here today, and we want to make sure we understand all parts of it. We ask that you list all colleges, universities and study abroad programs you have attended or are currently attending. Please note:

• If the grades you received from a study abroad program are on your transcripts, you do not need to submit a separate transcript for that program.
• If the grades from your study abroad program are not included in your transcript, you do need to submit a separate transcript for that program.
• Transcripts from transfer programs are not required if grades are included on the transcript of the degree-granting institution.
• Hard copies of official transcripts are only required upon matriculation.
• Your transcripts must have a conferred date or you will need to submit a copy of your diploma and you must have a conferred degree prior to your expected matriculation to Kellogg.
• Applicants accepted to the JD-MBA Program must submit two sets of official transcripts — one to Kellogg and one to Northwestern Law.
• If academic records and diplomas are not originally issued in English, you must submit both the original record and an authorized verbatim English translation.

All records must show your name, the name of the institution, enrollment dates, courses taken, units of credit, marks or ratings in each subject, and rank in the total class or group (if available).

Kellogg requires you to submit a GMAT, GMAT Focus, or GRE score; no preference is given to one particular test so choose the option that works best for you. If you’re interested in seeing a typical score range, check out our latest Class Profile. Note that we do not have a minimum acceptable score.

Please request that official test scores are sent to Kellogg by using one of the following school codes:

• Our GMAT and GMAT Focus code is 6WZ-3J-89.
• Our GRE code is 7921.

Important facts

• For those submitting a test score, you must submit a complete application prior to the expiration date of your GMAT/GMAT Focus/GRE score.
• Only valid test scores will be considered.
• Test scores are just one criterion our admissions team considers and not the only indicator for success in business school.
• GMAT/GMAT Focus/GRE scores are valid for five years.

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.

Written essays

The following two essays are required of all applicants:

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 ?

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?

C ertain applicants will respond to an additional question about their interest in our specialty programs. 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)

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.

Letters of recommendation are particularly useful to us because they provide insight into your experience and accomplishments as a leader through the eyes of someone else.

You’ll need to submit two letters of recommendation for your application to be considered complete. Ideally, one letter should come from a current supervisor or manager. The second should come from someone who can evaluate your professional performance and your managerial/leadership potential (e.g., former supervisor, previous employer, client).

Please choose your recommenders carefully as additional letters of support are neither required nor encouraged.

Have your recommenders respond to the following prompts:

• Kellogg has a diverse student body and values students who are inclusive and encouraging of others with differing perspectives and backgrounds. Please tell us about a time when you witnessed the candidate living these values. (300 words)
• How does the candidate's performance compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (300 words)
• Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250 words)

The application fee is $250. Submit your payment via credit card with the application. Do not send payments directly to Kellogg.

Fee waivers are granted to:

• Active duty U.S. military applicants or U.S. military veterans who have been on active duty within three years of applying.
• Candidates employed by Teach For America, AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps within the past three years.
• Forte MBA Launch, JumpStart Network, Posse Scholar, Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) and Riordan Program members, fellows and alumni. Those who request an app fee waiver at the time of submitting their applications will be prompted to provide supporting documentation for review. 

Active duty U.S. military or U.S. military veterans, Teach For America, AmeriCorps or Peace Corps applicants:

If you qualify for a fee waiver, send a formal request to [email protected] before you submit your application. Provide supporting evidence of your current employment or military status. Military applicants should submit either a pay stub or a letter from a commanding officer to verify active duty status. For military veterans who have completed service within the last three years, please submit a copy of Form DD-214. 

Candidates may not be considered for more than one program at a time. Please note that all application fees are non-refundable.

The interview provides an opportunity for you to learn more about our community. It also allows the admissions committee to further evaluate your interpersonal and communication skills, career focus and motivations for pursuing a Kellogg MBA.

Virtual interviews

All interviews are currently virtual. You will receive an email regarding the status of your interview and scheduling instructions.

Interview waiver

Due to the high demand for interviews and the limited availability of interviewers, you may receive an interview waiver. If your interview is waived, the admissions committee may contact you if further information is needed to make a decision on your candidacy.

All interview requests are final

You may not change your interview after it is scheduled. If you are unable to attend your interview, please contact the Office of Admissions at 847.491.3308 to cancel your request and the office will issue an interview waiver. Waivers do not have an impact on an applicant's candidacy; we will reach out directly if further information is needed to render a decision.

Work experience is recommended

We strongly recommend that you have at least two years of full-time work experience upon matriculation. We firmly believe work experience will enrich your academic experience and allow you to fully participate in classroom discussions and group projects.

Best time to apply

Applying early may be advantageous for grants, scholarships or on-campus housing preferences. Candidates who apply in Round 1 or 2 can also take advantage of our admitted-student weekends.

We admit candidates for all programs during all three rounds. We encourage international candidates to apply in Round 1 or 2 to allow time for visa processing. We also tend to admit One-Year MBA and MMM students in Round 1 or 2 to accommodate the programs’ early start date.

Updates to your application

You may submit employment changes, grades for recent classes, or new test scores to your application after submitting it. We encourage you to add this update directly to your application. To do this, please sign in to your application and then add your update in the supplemental information page. Please note that there is no guarantee that we will consider this information prior to rendering a decision.

Deferral requests are rarely granted and considered on a case-by-case basis. We ask that you provide a detailed explanation for the request and appropriate documentation.

Applying with your spouse or partner

If you are applying with your partner:

• Each application is assessed independently
• You may note that you are applying with your partner

Feedback on applications

We do not provide application feedback to those who were not admitted to our incoming class.

Make sure you keep these important dates on your radar throughout your application process.

• Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. CT on the application deadline date.
• If you’re an international applicant, we encourage you to apply in Round 1 or 2 to allow time for your visa application.

Decision notifications

Once our decisions are made, we will email you a link to your application status page where you can learn of your acceptance status.

Preparing for the Kellogg Full-Time MBA Application

Three key areas of the kellogg full-time mba program application, telling your story on your kellogg full-time mba application, contact us about the full-time mba program at kellogg.

Full-Time MBA Application Deadlines

Round 1:  Sept. 13, 2023 Round 2:  Jan. 10, 2024 Round 3:  April 3, 2024

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