Kellogg School of Management has opened its application for the 2024–2025 application cycle, updating its essay questions for 2024–2025 applicants. In doing so, Kellogg joined the list of top MBA programs that include a “goals” essay in their application. This is a change for Kellogg, which traditionally did not ask MBA applicants to directly discuss their goals or why Kellogg was a good fit in its essays.
In its second essay, Kellogg continues to ask applicants about leadership, but does so in a different way, tying in values. This change replaces Kellogg’s long-standing values essay.
See details below on the 2024-2025 essay questions and Personal MBA Coach’s tips on how to tackle them!
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The 2024–2025 Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines:
Round 1: September 11. 2024
Round 2: January 8, 2025
Round 3: April 2, 2025
Read Personal MBA Coach’s Top Tips For Tackling Kellogg’s MBA Essays Below!
Kellogg MBA Essay 1
Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here. (450 words)
Though Kellogg’s first essay is what Personal MBA Coach often considers a “goals/why MBA essay,” this question also includes a contribution element. With a 450-word limit and several questions to answer, it will be important to be succinct as you tell Kellogg what you plan to do after business school, why NOW is a good time in your career path to pursue an MBA, and how Kellogg specifically will help.
Personal MBA Coach recommends that you begin by briefly setting the stage for Kellogg in terms of where you are in your career and why now is a good time for you to make a transition. This is not the time to cover your past accomplishments in detail (leave this for your resume and the short-answer questions). However, it is important to illuminate for the reader where you currently are in your professional career and why NOW is a good time to pursue an MBA.
Next, share your career aspirations with Kellogg. Personal MBA Coach recommends discussing both your short-term and long-term goals here. Remember to select goals that are logical, ambitious, and achievable. (For more on how to think about MBA goals, check out this blog).
In your next section, let Kellogg know how they factor into this path. To do so, think about the skills you need to gain to be successful in your career and how a Kellogg MBA will help you develop these skills. While it is important to research Kellogg’s unique offerings, do not simply include a laundry list of things you will do on campus. Instead, be thoughtful in selecting a few specific classes, clubs, or programs you are interested in and how these will help you succeed.
Finally, show the value that you will add on campus, considering your uniqueness. While this essay is NOT a classic personal story essay and there will be limited space to include your story here, you should consider your specific areas of expertise (either personally, professionally, or both) and how you might share them with your peers and the broader Kellogg community.
Kellogg MBA Essay 2
Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (450 words)
For the second year in a row, Kellogg has reworked its leadership essay. While the objective is similar to that of recent years—giving Kellogg an example of how you are an accomplished leader—this year’s essay has a bit more depth to it. After removing the separate essay question on values, applicants must now weave their values into the leadership story.
Also new this year, candidates are instructed to use a professional example in this essay.
Be sure to think of a decision for which you can clearly articulate the challenge faced. This story should also be easy enough to explain that you do not have to waste too many words setting up the situation.
A strong essay will discuss the actions you took and show which specific leadership skills and values you called upon as you made the decision. MBA admissions committees today are increasingly looking for candidates who are interested in not only driving their specific businesses but also in creating value for broader society. Similarly, DEI remains top of mind.
While neither of these topics is specifically covered in this essay, keep these themes in mind as you choose a story to tell. You want to show the type of leader you will be by detailing how you have led in uncomfortable or difficult situations in the past.
Optional Kellogg MBA Application Essay
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. (250 words)
Personal MBA Coach always advises to tread carefully here, as less is more with optional essays.
Need help tackling these new Kellogg MBA essays? Check out our Comprehensive Packages to see how we support you!
Additional Kellogg MBA Application Essays
Kellogg requires candidates considering options other than the full-time MBA to answer these additional essay questions.
One-Year applicants: Why is the Kellogg One-Year Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (250 words)
MBAi applicants: Why is the Kellogg McCormick MBAi Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (450 words)
JD-MBA applicants: Why is the JD-MBA Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (250 words)
MMM applicants: Why is the MMM Program the right fit to help you reach your post-MBA career goals? And what unique academic, personal or professional experience do you bring into this specific program? (250 words)
This year, Kellogg asks applicants to the One-Year MBA program, MBAi, JD-MBA, or MMM program to answer an additional essay. For those unfamiliar with the MMM program, it is a dual degree program offering graduates both an MBA from Kellogg and an MS in Design Innovation from the Segal Design Institute at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.
The question for all four programs is essentially the same, but applicants to the MBAi have a little more space to work with.
Since you will discuss your career goals in Essay 1, these essays give applicants a chance to expand on their interests in these specific programs and how the specific offerings of each program are best suited to help them achieve their career goals.
Be specific here, outlining what you will take advantage of on campus and how each opportunity will help you.
You should also consider how you will contribute specifically to the program of your choice by sharing what you uniquely bring to the table. Be sure not to repeat anything already discussed in Essay 1.
Reapplicants are also required to answer one additional question:
Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)
Reapplicants should use the required additional essay to demonstrate growth. We advise candidates to review our tips for reapplicants before tackling this essay.
Finally, Kellogg has historically included video essay questions. Though not formally announced, we expect these will remain this year. See details below.
Kellogg MBA Video Essay Questions
“We’ve read your essays, we’ve read your resume — now we want you to bring all that to life in a video. Show us the person behind all those carefully crafted words. The video will be comprised of three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.”
This component of the application offers admissions committee members the chance to learn more about you on a personal level.
Once you submit your application and payment, you will be able to access the Kellogg video essay through your application status page. The school has not shared these essay questions in advance.
Read Personal MBA Coach’s tips for handling videos and other Kellogg MBA application extras.
Schedule a consultation today for 1:1 Kellogg application support including essay brainstorming and unlimited editing, resume review, and more!
