When we met with representatives of many of the top business schools at the annual AIGAC conference, every MBA admissions director was talking about how to make the admissions process more holistic and authentic for applicants. With this in mind, Northwestern Kellogg has attempted to simplify its application process and allow candidates’ authentic voice to shine through. The school now requires just one main essay and has expanded the video essay component to include five video questions.
Before we dig into how to approach these essays, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on what Kellogg values. You can find some insight into the Kellogg Experience on the school’s website. There, the program highlights the following: “a high-impact, high-empathy perspective”; “collaboration made possible with empathy”; “an empowered network of support”; “creativity + innovation = opportunity”; and “intentionality with a strong sense of purpose.” Keep these concepts in mind as you approach the Kellogg application and look for ways to connect with them through specific stories in your responses.
Here are Kellogg’s application deadlines for 2026–2027:
- Round 1: September 9, 2026
- Round 2: January 6, 2027
- Round 3: March 31, 2027
Let’s dig into the school’s essay questions and reflect on a strategy for answering them!
Essay Question (550 words max)
Part I: An MBA is a significant investment of time, energy, and resources, and the decision to pursue one deserves serious reflection. Tell us about the pivotal experiences and decisions that have brought you to this moment in your career, how they have shaped your ambitions, and why now is the right time to take this next step.
Part II: Now turn the lens outward: beyond what you hope to gain, what do you hope to contribute to the students who will learn alongside you?
While Kellogg has simplified its application to require just one essay, the school remains committed to understanding who its applicants are and how they have thoughtfully arrived at the decision to embark on a Kellogg MBA. It is reasonable to dedicate roughly half of your allotted word count (275) on each part of this two-part prompt.
For Part I, the admissions committee is asking you to share one or more pivotal experiences that have shaped your desire to obtain an MBA. Reflect on a specific project or situation that revealed a gap in your knowledge that the Kellogg MBA can fill. The program is also interested in the “why” behind your career goals and the specific direction you aim to take with your MBA, as well as why now is the right time for this transition.
For Part II, you have the opportunity to discuss how you will bring value to the school. To prepare yourself to respond effectively to this element of the prompt, spend time talking to Kellogg students and learning about clubs to identify areas where you can contribute to the overall Kellogg community and student experience. Giving two or three specific examples and explaining why and how you can be beneficial is more impactful than simply sharing a laundry list of options without substantiating your claims.
Re-applicants
Re-applicants 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)
Take this at face value and answer the questions asked about how you have new professional and personal accomplishments since your previous application. This could be an improved test score, a new course or professional certification, or even a promotion. Be specific in sharing how you have become a stronger candidate since the last time you applied.
Inside the Application
You will also encounter the following question in the Kellogg application:
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.
Use your emotional intelligence to determine whether you need to submit a response to this question. Clearly, if you have a gap in your work history or a recommender situation that could benefit from some brief clarification, provide it here. Offer some context for anything about your profile or candidacy that could be confusing for the admissions team, but also be aware that it is fine to not use this section if no explanations are needed.
Kellogg notes on its website the following about its MBA application process:
“Each applicant is allowed to apply to one full-time Kellogg program per year. Once you submit your application, you have the option to select one alternate Full-Time Program of interest and/or the Kellogg Evening & Weekend MBA Program. If you select an alternate program, you’ll be asked to provide a short paragraph explaining your interest in the other program.”
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 five questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.
As a result of the Kellogg admissions committee’s desire to get to know you in an authentic way, the have increased the video essay portion of the application from three to five questions. Don’t stress about this, and certainly do not try to plug the questions into AI so you can simply read a scripted answer. That’s a fast pass to the ding pile because it will do nothing to advance your application forward. Instead, practice answering behavioral questions. You can also practice within the platform itself before you do your official recording.
Here is Kellogg’s guidance for approaching its video essays:
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- 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 30 minutes to complete, which includes time for setup.
The admissions committee also offers these 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 to help you prepare.
- 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 a brief moment to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response.
The school’s admissions team has described these video essays as the “exclamation point” of the application, something they watch after they have finished reviewing the other parts of your application. This video component gives you the opportunity to share your authentic self. Answer the questions the way you would if you were having a conversation with someone, and ideally, provide examples that share new elements of your profile and add to what you have already provided in your written essays and short answers.
For more insight into how Stratus can help you apply to Kellogg and other top MBA programs, reach out to us to schedule a free consultation.