Kellogg MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines 2023 – 2024

The MBA application journey is a unique blend of introspection, ambition, and strategy. And when it comes to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the stakes are high. Application essays can have a huge impact on the admission panel’s decision. These are the total game changers. We need to keep ourselves prepared beforehand for in-depth writing. Draft, revise, write, revise, edit, and proofread essays at least 2-3 times. These application essays plan an essential part of your selection, make sure you give them an ample amount of time. Now, let’s see how MentorMpact can help you write Kellogg’s essays.

Kellogg MBA Essay Question 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)

This essay is all about action. Instead of generic leadership claims, Kellogg wants to see how you’ve applied your skills in real-world situations. Start by painting a vivid picture of the challenge. Was it a project gone awry? A team conflict? Then, delve into your role. Highlight the skills you employed, from strategic thinking to emotional intelligence. And most importantly, showcase the results. Did you save a project from failure? Did you foster team harmony? Remember, Kellogg values teamwork, so don’t shy away from mentioning collaborative efforts.

The action plan that you can follow for this question is as follows:

Jot down all the experiences where you think you led your team, all of your leadership experiences you can think of!
Now, going precisely through the list, keep the ones which actually created some impact on the team or the company somehow.
Next step is to see which experience can be elaborated well and which one has led to a more impactful leadership. This will help you decide the one that you want to go for.
Lastly, know the structure of your essay! For this I would suggest (Challenge – Action – Results) framework. Start with the challenges that your team was facing, afterwards describe your action-plan. Then, jot down what the results were!
Handling an uncooperative team member or supervisor, making a choice based on incomplete information, persuading someone, administering a new project, meeting deadlines, and managing a client’s expectations are just a few examples.

Remember, Kellogg values teamwork, so don’t shy away from mentioning collaborative efforts.

Kellogg MBA Essay Question 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)

Kellogg’s program is known for its emphasis on values (in fact, “values-driven” candidates are listed among the qualities Kellogg seeks). This essay demands applicants to undertake a lot of self-reflection to figure out what values and beliefs are essential.

Diversity isn’t just about nationality or gender; it’s about experiences, perspectives, and values. For this essay you can follow the following structure:

To find the “tipping points” in your life, look back at your personal and professional experiences and jot down the values that influenced you and your life somehow.
To proceed, you can ask yourself a few questions. Reflect on moments in your life that shaped your worldview. Maybe it was a stint abroad, a unique project, or even a personal challenge. How have these experiences equipped you with a unique perspective? And how will this perspective benefit the Kellogg community? Be specific. Will you bring a fresh approach to case discussions? Or perhaps introduce a new perspective in team projects?
Also, please refrain from providing a huge list of values. You may only address 2-3 values, and explain how these principles have influenced your decisions and behaviors, how they shaped your personality.

Reapplicant essay

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)

This is an easy-to-follow re-applicant essay but yet the most important one. As a result, you should show your sustained interest in Kellogg by describing how you have improved your application since your previous submission.

This essay is ideal for applicants who want to showcase another talent, hobby, or experience that he/she has acquired in the previous one/two year. But remember, the key is displaying how SIGNIFICANTLY you’ve changed, not just THAT you’ve changed in some way.
You have to make the admission panel realize what skills you have gained and how you have worked on your weaknesses that were the reason for your rejection the previous time. Concentrate on the areas where you have progressed since your last application.
Elaborate on whether you’ve taken additional classes, improved your GMAT score, have been promoted, led a new and exciting project, increased your community activity, taken on a personal challenge, or defined your goals, the idea is to show that you’ve grown as a candidate.
In addition, your deliberate attempts to improve your profile and focus on your weak areas will demonstrate your commitment to your Kellogg MBA.

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.

Prepare for this as you would for an interview. While you should have key points in mind, avoid sounding scripted. Practice answering questions on camera to get comfortable. And remember, this is your chance to showcase your personality. Whether you’re passionate, analytical, or witty, let it shine through.

Some video essay tips that Kellogg has provided:

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.

For more details on how to prepare video essays, you can read: Best Practices For the Video Essay

Kellogg 2023-24 MBA application deadlines

Every year, there are three application deadlines for the Kellogg MBA program, with three significant dates for each round: Application Deadline, Interviews, and Decision Dates. You must present an application form by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the due day to be eligible for around.

There are three stages to the Kellogg MBA application process. The following are the application deadlines:

Round 1 September 13, 2023

Round 2 January 10, 2024

Round 3 April 3, 2024

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