Kellogg MBA Application Guide

The Kellogg MBA program is looking for:

   An empathetic collaborator who can bring everyone to the table

  An innovator with a clear vision and entrepreneurial spirit

  People who are not afraid to question the status quo

For the Education section, the Kellogg MBA program requires:

These components of the application are a core part of showing the Admissions Committee the applicant’s experience and aptitude.

• Resume/CV:
  • A CV for Kellogg MBA can resemble a traditional job application but should be adapted for a broader audience, considering it will be evaluated by individuals from various backgrounds
  • Kellogg MBA does not mandate a specific format for the CV, provided it remains clear and comprehensible.
• Employment section:
  This part aims to give the Admissions Committee a deeper insight into the applicant’s professional journey, highlighting significant job changes and advancements. Applicants are encouraged to verify that all information included here is accurate
• Work experience:
  The Admissions Committee places high importance on professional experience, including military service, and highly encourages candidates to possess a minimum of two years of full-time work experience by the time they enrol

The following two essays are required of all applicants:

Question 1 (450 words):

Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg MBA 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 MBA 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.

• Kellogg MBA invites candidates to write a focused essay detailing their professional aspirations post-MBA, encouraging them to outline both immediate and long-term career objectives, as well as the broader impact they wish to achieve in their industry or community
• Applicants should provide a concise career summary that highlights any skill gaps they aim to address through an MBA from Kellogg MBA, emphasising how the program will help with their professional development
• The school seeks to understand what candidates can contribute to the Kellogg MBA community, urging them to think creatively about their involvement, such as organising events or bringing in speakers to enhance collective learning
• It’s essential for candidates to balance their personal growth with knowledge sharing, demonstrating how they plan to engage with clubs and activities that will foster their professional skills and leadership abilities
• To create a compelling essay, candidates must show a deep understanding of Kellogg’s MBA offerings, including its curriculum and extracurricular opportunities, by actively researching and connecting with alumni or current students

Question 2 (450 words):

Kellogg MBA 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.

• The reference to both boardrooms and neighbourhoods suggests a focus on community involvement. Choose an example that not only demonstrates an ability to inspire and lead others but also reflects candidates’ core values
• The question emphasises the importance of professional experiences beyond mere financial metrics. Applicants should focus on the complexities of their challenges, the values they upheld, and the lessons learned, particularly how these experiences shaped their leadership style. Whether the challenge was logistical, like managing team coordination, or interpersonal, such as building rapport with a difficult colleague, effective answers should highlight a transferable skill developed during the experience
• Applicants can consider using the STAR method:
  • Situation: Outline the context, including the key players and stakeholders involved
  • Task: Provide details about the task at hand and objectives. Clearly articulate challenges that the candidate has met, including the relationships and factors that influenced their decision-making process
  • Action: Provide a step-by-step account of how the candidate navigated the project or situation based on their decisions. This chronological narrative will help illustrate their thought process and leadership approach
  • Result: Conclude with the results of their efforts, showcasing the positive outcomes and resolutions achieved. Reflect on their growth as a leader and how this experience has equipped them to contribute meaningfully to the Kellogg MBA community in the future

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)

• This section is intended for discussing any potential liabilities or inconsistencies in the application, so applicants should keep their comments focused
• While applicants have the freedom to elaborate, Prep Zone advises that they should keep their answers succinct and respect the reviewer’s time
• If the candidate chooses to answer this question, it is recommended that they should maintain a humble tone, recognise the issue without excuses, and subtly highlight other strengths in their candidacy that could offset this concern

Applicants who select a specialty program as their backup option will be required to answer an extra question.

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)

• Concentrate on the concrete actions the applicant has undertaken in the past year to elevate their candidacy, such as taking on additional responsibilities at work, participating in relevant conferences, retaking the GMAT, or increasing their community engagement
• Highlight the reasons they feel more qualified for Kellogg MBA now compared to their previous application, showcasing their growth and commitment to their professional journey

Video essays provide the Admissions Committee with an opportunity to connect a name to a face, helping them evaluate if an applicant’s values and communication style align with the Kellogg MBA community.

Once candidates have submitted their application and payment, they can access the video essay via their Application Status Page.

The video will consist of three questions, each crafted to allow candidates to highlight their personality and share the experiences that have shaped their identity.

Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding the video essays:

• Video essays must be submitted within 96 hours following the application deadline
• Candidates will need a computer with internet access, a webcam, and a microphone
• Each question will allow candidates 20 seconds to think and 60 seconds to respond, with the entire video essay taking approximately 20-25 minutes to finish, including setup time
• After each response, there will be a brief upload period before the next question appears, so candidates should remain at their computer during this time to avoid missing any questions
• Prep Zone highly advises applicants to get acquainted with the format, as there will be no chance to redo answers once submitted

The three questions are interview-type and randomised. Here’s a list of questions one can expect:

• Introduce yourself by telling us something that is not on your resume
• ⁠How long have you considered pursuing an MBA? What have you learned about yourself and your goals?
• ⁠Tell us about a time when you realised you needed to ask for help to achieve a goal.
• How did you realise you couldn’t do it alone and what did you learn?
• What accomplishment are you proudest of?
• Tell us about an organization or activity to which you have devoted a significant amount of time. Why was it meaningful to you?
• What will your classmates be most surprised to learn about you?
• What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received that you also shared with other people? / What is the most important feedback you’ve ever received?
• Tell us about a time you worked with diversity in the workplace.

The Kellogg MBA program asks for two letters of recommendation. One must be from a current supervisor or manager, while the other should be from someone who can assess the candidate’s professional abilities and their potential for leadership and management, such as a former supervisor, past employer, or client.

Recommenders will need to describe their relationship with the candidate, fill out a leadership assessment, and respond to these three questions:

1. Kellogg MBA has a diverse student body and values students who are inclusive and encouraging of those with differing perspectives and backgrounds. Please tell us about a time when you witnessed the candidate living these values. (300 words)
2. How does the candidate’s performance compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (300 words)
3. 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 Kellogg MBA program welcomes all applicants to participate in an interview. These interviews are conducted virtually. Candidates will receive an email with details about their interview status and scheduling instructions. Invitations to interview are sent out on a rolling basis during the evaluation period, continuing until decisions are announced. Once scheduled, candidates cannot alter their interview time.

The interviewer, who will either be an alumnus or a member of the admissions committee, will have access only to the candidate’s CV before the interview, which typically lasts between 45 and 60 minutes.

The questions are generally based on the CV. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their career journey, their motivations for pursuing an MBA, their reasons for choosing Kellogg MBA, and their perspectives on teamwork and leadership. Some potential questions might include:

Career:

• Tell me about something that is missing from your resume that you’d like to share.
• What motivated you to transition to your present field?
• What challenges do you face in your current role?

 Why MBA/Kellogg:

• Why do you want an MBA? Why now?
• Why Kellogg?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals? How will Kellogg MBA help you achieve those goals?
• How do you see yourself making an impact within the Kellogg MBA community?

Teamwork and leadership:

• Can you share an experience when a colleague wasn’t contributing as expected? What actions did you take in that situation?
• How would teammates describe you?
• What are the key values that drive your leadership approach?