2021-2022 Kellogg MBA Essay Prompts
Two essays are required of all Kellogg MBA applicants:
- Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)
- Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)
Certain applicants will respond to additional questions: Refer to the Kellogg MBA admissions website for details.
Kellogg Essay 1: Create Lasting Value
This is your chance to tell a leadership story. Kellogg really wants to know how you influence those around you. Highlighting the value you delivered to your team and/or organization as a leader is the essence of a great response to this essay prompt. Building a model that impacted your company’s bottom line may be impressive, but it isn’t leadership.
Don’t fall into the trap of writing an entire leadership essay without talking about how you inspired and motivated others to contribute.
Kellogg recognizes the fact that not everyone has had the opportunity to directly manage others, but applicants do need to be able to tell a story about how they have influenced others in pursuit of a greater goal. This is what Adcom wants to hear. What was the situation? What were the stakes? How did you win over key stakeholders?
“Kellogg Admissions wants to know how your interpersonal skills will translate into their collaborative culture,” explained one former student admissions lead. “How will you drive value for the institution, marketplace, and society at large?”
He went on to emphasize the importance of using the active voice and writing about your individual contributions in this essay:
“In American culture, we are trained to talk about ‘we’ and ‘us’. Don’t do that here. Kellogg wants to understand how you lead, what you did to drive value – not just the actions of the collective group.”
Bringing it all together
Demonstrated leadership and a growth mindset are the raw intangibles that tie together Kellogg’s perennially collaborative and overtly social class.
How do you demonstrate these attributes? Start with a heavy dose of introspection, and be sure to emphasize empathy through your stories of leadership, influence, and personal high expectations. Show yourself to be curious and accepting of different cultures and viewpoints. It’s all about how and what you will add to the carefully constructed school culture that is assembled by admissions each year.
Kellogg Essay 2: Values