Northwestern Kellogg values individuals; who you are as a person, what you’ve done, and how you will engage with the school’s greater community are all very important. Academics and work experience are also key parts of your profile, but the school’s essay prompts seek to elicit more information about your personality, values, and goals so the adcom can determine your “fit” with its program. That is one of the reasons Kellogg requires video essays as well.

Kellogg has an excellent video on preparing its application, and I urge you to watch it so you’ll understand better what the adcom is looking for. In addition, Kellogg provides detailed explanations of its different MBA programs so you can identify the one that is right for you. Each MBA program requires you to submit essays, and in some cases, you must also provide an additional essay related to the specific dual degree being pursued (e.g., MBA/JD, MMM, MBAi).

Ready to get to work on your Kellogg application? Read on. 

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? 

Part I of this essay prompt seeks to elicit an honest answer from you as to why you want an MBA from Kellogg. It isn’t that different from the typical question “Why do you want an MBA?” but requires a more thoughtful and personal answer. Vague generalizations from AI won’t suffice as a response. Additionally,  don’t offer a statement like “I need to hone my business skills” or “An MBA from Kellogg will enable me to advance in my career.” Such basic declarations really say nothing! You could hone your business skills on YouTube or Coursera and advance your career by working with a mentor or transferring to a different functional area within your company. Even worse would be saying that you’ve reached a plateau when you only have a few years of work experience. Such a claim implies that you don’t have anything else to learn at your job, and for most jobs, there is always something new to learn because of outside forces or changes in the C-suite. Reflect on your authentic reasons for pursuing an MBA, and give the Kellogg adcom specific examples in your essay. Perhaps there was an instance in your past when you realized you didn’t know how to manage your team well, or maybe you’ve observed coworkers with MBAs and been intrigued by their strategic approach to problem-solving. 

In addition to pinpointing critical moments that have fueled your motivation to take the next step on your professional journey, you need to provide specifics about your goals. “I intend to be a project manager with Amazon, Google, or Microsoft” would be a poor answer, as would “I want to do strategic consulting.” Make sure to convey why the post-MBA position you have chosen to pursue is important to your career vision. Additionally, many companies have been laying off employees recently, so make sure you are aware of any current employment trends in your area of interest. To ensure that you’re in alignment with what firms are looking for and that your career goal is feasible, review job descriptions on your target company’s website. What positions is it hiring for, and what do applicants for those positions have to know? Demonstrating that you understand the relevant skills you already have and the skills you still need to strengthen or build will show the adcom that you have done your research and that your goals are concrete and achievable.

Part II of the essay prompt turns from outlining what you’ll gain from the MBA to what you will contribute to the Kellogg community. Consider how your classmates’ business school experience will be richer because you are a part of it. Identify something in your background that sets you apart from other applicants and how it would make a positive impact on others. This doesn’t have to be a professional quality, though it can be. Consider values that you cherish, hobbies that might help bring a group together, ideas for a business to start discussions, or even research you’ve done on your own. Take a look at Kellogg’s class profile to see where your classmates have come from, with respect to both country and industry. If you are an international candidate, you might have a unique perspective on cultural and educational influences on business in your country. In the end, you want to convey unequivocally how your peers will benefit from these aspects of who you are.

Reapplicant Essay (250 words)

Reapplicants 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?

For this and any other reapplicant essay, you need to show what’s changed in your life and candidacy since your previous application. It could be a new test score, a promotion, or simply a reevaluation of your goals. Keep your message short and to the point, and don’t reiterate anything you said in your previous application essays. 

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.

Some things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:

• 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. 

Here are some additional 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.

Your video essay doesn’t need to be a Hollywood-perfect documentary! Don’t over-rehearse or read from a script. You won’t know the questions until you’ve submitted your application, but they are usually about something you know, and you will have time to prepare for them.  

Practice speaking into a camera and record yourself to make sure you are looking at the camera lens, not somewhere else. Also, speak slowly and clearly. If you rush, you’ll look nervous, and worse, your listeners might not be able to understand what you are saying. Have a neutral background with lighting in front of you. And lock the doors so no one can interrupt you while you are recording. 

Kellogg isn’t trying to trip you up with this video component; the adcom just wants to find out who you are apart from your work. In truth, they are looking for reasons to admit you – to see how you will add to their community – so breathe deeply, do a few practice runs before you begin (to be sure your equipment is working), and don’t forget to smile!

Kellogg application deadlines

	Application Deadline	Decision Released
Round 1	September 9, 2026	December 9, 2026
Round 2	January 6, 2027	March 24, 2027
Round 3	March 31, 2027	May 12, 2027

Source: Northwestern Kellogg website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Kellogg directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Kellogg class profile

Here is a look at the Kellogg MBA Class of 2027 (data taken from the Kellogg website):

Class size: 534

International: 37%

U.S. veterans: 9%

Average GMAT Focus score: 687

GMAT Focus score range: 515-775

Average GMAT legacy score: 733

GMAT legacy score range: 680-770

Average GRE Verbal: 162

GRE Verbal range: 149-170

Average  GRE Quant: 162

GRE Quant range: 146-170

Average GPA: 3.68

GPA range: 2.7-4.0

Undergraduate majors:

• Economics and business: 49%
• Science, technology, engineering, mathematics: 41%
• Humanities: 21%

Average years of work experience: 5.1

Industry background:

• Consulting: 32%
• Financial services: 24%
• Technology/Communications: 15%
• Healthcare/Biology: 6%
• Other: 6%
• Military: 5%
• Consumer products: 3%
• Manufacturing: 3%
• Media and entertainment: 3%
• Government/Education/Nonprofit: 2%
• Energy: 1%

Getting into Kellogg, or any of the top-tier MBA programs, is very competitive. Schedule a free consultation, and we’ll match you with an experienced admissions consultant who will work with you one-on-one to create an outstanding application and prepare you to ace your interview. So give yourself the edge, and get accepted!

Related Resources:

• Which B-School Is Best for You?
• The Business School Selectivity Index: GMAT Scores, GPAs, and MBA Acceptance Rates
• Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for MBA Applicants