Kellogg School of Management is renowned for its collaborative culture, leadership development, and excellence in marketing and general management. Its two-year MBA program blends academic rigor with a strong emphasis on teamwork, experiential learning, and global exposure. With deep ties to top consulting, tech, and marketing firms, Kellogg is especially well-regarded for producing well-rounded, team-oriented leaders who thrive in dynamic, people-driven environments.

Essay Analysis

Essay 1 

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

Word limit: 450 words

Tips:

Kellogg doesn’t want a résumé robot it wants builders. People who lead with curiosity, roll up their sleeves, and actually do things. The new career goal text boxes? Use them to get the logistics out of the way short- and long-term goals, check. That frees your main essay to bring the human. Show how you learn, lead, and help others rise. This place runs on student energy folks juggling dual majors, launching ventures, shaping clubs. So don’t just say you’ll “contribute” show how you’ve done it before, and how you’ll do it again at Kellogg. Whether it’s experiential programs like GIM, or co-chairing a club, or proposing a new workshop show you’re someone who doesn’t wait for permission. That’s the kind of energy Kellogg says yes to.

Essay 2 

Kellogg 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 experiences, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style (a.k.a. “lesson learned”)

Word Limit: 450 words

Tips:

Kellogg doesn’t want the flashiest title or your biggest win it wants to see what kind of person you are when things get messy. This prompt is your shot to show that. Don’t lead with the glittery headline. Lead with the decision that tested your values. Maybe you put your team’s well-being over a client deadline. Maybe you pushed back on a bad call, even if it meant taking a hit. That’s the story they want one where you chose people over ego, growth over glory. Show the messiness. The tension. What made it hard. What voices pulled you in which direction. And then show how you navigated it not like a hero with perfect instincts, but as a real human who made a call, learned something, and grew. If you've got a second, smaller story to back up that learning, even better it proves the lesson stuck. Keep the setup short, ditch the jargon, and focus on the interpersonal friction. That’s where your EQ shines. Remember: Kellogg’s about high impact, low ego. They want leaders who listen, adapt, and help others win. So give them that.

Optional Essay 

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.

Word Limit: 280 words

Tips:

If you’re writing an optional essay, keep it clean, calm, and real. This isn’t the space for drama or excuses it’s where you explain what happened, own your part, and show what’s changed. Poor grades? Say why, briefly. Maybe you were working two jobs, lacked guidance, or just weren’t ready back then but don’t just stop there. Show proof of your growth: better performance in key classes, a strong GMAT, or how you now handle complex analytical work at your job. Low test scores? Don’t whine. Point to academic or professional wins that show the test doesn’t define you and if you’re retaking it, share that with clarity, not desperation. Gaps in your résumé? Be honest. Laid off? Say so and focus on what you did with that time (volunteering, upskilling, or simply getting your head back in the game). Not using your current boss as a recommender? That’s fine just explain why and why your chosen recommender actually knows your work better. The golden rule: stay mature, stay factual, and focus on how you’ve grown. Optional essays aren’t about being perfect they’re about showing resilience, accountability, and self-awareness. That’s what schools care about.

Short Answer Question 1

Share with us the motivations behind your desired industry/function after graduating from Kellogg.

Word Limit: 500 words

Tips:

This isn’t just a place to drop buzzwords and job titles. It’s your shot to connect the dots to show the reader that this career path isn’t some random post-MBA whim, but something that actually makes sense for you. So keep it sharp and intentional. Show how your skills, interests, and lived experiences led you here. What kinds of challenges fire you up? What do you want to fix, build, or lead? Maybe it’s the thrill of scaling early-stage ventures. Maybe it’s reshaping how capital flows into climate solutions. Whatever it is, show that you’ve done the legwork from talking to people in the field, to getting your hands dirty with real-world work. Your goal isn’t to sound impressive. It’s to sound like someone who’s thought this through and is all-in.

Short Answer Question 2

What does a successful career look like five years after you graduate from Kellogg?

Word Limit: 500 words

Tips:

Success isn’t one-size-fits-all so don’t force it. This is your shot to show what your version looks like. Maybe it’s launching a fintech product that expands credit access. Maybe it’s building a team that actually loves coming to work. Maybe it’s leading market entry into Southeast Asia. Whatever it is, make sure it flows from the goals you just laid out. Show intention, not inflation. You don’t need to drop a billion-dollar valuation or some Forbes 30 Under 30 line. You just need to show that you’ve thought it through and that five years out, you’re not wandering, you’re building. One more thing: these short answers aren’t filler. They’re the first thing AdCom reads. Set the tone. Be clear. Be real. Be ready.