Kellogg MBA Essays Guide: How to Showcase Intentional Leadership & Fit

 If you’re applying to the Kellogg School of Management MBA, your essays are a key way to demonstrate why you, why now, and why Kellogg. This guide breaks down how to craft strong responses that speak to Kellogg’s values and your story.

What the essays ask of you

• Essay 1: Articulate your motivations for an MBA, your specific career goals, why you’re doing it now, and why Kellogg is the right place for you.

• Essay 2: Describe a professional situation where you faced a tough decision, reflect on the values guiding you, and show how it shaped your leadership style.

• If you’re applying to a specialized program or re-applying, an additional prompt asks about your fit or what’s changed since your last attempt.

• You’ll also complete video essays (typically within 96 hours of submitting your application) to convey your personality, communication skills, and presence beyond the written word.

How to make your essays stand out

• Be intentional: Show you’ve thought deeply about your path your goals should feel logical, specific, and achievable.

• Reflect values-driven leadership: Kellogg looks for candidates who lead with purpose, collaborate, and commit to impact.

• Demonstrate fit: Link your story to what Kellogg offers programs, clubs, culture so the admissions committee sees a strong match.

• Choose distinct stories: Don’t reuse the same example across essays. Each one should reveal a different dimension of who you are.

• Keep it tight and meaningful: With word limits (≈ 450 words per essay), every sentence must earn its place avoid filler, jargon, or vague statements.

• Prepare for the video: It’s not optional. Use it to bring your voice and presence into the application practice ahead, set up your environment, and answer with authenticity.

Read the full guide here: Kellogg MBA Essays Guide

Final tip

As you write, ask yourself: What makes me unique? How have I grown? How will I contribute to Kellogg—not just what I’ll take away? The schools see thousands of capable profiles. The ones that rise above are the ones with clarity, personality, and genuine fit.