Kellogg Class of 2029 Essay Analysis

Kellogg has released its 2026-27 application, with changed essay questions. Also note that they are no longer requiring an additional essay for specialty MBA programs like JDMBA and MMM. Instead, they now have one essay asking the applicant to reference the program they are applying to in the essay and how it relates to their future goals. 

2026/27 essay questions

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? 

Reapplication Question 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? (250 words)

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.

• The video should take about 30 minutes to complete, which includes time for setup. 

2026/27 essay question analysis

This essay demands a lot, as 550 words will not be a lot of space to cover everything the question is literally asking.

Often when similar questions are asked by other schools, clients are tempted to summarize several life experiences that lead them to their current readiness for an MBA. However, too much focus on summarizing past experiences will crowd out the more important part of this question, which is explaining how you how you will use an MBA, and the process of obtaining one, to make those around you better. In fact, answering this question in its discrete parts will prove challenging because of the word limit.

Instead, we recommend applicants think of what Kellogg is really trying to determine, which is why they should take you vs. the multitude of other quality candidates they will see?

Consider starting the essay with an articulation of your post-MBA goal, then referencing 1-2 core experiences that have helped shape that goal. Aim to cover that without consuming more than half of the allowed word limit. The remaining space will be similar to essays you may write for others schools' "Why my school?" essays - link specific resources and experiences you will leverage to achieve your post-MBA goal(s). Less important are the examples you choose, vs. explaining how you plan to use each to achieve your stated goal. Along the way, highlighting how you plan to bring others along in your journey will represent what you can contribute. Other structures may work for some candidates, but the key will be to avoid turning this essay into a summary of your resume.

Video Essays:

We will have tools available to clients on how to handle these questions.

Other application details

Click here for school interaction opportunities.

The online application is expected to be released soon.

Re-applicant?

Check out information here.

School resources

Check out our links to several of school's resources, including blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.