While Kellogg’s online application hasn’t yet gone live, they’ve posted their essay questions for the coming year in the admission website’s FAQ. The program has again opted to retain its format of three 1-2 page responses and three shorter essays of 2-3 paragraphs each, and there have been only minor changes made to the latter set. Even though the questions look much the same as they did last year, we’d like to offer applicants some fresh tips on tackling each of the topics:
1. Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at the Kellogg School. (one to two pages double-spaced)
This is another fairly standard career goals/why MBA essay. Again, remember that specificity of goals is key, and keep in mind that Kellogg prides itself on its collegial culture when addressing the ‘why Kellogg’ issue. One thing to note is that the request that applicants “assess” their progress to date is unique to Kellogg’s version of this question. This would suggest that it might be appropriate to incorporate a few reflective or even evaluative comments into your discussion of your professional path in order to tailor your perspective to Kellogg’s question.
2. Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experience of other Kellogg students. (one to two pages double-spaced)
You’re being given the opportunity to do two very important things in this essay. The first is to share a good deal of interesting information about your interests and experiences in order to distinguish yourself from other applicants and help the adcom get to know you. Second, this essay is the perfect forum for you to demonstrate your research on and fit with the program by explaining the ways your involvements and experiences to date translate to a number of specific contributions to the Kellogg community. Whether it’s a class to which your insight would prove especially relevant or a function you could organize as a member of a certain club, the more detail you can provide about the impact you would make, the more reason you’ll give the adcom to admit you.
3. You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file. (one to two pages double-spaced)
This is one of the trickier questions out there, as the request that applicants take a third-party perspective on their own applications virtually prohibits them from introducing any new information in this essay. The key is to use this response to draw the inferences that you would hope the reader to make based on your file, perhaps explicitly commenting on themes that run through your experience or drawing connections between your goals and some aspect of your background. This is also a great place for you to address weaknesses in your file – for instance, commenting that while your GPA is below the school’s average, it seems clear that you had one rough semester and that your performance in later years is more indicative of your abilities. [There are number of additional strategies that work for this essay, and we encourage Kellogg applicants to contact us directly for further information about our counseling services in this regard.]
4. Complete three of the following six questions or statements. (two to three double- spaced paragraphs each)
A. What have been your most significant leadership roles to date? What was the most valuable lesson learned?
B. Describe an ethical dilemma that you faced and how it was resolved?
C. Outside of work I…
D. In your professional experience, what do you consider to be the area of greatest growth?
E. I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me…
F. Since your previous application, what are the steps you have taken to strengthen your candidacy? (required of reapplicants)
Because essays 1-3 require you to write somewhat generally about your experiences and candidacy, these shorter responses are a great place to share some vivid anecdotes that support your overall positioning and really bring to life aspects of your background that you’ve only mentioned in passing. You have a lot to work with here – question A offers you a chance to showcase your leadership skills, B and D provide a chance to comment on your integrity or development in a work-related context, and C and E give you free reign to discuss your interests and involvements beyond the professional sphere. Be sure to select which questions to answer and which stories to tell with an eye to presenting a balanced picture of your background and covering a number of impressive aspects of your profile.
