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How to Successfully Complete the Kellogg Video Essay

Sep 14, 2023

Why does Kellogg require a video essay?

How does the kellogg video essay work, which types of questions are asked, the difference between a good and great video essay, make sure you get into kellogg.

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on September 16, 2019. It has been updated with new information and tips below! 

With its Global Hub, Kellogg of Management at Northwestern University has reinforced itself as a haven for collaboratively-minded leaders. However, if you want to experience the Global Hub for yourself, you’ve got quite the road ahead, as Kellogg is one of the world’s most elite, competitive business schools.

Despite this fact, many applicants dedicate countless hours to writing Kellogg’s admissions essays and then rush through the video essay component. 

This is a huge mistake. 

In addition to giving the admissions committee the chance to “put a face with a name,” the video essay is an essential part of the Kellogg application, as it allows committee members to determine if your communication style and values are a good fit with the Kellogg community. 

In fact, in our experience helping our Kellogg applicants secure a place at the school, we have noticed that the video essay can be as influential in an applicant’s admissions decision as the admissions interview . 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you understand how the Kellogg video essay works and have shared a list of Kellogg video essay questions to ensure you put your best foot forward! 

When we first started working with Kellogg applicants many years ago, the video essay component had not yet been introduced. However, since its launch in 2013, the video essay has quickly become a critical part of the application. 

That’s because it gives the admissions committee the chance to truly “meet” candidates — as well as identify red flags in potential members of the Kellogg community. 

According to Kellogg’s admissions committee, 

“The Video Essays provide applicants with an additional opportunity to demonstrate what they will bring to our vibrant Kellogg community – in an interactive way. Each applicant will complete two short video essay questions. The questions are designed to bring to life the person we have learned about on paper.” 

They also give applicants this advice:

With that in mind, it’s extremely important to make sure you fully understand this component of the application. 

The way the video essay works is very simple. 

After submitting your application, you will receive an email from a company called Kira Talent. This email will contain a link that allows you to access the video essay platform. 

After signing in and starting the session, you will get three Kellogg video essay questions in total, one at a time. After receiving the questions, you will have 20 seconds to think and then 1 minute to answer. There are no opportunities to redo the question, and you only get one chance to speak and provide your answer.

Unlike previous years, where some of the questions applicants received were random, Kellogg has pre-announced the three questions you will need to answer this year. We’ll go more into detail about the types of questions you can expect below. 

If you’ve taken the TOEFL exam , you’ve already practiced for the type of format you can expect in the Kellogg video essay! 

After signing in and “starting” the session, a video will appear on the screen. This video will show a member of the Kellogg community, who will read the question you are tasked with answering. The question will also appear in written form under the video. 

After the time runs out, the screen video will disappear and your image will be visible on the screen. At this point, your 20 seconds to think will automatically appear. 

After the preparation time runs out, the clock to answer (60 seconds!) will start, and you will need to give your answer during this period of time. Remember: you cannot redo any of the questions.

After you answer the question, the system will upload your answer to the server (depending on your connection this can take a while) and will present you with the next question. 

DO NOT leave your computer during the upload time , even if it’s taking a while. You cannot pause the process, and you may end up missing questions!

Technical requirements

Given past applicants’ issues with iPad and mobile versions of the application, we strongly suggest you record your answer on a computer . 

If you do end up experiencing technical issues, access the support page here . 

Regardless of when you submit your application, you need to submit your video essay response no more than 96 hours after the round’s deadline . Find Kellogg’s most current application deadlines here . 

If you submit your application early, you can submit your responses to Kellogg’s video essay questions at any time, as long as you make the final deadline.  

The Kellogg video essay questions are grouped into three different categories, each with a different focus. 

Question 1: Introduce Yourself

The first question Kellogg asks gives you the chance to share who you are beyond your CV and admissions essays. 

“ Please introduce yourself and tell us something that is not on your CV that you want us to know about you.” Consider this your opportunity to share what you would want your future Kellogg classmates and our admissions committee to know about you. What makes you, you?”

Despite the innocent-seeming question, be careful about what you choose to show here. Keep in mind that Kellogg prefers community-focused, growth-minded leaders, so don’t miss an opportunity to reinforce your personal brand and your fit with the school’s values. You should also focus on reinforcing elements of your profile that you might not have had a chance to explain elsewhere, such as volunteer work or a special skill you possess. 

You do not need to speak about your goals or why you want to attend Kellogg. 

Questions 2 & 3: Randomized interview-type questions

For this question, there won’t be a specific prompt you can answer in advance. Instead, you’re going to receive a random behavioral-based question. This question may be focused on your characteristics, or it may allow you to share a professional example that highlights your personality traits. 

The best advice for this section is to think about what it’s asking you and what you can show about yourself, your achievements, and your values.

If the question asks about your favorite book, the admissions committee will get a certain impression of you based on what you choose. If you choose a book that’s all about adventure, we’ll assume that’s important to you. If you choose a book about economics, we’ll assume that’s a key part of your life. 

So think about how you want the admissions committee to learn about you beyond what you’ve already shared in your application. 

If you get a question that’s more like a traditional behavioral interview question, try to draw on examples. Furthermore, make sure to show your human side and demonstrate that you genuinely care for others and want teams you join to succeed. It can be easy to answer in a very conversational way, but doing so can often lead to an answer without a point, so make sure you use your planning time to structure the key elements of your answer. 

Regardless, be careful about what you choose to show here. Keep in mind that Kellogg prefers globally-minded leaders who embrace diversity, so don’t miss an opportunity to reinforce your personal brand and your fit with the school’s values. 

Here is a list of the types of questions you can expect.

• Tell us about a time you took a risk. What did you learn?
• If you were a team leader and you had a member of your team who constantly under-delivered, what would you do?
• Tell us about a time you experienced a professional failure. What did you learn from it?
• Tell me about a time you worked with a dysfunctional team. How did you manage the situation?
• Tell us about a conflict you have had with your boss/with a team at work. How did you manage to resolve it?
• What accomplishment are you proudest of?
• Tell us about an organization or activity to which you have devoted a significant amount of time. Why was it meaningful to you?
• What will your classmates be most surprised to learn about you?
• What is the most challenging aspect of working in an internationally diverse environment?
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Tell us about a time a team member did not “pull his weight” in the team.
• Who is someone you deeply admire and why?
• What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received that you also shared with other people?
• When you have a problem, who do you approach for advice and why?
• How would your teammates describe you?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?
• Tell us about a time you worked with diversity in the workplace.
• Tell us about a time you contributed to improving a process in your organization.
• Tell us about a time you solved a problem in a creative way. 
• Tell us about a time when you faced a conflict on a team that affected its productivity. How did you face it?
• Tell us about a positive impact that you made. Why was it important to you?
• Whose leadership style do you admire and why?

TOP TIP : Remember that Kellogg values teamwork-oriented, collaborative individuals. 

Given the importance of the video essay in your Kellogg application, it’s crucial to make sure you don’t just have a good video essay, but that you have a great video essay. 

Now that you’ve learned how the video essay will work, we’ve gathered our top 5 tips here to ensure your video essay performance brings you one step closer to reaching your goal of attending Kellogg. 

You have stressed about every aspect of your Kellogg application, and now you are ready to record your video essay! With the right preparation, this can be your chance to shine and get a highly-coveted spot at Kellogg. 

However, maybe you don’t know where to start in preparing, or maybe you ramble on and lose your focus while answering. Maybe you’ve even downloaded the sample questions and written out your answers. The problem is, when you try to apply these templates to your own story, it doesn’t quite work.

Our video essay prep focuses on helping you determine how to present yourself to Kellogg while using appropriate, impact-driven language without being artificial, or worse, robotic.

Regardless of where you’re from or what type of experience you have, we are focused on helping you do your best. 

Want to put the Ellin Lolis advantage to work for you? Schedule your preparation session with our team of interview experts today! 

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > Business Schools > How to write Kellogg MBA essays for 2023 intake – Video essay tips included

How to write Kellogg MBA essays for 2023 intake – Video essay tips included

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Mar 10, 2023 | Business Schools , GMAT Focus Edition , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

Getting into Kellogg MBA is a dream for most candidates. To do that you’ll have to convince Kellogg’s admissions officers that you’re the one they’re looking for. One of the ways you can do that is by writing a spectacular MBA essay for their 2023 intake. In this article, Prashant Tibrewal, an admissions consultant who has helped numerous students with their MBA application, shares his analysis and tips on the Kellogg MBA essay for 2023 intake. He also shares his first-hand experience of visiting the Kellogg School of Management. Here is what he has to say.

Sitting inside the White Auditorium, listening to Kate Smith, Assistant Dean, Admissions and Financial Aid at Kellogg School of Management , address a select group of AIGAC members, I cannot resist getting distracted by the picturesque views of Lake Michigan, right beside the Global Hub, the spectacular new home to the Kellogg MBA. The Global Hub represents not only the transformational impact that Kellogg is set to bring about in management education but also the future-focused and global vision of the school.

Entering the building, you cannot miss the grand 34-foot-wide stairway inspired by the famed Spanish Steps in Rome, running up from the ground to the first and second floors. With collaboration oozing out of this architectural marvel, the 6000-square-foot central atrium is aptly named the Collaboration Plaza. If you are an MBA aspirant, there is no way you can visit the new campus and not make Kellogg your most cherished aspiration.

Kellogg Presents an exciting portfolio of full-time MBA programs, including the Two-Year MBA, One-Year MBA, MMM, and the JD-MBA. As you research the option most suitable for you, it may be a good idea to connect with the school to understand the pre-requisites for each of the options. Should you find yourself prepared to apply in the 2020-2021 intake, the application is now open, with the following deadlines:

Kellogg MBA Application Deadlines

Kellogg mba application essays 2022-2023.

There are 2 compulsory essays for the 2023 admissions of Kellogg MBA program. Here are the Kellogg MBA essay topics for the 2023 intake:

• Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn?  (450 words)
• Values are what guide us in our life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

Certain applicants will respond to additional questions:

One-Year applicants : Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg One-Year MBA opportunities that will help you reach this goal. (250 words)

MBAi applicants: The Kellogg McCormick MBAi Program is designed to train the next generation of leaders who can help businesses deliver successful outcomes through AI-driven technology. Tell us about your firsthand experience with this disconnect between business and technology and how MBAi will prepare you to successfully lead businesses at the intersection. (450 words)

MMM applicants : The five core values of the MMM Program are curiosity, creativity, empathy, open-mindedness and a learning mindset. Describe a situation in which you demonstrated one of these values. Why is this value an important part of the MMM experience for you? (250 words)

JD-MBA applicants : Please discuss your post-JD-MBA career goals and why the JD-MBA Program is the right program to help you reach those goals. (250 words)

Reapplicants : Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)

All applicants have the opportunity to provide explanations or clarification in  Additional Information . Use this section if you think the person reviewing your application might have a few questions about one or more of your responses. This could include:

• Unexplained gaps in work experience
• Academic, GMAT, or GRE performance
• Extenuating circumstances that we should be aware of when reviewing your application

Kellogg MBA Essay 1 Analysis

Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip, and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

The first essay for Kellogg has remained the same as that of last year. “We’re looking for those individuals who have found or plan to find unique ways to demonstrate the Kellogg purpose in their careers.

As you consider leadership, in particular, keep in mind that Kellogg was the school that pioneered the team-based learning model that is now ubiquitous among the top business schools.

If you are planning to take the GMAT, we can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 2500 reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial  and judge for yourself?

We want all of our students to be able to step up when their teams need them”, suggests Kate Smith in the Kellogg admissions blog. As you strive to match your demonstrated aptitude and skills with the Kellogg purpose, it is advisable to understand the traits that the school is looking for in its students. These include:

• The ability to motivate a team, to drive impact
• The courage to question the status quo and to seek unconventional solutions
• Creativity and talent that is rooted in self-awareness
• Robust diversity in their networks and teams
• Eagerness to pitch in and collaborate with an engaged, ambitious community of peers

Effectively, leadership and teamwork come across as the underlying traits that Kellogg values the most. This essay, in very explicit terms, asks for one , recent example. Let’s break the question into smaller parts to understand what it seeks:

“A recent example…” – How recent is recent? Clearly, you cannot afford to bring in college stories here. Post-college, you have probably worked with one or more organizations.

If you have worked with multiple organizations, it will be important to choose an example from your current organization (unless you joined, let’s say, only three months ago).

While we routinely recommend this to applicants, Kellogg cuts the chase by explicitly mentioning it. On the other hand, If you have worked with just one organization throughout your career, present an example from your current role.

As individuals, and as professionals, we continuously evolve – and the recency of the example serves as valid corroboration of how much you may have evolved through your career.

“… where you have demonstrated leadership and created value” is a prompt that hints at the fact that leadership and the creation of value often go together.

Your example, therefore, shouldn’t focus solely on activities related to leading teams or projects or budgets; rather, it should establish how, in each instance, you succeeded in creating value for your organization, your team, and/or even for yourself.

While you have had good training in presenting quantifiable impact and high dollar savings, creating value goes beyond that.

As you narrate your story, it will be interesting to ask yourself if you went beyond the deliverables of the project to build and influence teams, demonstrated innovation and creativity, and put in conscious effort to deliver lasting impact.

“What challenges did you face…” – An achievement devoid of challenges is akin to playing tennis without nets.

It is important to establish why your achievement makes you proud. Explain what made this initiative or exercise so challenging and how you shaped your response to those challenges.

“… and what did you learn” – indeed! Learning is often associated with failure, but a leader is someone who is forward-looking and continues to learn even from achievements.

You probably learned something about team dynamics or working with multi-cultural teams, or inspiring people to work towards a common goal, or even discovered the extent of your own capabilities.

Kellogg MBA Essay 2 Analysis

Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

This essay replaced the “how have you grown in the past and how do you intend to grow at Kellogg” essay that Kellogg asked two years ago.

It is often insightful to compare an old essay prompt with the new one to draw deeper messages and gauge what the admissions teams may be looking for.

If you compare the current and the previous essay prompts, what is clearly common is the school’s intent to understand you beyond your professional achievements, and your ability to contribute to the class at Kellogg.

This further gets established through Kate Smith’s statement, “Our goal this year is to uncover what motivates and inspires you. What drives you? How will this make you a meaningful member of the Kellogg community?”

While the question does not insist on isolating a single value; it may be wise to identify just two or three strongest values that you can back with examples, instead of spreading yourself too thin by presenting a range of values.

Further, this is one of those questions that require reading well between the lines. The prompt starts with the statement that values guide you in your “life” and “work”, suggesting that you may want to present examples from both the fronts.

If a certain set of values are important to you, you are likely to have strong examples to show how these values have influenced you and your decisions in the past.

The essay wouldn’t be complete without presenting how these values will continue to drive your aspirations and plans – at Kellogg, in your professional career, and in the larger scheme of things.

In other words, it may be a good idea to present how you may be equipped to contribute to the Kellogg community in specific ways, how your long terms goals are influenced by your values and how this may impact your career choice post-MBA.

450 words isn’t a lot of space to communicate all of this, but it is often useful to start with a larger perspective and then narrow it down through multiple reiterations.

Kellogg MBA Reapplicant Essay Analysis

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)

This is the best opportunity to convince the school that you have indulged in introspection to evolve a fresh perspective and enhanced your eligibility by upskilling or retooling.

If you applied in R1 last year and are applying in R1 again, you have had almost a year to plan afresh. Recapitulate the entire effort you may have expended to improve your profile.

If you applied in R2 last year and are now applying in R1, you have had just about 8 months, and this span may not reflect significant changes in your profile.

Did you still create opportunities to enhance your skills? You presented certain career goals in your last application. Did you take up professional initiatives and self-learning opportunities to move towards your professional career goals? Did you assess what might have gone wrong, talk to alumni and industry experts and attempt to position yourself better this year? If your GMAT score was not good enough, were you willing to push yourself and retake the test?

If you ended up scoring the same again – the school will still appreciate your intent and your commitment to the goal of pursuing an MBA.

Talk about the new projects, new learnings from these projects, things that you got to do for the first time, interactions you have had that had an impact on you and your career plans.

Do not forget to include the experiences that helped you refine your core and soft skills further.

If you presented a goal or a career plan last year that you failed to justify in the interview; or if, after more thorough research, you have decided to opt for an alternative plan that you can validate, do not hesitate to make a statement.

Feel free to present the specifics of the research you engaged in to arrive at a more rational career plan. For all logical purposes, this is a better approach than presenting the same career plans again, when you are not too confident about being able to substantiate them.

Kellogg MBA Additional Essay Analysis

All applicants have the opportunity to provide explanations or clarification in Additional Information. Use this section if you think the person reviewing your application might have a few questions about one or more of your responses. This could include:

• Academic, GMAT or GRE performance

As straightforward as it looks, candidates often end up overdoing the additional essay by presenting things that may not be required.

It is important to value the reader’s time and adhere to the instructions. While some schools keep the additional essay open-ended, Kellogg has presented clear guidelines that suggest that you should this space only to explain any inconsistencies or extenuating circumstances.

While this looks like a place where you are likely to touch upon the aspects of your profile that aren’t obviously your strengths, it is important to not get too defensive and to not list excuses that look immature.

Go ahead and present specific reasons why you may not have the best college GPAs or a high GMAT score, but don’t blame it on a particular committee you were a part of during college or an office project deadline that coincided with your GMAT date.

Instead, show through external certifications or course, how you are academically capable, despite not having done so well in the college first year, even with your grades improving in the subsequent years.

You may touch upon the quantitative tasks that you may have taken at work to alleviate concerns about your quantitative ability because of a low GMAT Quant score.

Above all, remain cognizant of the fact that schools are looking for reasons to select you and not to reject you. You may not need to justify everything where you think you fall short; as long as you are giving the school enough reasons to believe that you are a deserving candidate.

Kellogg 1-Year MBA Essay 2023

Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg 1Y opportunities that will help you reach this goal. (250 words)

The Kellogg 1-Year MBA, unlike most other 1-year MBAs in the US, has a class profile that’s pretty similar to that of its 2-year version.

The 1-year MBA is just an accelerated format, meant for a small group of about 90-100 participants with a good business background. Applicants to the Kellogg 1-Year MBA, therefore, have to write this career goal essay, in addition to the other required essays.

While it’s a standard career goal essay, it is different in that it requires you to present a higher level of goal clarity than a typical applicant to a two-year program.

A one-year program moves ahead at a significantly higher pace, and if you do not know exactly what you want to do post MBA, the kind of recruiters you would target, and the kind of roles you would like to apply to, you may not be in a position to make the best use of the opportunity.

Further, an important ask of the essay is “the current experience you will leverage to support the transition”.

It is important to relate your current skill set and industry / functional exposure to your future plans if you are hoping to make a smooth career transition through the one-year degree.

This essay isn’t as elaborate as the other ones, with just 250 words to communicate all that you would like to – but you will need to work well to pack a punch even with specific courses and opportunities at Kellogg that will enable you to achieve the desired career transition.

Clearly, if you have decided to apply to the Kellogg 1-Year MBA, you better have the right experience, goal-clarity, and academic background to fit in.

Kellogg invites its 1-Year MBA applicants to fill in an Eligibility form before you start working on the application – something that you may certainly want to make use of.

Kellogg Video Essays – 2023 admissions

Following are the instructions for the Kellogg Video Essay:

After submitting your application and payment, you will be able to access the video essay through your application status page.

You will be asked to answer three questions:

• Video Essay 1: Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee. Consider this your opportunity to share what you would want your future Kellogg classmates and our admissions committee to know about you. What makes you, you?
• Video Essay 2: What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?

This is an intentionally broad question so you can answer honestly and meaningfully. We want to know why you’re pursuing an MBA and why you’re choosing a particular Kellogg Full-Time Program.

• Video Essay 3: The third question will ask about a challenge you’ve faced and what you have learned from it.

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, so this is meant to be a useful tool to help you feel prepared.

You will have 20 seconds to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response.

We estimate the video essays will take 20-25 minutes to complete — which includes time for set-up and answering all the practice questions. You will need an internet-connected computer with a webcam, microphone, and an updated version of Adobe Flash in order to complete the video essay.

Kellogg Video Essay 1

Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee.

Consider this your opportunity to share what you would want your future Kellogg classmates and our admissions committee to know about you. What makes you, you?

Is this supposed to be your Elevator Pitch? Probably yes, albeit a more personal one. Having presented most of your information through your resume and application essays, this should be your space to “connect” with your future classmates as well as the admissions committee.

While the video will allow the admissions committee to see you and hear you, it is your passion and your story that will invite them to feel your presence and personality. Prepare a story that is authentic, exciting, and enchanting. Above all, sound fluent, but not rehearsed!

Kellogg Video Essay 2

What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?

This is an intentionally broad question so you can answer honestly and meaningfully. We want to know why you are pursuing an MBA and why you’re choosing a particular Kellogg Full-Time Program.

While the first question was about you, the second question is about you and Kellogg. What leads you to Kellogg?

What are the opportunities and platforms you seek to leverage at Kellogg to achieve your career plans? What research have you done to discover and explore the most relevant opportunities and activities that you plan to participate in once you are on campus?

These are all obvious extensions to the second question. As you articulate your thoughts to answer these questions, it may be a good idea to present your plans for taking any initiatives at Kellogg that will further help you, and hopefully your peers, interested in pursuing a similar career path.

Kellogg Video Essay 3

The third question will ask about a challenge you’ve faced and what you have learned from it.

This is one question that you wouldn’t know in advance, but the prompt suggests classic behavioral interview questions that require you to draw examples from your professional or personal life.

Possibilities are immense and varied, ranging from challenges within a team to challenges while working with a client.

The key is to go prepared with a set of diverse stories that you can leverage in varied situations. An instance or example may involve multiple challenges, and if you are well prepared, you will be able to summon the one that’s asked in the essay.

Do not forget, of course, to follow the Challenge-Action-Result framework by not only discussing the challenging situation itself but also delineating the action you took to counter that challenge and the results that you were able to achieve or deliver.

You will have just about 20 seconds to think about the question before you start answering – important, therefore, to not start your video session unprepared.

Here are a few Sample Video Essays for Kellogg Essay 3 that you may want to practice:

• Describe a challenging time when you had a difference of opinion with a teammate.
• Describe a time when you took an initiative that wasn’t successful.
• Describe a time when you had a conflict with your senior/manager.
• Tell us about a time when you had to make a split-second decision.
• Tell us about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
• Discuss a challenging project where you couldn’t meet the deadline.
• Discuss an instance when you were misunderstood.
• Discuss a challenging time when you had to convince or negotiate with a colleague/superior.

I hope this analysis of Kellogg MBA essays for the 2021 intake will help you make a very strong application and the gatekeepers at Kellogg will gladly give you your place at Kellogg; your new home for the next 2 years.

Applying to Wharton? Read our detailed Wharton Essay Analysis

About the Author

Prashant Tibrewal is the founder of Admit Square Consulting and has mentored 1000+ MBA aspirants to get into top global universities such as Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Oxford, HEC, ISB, etc. Prashant has also served on the Board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) and led the AIGAC Conference 2020, attended by admissions officers from 25+ top-ranked MBA programs.

Admit Square Consulting has mentored applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to top MBA programs. With a proven track record of 10+ years, and admits to universities such as Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Cambridge, INSEAD, etc., Admit Square was awarded the Most Successful International MBA Consulting Company in India at the India Education Awards, 2019. With a team of Consultants from top business schools such as MIT, Yale, LBS and Oxford, Admit Square offers 100% Money-back Assurance on its services. You may send your details to  [email protected]  for a free profile evaluation.

About The Author

Suheb Hussain

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Kellogg Adds Video Essay Component

The upcoming MBA admissions season is full of change, as several schools sharply reduce the number of essay questions or word count, require fewer letters of recommendation, and get creative with their application requirements.

Though an official announcement is still forthcoming, the MBA website Poets & Quants is reporting that, like Yale School of Management , Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management will also make video essays a mandatory component of the 2013-2014 MBA application.

According to the story in P&Q , applicants will have a few minutes to answer a randomized question on a Skype-like screen, and will have three tries to record what they consider a suitable answer. If the candidate is unhappy with the first go of it, he or she can discard and request a new question.

"The spirit of the questions is to get to know our candidates on a more personal level in a spontaneous format,” Kate Smith , Kellogg’s assistant dean of admissions and financial aid, tells P&Q . “They’re designed to bring to life the person we’ve learned about on paper in the application, including their passions, interests and ideas.”

I think this is a great idea, but I also understand why some applicants might feel nervous about answering a question on camera and on the fly. We know that interviews are increasingly important in the selection process at top schools, and it can be impossible to excel without preparation and practice. That's why we've launched a Video Coaching Platform for interviews to  help prospective b-school applicants better prepare for the admissions process.

With our new video platform, we can help applicants prepare for live interviews and we can simulate any video essay requirements.  Clients can rehearse as much as they wish, respond online to a random pool of hundreds of questions, personally view their recordings, and select videos for review and feedback.  Also, SBC consultants provide feedback on dress, tone, volume and content. The unlimited opportunity to practice and review builds confidence, and as a result, our well-prepared clients appear calm and polished on screen.

As we noted in a January post on this same subject, the goal of using video essays from an admissions standpoint is simply to make better decisions about which candidates are the strongest match with the program. This component will better demonstrate communication skills, the ability to think on one’s feet, and possibly help identify those applicants who, while not quite as strong on paper, may actually be the diamonds in the rough that enrich the learning experience for all.

*** If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews , and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

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Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more.

Published in MBA , Stacy Blackman Consulting , Admission Consultants , Applications and Interviews

• Kellogg School of management
• MBA application
• Stacy Blackman
• application advice
• video essay