Kellogg
What they weigh
- Team orientation — Kellogg is the most team-focused culture in the M7
- Clear values and how they shaped a specific leadership decision
- Intentional reasoning for choosing deferred vs. regular MBA path
- Video component matters — the most personality-forward screen in M7 deferred admissions
Essay prompts
“Articulate your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe a deferred enrollment program is the right fit. Why is Kellogg best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations?”
“Describe a specific professional or extracurricular experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflect on the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style.”
“Three video questions designed to showcase your personality and share experiences that brought you to apply.”
Oba’s take
Kellogg is the most team-oriented M7, and that shows up throughout the application. The intentionality essay needs a genuine answer to "why deferred" — not just "I want an MBA eventually" but a specific argument for why securing your seat now, before two to five years of experience, makes strategic sense for your particular situation. The leadership essay is strong when the decision involves real tension between two legitimate values, not just "I picked the hard path." The video component is the piece that trips people up most. Three questions, ~90 seconds each. You can't be over-coached on this — it shows. Practice being yourself under mild pressure. Kellogg's culture rewards people who are genuinely invested in others, so anything that shows real commitment to a team or community will carry weight.
11 modules covering narrative, essays, recommenders, school research, and the interview. Built specifically for deferred applicants.
Read the Playbook →One-on-one coaching on your essays and narrative. Small number of students per cycle. Junior program: $3,500/yr or $400/mo.
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