kellogg video essay questions gmatclub

Customized for You

Track Your Progress

Practice Pays

Practice thousands of GMAT questions with top expert solutions.

Identify and improve upon mistakes efficiently using our Error Log.

Get the latest tips and news from our top GMAT professionals.

- it’s free and easy!

Thank you for using the timer! We noticed you are actually not timing your practice. Click the START button first next time you use the timer. There are many benefits to timing your practice , including:

We’ll give you an estimate of your score

We’ll provide personalized question recommendations

Your score will improve and your results will be more realistic

Emory MBA Coffee Chat with the Program Deans (Online)

FREE Prospects Evaluation!

Expert Strategies for M7 and Top 10 US Business Schools

Emory MBA Info Session (Online)

Berkley Haas vs. Yale School of Management: Which MBA Program is Right for You?

Profile Evaluation and Enrichment

Begin your MBA admissions journey with a free 1-1 strategy call

Applying to business school this fall?

MSc Student Sharing Sessions: Unveiling the MSc Journey

05:00 PM EST

05:45 PM EST

08:00 PM PST

09:00 PM PST

09:00 PM IST

10:00 PM IST

08:30 AM EST

09:15 AM EST

10:00 AM EST

10:30 AM EST

03:00 PM PST

04:00 PM PST

06:00 PM PST

07:00 PM PST

12:00 PM EST

01:00 PM EST

07:00 PM SGT

08:00 PM SGT

Kellogg Video Essay Questions 2023-2024

• 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 creatively solved a problem.
• 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?

Prep Toolkit

The post is bookmarked successfully

Mastering Kellogg’s New Video Questions

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on WhatsApp
• Share on Reddit

Increasingly, MBA programs are encouraging or requiring candidates to submit videos online shortly after submitting their application. Among other benefits, this helps schools see the real you and gauge how you present yourself without much preparation. 

For example, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management seems to be really looking to see how you think on your feet. When they debuted the optional video last year, they provided general versions of the questions in advance. This year, the school did not provide a hint about what the questions would be — and they are mixing them up. 

Question 1 is a common video prompt; Kellogg asks you to introduce yourself by telling admissions something they wouldn’t already know from your resume. Questions 2 and 3 seem to be randomly assigned. Be prepared to encounter a classic “Why Kellogg?” style question (“What draws you to Kellogg specifically? Why is Kellogg the right program for you?” ) More frequently, the examples we have seen are behavioral interview questions aimed to elicit more about you and your skills and experiences.

Examples we have seen so far ask you to tell the committee about: 

• A time when you experienced a team conflict 
• An innovation you made in the past year 
• A misconception people have about you
• An important relationship in your life 
• A time you created value
• A problem you faced and the creative solution you came up with

There are practice questions you can answer as many times as you like. Kellogg recommends using the practice questions to get comfortable with the format and process. We strongly agree, because there is no option to edit or redo your videos once you start.

Showcase Yourself 

Kellogg says the video is optional in an email sent after applications are submitted, but we strongly encourage all candidates to submit them. Consider the video essays a huge opportunity to showcase your personality and character in ways that may not come across in the written word. 

Seize the advantages of the medium and get creative; one standout example we remember is a candidate who began their video introduction with a brief viola performance, then used an element of the instrument itself as a metaphor to convey their personality and interpersonal style.

Remember that Kellogg wants to learn something new about you. The video is the place to tell stories or share important information that did not fit anywhere in the more structured elements of the application. As you prepare, imagine how to convey what’s not obvious in your resume, credentials, or LinkedIn profile. What will help make your application sticky and memorable? Again, reflect on the story you want to tell and offer a dimension that might be missing.

In this year’s behavioral questions, Kellogg is inviting you to demonstrate qualities they value:  leadership, impact, empathy, collaboration, and so on. Consider how your responses can share short stories that reflect these qualities. 

For more advice, see my Fortuna blog on how to respond to Kellogg’s prompts or any admissions video essay questions. 

Fortuna’s expert coaches can help you prep for videos or any aspect of your application. To learn more about how we can make your MBA dreams a reality, book a free consultation .

Fortuna Senior Expert Coach  Melissa Jones  was formerly Assistant Director for the MBA Program at INSEAD, where she advised countless candidates on the MBA admissions process.

For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program,  sign up for a free consultation .

• Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login Logout Search for:

Why Now Is A Great Time To Apply To International MBA Programs

Looking For Candid MBA Interview Advice?

Top Tips For Military Veterans Applying To B-School

LBS Application Video Interview Questions: Tips And Strategy

Advice column: should you be honest in your mba applications.

• Specialized Masters Program Directory Business Analytics Hub MBA Admissions Consultant Directory Online MBA Hub Home Assess My MBA Odds

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

• Our Clients
• Tips & Advice
• Client Login
• Request Consultation

How to Answer Kellogg’s Video Essay Questions

If you’re applying to the Kellogg MBA program, you’ve likely seen that the application requires three video essays, which must be submitted within 96 hours (4 days) of the application deadline. For the 2024-2025 cycle, the deadlines are September 11 for Round 1 and January 8, 2025 for Round 2. These Kellogg video essay questions are a key part of your application, offering a chance to showcase your personality, communication skills, and leadership potential beyond your written essays. To help you succeed, we’ve compiled expert tips for approaching and answering Kellogg’s video essay questions. While the official instructions can be found on Kellogg’s website , we’ve added additional insights and strategies to help you prepare effectively and leave a strong impression.

Timing is Key

From a tactical standpoint, once you see each question, you will have 20 seconds to gather your thoughts and 60 seconds to deliver your response. Our top advice is to focus your practice on mastering the timing – a minute passes faster than you might expect! Over the years, we’ve worked with many clients, and most initially get cut off mid-sentence. To build your confidence, use the list of potential Kellogg video essay questions at the end of this article to practice answering them (out loud!) with a timer. Repeat this process several times to get comfortable speaking for exactly 60 seconds. Kellogg’s portal also offers practice questions to help you fine-tune your timing – use this resource!

Content Should be Complementary, not Repetitive

Our next word of advice focuses on content. Since the admissions committee will have already read your written essays, it’s important not to simply repeat what you’ve shared. Instead, Kellogg’s video essay questions provide a great opportunity to build on your application and introduce new details. Additionally, it’s a chance to showcase your personality. Feel free to have a little fun, especially with the first question, which will likely ask you to introduce yourself. For instance, you could mention a hobby you enjoy, or talk about your family, pets, or spouse. For the second and third questions, while you won’t know the exact prompts, they typically fall into common categories. With that in mind, review the list of potential questions at the end of this article and prepare a few brief stories. That way, you’ll have adaptable examples that can fit several different questions. These should be some of your best stories that didn’t fit into your written essays but are important for the admissions committee to hear.

Delivery is the Icing on the Cake (the Best Part, Right?)

Lastly, put thought and practice behind your delivery. This is what separates good video essays from great ones. Look directly at your webcam, speak slowly and clearly (a computer mic can sound muffled!), and – most importantly – smile!

In our experience, mindset is everything here. Put on the shirt or dress that makes you feel like a million bucks, imagine there is a warm, receptive face on the computer screen and talk directly to it. As we said earlier, this is likely the admissions committee’s only chance to see you ‘live’ (Kellogg’s interviews are done by alums), so make the most of it.

Practice Makes Perfect

When you sit down to record your video essays, it would be unwise to assume you have a comprehensive list of potential questions from a source you found on the internet so don’t get complacent. While Kellogg isn’t trying to trick you with these, they are looking to see how you think on your feet and whether you can communicate coherently and effectively. This is exactly what you’ll need to do in an MBA classroom and as a future business leader.

With that said, after grounding yourself in the stories you might leverage from your arsenal, take a stab at answering the following…in 60 seconds…on camera. Practice will help, even if you end up getting a question that surprises you.

• Introduce yourself by telling admissions something they wouldn’t already know from your resume. (**Note that this question or a variation of it is asked of all applicants**).
• Why is Kellogg the right program for you?
• Tell us about a time when you experienced a team conflict.
• Share an innovation you made in the past year.
• Tell us about a time you created value.
• Tell us about a positive impact that you made. Why was it important to you?
• Tell us about a time you solved a problem in a creative way.
• Tell us about a time you contributed to improving a process in your organization.
• Tell us about a time you worked with a diverse team.
• Tell us about a time when you initiated something that encouraged people to collaborate.
• What is the most challenging aspect of working in an internationally diverse environment?
• Tell us about a time when you faced a conflict on a team that affected its productivity. How did you face it?
• 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 were out of your comfort zone.
• Share a misconception people have about you. If you had the opportunity, how might you shift their thinking?
• What will your classmates be most surprised to learn about you?
• Share an important relationship in your life.
• Tell us about a time you experienced a professional failure. What did you learn from it?
• Tell us about a time you’ve asked for help.
• Tell us about a time you took a risk. What did you learn?
• What accomplishment are you proudest of?
• Tell us about a time you created an inclusive environment.
• Tell us about an organization or activity to which you have devoted a significant amount of time. Why was it meaningful to you?
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Who is someone you deeply admire and why?
• Whose leadership style do you 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?
• Talk about an environment you work well in and thrive in.
• How long have you considered an MBA and what have you learned about yourself / your goals in the process of doing so?
• Tell us about a life experience you’ve had outside of the classroom or the office that prepared you to pursue graduate-level education.

With a little practice, you’ll do great. Video essays tend to stress applicants out more than they need to. This might be easy for us to say from our seat at the table but view them as an opportunity more than a hurdle!

As always, we’re here to help, including with hourly advice on things such as interview skills and waitlist strategy. Click here to request an initial consultation .

Katie is a passionate mentor and coach, helping her clients craft a unique, compelling story by leveraging her experience as a corporate executive, alumni interviewer, and campus recruiter. Before completing her MBA at Kellogg, Katie spent five years in banking where she learned practical finance skills as well as how to operate in a demanding, high pressure environment. She pursued an MBA in order to transition to an industry role where she could utilize her finance knowledge to drive change within an organization. Post-MBA, she worked in finance and strategy for a leading CPG firm, progressing to an executive role leading the finance function for a $2B business segment. Her experience managing diverse teams led to a passion for developing others. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she led her firm’s MBA recruiting efforts and served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Kellogg.

Applying to Business School in Round 3, Worth It or Not? Here’s How to Decide

How to choose an mba program, no comments, post a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.