What Does Kellogg Look For in MBA Candidates?

Updated March 2026

As an M7 school, Kellogg is a sought-after MBA program for many applicants. For any business school that you apply to, it's imperative that you understand the qualities that each is seeking in candidates so that you can demonstrate knowledge of the school as well as fit.

So what does Kellogg look for in MBA candidates? In short: impactful leadership, intellectual ability, and interpersonal skills. Here's what each one means in practice.

Impactful leadership

Impactful leadership is a quality that is ranked very highly at Kellogg and is reflected right on its website – namely to "develop brave leaders who inspire growth in people, organizations, and markets." Think about your own experiences: through projects and initiatives that you have led, both in the workplace and through your extracurricular activities, how have you positively made a difference to people and organizations? Additionally, how do you plan to make a difference in the future as a leader? Kellogg will draw upon your examples of impactful leadership throughout your application to determine whether you will be an impactful leader as a student and as you pursue your post-MBA goals.

The word "brave" in Kellogg's mission is deliberate and worth paying attention to. Kellogg isn't just looking for leaders who have achieved results – they're looking for leaders who have taken risks, challenged the status quo, and been willing to act when the path wasn't clear.

Think about the moments in your career where you've led courageously – not just effectively. Where you've pushed back on something that wasn't working. Where you've made a call others weren't willing to make. Where you've taken on something bigger than your role required. Those are the stories that resonate in Kellogg MBA admissions – because they reflect exactly the kind of leader Kellogg is trying to develop.

Intellectual ability

Given an increasingly talented candidate pool, it is imperative to demonstrate your intellectual prowess through your Kellogg application. Kellogg will assess your intellectual ability, and in particular your analytical and quantitative skills, in multiple ways – through your undergraduate GPA, GMAT/GRE score, and professional work experience. These metrics give Kellogg the confidence that a candidate will be able to handle the rigor of its MBA curriculum.

What this means practically: intellectual ability at Kellogg isn't just about your numbers. It's about how you think – the quality of your analysis, the clarity of your reasoning, and your ability to make sound decisions under complexity.

Kellogg's curriculum is rigorous and fast-paced. The school wants to know that you can contribute meaningfully to classroom discussions and handle the analytical demands of the program. Show that in your application – not just through your test scores, but through how you describe the challenges you've solved, the decisions you've made, and the thinking behind them. The strongest Kellogg MBA applications demonstrate intellectual depth throughout, not just in the stats section.

Interpersonal skills

Kellogg wants to ensure that a candidate will be fully immersed in its community – in the classroom as well as in extracurricular activities. An important element of doing so is being able to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills – for instance, the ability to collaborate with others, communicate well, and be self-aware. Kellogg will evaluate a candidate's interpersonal qualities through the application, the video essay, and the interview. The school wants to understand who you are as a person and how you will contribute to Kellogg both as a student and beyond.

This criterion is where Kellogg genuinely stands apart from other M7 programs. Kellogg has a deeply collaborative culture – one that is both a defining feature of the school and a deliberate admissions filter. The school doesn't just want candidates who can work with others. It wants candidates who make others better.

Think about your most meaningful collaborative experiences – not just the times you contributed to a team, but the times you elevated one. Where you built trust across different perspectives. Where you navigated difficult interpersonal dynamics and brought people together. Where your presence in a group made the outcome better than it would have been without you.

Interpersonal skills also show up in self-awareness – your ability to understand how you come across, where your blind spots are, and how you continue to grow as a person and a leader. That quality comes through in the Kellogg video essay and interview in ways that are hard to fake. The most compelling candidates are the ones who are genuinely reflective – not just impressive.

A Note on Kellogg's Culture

Kellogg has one of the most distinct cultures of any M7 program – and that culture is a meaningful part of what the school looks for in candidates. It's collaborative, community-driven, and unusually warm for a program of its caliber. Students genuinely invest in each other's success in a way that stands out even among elite MBA programs.

That culture doesn't happen by accident. It's built through intentional admissions decisions – choosing candidates who don't just want to be at Kellogg, but who will contribute to making it what it is.

When I work with clients on their Kellogg MBA applications, I always emphasize this: fit matters. It's not enough to be strong on paper. You need to show – through every part of your application – that you genuinely belong in that community and that the community will be better for having you in it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kellogg MBA Admissions

What are the requirements to apply to Kellogg's MBA program? 

Kellogg requires a completed undergraduate degree, GMAT/GRE score, professional work experience, essays, letters of recommendation, a resume, and a video essay. Kellogg is known for interviewing a high percentage of applicants compared to other M7 programs. There are no stated minimum requirements for GPA or test scores – Kellogg evaluates candidates holistically, with particular weight placed on leadership, interpersonal skills, and fit with the school's collaborative culture.

What is Kellogg's video essay and how should I approach it? 

The Kellogg video essay is a short, recorded response – typically one to two minutes – that gives the Admissions Committee a sense of who you are beyond the written application. It's one of the most distinctive elements of the Kellogg MBA admissions process and directly reflects the school's emphasis on interpersonal skills. The best approach is to be natural, genuine, and conversational. Don't over-rehearse – Kellogg is looking for authentic presence, not a polished performance. Think of it as a brief introduction to the person behind the application.

What is Kellogg's MMM program? 

The MMM is Kellogg's dual-degree program combining an MBA from Kellogg with a Master of Science in Design Innovation from Northwestern's Segal Design Institute at the McCormick School of Engineering. It's a two-year program designed for candidates who want to lead at the intersection of business, technology, and design – particularly in product management, design thinking, and innovation strategy. MMM graduates are uniquely positioned for roles that require both business acumen and the ability to drive the entire innovation lifecycle of a product or service. It's one of the most distinctive offerings in the M7 landscape.

What is Kellogg's 1-year MBA program?

Kellogg's one-year MBA is designed for candidates who already have a strong business foundation and want an accelerated path to an MBA degree. The program is ideal for candidates returning to a previous industry or role who don't need the full two-year experience to achieve their post-MBA goals. Kellogg also offers the MBAi – a one-year tech-focused MBA for candidates interested in the intersection of business and technology. Both one-year options allow candidates to move quickly while still gaining full access to Kellogg's curriculum, community, and recruiting resources.

What is Kellogg's part-time MBA program? 

Kellogg's Evening and Weekend MBA is one of the most highly regarded part-time programs in the country, offering working professionals the flexibility to pursue an MBA without stepping away from their careers. The admissions criteria and academic rigor are consistent with the full-time program, and students have access to the same faculty, resources, and Kellogg network.

Should I work with an MBA admissions consultant for Kellogg? 

Kellogg MBA admissions places significant weight on fit, culture, and interpersonal qualities – elements that can be difficult to convey on paper without strategic guidance. The video essay adds a layer of preparation that most applicants underestimate. A good MBA admissions consultant helps you identify the stories that demonstrate not just your accomplishments but your character – and makes sure every part of your application, including the video essay, reflects who you actually are.

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Your story is already there. The work is figuring out how to tell it – clearly, honestly, and in a way that only you could.

If you're preparing your Kellogg application and want a thought partner who has helped hundreds of clients earn admission to Kellogg and other elite programs as a top MBA admissions consultant – I'd love to connect.

You can also explore my MBA admissions consulting services or read Kellogg client success stories.

About the Author

Shaifali Aggarwal is the Founder/CEO of Ivy Groupe and a Harvard MBA and Princeton alumna. Named a top MBA admissions consultant by Business Insider and Poets & Quants, she has helped hundreds of ambitious professionals earn admission to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, M7, and top global MBA programs. She has been quoted as an expert in Business Insider, Fortune, Forbes, Entrepreneur, MarketWatch, US News, and other media outlets, and holds a perfect 5-star rating across all verified client reviews on Poets & Quants.