Over the past few weeks, several top MBA programs have released their application deadlines and essay questions for the 2026–27 admissions cycle.
For applicants planning to apply this year, these announcements provide an opportunity to do more than simply mark deadlines on a calendar. Essay questions often reveal what admissions committees value most and where they have chosen to place greater emphasis in evaluating candidates.
In this article, I have compiled the application deadlines and essay questions for six leading MBA programs. I also highlight whether the schools have made significant changes, minor changes, or no changes to their essays compared to last year.
If you are planning to apply in Round 1, this information should help you prioritize your research and begin developing your application strategy.
1. Kellogg School of Management
Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Decision Date | |
| Round 1 | September 9, 2026 | December 9, 2025 | |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2026 | March 24, 2026 | |
| Round 3 | March 31, 2026 | May 12, 2026 |
Written Essays
Essay Question (550 words max)
Part I: An MBA is a significant investment of time, energy and resources, and the decision to pursue one deserves serious reflection. Tell us about the pivotal experiences and decisions that have brought you to this moment in your career, how they have shaped your ambitions, and why now is the right time to take this next step.
Part II: Now turn the lens outward: beyond what you hope to gain, what do you hope to contribute to the students who will learn alongside you?
Re-applicants will receive a prompt about their growth since their last application: How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be? (250 words)
Video Essays:
Kellogg now requires applicants to record 5 video essays of 60 seconds each.
“The video will be comprised of five questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.”
What's Changed?
Kellogg has made one of the most significant changes among the schools that have released their essays so far. The school has reduced the number of written essays from two to just one and increased the number of video essays from three to five.
This change may reflect a broader trend in MBA admissions. In an AI-driven world, admissions committees may increasingly rely on video essays and interviews to evaluate communication skills, confidence, executive presence, and authenticity.
2. The Wharton School
Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Interview Notification | Decision Date |
| Round 1 | September 8, 2026 | October 28, 2026 | December 17, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 5, 2027 | February19, 2027 | March 31, 2027 |
| Round 3 | March 31, 2027 | April 16, 2027 | May 11, 2027 |
Essay Questions
Essay 1- Two short-form questions
1. What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 words)
2. Describe your medium-term and long-term goals after your Wharton MBA ( 150 words)
Essay 2- Long Form Essay
Taking into consideration your background- personal, professional, and /or academic- how do you plan to add meaningful value to the Wharton community?
Reapplicant Essay (required for all applications)
Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)
Additional Information Essay
Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)
What's Changed?
Wharton's essay questions remain largely unchanged this year. The school continues to focus on career goals, leadership, and contributions to the Wharton community. The structure has been refined, but the underlying questions are familiar.
3. Berkeley Haas
Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Decision Date | |
| Round 1 | September 10, 2026 | December 10, 2026 | |
| Round 2 | January 7, 2027 | March 25, 2027 | |
| Round 3 | April 1, 2027 | May 6, 2027 |
Essay Questions
Required Essay # 1- Video Essay
Briefly introduce yourself, then tell us what makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?
Please share something about yourself that may not be evident in other parts of your application. We are looking for an authentic and introspective response that demonstrates how you will contribute to the MBA class and culture at UC Berkeley Haas.
You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes. You have two (2) attempts to record your video essay.
Required Essay # 2
What are your post-MBA career goals, and how will the resources at UC Berkeley Haas help you achieve them? How do you plan to remain adaptable as your career evolves? (300 words max)
Supplemental Information
Distance Traveled
At Berkeley Haas, we consider "distance traveled" as the contextual information that helps us understand the unique circumstances, challenges, or influences that have shaped your personal and professional journey.
We invite you to share aspects of your background, personal circumstances, or significant experiences that have meaningfully impacted who you are today and how you've reached this point. Please tell us how these experiences have influenced your perspectives, decisions, and aspirations, and how they contribute to the person you are becoming. (300 words max)
This section is optional.
Optional Statement
This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include an explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate. (300 words max)
What has changed?
Haas continues to emphasize its four defining leadership principles and culture-focused essays with no major structural changes. The required video essay remains unchanged.
But Haas has added the adaptability component to the written essay about goals. The applicants are asked to explain if they are adaptable to change as their careers evolve.
4. Columbia Business School
August 2027 Entry Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Interview Decisions Released | Decision Date |
| Round 1 | September 9, 2026 | By November 2, 2026 | December 14, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 5, 2027 | By February 17, 2027 | March 24, 2027 |
| Round 3 | March 29, 2027 | April 30, 2027 | May 12, 2027 |
Essay Questions
Short Answer Question 1:
What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)
Short Answer Question 2: How do you plan to spend the summer after the first year of the MBA? If in an internship, please include the target industry (industries) and/or function (functions). If you plan to work on your own venture, please indicate a focus of business. (50 characters maximum)
Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years, and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)
Essay 2: Please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative, more inclusive, or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization. (250 words)
Essay 3 We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership--academically, culturally, and professionally.
How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words)
Optional Essay: If you wish to provide further information or additional context around your application to the Admissions Committee, please upload a brief explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)
What's Changed?
The essay questions remain unchanged this year.
5. Duke Fuqua
Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Interview Decision by | Decision Date |
| Round 1 | September 30, 2025 | November 11, 2026 | December 10, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 5, 2027 | February 11, 2027 | March 11, 2027 |
| Round 3 | March 25, 2027 | April 14, 2027 | May 6, 2027 |
Essay Questions
Required short-answer essay question
Instructions: Answer the following question in 100 words.
- What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.
First required essay: 25 random things about yourself
The 'Team Fuqua' spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU - beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.
Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.
Second required essay: The Fuqua community and you
Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua?
Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).
Optional essay: Tell us more
If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays or additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only.
Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).
What's Changed?
Fuqua has retained their core essays, and the application continues to be heavily focused on fit, leadership, and community. Have fun with Duke Fuqua’s signature essay about ’25 random things about yourself’.
6. UCLA Anderson
Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Interview Notification | Decision Date |
| Round 1 | October 1, 2026 | October, 2026 | December, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2027 | February, 2027 | March, 2027 |
| Round 3 | April 7, 2027 | May, 2027 | May, 2027 |
Essay Questions
Short Essay Prompts:
1 - Why is the MBA the right degree for you to pursue both personally and professionally? (150 words)
2 - Describe your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals. (150 words)
3 - What makes UCLA Anderson a top choice for you, and how will you engage with and contribute to the community? (250 words)
Optional Essay: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)
No preference is given in the evaluation process to those who choose to respond to this optional essay, so please use your best judgment.
What's Changed?
Anderson has retained its questions from last year. With only 550 words to present their profile, applicants need to make every word count. Write the optional essay only if you have a glaring weakness in your profile, not to provide additional information.
Key Admissions Trends Emerging So Far
Although it is still early in the admissions cycle, several themes are already beginning to emerge:
Increased Use of Video Assessments
Kellogg's increased emphasis on video essays suggests that schools may be looking for additional ways to assess communication skills and authenticity in an AI-assisted world.
Continued Focus on Leadership and Impact
Leadership, initiative, and measurable impact remain central themes across many applications.
Career Clarity Remains Critical
Schools continue to place significant emphasis on applicants' career goals and the rationale behind pursuing an MBA.
Authenticity and Self-Awareness Matter More Than Ever
Admissions committees are looking beyond resumes and test scores to understand candidates' motivations, values, and potential contributions.
Final Thoughts
If you are targeting Round 1, now is the time to begin working on your applications.
My experience working with MBA applicants over the past 15 years has taught me one thing: applicants who start early are often the most successful.
Strong applications are rarely built in a few weeks. School research, networking, self-reflection, recommendation planning, and essay development all take time.
The earlier you start, the stronger and more thoughtful your application is likely to be.
About MER (myEssayReview)
Poonam Tandon, the founder of MER (myEssayReview), is a Ph.D. in English with 15 years of MBA consulting experience and three decades of teaching experience in India and the US. A master storyteller, Poonam has successfully guided hundreds of students worldwide to gain admission into the esteemed MBA, EMBA, and specialized master's programs in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Throughout her four-decade-long professional career, she has reviewed 11,000+ essays written by applicants worldwide. Poonam was among the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club from September 2012 to December 2023.
📺 Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more MBA tips and student interviews.
📲 Follow me on LinkedIn and Facebook for insights and updates.
🌐 Explore blogs, interview transcripts, and resources:
https://myessayreview.com
