NYU Stern 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

Stern clearly likes what it received from applicants last year: It is not tweaking, changing, adding to, or subtracting from last year’s essay questions.

My tips are in blue below.

Our Stern essay questions give you the opportunity to more fully present yourself to the Admissions Committee and to provide insight into your experiences, goals and thought processes.

Please note the following details when completing your essays.

•Written essays must be submitted using double-spacing and 12-point font.

• Your response to Essay 1 should answer all parts of the question with a total maximum of 750 words.

• Your essays should be written entirely by you. An offer of admission will be revoked if you did not write your essays.

Essays:

Essay 1.

Professional Aspirations (750 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

• Why pursue an MBA (or dual degree) at this point in your life?

• What actions have you taken to determine that Stern is the best fit for your MBA experience?

• What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation?

Stern states explicitly that it seeks students with a “well-articulated plan to achieve their career aspirations.”

Stern’s #1 is an MBA goals question with a couple of small twists. A and C are fairly typical of this genre, only C doesn’t ask about long-term goals. At the heart of this question: What do you want to do after you graduate that requires an MBA and A asks why is now the right time to get it? You should be able to answer Stern’s #1, or you shouldn’t be applying.

Another twist occurs in B: Have you done your homework about Stern? What have you done to research the program, its curriculum, career opportunities, and student life? What aspects of the program will help you achieve the goals you provide in C?

The part of the question asking about your career goal “upon graduation” is critical. Are you realistic about where your past experience plus a Stern MBA can take you? Stern doesn’t want people in la-la-land who will be impossible to place.

Finally make sure you answer all elements of the question while staying within the word limits (not guidelines). No adcom member sits there and counts words, but the readers can tell when you are significantly over. “Significantly” in my book is more than 10%. Write succinctly.

Essay 2.

Personal Expression

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.

Please note the following guidelines and restrictions:

• Your submission becomes the property of NYU Stern and cannot be returned for any reason.

• Written Submission: The essay should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.

• Video/Audio Submission: If you submit a video or audio file, it should be five minutes maximum, and the file should be uploaded to a video/audio hosting website. You must include the URL, along with a brief description of the video/audio piece, in a Word or PDF document with your online application. Do not mail a USB or DVD to our office. The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an alternate essay if we are unable to view your submission.

• Physical Submission: If you submit a physical piece for this essay (e.g. artwork), you must include a Word or PDF document with a photo and a brief description of your submission with your online application and note the following:

• Do not submit anything perishable (e.g. food), or any item that has been worn (e.g. clothing).

• Mailed materials must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Please follow our mail and labeling instructions.

• Mailed packages are subject to the size restrictions below. Submissions that exceed the stated size restrictions will not be accepted for review by the Admissions Committee.

Packaging Type	Dimensions: Metric	Dimensions: Non-metric
Box	36cm x 31cm x 8cm	14” x 12” x 3”
Cylindrical tube	8cm x 91cm	3” x 36”
Triangular tube	97cm x 16cm x 16 cm x 16 cm	38” x 6” x 6” x 6”

Candidates can get very creative with this essay and use different media (other than edibles and worn attire), but many of you will convey your ideas in words. Think of how you describe yourself in a social setting when meeting people for the first time.

If it’s the first day of class or a mixer early in the pre-term, how would you break the ice? Would you try to set up a tennis game or golf match? Would you find someone to explore NYC’s museums? Or do you hate museums and prefer hiking through the woods? What would you say if you were in the campus coffee shop and sat down with some new classmates? Could you create a dialog? A short skit?

NYU Stern also permits the use of multimedia in response to this question. While the media may vary, the point again is to introduce yourself to friends. Given the other questions, this can be a great venue for hobbies, extra-curricular interests, and community service.

When I visited NYU Stern a few years ago, the admissions officer I met with proudly showed me several “personal expressions.” Her faves. They were incredibly creative, but much less slick than you might imagine. A year ago, Stern hosted AIGAC for a day and again presented two of the videos filmed in response to this question. They were thoughtful introductions to the applicants who created them. But neither one was super-slick or professional. Just revealing, creative, and clever.

If you want to submit something three-dimensional or multi-media, don’t worry if you aren’t ready for the Louvre or the Academy Awards as long as your creation is authentically yours, introduces you, and sticks to the above requirements. It will be taken seriously and appreciated.

If you are considering video, download Audio/Video in Admissions: Get Ready for Prime Time, a free guide.

Essay 3.

Additional Information (optional)

Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, IELTS or TOEFL or any other relevant information.

If you are a re-applicant from last year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since your last application.

Obviously if you fit into one of the categories described in the three points above, you need to write this essay. If you don’t fit into the above categories and have something you want the admissions committee to know that isn’t part of the required essays, then you still should write this optional essay.

If you are an MBA reapplicant, please realize that the question posed here by NYU Stern is THE key question you need to answer as a reapplicant. What have you done to improve your candidacy that should change the outcome?

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

NYU Stern 2017 Application Deadlines:

If you would like professional guidance with your NYU Stern MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the NYU Stern MBA application.