NYU Stern Admissions Essay Requirements

Approaching the prompt

Stern is looking for you to be reflective in this essay. With 750 words available, they are giving you plenty of room to fully develop your response to each question. However, the key to this essay is located at the beginning. The Stern admissions officers are asking for pivotal decisions that you have made that have shaped who you are and brought you to where you are today. Next, Stern wants to know why now is the right time for you to earn your MBA. Why is an MBA necessary to get you from where you are now to where you want to be? Finally, outline your immediate MBA-goal and your overarching vision of your career.

Common pitfalls

Seeming Uncertain: Stern wants to select applicants who perceive themselves as actors in their lives and demonstrate that through excellent decision making. While you certainly couldn’t have foreseen every fork in the road, show that you consistently had direction and goals. What were the critical decisions that you have made? Even if serendipity played a role, such as a chance meeting with someone who opened doors for you, show that you were able to recognize the opportunity and took steps to maximize your ability to benefit from the situation.

Writing about why you have chosen Stern: Stern gives you plenty of space to explore that in the second essay. Make sure to plan your Stern essays as a package with minimal overlap. Instead of writing about Stern or in general about how an MBA will enhance your career, focus on how your current circumstances create the ideal situation for pursuing graduate business studies.

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Approaching the prompt

For this essay, Stern is asking if you exemplify Stern’s values: intellect, collaboration, and leadership. In fact, you can look at each of the questions this way. The first is asking about collaboration. Can you reach out to others? Can you connect with them in a meaningful way? In the second question, Stern is looking for the sense of intellectual adventure and even intellectual ambitiousness that defines NYU’s international reputation. What are your academic passions? How will you be dynamic outside of the classroom? Finally, the admissions officers want to read about your leadership potential. And they are unequivocal: Stern expects you to make your mark at the school and then do the same in the business world. What do you want to accomplish? How will this enhance the Stern environment and contribute to others’ experience at Stern?

Common pitfalls

Not having had interaction with the Stern community: In the first section of this prompt, Stern wants to read about person-to-person interactions with members of the Stern community. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the campus or attend one of their global events, then you need to show that you have met Stern alumni or had email/phone interaction with professors or administrators. Name names. NYU as a whole prides itself on being a village within the city. Reflect this in your essay.

Not Being Dynamic: As part of NYU, Stern prides itself on being less conservative and more cutting-edge than other top business programs. Reflect a willingness to take risks and make mistakes. Show that you can learn and integrate those to become more flexible and prepared for future challenges. Demonstrate your passion, sense of purpose, and enthusiasm for being at Stern.

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Approaching the prompt

‘Feel free’ is less of an offer than an expectation. Stern wants applicants who can show an ability to think innovatively and create something new. While there are limits to the size, shape, and content of what you can submit (no food or worn clothing, please!), overall Stern is giving you exceptional leeway. Nevertheless, keep the prompt in mind. Through your submission, regardless of what form it takes, your purpose is to help your MBA classmates get to know you better. However, what is really happening is that you are helping the admissions officers get to know you better. Be sincere, but also respectful and informative.

Common pitfalls

Submitting an Essay: While it is acceptable to submit an essay in response to this prompt, it won’t be particularly persuasive to the Stern admissions officers. If you are partial to the written word, create something artistic, incorporating textured papers, pictures, images, or even calligraphy. Would you tell a story to help others know you? Then you could make a mini-book or even a short film using kinetic typography. Don’t assume that you’ll be stuck with something that looks like craft day in the 3rd grade. There are plenty of resources available to help you create something that is verbal and creative but also professional-looking.

Being Artsy: The sophisticated New Yorkers that comprise the Stern admissions committee know pretentiousness when they see it. Because your directive is to help people get to know you, this isn’t the time to submit something remote or elitist. Your message should be clear and accessible to all. If you are, in fact, an artist, you may wish to present a small collection to the admissions officers with a print or video explanation of your work that fully explains how viewing your work would give your Stern classmates insight into what motivates you in the business world.

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