Stern School of Business (New York University)

Essay questions

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. Your essays must be written entirely by you. An offer of admission will be rescinded if you did not write your essays.

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations (500 word maximum, double spaced, 12 point font) What are your short and long term career goals? How will the MBA help you achieve them?

Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. Pick Six) Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements: A brief introduction or overview of your Pick Six (no more than 3 sentences). Six images that help illustrate who you are. A one sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you. Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.

Essay 3: Additional Information (optional) (250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12 point font) 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 transcripts, plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information. If you are planning to attend the Langone Part time MBA program and do not currently live in the NYC Metro Area or the Westchester area, please indicate your plans to pursue the program. If you are planning to relocate to the NYC area, please indicate your plans for employment.

Essay questions

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) What are your short and long-term career goals? How will the MBA help you achieve them?

Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. Pick Six) Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements: A brief introduction or overview of your Pick Six (no more than 3 sentences). Six images that help illustrate who you are. A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you. Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.

Essay 3: Additional Information (optional) (250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) 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 planning to attend the Langone Part-time MBA program and do not currently live in the NYC Metro Area or the Westchester area, please indicate your plans to pursue the program. If you are planning to relocate to the NYC area, please indicate your plans for employment. 

Essay questions

Applicants are required to respond to essay prompts 1 and 2. The 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. Your essays should be written entirely by you. There is an optional essay if you wish to provide additional information.

All essays have a 500 word limit, double spaced. Word limits apply to the total essay question. For example, your response to Essay 2 should answer all parts.

1. Describe your short- and long-term career goals and how the NYU Stern Executive MBA program will help you accomplish them.

2. NYU Stern is committed to helping students develop a deeper set of professional skills, and a broader perspective of the role of business in the world.

a) What is a significant contemporary issue on which you, as a business leader, would like to have an impact?
b) Why is it important to you?
c) How could you leverage your skills and resources to address the issue?

3. Additional Information (Optional) - Provide any additional information for the Admissions Committee. This may include additional details on your academic/quantitative preparation for MBA coursework through educational or professional experience, further explanation of academic history, current or past gaps in employment, or any other information relevant to your application.