{"id":6423,"date":"2011-02-24T03:49:12","date_gmt":"2011-02-24T11:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=6423"},"modified":"2011-02-25T03:50:57","modified_gmt":"2011-02-25T11:50:57","slug":"2011-nyu-stern-langone-mba-essay-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2011-nyu-stern-langone-mba-essay-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"2011 NYU Stern Langone MBA Essay Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script src=\"https:\/\/w.sharethis.com\/widget\/?tabs=web%2Cemail&amp;charset=utf-8&amp;style=default&amp;publisher=2d813611-abb5-46db-a4b2-c94c2313b5a3\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/NYUStern.aspx\">NYU Stern<\/a> Langone essay questions reflect two contradictory qualities: on one hand short and focused; on the other hand comprehensive and broad, due to the nature of the third essay.\u00a0 One key challenge: portray your career and current work vividly and engagingly.\u00a0 This picture of your work is important because the part-time Langone program is intended for people who are employed full time, and therefore your work is a good part of what you \u201cbring to the table.\u201d\u00a0 Your work is one important way to demonstrate simultaneously your readiness for the program and your potential contribution to it.\u00a0 However, the questions don\u2019t give you a ready avenue to expand on your work.\u00a0\u00a0 A second key challenge is simply the brevity of the first two essay questions \u2013 that brevity makes it easy to do an okay job.\u00a0 But okay isn\u2019t good enough for this program, among the most competitive and acclaimed of part-time MBA programs \u2013 and it\u2019s not a cinch to do a truly compelling 250-word essay.\u00a0 Finally, read the questions as a whole \u2013 the Langone adcom clearly values sharp, focused career goals \u2013 but from applicants who have some ability and inclination to reflect, engage, and probe creatively and\/or intellectually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Langone Part-Time MBA Essay Questions and Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Question 1<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Professional Aspirations <\/strong>(250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)<\/p>\n<p>What are your short-term and long-term career goals?<span style=\"color: #31849b;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">First, don\u2019t even think about how you can get everything you want into this essay.\u00a0 You can\u2019t. Rather, ask yourself, \u201cWhat are the few, key points I must have in this essay to both answer the question effectively and stand out?\u201d\u00a0 First, you need the details of your short- and long-term goals: positions and titles, company, industry, a sample of likely responsibilities you\u2019ll hold.\u00a0 Beyond that, to make the essay compelling, in one or two sentences convey your vision for your goals (the broader impact you\u2019ll have) and your motivation for your goals \u2013 these elements are often intertwined. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">One way you can fit in pertinent career information is to start the essay with your current position and work it into your short-term goals.\u00a0 After all, you can have goals (things you want to accomplish) in your current position while you\u2019re earning your MBA \u2013 it doesn\u2019t require a promotion or change of position to have a goal. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">A simple structure works best: the first paragraph covering your short-term goals (possibly starting with where you are now); second paragraph long-term goals.\u00a0 With this short essay you don\u2019t need intro and concluding paragraphs, intro and concluding sentences will do. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Question 2<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fit with Stern (250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)<\/p>\n<p>(a) Why have you chosen to pursue your MBA on a part-time basis?<\/p>\n<p>(b) On Personal Data Form 1, you indicated your Langone program preferences in rank order.<\/p>\n<p>Please explain the preferences you selected.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Manhattan \u2013 Weeknights<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Manhattan \u2013 Weekends<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Westchester \u2013 Weeknights<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">I suggest more depth and content for part A, and a straightforward, factual explanation for part B.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">Part A probes your decision-making regarding the part-time option.\u00a0 The adcom wants to know the reasons are affirmative and the part-time program is your program of choice.\u00a0 This section also gives you a chance to further elaborate on your current work and its distinguishing aspects \u2013 presumably one reason you are pursuing the part-time program is because you are engaged in your work.\u00a0 In this section, focus on the key 2-3 reasons for a part-time MBA and discuss each briefly but thoughtfully.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry about having \u201cunique\u201d reasons \u2013 you won\u2019t \u2013 it\u2019s your specific work and the insights you\u2019ll bring from it that are unique.\u00a0\u00a0 Caution: have positive, affirmative reasons; avoid reasons like can\u2019t afford a full-time MBA, afraid to leave job, can\u2019t get into a top-tier full-time program, etc.\u00a0 Positive reasons include wanting to stay in fascinating job\/industry, excitement about applying learning in real-time, valuing studying alongside peers who are immersed in diverse industries and functions, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">Part B should be short and sweet; a couple of sentences will suffice, simply explaining in concrete, practical terms why you are choosing the particular program.\u00a0 The adcom wants assurance that you have thought through and understand the logistics of your choice. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Question 3<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Personal Expression<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message. Feel free to be creative. <strong>If you will submit Essay 3 via mail (including multimedia submissions), please provide a brief description of your submission and its relevance to your MBA application<\/strong>. Please note the following guidelines and restrictions:<\/p>\n<p>Your submission becomes the property of NYU Stern and cannot be returned for any reason.<\/p>\n<p>If you submit a written essay, it should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">First, a comment on the \u201cfeel free to be creative\u201d point: don\u2019t strain to do something you think represents \u201ccreative\u201d if it doesn\u2019t flow naturally.\u00a0 Plenty, perhaps most, of admitted applicants write an essay.\u00a0 If you are inspired and have a great idea, fine, go with it.\u00a0 If not, write the absolute best essay you can.\u00a0 The key here is to help the adcom get to know you in ways that are relevant to Langone and that distinguish you.\u00a0 (And don\u2019t write exclusively about work; let them see other aspects of who you are.)\u00a0 Langone, and more broadly NYU, relish involvement with the community, intellectual and\/or artistic engagement, a sharp ability to self-reflect on one\u2019s life and circumstances, a willingness to assert and\/or question one\u2019s values, a willingness and ability to ask questions that you don\u2019t have answers to\u2026\u00a0 There are many inviting avenues to consider in selecting a topic for this essay \u2013 and that selection is the key to hitting a home run with it.\u00a0 There really isn\u2019t a formula.\u00a0 I have seen successful essays that focus solely on the applicant\u2019s passionate hobby, that discuss some aspect of one\u2019s family life, one\u2019s regional culture, one\u2019s religious or political evolution\u2026 And I\u2019ve also seen successful essays that discuss a couple of things.\u00a0 With the 500-word limit, I don\u2019t think you can do justice to more than 2 points though. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">Don\u2019t worry about discussing things that are \u201cimpressive\u201d or about finding things that are unusual \u2013 this essay\u2019s effectiveness rests on how vividly you present your topic(s), how you personalize it with anecdote and detail. A discussion about something as common as cooking or learning a language or running can become a memorable statement if done vividly with stories and experiences. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Optional essay<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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, your undergraduate record, plans to retake the GMAT, GRE and\/or TOEFL, or any other relevant information. If you are unable to submit a recommendation from a current supervisor, you must explain your reason in this essay. If you are a reapplicant from last term\/year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since your last application.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #7030a0;\">This question is a bit ambivalent.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t explicitly limit the essay to extenuating circumstances or application-specific issues, but the topics it suggests are such issues.\u00a0 Moreover the phrase \u201cbring to the attention of\u201d doesn\u2019t really invite you to continue marketing yourself with any new material that you think might enhance your application.\u00a0 I therefore suggest addressing the types of issues the question presents, or other information that has a direct bearing on the adcom\u2019s ability to understand your candidacy.\u00a0 There is no word limit, but given the other word limits, keeping it short will align with the other essays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"https:\/\/www.stern.nyu.edu\/AcademicPrograms\/PartTime\/Admissions\/DeadlinesAndProcess\/index.htm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stern.nyu.edu\/AcademicPrograms\/PartTime\/Admissions\/DeadlinesAndProcess\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Deadline<\/a> for fall 2011:\u00a0 May 15, 2011<\/p>\n<p>Deadline for spring 2012:\u00a0 September 15, 2011<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/aboutus\/editors.aspx?editorid=3\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"full-image-float-left ssNonEditable\"><span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/storage\/cindy.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1298531206354\" alt=\"\" width=\"71\" height=\"81\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/a><em>By <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/aboutus\/editors.aspx?editorid=3\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Cindy Tokumitsu<\/em><\/a><em>, is the co-author of <\/em>T<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/Ecommerce\/mba\/EMBAEssay.aspx\">he EMBA Edge<\/a><em>, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/Ecommerce\/ebook2.aspx\">Finance Professional\u2019s Guide to MBA Admissions Success<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/Ecommerce\/ConsultantsGuide\/ConsultantsGuide.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">The Consultant\u2019s Guide to MBA Admission<\/a> <em>and author of the free, email mini-course,<\/em><a title=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/embaadmissionscourse.aspx\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/embaadmissionscourse.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><em> \"<\/em>Ace the EMBA.<em>\"<\/em><\/a><em> Cindy and her colleagues are available to guide you as you apply to Langone.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The NYU Stern Langone essay questions reflect two contradictory qualities: on one hand short and focused; on the other hand comprehensive and broad, due to the nature of the third&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6423"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6425,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6423\/revisions\/6425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}