There is very little change between last year's and this year's Stanford GSB MBA essay questions. One minor change to note: You get an entire 50 extra words for your two essays. Last year the total word count was 1100 words. This year the maximum length is 1150. This is noteworthy only because it represents one of the few times in recent years that schools are allowing you to provide a little more information about yourselves than they allowed previously. Stanford is bucking the trend here.
Stanford gives a lot of advice and guidance on its website as to what it’s looking for in the essays. You should access that advice.
Stanford moved its Round 1 deadline up about a week (from Oct 1 to this year's Sept. 22.). It moved its Round 2 deadline to January 12 from last year's Jan 7. Round 3's deadline for 2016 is April 5; last year's final deadline was April 1. As I said in a recent podcast, the MBA application cycle -- like some sports' seasons and certain individuals' waistlines, is expanding.
My tips are in blue below.
Stanford GSB 2016 MBA Application Questions:
Essays help us learn about who you are rather than solely what you have done. Other parts of the application give insight to your academic and professional accomplishments; the essays reveal the person behind those achievements.
When writing your essays, resist the urge to “package” yourself into what you think Stanford wants to see. Doing so will only prevent us from understanding who you really are and what you hope to accomplish. The most impressive essays are the most authentic.
Essays:We request that you write two personal essays. The personal essays give us glimpses of your character and hopes. In each essay, we want to hear your genuine voice. Think carefully about your values, passions, aims, and dreams prior to writing them.
Essay A. What matters most to you, and why?
For this essay, we would like you to:
• Focus on the “why” rather than the “what.”
• Do some deep self-examination, so you can genuinely illustrate who you are and how you came to be the person you are.
• Share the insights, experiences, and lessons that shaped your perspectives, rather than focusing merely on what you’ve done or accomplished.
• Write from the heart, and illustrate how a person, situation, or event has influenced you.
This superficially straightforward question has been
Stanford’s first for the last several years, and it is actually one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult MBA essay questions to answer. It demands introspection. Before you put finger to keyboard or pen to paper, really reflect on what you value, how you have acted upon those principles, and why you value them. Stanford’s advice urges reflection. The question requires it.
When I reflect on our many successful Stanford clients, initiative in the face of need is the common thread among them. They are always the ones who revealed, especially in Essay A, that they do not turn away when they see a problem or need for action. They grab the initiative when faced with an opportunity to contribute. They are comfortable expressing emotion and their values, and their actions reflect both, but particularly the latter. Think purpose-driven, principle-driven lives.
More than anything else, initiative and self-awareness characterize the successful Stanford applicant. Implication: You have to know your values and those times you have acted upon them. Yes I wrote that a few seconds ago, but it bears repeating. Climbing Mt. Everest or suffering from terrible social ills is not a requirement of admission, but you do have to know the person occupying your skin.
Essay B. Why Stanford?
Enlighten us on how earning your MBA at Stanford will enable you to realize your ambitions.
A strong response to this essay question will:
• Explain your decision to pursue graduate education in management.
• Explain the distinctive opportunities you will pursue at Stanford.
Now that question is succinct, and really says what they want to know.
Similar to questions that have occupied this Stanford application slot for years, this question is a variation of a standard
MBA goals question, as revealed in the two bullet points after it. For this forward-looking question, you say why you want an MBA. The best way to do so is in terms of your desired post-MBA professional direction. Then explain how Stanford’s program specifically will help you travel down that path.
Understand the flexibility inherent in Stanford’s curriculum, its integrated approach to management, its entrepreneurial culture, and how both will help you learn what you need to know to achieve your career goals. Realize that the curriculum allows for personalization based on your goal and your past experience, specifically your previous business education. Two pieces of information are required to answer this question: A clear
MBA goal and an in-depth understanding of
Stanford GSB’s curriculum. (Folks: It’s not just the ranking, brand, or location.)
Essay Length:Your answers for both essay questions combined may not exceed 1,150 words. Below are suggested word counts per essay, but you should allocate the maximum word count in the way that is most effective for you.
• Essay A: 750 words
• Essay B: 400 wordsFormatting
• 12-pt. font size
• Double-spaced
• Recommended font types: Arial, Courier, or Times New Roman
• Indicate the question you are answering at the beginning of each essay (does not count toward the word limit)
• Number all pages
• Upload one document that includes both essays
Be sure to save a copy of your essays, and preview the uploaded document to ensure that the formatting is preserved.
Additional Information:If there is any information that is critical for us to know and is not captured elsewhere, include it in the “Additional Information” section of the application. Pertinent examples include:
• Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance
• Explanation of why you do not have a letter of reference from your current direct supervisor
• Work experience that did not fit into the space provided
• Academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere
This is optional. Respond if you have something to explain or need the additional space because you can’t fit in your work experience or all academic info. Responses should be succinct and to-the-point and should provide the context necessary for Stanford to understand the circumstances surrounding whatever difficulty you are writing about.
If you would like professional guidance with your Stanford GSB 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 Stanford GSB application.Stanford GSB 2016 MBA Application Deadlines:Application Round
Submit Your Application By
Notification DateRound 1
22 Sept 2015*
09 Dec 2015
Round 2
12 Jan 2016*
30 Mar 2016
Round 3
05 Apr 2016*
11 May 2016
* Applications and Letters of Reference are due by 5:00 PM, Pacific Time
By
Linda Abraham, president and founder of
Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions,
MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business SchoolsWhat Stanford is Looking for: Personal Qualities and Contributions
•
What Stanford is Looking for: Demonstrated Leadership Potential•
Valentine’s Day, Economics, and Stanford GSBAccepted.com's
experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with
comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from
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Accepted.com
This article originally appeared on
blog.accepted.com, the official blog of
Accepted.com.
05 May 2015, 19:14
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