Calling all Stanford GSB MBA Applicants: (2018 Intake) Class of 2020!!

Anyone else struggling with the essays? I'm starting to wish I hadn't decided to apply to Stanford. My other application is practically done. This one though is killing me.

What are you struggling with, specifically? Perhaps I can provide some guidance.

Hi Erika! Its selecting the thing that matters most to me and going from there. I have two ideas, but then I frighten myself by imagining the admissions staff rolling their eyes at my essay.

The GSB adcom is looking for doers. So whichever thing you have done more about/taken the most action on to prove that it really is the thing that matters most to you, pick that one!

Hope that helps!

That does help. Thank you!

HBS explicitly asks for the 3 most recent positions in their employment section, whereas Stanford does not specify - though they do mention internships. Are you listing all of your employers, even internships in college, and answering the short answer questions for each?

I have 4 years of post-grad work experience with 2 employers, and 3 positions. Then 3 internships during college summers, not even counting jobs I held during the year. That's a lot to write/a lot for them to read! Any guidance?

Hi Erika,

To follow up on this, I was wondering how much of the essay should be focused on 'why' and how much should be focused on 'examples'. Some of the essays I've read on Medium and from books answer this question by barely mentioning anything career/business related or not at all. Many talk about family background, childhood events, or a hobby for 95% of the essay. The way that I've currently set up my essay is 30% on the 'why' and 70% on the examples and the future, which I feel is too professionally focused not feel-good/inspirational/lovey-dovey enough.

What are your thoughts on that?

Thanks!

Is anyone else applying to Stanford's Knight Hennessy Scholarship? The application is very similar so I'm wondering if I can have the same recommenders, make slight changes to my main essays and then use those, etc.

It totally depends on what your answer to "What matters most" is. For many people, it's not something that involves what they do in their professional career -- for others, it is. So I would caution you to not worry about what others have done because that will likely steer you in the wrong direction if you're trying to "be like" other successful responses.

You have to be true to yourself. The essay does NOT have to be inspirational/"lovey-dovey" at all -- it should reflect your honest answer and your personality. I assure you that I have seen successful candidates run the entire gamut of tones and topics, but the one thing that they had in common was authenticity and self-awareness. The adcom can smell BS from a mile away. If something related to your work is what matters most and you're usually a fairly serious person, do NOT try to be something you're not. Diversity in the classroom comes in many ways, including diversity in personalities,
so be yourself.

Good luck!

Could someone help me with P4D fellowship? I don't think that I thoroughly understand it.
What is the purpose and how does it help and international student from Asia? Any binding circumstances?

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to be a candidate for the P4D Fellowship.

Bump on this.

I'm in a similar situation, with 3 positions post-grad. My other internships are not included in my resume. Any advice on whether or not to include?

I think internships do not really fall under work the work experience section. I did not include mine as

1. It was quite some time back.
2. Compared to my FT work, it had little impact.
3. I do not want to fatigue the reader with anything that is not stellar.

On closer look, GSB has specific instructions for internships, so you SHOULD write them

How long does it take to reflect a reference letter as submitted? My recommender said he submitted it but I still see the status as notified after a few hours.

Stanford explicitly said round 2 has gotten more competitive vs round 1. Has this been explicitly said before? Makes what seems like a long shot even longer

https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/m ... /deadlines

Posted from my mobile device

I got an email from Stanford immediately after one of my recommender sent his. (I was sitting in his office)