Write concisely (total word count must not exceed 1,200 words) We asked our friend Kyle, an HBS MBA graduate and an experienced MBA admissions consultant, what he thinks of the prompt, and a few strategies for how to answer it. The best examples of Essay 2 express your passions or focused interests, explain why you have decided to pursue graduate education in management, and demonstrate your desire to take advantage of the opportunities that are distinctive to the Stanford MBA Program. Real core values indicate whose interest comes first when faced with difficult trade-offs.”. The fifth post is on additional information, resume, employment history, and activities. If you’re struggling to put your core values into words, or aren’t sure you’ve really nailed the brief for Stanford, let our award-winning editors use their expert storytelling abilities to help you transform your essay from average to attention-grabbing and land a Stanford interview. Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. Crafting a Good Story. As we posted on June 12, the Stanford GSB has released their MBA application essay questions for 2007-2008. Ultimately, Stanford’s first essay question is highly personal, so it’s likely you’ll need to rely on friends, family, and colleagues to help you work through your ideas. If you don’t show your reader why your chosen theme matters so much to you, circle back and consider if A) you’ve chosen the right topic (perhaps your theme really, what matters most if you’re having trouble showing why it matters); or B) you simply need to tweak your examples. What moments in your life did you feel most engaged or fulfilled? Perhaps an example from my own life would help. Instead, they want a talented, principled group of leaders who will use business to positively impact the world. In particular, try to show a variety of achievements that complement your stories in other parts of your application and work to include stories with clear outcomes. Writing any admissions essay is a tough task, however, Stanford raises the bar when it comes to presenting a highly-challenging yet open-ended prompt. Why Stanford? If you write a goals essay that is completely at odds with what you’ve shown is most important to you in life in your first essay, this inconsistency will likely end your Stanford application journey. Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you feel like the choices you’ve made in life haven’t come at much of a cost, then consider: What things are you not? In our first article, we helped you confront the daunting question of “What matters most to you and why? than you ever thought possible by giving you the tools and positioning you need to write outstanding essays that help you gain admission to a top MBA program. However, we still suggest you take advantage of all space you are offered to share aspects of your profile with the GSB admissions committee. This is not an essay about what you’ve accomplished – that is what your resume is for. Actually without that, your aspirations will not make sense because you must have career goals that require Stanford. Other parts of the application give insight to your academic and professional accomplishments; the essays reveal the … It’s about hard choices – those that have a real cost. Stanford GSB values applicants who can contribute to its greater community and the educational experience for all. The Stanford GSB has used the same two essay questions for years now, and they capture very well what the GSB is looking for in its applicants. Keep reading for a more in-depth look at how to turn this rather open-ended task into a standout essay! So, after a summer away from my closest friends and family, I learned that I wanted to live in Chicago after graduation, even though it would mean taking a job outside of the media industry, which is heavily concentrated in New York City. Like previous years, the Stanford Graduate School of Business asks MBA applicants to submit the same two required essay questions. The most infamous MBA admissions essay comes from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (with the Harvard MBA essay a close second!). You can access the online application here. The Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) or just simply GSB is one of the seven schools under the Stanford University. Striking upon a core value that GSB has never heard of before is almost impossible. Nonetheless, that does not mean that Stanford looks simply for good test takers. It has been updated with new information and tips below. What was your impact? We are also interested in learning about the things you have done that are most meaningful to you. Only those companies that truly prioritize the three succeed. We recommend up to 750 words for Essay A and up to 400 words for Essay B. Steve Jobs is a well-known example of this – a leader who was so singularly focused on one thing that he was willing to sacrifice social acceptance (before he became a tech idol) and what people thought of him, a cost that many of us would not be willing to pay. Essay B (if applying to both the MBA and MSx programs): 450 words, Indicate the question you are answering at the beginning of each essay (does not count toward the word limit), Upload one document that includes both essays, Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance, Work experience that did not fit into the space provided, Academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere, Are you almost finished with your application, but are, At Ellin Lolis Consulting, our goal is to. At Ellin Lolis Consulting, our goal is to add more value to your application than you ever thought possible by giving you the tools and positioning you need to write outstanding essays that help you gain admission to a top MBA program. Stanford Essay for the Class of 2019: Though there is great diversity in the class, some of the key characteristics GSB looks for in applicants are: “We always remember that there is neither an ‘ideal’ candidate nor a ‘typical’ Stanford MBA student. At the beginning of the semester, he posed this question as one of the most significant that a company has to answer: “How do your core values prioritize shareholders, employees, and customers?” Of course, most companies want to please all three constituents, but those who do tend to fail. We often find effective essays that are written in fewer words.”. Instead of standing out by choosing a unique (but perhaps under supported) theme, choose the theme that genuinely demonstrates what you’re all about. New Stanford GSB Short Answer Essay: 3 Insider Tips. Furthermore, if you show fluffy or unsupported reasons you need to hone your skills, you’ll also likely see your application tossed aside in favor of an applicant who was able to clearly demonstrate how they plan to leverage their time at business school. Here’s what he said: I’ve found that most admissions consultants provide the same advice on how to answer Stanford’s first essay question, and frankly it’s no different than the advice Stanford provides in the prompt itself: a good answer requires deep self-examination. You may also want to mention how you can contribute to the community. While the Stanford GSB community does include students who have pursued incomparable opportunities, most Stanford MBA students have excelled by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Do you live in a studio apartment so you can afford to travel one a month? The forth post is on Essay 3. Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. Each of you has your own story to tell, so please allocate these words between the essays in the way that is most effective for you. It is simply–and perhaps maddeningly– “What matters most to you, and why?” Deceptively open-ended, the question manages to stump many applicants who agonize over what Stanford wants to hear and how to best write to it. Why Stanford? If you don’t show your reader why your chosen theme matters so much to you, circle back and consider if A) you’ve chosen the right topic (perhaps your theme really isn’t what matters most if you’re having trouble showing why it matters); or B) you simply need to tweak your examples to tell a clearer, more compelling story. So, while I agree that the Stanford MBA admissions essay requires significant self-examination and reflection, I hope to provide some more concrete advice for how to approach that process and how to know when you’ve gotten to a quality answer. It’d be a tragedy to devote so much time and energy to crafting your best Stanford GSB essay, only to drop the ball at the very end. Many applicants make the mistake of making this essay about what they have accomplished, and claiming those accomplishments (often tied together by some central theme) as most important to them. If at all possible, try to connect this example to the “core value” you presented in Essay A. Stanford has very specific requirements when it comes to how your essays must be formatted, so make sure you follow these instructions. Have you overcome any challenges that marked your identity? Figuring out the core of your personal story, and how to explain it in a way that the Stanford Stanford GSB admissions reader can understand, is a critical part of a successful Stanford A essay. What are your values? We recommend up to 650 words for Essay A and up to 400 words for Essay B. from average to attention-grabbing and land a Stanford interview. The sub questions for this essay cover both why you are interested in pursuing an MBA, and why you specifically want to attend Stanford GSB for your MBA. How would you have been spending your time, energy, and capital? Mentioning that you want to go to Stanford because of its ranking or sunny California location will not cut it here. What opportunities did they miss out on in order to prioritize what matters most to them? [email protected]. Copyright © 2012 - 2021 Menlo Coaching B.V. MBA Essay Tips From 3 Top Admissions Consultants, How to Get Into MBA Programs at Top Business Schools, Where you’ve chosen to live – and, by implication, where you’ve chosen, What jobs you’ve accepted – and what jobs you’ve, What things in your life get your time and attention – and what things. Stanford MBA Essay Sample 1: What matters most to you, and why? As a child I drew inspiration from my father who never settled for anything less than “The Best of the Best”. Instead, carefully consider times when you clearly acted upon the core value you’ve presented. (400 words) Both essays combined may not exceed 1,150 words. That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Stanford GSB admissions essays to stand out. Steve Jobs is a well-known example of this – a leader who was so singularly focused on one thing that he was willing to sacrifice social acceptance (before he became a tech idol) and what people thought of him, a cost that many of us would not be willing to pay. The writing should be much more personal and casual than a traditional MBA essay. According to Stanford, here’s what they want to see in your admissions essays. (1100 characters). So, consider the major choices you’ve made in your life, and think about not only the options that you chose but also the options that you didn’t: After listing many important choices that you’ve made, and understanding what you gave up as a result, also consider that you may not have always prioritized what matters most to you. Instead, it is a picture of your motivations, intentions, and lessons as you have navigated your life’s many ups and downs. Though these responses are technically optional, we highly suggest using this space to highlight professional or extracurricular achievements that you may not have been able to fit in your What Matters Most essay. The first essay question is famous in the MBA world as both particularly insightful and particularly tough to answer. (1,200 words if you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs). The only purpose you can use someone’s essays is a reference for the flow of writing. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips, but have also included. Stanford GSB’s first essay asks applicants to explain “What Matters Most to You and Why? In this essay, you have a big task. The first post provides an overall perspective on applying to Stanford GSB. This does not mean you should simply copy/paste examples from other essays. After you choose your theme, you must go about supporting it. Rather, it’s an essay about the events, people, and situations in your life that have influenced you. We encourage you to: 1. My cheeks were raw from the cold, my legs were numb, and my fingers gripped a rotting cardboard sign. Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them.” Corralling the material you need to answer this classic MBA essay question is more challenging than you might think. work to include stories with clear outcomes. Essay B: Why Stanford? Pertinent examples include: Are you almost finished with your application, but are still worried your essay is not quite perfect enough to send? Like most excellent admissions essays, this essay begins with in-depth brainstorming. What moments in your life did you feel most engaged or fulfilled? Why Stanford Essay Section 3: Cover the experiential learning program in Stanford MBA. Why you believe an MBA is necessary to reach these goals, How a Stanford MBA will help you reach these goals. Stanford GSB offers guidelines and advice on its website for writing essays, "Essays help us learn about who you are rather than solely what you have done. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs. (Up to 1200 characters, approximately 200 words, for each example). Stanford Essay for the Class of 2021: Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? Perhaps you live in that studio so you can travel once a month because your parents taught you that worldly exposure is the most important value. Mollerusstraat 1, 3743 BW Baarn Unfortunately, I’ve also found this advice to be remarkably unhelpful for MBA applicants setting out to answer the most difficult essay question in business school admissions. Making the choice to live in Chicago after graduation came at a real cost – namely not being able to work at the best companies in my first-choice industry – but it was worth it to me because it is more important to be near a strong support network of friends and family. can help you grow. Expert Admissions Consultant Yaron Dahan talks about the power of storytelling in essays like this one: Many applicants think they have to be a creative writing genius to produce a great Stanford A essay. Stanford GSB 2019-20 MBA application essay questions. In his words: “Value statements that are lists of aspirational behaviors aren’t good enough. Explain how you will leverage the Global Management Immersion Experience (GMIX) experience to work in one of the industries as diverse as energy, international development, finance, healthcare, consumer products, media and entertainment, technology, and telecommunications, and broaden your … , a common type of essay required of applicants at many elite business schools. “and why Stanford?” Your objective in the essay is demonstrate why you would greatly benefit from a Stanford MBA education. Questions like “What matters most to you” are not questions we commonly ask ourselves on a daily basis, so the answer might not be readily apparent to you. Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. Nothing could be further from the truth. Thus, spend some serious time thinking about what has motivated you as you took each step in your career and consider where this path is leading you. You should remember this, too. Keep in mind you must limit yourself to 1,100 characters including spaces. This required moving to a city with the highest concentration of media and journalism companies: New York City. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips, but have also included sample essays to ensure you give your Stanford application your best shot. Stanford’s notorious admissions essay questions. Essay B: Why Stanford? If you’re having trouble getting started, or aren’t sure you’ve really identified the right path forward, family members and close friends can be an excellent resource to help you zero in on the best topic. No possible topic is too intimate. What makes a really interesting answer to Stanford’s first essay question is when applicants can demonstrate how they prioritized what was important to them when it came at great cost – when their priorities were in conflict with other still important things. These misguided choices can be great fodder for your Stanford essay, too. The Stanford GSB admissions reader is looking for a well-crafted story in … What made it significant to you or to others? We know that each person is more than a list of facts or pre-defined categories. For example, if you state that being an independent thinker is what matters most, show a time in your life when you went against the grain — and it paid off. This question is essentially a goals essay, a common type of essay required of applicants at many elite business schools. Perhaps, then, what matters most to me is having a strong network of support close to me. The second Stanford MBA application essay prompt reads: “Why Stanford?” Talk about a straightforward question. For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Stanford Gsb Example Essays Why Stanford The flexible pricing policy allows you to choose the writer you want without overspending. Did you lose touch with a friend because you launched a website and spent all your time trying to make sure it succeeded? Since age 12, I have coded … In answering this question, consider how your background, such as your work, education, skills, interests, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, where/how you grew up, and/or other factors, had an impact on your recent actions and choices. Great leaders are often self-aware, know what is important to them, and drive to it at all costs. First of all, many candidates think they do not need to specifically state their goals, or that it’s better to leave “their options open.” If you are applying to elite business schools, however, you must have and present absolutely clarity about your goals. Let’s take a look at Poonam’s analysis of the Stanford GSB MBA essay topics for the 2021 intake. You may also want to mention how you can contribute to the community. What else would you have been doing if you hadn’t been doing what mattered most to you? Have you overcome any challenges that marked your identity? That is Stanford expects these essays to be unique and the one giving insights toward the genuine voice of person enrolling. An MBA is not a catch-all degree that serves a purpose for all career paths. If you’re struggling to put your core values into words, or aren’t sure you’ve really nailed the brief for Stanford, let our award-winning editors use their expert storytelling abilities to help you. After all, you don’t get into a prestigious business school without standing out! , you are given an additional 50 words to also discuss your interest in this particular program. Stanford GSB 2020-21 MBA application essay questions Essays help us learn about who you are rather than solely what you have done. In around 400 words, you need to discuss: Each of these elements must be included and must build off of each other. This does not mean you should simply copy/paste examples from other essays. In particular, try to show a variety of achievements that complement your stories in other parts of your application. My analysis of Stanford GSB interviews can be found here. However, with increasing competition over the small number of spots at this haven for innovative thinkers, securing a place at Stanford is more challenging than ever. Third, show how Stanford can specifically help you grow in the areas you’ve identified. This question tests how prepared, willing, and capable you are to draw on what you’ve experienced thus far in life to contribute to a project or class discussion. Writing the Second 2020-2021 Stanford GSB Application Essay . Now What? Uploading the essays: Both the essays must be uploaded in a single document. The admissions committee has read thousands upon thousands of essays. In a way, Essay B picks up from where Essay A ends . If you don’t need to improve in any meaningful way, you might be presenting the argument the admissions committee needs for why you can’t actually benefit from an MBA. As I always tell clients, if you argue that what matters most to you is sustainability but you can’t provide a single example of acting to make your company or community more sustainable, perhaps you should go back to the drawing board. NEW for the class of 2022: the “optional” (but come on, not REALLY optional ) set of 3 mini-essays: Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. Each of you has your own story to tell, so please allocate these words between the essays in the way that is most effective for you. 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