Following on yesterday’s notion of providing essay guidance to applicants shooting for December deadlines, we thought that today we would weigh in on the topics for Stern’s application, due the first of the month.
1. Professional Aspirations (2 pages maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following:
(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
This is your standard career goals essay, with a few interesting quirks. First, note that the initial section requests that applicants reflect on and explain the choices they’ve made to date, placing a bit of extra emphasis on the presentation of one’s career as a coherent and directed whole. While it’s always important to explain the reasons you’ve moved from one company to the next, you’ll also want to think about the less obvious decisions you’ve made. Have you actively sought out more responsibility? Requested an assignment with an eye to gaining a certain skill? This essay is a great place for you to highlight your initiative and foresight in the process of relating your career progression to the adcom.
Within the same theme of deliberate decision-making, the second thing to keep in mind is the prominence of the ‘why now’ issue. A thorough and well reasoned answer to this question will be a must for a solid response. Beyond your career path to date and the ‘why now’ issue, Stern will be looking for a detailed explanation of your short and long-term career plans and interest in the MBA as a means to realize these goals.
2. Fit with Stern (2 pages maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
The NYU Stern community is one of our strongest assets. Please answer the following questions about community:
(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? What actions have you taken to learn more about us?
(b) How would you contribute to our community as a student?
(c) How will you benefit personally and professionally from the Stern community?
Sensitive to the fact that their program is often viewed alongside Columbia, Cornell and Yale, Stern is essentially asking applicants exactly how much homework they’ve done on the school. Obviously, the more information you can provide about trips to campus, visits to classes and conversations with students and alums, the more sincere your interest in the program will seem. The second portion of this question is similar to Kellogg’s second essay in that the adcom wants to see that applicants have really thought through the ways they could make an impact on the community. Ideally, you’ll connect your ideas about the future to your established activities and stated interests in order to create some continuity and make sure that your claims about contributing are as convincing as possible.
3. Personal Expression
Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative. If you submit a written essay, it should be 2 pages maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.
When we originally posted Stern’s questions last summer, we offered up a few ideas as to the form that this “expression” might take. Over the years, we’ve found that the written word tends to be the most efficient format for 90% of applicants (as opposed to photos, drawings or some other output). Having said that, it is important to think creatively about how one might use words to convey the message. Will your essay be the opening to a chapter in an autobiography? A journal entry? A newspaper article? A personal ad? A snapshot of a ‘typical day’?
As for the content, you’ll want to think reflectively about your values and personality – as well as strategically about what makes you unique with respect to other applicants. You’ll of course want to communicate your enthusiasm about meeting and working with your classmates, and include a comment about how you would engage them that does not cover the same ground as your first two essays.
Contact Clear Admit to learn more about our counseling services for Stern and other December/January MBA deadlines. You can set up a free initial chat with one of our admissions consultants by emailing your CV/resume to info@clearadmit.com.
