Essay 1: Professional Aspirations
Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following: (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
(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?
Essay 2: Fit with Stern
The NYU Stern community is one of our strongest assets. Please answer the following questions about community:(500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
(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?
Yet again, because of significant overlap from school to school, we offer our document on personal statements. Please email [email protected] for an electronic copy which will help you approach this essay.
NYU’s only minor deviation is its question “What is your personal experience with the Stern Community…” Stern wants to ensure that you have done your homework and truly understand why it is the right school for you. In order to impress the committee, you will need to discuss a priori experience with the school via alumni, students and/or admissions officers and especially via campus visits. For those who are abroad, it is still possible to learn a great deal by reaching out to the school in order to arrange to speak with current students, for example, by phone. Discussing repeated visits to the schools websites will only mean that you have achieved a minimum; it is vital that you show specific effort in your research and thus purpose in your application.
Essay 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.
All submissions become part of NYU Stern’s permanent records and cannot be returned for any reason. Do not submit anything that must be played or viewed electronically, that is perishable (e.g. food) or that has been worn (e.g. used clothing). If you submit a written essay, it should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.
In NYU’s famed essay three, you are offered a phenomenal opportunity to differentiate yourself in two distinct ways. First, you can differentiate yourself via the vehicle that you choose to develop your persona. By choosing a creative and captivating avenue, you can grab the attention of the Admissions Committee and compel them to read your content closely. While a baseball card may be captivating, it may not be a good choice because it limits you to a picture, your height, weight, birth-date and a very brief bio; meanwhile, a eulogy theoretically written by your best friend (don’t use this idea, it is now public) is sufficiently broad that it allows you to probe all that is unique about you. Indeed, once you have set yourself apart via your “vehicle” you can continue to differentiate via your content. Ideally, you will exploit the opportunity to showcase a diversity of professional, personal, academic and community accomplishments, few of which will be advertised in essays one or two.
