UPDATE: This article was originally posted on August 14, 2020. It has been updated with new information and tips below.
Located at the center of a major business hub and offering specialized 1-year programs in tech and fashion, NYU Stern is at the top of the list for a growing number of both US-based and international MBA applicants.
However, with impressive recruiting statistics and its new Change: Studio program, the competition to join Stern’s elite MBA is more difficult than ever.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Stern essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to NYU Stern MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.
1. Who is Stern Looking for?
(Photo courtesy of @nyustern on Instagram)
“We look for people who share our values, and understand who we are and what we are about. EQ is something we have always looked for. We want people who want to be part of the NYC landscape, our urban advantage. We look for those with an understanding of what good business can do for society, not just looking at the bottom line.” Rabia Ahmed, Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business
Every year, NYU Stern reviews thousands of applicants from outstanding professionals in order to determine who to admit to its class of around 350 full-time MBA students. With a strong emphasis on international and gender diversity, there is no “typical” NYU Stern student, yet the average student admitted to the Class of 2026 did have a 733 average GMAT score, 164V/164Q GRE score, and 5 years of full-time work experience.
Beyond the impressive statistics, though, Stern is looking for candidates who want to make a positive impact on the world through their careers. That’s why, in addition to strong academic performance (demonstrated through test scores and university grades), Stern seeks candidates who possess the following qualities:
If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Stern’s challenging admissions essay questions.
2. How should I answer the essay question?
2.1. Short Answer Tips
Short Answer: Professional Aspirations
(150 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
What are your short-term career goals?
Like many other schools, NYU Stern has taken clear steps each year to make their application increasingly streamlined.
This is important to keep in mind because Stern has deliberately been very clear about what they want here: short-term goals only.
TOP TIP: If you’re not sure what your goals are, check out this post designed to help you think through this critical component of your application!
When discussing your goals, clarity is king, so make sure you include a job title and industry in your description of your post-MBA aspiration.
However, goals without context can be a little confusing to decipher or understand (or they can just seem a bit lackluster). For example, a recent client initially started his essay by saying:
“I want to become a Business Development Director at a Brazilian company.”
While interesting, it’s better to give a little bit of context to help these goals come to life. Check out the final version of the same essay’s introduction:
“In the 1970s, the phrase “think global, act local” came into use, suggesting that for the world to change, one must be active locally. With this mindset, I focused my career on Brazilian multinational companies to start creating global change at home. I now seek to take the next step to become a “glocal” leader by becoming Business Development Director at a Brazilian company.”
After clearly stating your goal (and your motivations for having this goal), we suggest you briefly touch on how Stern can help you achieve these goals, if you have space. This should not be a “laundry list” of 10 classes you found on the NYU site, nor a section in which you repeat clichés about the school.
Instead, you should thoughtfully consider how you must grow personally and professionally to reach your stated short-term goal and what elements of NYU Stern (classes, faculty, clubs, etc.) will help you reach them.
Ending your essay with a killer conclusion sentence to leave your reader with a strong image of your profile is the perfect wrap-up.
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2.2. Essay 1 Tips
Essay 1: Change: _________ it
In today’s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern’s brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it.
Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern? (350 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) Examples:
- Change: Dare it.
- Change: Dream it.
- Change: Drive it.
- Change: Empower it.
- Change: Manifest it.
- Change: [Any word of your choice.]
One of the biggest mistakes we see for these more creative essays is that applicants tend to think of the catch-phrase or motto as being more important than the rest of the content of the essay. Here, though it is instrumental that you fully answer the prompt, you want to make sure to be highly strategic in how you tackle this question.
In that sense, we recommend that you first consider the rest of your application. In the other two (very short!) essays, your CV, and your Letters of Recommendation, what will the Stern Admissions Committee learn about you? Thinking about your personal brand, have you covered everything about your profile that makes you truly unique?
We then recommend that you compile a list of stories that you weren’t able to share elsewhere and filter these stories for those that have an element of change and that are truly meaningful to you.
For example, last year, we worked with a client who advocated tirelessly for transgender rights, even leading a movement to change a biased law that provided healthcare to this population. Not only does an example like this show an important achievement that was deeply meaningful to the applicant, but it also featured a strong element of change.
NYU Stern highly values emotional intelligence, and this essay prompt can be a great way to demonstrate that you possess this trait.
On the other hand, the second part of the question means that you also need to choose a story that you can tie your engagement with the NYU Stern Community. So, while getting into a great college might have been an important moment for you that changed your trajectory, it might not be the best story to connect with Stern. Of course, there are always exceptions, but make sure you can convincingly tie the story you choose to Stern.
After choosing your example, start to brainstorm the word you’ll use to complete the prompt (if you don’t use one of the phrases the admissions committee gives). Here, don’t aim to find a word that the AdCom has never heard of, just to try to stand out. Instead, choose an example that goes to the core of the change that drove the example you’re presenting (and why this type of change was important to you). For example, if we use the story about transgender rights above, the candidate might choose to write something like “Change: Demand it” or “Change: Fight for it” or even “Change: Ensure it benefits all.” There are no right or wrong answers here, but the best phrases will show a thoughtful, direct connection to your story.
Of course, this essay is not complete without sharing how you expect to embrace your tagline while at Stern. In this part of the essay, you want to brainstorm ways that you can participate in and contribute to the Stern community.
This question requires you to complete extensive research on the school, so make sure you give yourself ample time to explore the website, talk to current students and alumni, attend a few webinars, check out Stern’s YouTube and Instagram accounts, and, if possible, visit campus. I would then suggest you think of 3-4 ways you can put your slogan into action. These can range from clubs to specific initiatives to how you plan to connect with others on campus through study groups and other activities.
Of course, end your essay with a killer conclusion statement that ties it all together and that aligns with your tagline!
2.3. Essay 2 Tips
Introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. The Pick Six is a way to share more about the qualities you will bring to the Stern community, beyond your professional and academic achievements. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:
- A brief introduction or overview of your “Pick Six” (no more than 3 sentences).
- Six images that help illustrate your interests, values, motivations, perspective and/or personality.
- A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.
Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, collages, or any other images. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.
For many years, MBA applications have focused on your CV and your goals to get a very concrete picture of what you bring to the table as an applicant. In recent years, however, we’ve seen a greater move towards questions that get to know the person behind the accomplishments. This is exactly the mission of this essay, which NYU Stern has retained as part of its application for the past several years.
However, given the extremely open format of this essay, applicants often find themselves panicking when starting to craft their NYU Stern essays. We’re here to tell you that this essay can actually be a very enjoyable experience that highlights your creativity and unique life story!
When starting out, we recommend that you first think back to your personal brand and the list of achievements and life experiences you compiled during this process. Now, thinking about the fact that you have already had the chance to highlight aspects of your career in the goals essay, what do you believe is still important to include in your application in order to convey the full picture of what you could contribute to the Stern community?
Though you might be tempted to target funny or quirky elements of your profile, we suggest you think more strategically about what NYU Stern is looking for in a candidate and how each image and caption you choose will work to demonstrate your fit with their program.
For example, perhaps you have a long track record of giving back to the community and want to share a photo from one of your volunteer projects. Or, perhaps you conducted a project in a foreign country and want to share an image of a meeting or cultural event you attended while there and how this encounter shaped your mindset.
You can also choose to include one or two “lighter” photos that demonstrate interests and hobbies you have actively pursued but make sure these add value. Showing off a meal you ate at a fancy restaurant (unless perhaps you’re like our client Martha and have a thriving food blog with 100k+ subscribers), won’t do much to prove you’re an interesting, dynamic, well-rounded addition to the NYU Stern class.
After selecting the stories/images you want to use, it’s time to craft your captions. Though you may be tempted to quickly write a description of the photo, remember that the caption is where you are able to demonstrate what you want the admissions committee to learn about you. Since you are limited to a single sentence for each image, concision is key, but make sure that the sentence clearly articulates the experience/value/achievement you want to convey.
For example, last year, our client Kelsey used a photograph of newspaper article on her handball team’s championship win. Her caption brought in what this meant to her in terms of developing her leadership style, stating: “My first ever leadership position has a huge space in my heart: being captain of my handball team taught me not only the power of commitment, discipline, and teamwork but also of having the sharp emotional intelligence to face my most challenging opponent – myself.”
This is an excellent caption, in our opinion, as it demonstrates a connection with NYU’s focus on emotional intelligence, demonstrates a relevant leadership insight, and includes the right measure of creativity by using a sports metaphor directly linked to her photo.
Top tip: though you can choose to use photographs for all 6 images, things like charts, PowerPoint slides, paintings, drawings, etc. are all fair game.
2.4. Optional Essay Tips
Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee and/or give context to your application. This may include important aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, including but not limited to: hardships you have encountered, current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information.
If you are a reapplicant, please utilize this optional essay to highlight any changes since your last application.
(500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
This is not a place for you to retell your life story or sum up your interest in Stern or need for an MBA. It is also not a place to copy and paste a strong essay you wrote for another school. Make sure you focus only on weak spots and also discuss what steps you have taken or took to rectify the weaknesses.
Find additional tips and tricks to help you master the optional essay here.
If you’re a reapplicant, check out these tips.
Looking for NYU Stern MBA essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here.
3. Everyone’s Talking. We Help You Get Heard
Imagine walking into a noisy room. Everyone’s trying to make their case. That’s what the MBA application landscape feels like. Thousands of qualified applicants. Countless stories. A blur of achievements. And yet, the ones who break through are those with clarity, confidence, and a compelling voice.
That’s where we come in.
At Ellin Lolis Consulting, we don’t just edit essays. We help you find your voice. The one that cuts through the noise and resonates with admissions committees. With a 98.9% success rate and years of experience helping applicants get into top programs like HBS, Wharton, and INSEAD, we know exactly how to make your story stand out.
Whether you’re just getting started or stuck in the middle of your application process, our team of expert consultants offers personalized, one-on-one guidance that transforms your raw ideas into a compelling, cohesive application.
Just ask Alef, who felt overwhelmed by the process but ended up at NYU Stern:
The room might be noisy, but your voice doesn’t have to be.
Learn more about working with us here. Let’s make your story the one that gets remembered.
4. Deadlines
The deadlines for the 2025-2026 season are below. You can access the NYU Stern application here.
NYU Stern Round 1 Deadlines (Full-time MBA)
Application Deadline: September 15, 2025
Initial Notification by*: December 1, 2025
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 2 Deadlines (Full-time MBA)
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Initial Notification by*: January 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 3 Deadlines (Full-time MBA)
Application Deadline: January 15, 2026
Initial Notification by*: April 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 4 Deadlines (Full-time MBA)
Application Deadline: April 15, 2026
Initial Notification by*: Ongoing
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
–
NYU Stern Round 1 Deadlines (Fashion and Luxury MBA – Summer 2026)
Application Deadline: September 5, 2025
Initial Notification by*: December 1, 2025
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 2 Deadlines (Fashion and Luxury MBA – Summer 2026)
Application Deadline: November 5, 2025
Initial Notification by*: February 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 3 Deadlines (Fashion and Luxury MBA – Summer 2026)
Application Deadline: January 5, 2026
Initial Notification by*: March 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 4 Deadlines (Fashion and Luxury MBA – Summer 2026)**
Application Deadline: February 5, 2026
Initial Notification by*: April 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
**US Citizens and Permanent Residents only
–
NYU Stern Round 1 Deadlines (Tech MBA – Summer 2026)
Application Deadline: September 5, 2025
Initial Notification by*: December 1, 2025
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 2 Deadlines (Tech MBA – Summer 2026)
Application Deadline: November 5, 2025
Initial Notification by*: February 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 3 Deadlines (Tech MBA – Summer 2026)
Application Deadline: January 5, 2026
Initial Notification by*: March 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
NYU Stern Round 4 Deadlines (Tech MBA – Summer 2026)**
Application Deadline: February 5, 2026
Initial Notification by*: April 1, 2026
*You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission
**US Citizens and Permanent Residents only
