NYU Stern\u2019s collaborative, dynamic, and diverse culture is truly shaped by the school\u2019s location in the heart of New York City and can be defined simply as IQ + EQ. The cocurricular program \u201cChange: Studio\u201d highlights Stern\u2019s commitment to embracing and facilitating change, and the school\u2019s essay questions for this application cycle focus on and align with this goal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Given how short this \u201cessay\u201d is, you want to start with a goals statement that indicates the role, industry, and type of company you want to work in, including even the firm\u2019s stage, if possible. For example, \u201cPost-MBA, I\u2019d like to work as product manager in a medium-stage fintech start-up such as Betterment.\u201d Then you want to add in what you hope to experience in and gain from this job: \u201cto work within a growing market that is increasing financial accessibility to underserved populations.\u201d For the balance of your word count, give some background as to why this is your chosen goal \u2014 how you believe the goal will help you achieve something aspirational or solve a problem. Focus on making this \u201cwhy\u201d element as personal as possible. Why do you want to attain this goal?<\/span><\/p>\n Stern\u2019s focus on building leaders of change really comes through in this question. Rather than inquiring how you feel an MBA will help you achieve your goals, the school asks you to use these 350 words to explain how you are going to effect change during your time at Stern. This essay question clearly asks you to explain your relationship with change, but you should broaden your scope to also include what impact you want to make in your career and how that will start at Stern.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While you might want to brainstorm a word first, I suggest thinking about a story that shows your relationship with change and then identifying a word to describe it. Don\u2019t agonize over finding the \u201cperfect\u201d word. What\u2019s most important in this essay is your explanation as to why the resulting tagline resonates with you and what you will do to embody it at Stern. Think about this as an opportunity to show how you have embraced change in the past and how you hope to create change in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Examples always speak much louder than rote explanation, so start your essay with a quick story that showcases why your chosen word defines your relationship with change. Did you \u201cdream\u201d up a new strategy at work that brought in a new revenue stream? Or did you \u201cbuild\u201d change through a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative at your firm?<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, think about how you want to further your relationship with change during your time at Stern. Include specific experiences to which you can contribute and how you could leave Stern even stronger after you graduate. Think about what classes, clubs and experiences will help you achieve your goals and how your relationship with change can help you make the most of these experiences \u2014 for both yourself and Stern.<\/span><\/p>\n While Essay 1 is all about your professional goals, Stern\u2019s \u201cPick Six\u201d essay is about you as a person (read: EQ). Think about what makes you unique and how you can represent that uniqueness in photographs or other types of images. They could depict an important moment in your life, a memorable experience, something you enjoy doing in your free time, or anything else that helps admissions get to know you on a personal level. We hear from the Stern admissions team that this is their favorite part of the application, because it really helps them understand their candidates as people.<\/span><\/p>\n Remember that EQ is an important aspect of Stern\u2019s culture, so consider how you might leverage your \u201cPick Six\u201d selections to highlight your EQ through the accompanying captions. Be careful not to get so excited about the artistry of the photos you\u2019re selecting that you forget to examine the group as a whole and assess its impact. After you have chosen your potential photos\/images, take a step back and ask yourself, \u201cHave I provided six distinct perspectives on who I am as a person?\u201d If you have three pictures of yourself with your dog, for example, you\u2019ll need to replace two with ones that introduce new and different information about you. If you have two pictures of yourself traveling, make sure that they are sufficiently different. Can the admissions team learn more about you from each?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For each caption, explain why the image is important to you. Don\u2019t just repeat what is in the photo: \u201cHere I am at my favorite musical, <\/span>Hamilton<\/span><\/em>!\u201d Instead, use the image to add depth and context that someone couldn\u2019t garner on their own: \u201cI must have pressed \u2018refresh\u2019 on my browser a million times, but I finally found a box office ticket for a <\/span>Hamilton<\/span><\/em> matinee six months later; it was one of Lin-Manuel Miranda\u2019s last shows, and it was well worth the wait!\u201d This more-detailed description reveals that the applicant is passionate, patient, dedicated, and even economical! Finally, wait until you have decided on the six images you want to submit before you write your three-sentence overview, so you can more easily pinpoint what the images as a group are showing about you. Again, take a step back, and make sure you are not just stating the obvious but filling in what is not obvious. Your overview should add emphasis to your submission without being repetitive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nShort Answer: Professional Aspirations (150 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
What are your short-term career goals?<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
Essay 1: Change: _________ it<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
(350 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
In today\u2019s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern\u2019s 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? Examples:<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 Change: Dare it.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
<\/h4>\n
\u2013 Change: Dream it.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 Change: Drive it.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 Change: Empower it.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 Change: Manifest it.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 Change: [Any word of your choice.]<\/b><\/h4>\n
Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. \u201cPick Six\u201d)<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
Introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
– A brief introduction or overview of your \u201cPick Six\u201d (no more than 3 sentences).<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 Six images that help illustrate your interests, values, motivations, perspective, and\/or personality.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u2013 A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
Essay 3: Additional Information (optional) (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
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 a standardized test or English proficiency test, or any other relevant information.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
If you are a reapplicant, please utilize this optional essay to highlight any changes since your last application.<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n