How to Write Stanford MBA Essays in 2024?

Looking at MBA at Stanford? Understand everything about how to write Stanford MBA essays through this article. Learn some of the tips from experts to ace your MBA applications for Stanford admissions using the  expert strategies for tackling the challenging MBA essay prompts and maximizing your chances of acceptance.

Established in 1925, the Stanford Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB) is renowned for offering the best MBA program, across the USA. With highly selective enrolment criteria and only 420 seats, Stanford University is an extremely competitive university to crack, to get admission into an MBA program. Only 6% of the total applicants get their dreams fulfilled to pursue an MBA from Stanford GSB. Therefore, a Standford University essay should be as exclusive as the institution itself. You should be able to distinguish yourself from the pool of applicants through your remarkable admission essays.

In this article, we will help you out with drafting the Standford MBA essay by explaining the requirements of each of the essays as well as the preference of the university. You will be required to prepare two essays, with a combined word limit of 1000 words maximum. There is an individual word limit, per essay, as well (Essay A - 650 words; Essay B - 350 words). Generally, the admissions committee (Ad Com) prefers shorter and more impactful essays. In any case, do not cross the word limit. Your focus should be on being specific, precise, and impressive in your answers.

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Here are the Stanford MBA essay prompts and tips on how to approach them:

There are two essays which have to be attempted for MBA admissions at Stanford, check them out below:

Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? (650 words) 

For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you have identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives?  

Essay Outline 

In this Stanford essay, the Ad Com will analyze your self-awareness and thought process. This is an introspective question which requires you to think as an individual. You need to describe a personality trait, talent, passion, or dream that is extremely important to you. Now, do not choose multiple things to describe; they want to learn about ‘the thing’ that is ‘most’ important to you. Your answer can range from writing about a quality such as respect or integrity, to a dream like expanding your family business to a global scale. Irrespective of the topic you choose, ensure that you have substantiated it with suitable instances. You need to describe the people or your experiences that have shaped your thinking. Talk about your academic, personal and professional life that has influenced your thoughts.  

Begin your Stanford MBA essay by talking about what matters to you the most. Think thoroughly and identify that one thing. Further, explain what happened that it has become so important to you. This part has to be backed by anecdotes to justify its cruciality for you. In the other part of the essay, explain all the people in your life, learning that you had, insights that you have gained, personal experiences that are related to you, and how they have helped in identifying the most important thing in your life.

Essay B: Why Stanford? (350 words) 

Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs. 

Essay Outline 

To answer the aforementioned Stanford University essay prompt, you need to discuss your goals as well the reasons for choosing Stanford GSB. Hence, divide your word limit accordingly. You can write about 150 words on your post-program career goals and another 150 words on ‘why Stanford’. Now, let us discuss each section separately: 

1. Post-program Career Goals: To have a visionary mindset is the characteristic trait of a leader. Thus, the more specific and resolute you are regarding your post-program career goals, the better will be your Stanford essay. As the purpose to pursue an MBA degree is to become a leader in your chosen industry, your career goals should be aligned with this idea. First, discuss your short-term goals – what are your immediate post-MBA plans? Do mention the industry in which you wish to be involved in and why. At which designation do you wish to work and what kind of responsibilities do you hope to handle? Describe how your experiences will lead you towards your dreams. Here comes the second part – your long-term goals. Write your ultimate plans – what is the stature that you wish to achieve? This can be a top-notch leadership role in a firm or becoming an entrepreneur. Give your reasons to choose your desired path and how you plan to achieve it. Also, discuss what changes will you bring to the sector in which you will be involved in. Show the impact that you intend to make in your community after establishing yourself as a leader within the industry. 
2. Why Stanford: Whenever you need to write about Stanford in a Stanford University essay, pick out the specific and unique aspects rather than generic or well-known facts like the ranking of the university. Browse through your program and the university’s website to find out specific reasons that speak to your interests. Here, in this prompt, you can highlight unique features offered by the curriculum and electives that you will choose. Give your reasons for how the coursework will help you to realize your goals. Further, you can write about the eminent faculty members and how their expertise has inspired you to learn from them. You can also discuss certain clubs and groups, and other facilities that are available on campus, where you will get the opportunity to interact with diverse groups of people and exchange innovative ideas.  

Other than an MBA, which is a two-year course, the Stanford GSB also offers a one-year MSx program, which is meant for mid-career managers, who have at least eight years of professional experience. Some students are eligible for both programs, and so they need to explain their interest in both, in their Essay B only. You need to be smarter with your words here as the word limit remains unchanged, and you need to justify your decision to opt for both programs in the same space. 

Check: How to Get into Stanford from India?

Besides these essays, the Stanford GSB also offers space for additional information, where you can describe certain aspects of your profile which are not covered in other documents. This space can be used to describe the reasons for academic or professional gaps or inconsistent performance. Other than the weak areas, you can also describe your research work or why you have not provided a recommendation from your current supervisor. If you wish to communicate something important to the university that may have an impact on your candidature, do mention it under additional information. However, do not treat it as an additional essay to write something generic or unrelated to its purpose. 

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Additional Recommendations for MBA Essays at Stanford

While preparing your Stanford MBA essay, there are certain recommendations given by the university, as listed below, which apply to all the documents that you prepare for your overseas education: 

• Take your time to prepare your essays. Read Standford essay prompts, carefully, and then think, reflect on yourself, write your answers, and edit them for improvisation. 

• It is better to ask your close ones to check your drafts and they know you well. The tonality and language of the essay should resonate with your true self. Stanford values authenticity. 

• Your content should align with your original thoughts. Hence, it is better to get feedback on your drafts from your family and friends because they know you personally. 

• You could also get your application reviewed by an expert. There is nothing wrong with getting it checked for grammatical errors or getting independent feedback. 

• Stanford strongly opposes ‘coaching’. It means that at any point in time, you should not authorize someone else to write the essays for you. They should be uniquely yours in terms of thought, opinion, and content. 

Having explained the expectations and requirements of the Stanford GSB, we hope that you have gained clarity about how to prepare your Stanford University essay by now. At Shiksha, we are committed to providing the best guidance to all our clients. For any query or concern regarding your plans to study abroad, feel free to contact us. Leave us a comment and we will get back to you soon. 

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To improve their chances of success, applicants can:

1. Research the school: Learn as much as you can about Stanford MBA and its unique qualities. This will help you tailor your essays to the school's culture and values.
2. Use concrete examples: Instead of simply stating your achievements or qualities, use specific and detailed examples to illustrate them.
3. Show your fit: Demonstrate how your skills and experiences align with Stanford MBA's program and how you can contribute to the school's community.
4. Seek feedback: Ask a trusted friend, family member, or mentor to read your essays and provide honest feedback. This can help you identify areas for improvement and strengthen your essays.

In conclusion, the Stanford MBA essays are a challenging but rewarding part of the application process. To stand out and impress the admissions team, you should approach each essay with thoughtfulness, authenticity, and creativity. Be true to yourself, and use your unique experiences and perspective to showcase your leadership potential, drive, and vision. Good luck! Candidates looking for assistance with university admissions can get in touch with our Shiksha Topper Counselling services on our website. For other queries feel free to get in touch with us in the comments below. To read more about MBA Essays from top universities, visit our website.