Stanford MBA Program

Essays
We read your essays to get to know you as a person and to learn
about the ideas and interests that motivate you. Tell us in your
own words who you really are.
In other parts of the application, we learn about your academic and
professional accomplishments (i.e., what you have done). Through your
personal essays (Essays 1 and 2), we learn more about the person behind
the achievements (i.e., who you are).
Because we want to discover who you are, resist the urge to "package"
yourself in order to come across in a way you think Stanford wants. Such
attempts simply blur our understanding of who you are and what you can
accomplish.
We want to hear your genuine voice throughout the essays that you write
and this is the time to think carefully about your values, your passions,
your hopes and dreams.
In your short answer responses (Essay 3, options A, B, C, or D), we learn
more about the experiences that have shaped your attitudes, behaviors,
and aspirations.
Truly, the most impressive essays are those that do not begin with the
goal of impressing us.

Essay Questions for Class of 2013

(entering Fall 2011)
Tell us in your own words who you really are. Answer essay questions 1,
2, and two of the four options for essay 3.

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

The best examples of Essay 1 reflect the

process of self-examination that you have
undertaken to write them.
They give us a vivid and genuine image of
who you are—and they also convey how you
became the person you are.
They do not focus merely on what you've
done or accomplished. Instead, they share
with us the values, experiences, and lessons
that have shaped your perspectives.
They are written from the heart and address
not only a person, situation, or event, but
also how that person, situation, or event has
influenced your life.

Essay 2: What are your career aspirations? What do you

need to learn at Stanford to achieve them?

Use this essay to explain your view of your

future, not to repeat accomplishments from
your past.
You should address three distinct topics:

your career aspirations

the role of an MBA education in
achieving those aspirations
and your rationale for earning
that MBA at Stanford, in
particular.

The best examples of Essay 2 express your

passions or focused interests; explain why
you have decided to pursue graduate
education in management; and demonstrate
your desire to take advantage of the
opportunities that are distinctive to the
Stanford MBA Program.

Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell

us not only what you did but also how you did it. What
was the outcome? How did people respond? Only
describe experiences that have occurred during the last
three years.

Option A: Tell us about a time when you

built or developed a team whose
performance exceeded expectations.
Option B: Tell us about a time when you
made a lasting impact on your organization.
Option C: Tell us about a time when you
generated support from others for an idea or
initiative.
Option D: Tell us about a time when you
went beyond what was defined, established,
or expected.

Essay Length
Your answers for all of the essay questions cannot exceed 1,800
words.
You have your own story to tell, so please allocate the 1,800 words
among all of the essays in the way that is most effective for you. We
provide some guidelines below as a starting point, but you should feel
 comfortable to write as much or as little as you like on any essay
question, as long as you do not exceed 1,800 words total.

Essay 1: 750 words

Essay 2: 450 words
Essay 3: 300 words each

Formatting

Use a 12-point font, double spaced

Recommended fonts are Arial, Courier, and Times New
Roman
Indicate which essay question you are answering at the
beginning of each essay
Number all pages
Upload all four essays as one document
Preview the uploaded document to ensure that the
formatting is true to the original
Save a copy of your essays

Editing Your Essays

Begin work on these essays early, to give yourself time to reflect, write,
and edit.
Feel free to ask your friends or family members to provide constructive
feedback. When you ask for feedback, ask if the essays' tone sounds like
your voice. It should. Your family and friends know you better than
anyone else. If they do not believe that the essays capture who you are,
how you live, what you believe, and what you aspire to do, then surely
the Committee on Admissions will be unable to recognize what is most
distinctive about you.
There is a big difference, however, between 'feedback' and 'coaching.'
There are few hard and fast rules, but you cross a line when any part of
the application (excluding the Letters of Reference) ceases to be
exclusively yours in either thought or word.
Appropriate feedback occurs when you show someone your completed
application, perhaps one or two times, and are apprised of errors or
omissions.
In contrast, inappropriate coaching occurs when your application or your
self-presentation is colored by someone else.
You best serve your own interests when your personal thoughts,
individual voice, and unique style remain intact at the end of your editing
process.
It is improper and a violation of the spirit of the Fundamental Standard
and Honor Code to have someone else write any part of your Stanford
MBA Program application. Such an act will result in denial of your
application or withdrawal of your offer of admission.

Additional Information
If there is any other information that is critical for us to know and is not
captured elsewhere, please include it. Examples of pertinent additional
information include:

Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work

performance
Explanation of why you do not have a Letter of
Reference from your current direct supervisor or peer
Explanation of criminal conviction, criminal charges
sustained against you in a juvenile proceeding, and/or
court-supervised probation
Explanation of academic suspension or expulsion
Any other information that you did not have sufficient
space to complete in another section of the application
(please begin the information in the appropriate section)
Additional work experience that cannot fit into the space
provided
Additional information about your academic experience
(e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere

updated 8 June 2010

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