NYU Stern Business School
Full-time MBA Essays and Deadlines 2025-2026
Essay Prompts
Short Answer: Professional Aspirations
What are your short-term career goals? (150 word maximum)
Essay 1: Change
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? Examples:
- Change: Dare it.
- Change: Dream it.
- Change: Drive it.
- Change: Empower it.
- Change: Manifest it.
- Change: [Any word of your choice.]
(350 word maximum)
Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. “Pick Six”)
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, 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.
Optional Essay
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. (500 word maximum)
2025-2026 Stern Full-Time MBA Deadlines
| Deadline | Initial Notification* By | |
| 1st Deadline | September 15, 2025 | December 1, 2025 |
| 2nd Deadline | October 15, 2025 | January 1, 2026 |
| 3rd Deadline | January 15, 2026 | April 1, 2026 |
| 4th Deadline | April 15, 2026 | Ongoing |
| *You will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer, or denial of admission. | ||
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