Three Things that NYU Stern Looks for in MBA Applicants

Continuing our series of admissions insights clipped from Veritas Prep's Annual Reports, our in-depth insider's guides to 15 of the world's top MBA programs, this week we look at three important characteristics that NYU Stern looks for in its applicants. (Our Annual reports are absolutely free with registration, but we thought we'd share some snippets here to help get you started in your Stern research.)

The Stern School's admissions committee claims to evaluate each candidate "holistically," paying careful attention to three clearly defined factors:

• Academic Potential. Students should be "confident in their ability to master the required material and excel in the classroom," and are assessed based on past academic performance (as well as the institutions they attended) and general aptitude as measured by the GMAT. Successful candidates come from a wide range of academic backgrounds, and Stern has no minimum GMAT score or GPA required of applicants, and will only consider an applicant’s highest GMAT score.


• Professional Achievements and Aspirations. Students who will "share their experiences with classmates and perform as future business leaders" are valued at Stern. Therefore, students who have interesting and significant work experiences and who have progressed in their jobs are attractive candidates. The Stern admissions committee also feels strongly that the time spent at Stern should be used to pursue specific, defined short- and long-term goals, not to first identify them. Accordingly, it seeks candidates whose past experiences (and personal passions) have led them to future goals, and who have a clear understanding of how an MBA will assist them in achieving those goals, by assessing candidates’ essay content, resumés, work histories, professional recommendations, and through their ability to express themselves in the interview setting (for 20-to-30 percent of candidates, see below). Although work experience is not required to apply to Stern, most applicants have "material" work experience (between one and 10 years). No one type of professional experience is prized over others, and diversity of backgrounds is sought for each incoming class of MBAs.


• Personal Characteristics. Stern has long had a reputation with outsiders as a meritocratic institution, rich with "scrappy," self-made individuals, rather than entitled, legacy students (who might be perceived as having an edge at other top schools). The way that Stern puts it is that it values "participants and leaders" who will "contribute to the supportive and diverse Stern community." The admissions committee looks for candidates who demonstrate leadership ability, maturity, character, and strong communication skills, and will develop into truly engaged and passionate "Sternies," with enduring pride in and commitment to the school. They look to assess candidates versus these criteria by reviewing essay content, professional recommendations, past activities and achievements, and through the interview process.

Today's installment was clipped from our NYU Stern Annual Report, one of 15 completely free guides to the world's top business schools, available on our site. If you're ready to start building your own application for Stern or other top MBA programs, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today!