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Quick Answer:
Successful NYU Stern essays communicate a strong career plan and proof of character. Your responses need to:
- define concise short- and long-term goals
- provide results-oriented stories that show EQ (team empathy, influence, resilience)
- connect your plan to Stern courses, labs, clubs, and the NYC ecosystem
For the Pick Six essay, curate 6 images around 1 theme and write tight captions that reveal values and voice.
The Stern formula: Specific goals + measurable impact + Stern resources + thematic Pick Six = standout fit.
Continue reading to learn NYU Stern admissions tips and how to put it all together!
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What NYU Stern Looks For (IQ+EQ, Fit, Impact)
- NYU Stern Essay Prompts Explained (Purpose & Word Limits)
- How to Write the Stern Goals Essay (Credible, Feasible, Realistic)
- How to Write the “Why Stern” Essay (Courses, Labs, NYC Access)
- NYU Stern “Pick Six” Guide (Theme, Image Choices, Strong Captions)
- EQ-Focused Storytelling for Stern (Influence, Collaboration, Reflection)
- Edit Like an Adcom (Clarity, Specificity, Signal Density, Voice)
- Common NYU Stern Essay Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- Optional Essay & Reapplicant Tips (Proof of Progress)
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How much time should I set aside to research, draft, and revise my Stern essays?
- Which parts of essays from other schools can I reuse, and what must be rewritten for Stern?
- How do I brief recommenders so their letters complement — not copy — my essays?
- If I can’t visit, what specific steps prove real Stern fit from afar?
- How much do essays weigh compared with my resume, test scores, and recommendations?
- What’s Next?
What NYU Stern Looks For (IQ+EQ, Fit, Impact)
Stern explicitly communicates its values, seeking a combination of IQ + EQ. Specifically, the program evaluates candidates across the following:
- Academic profile — undergrad transcripts, standardized test scores, and quantitative readiness
- Professional achievements and goals — what you’ve accomplished and where you’re headed post-MBA
- Alignment with NYU’s values and Stern MBA culture — how you’ll uniquely contribute to the community and leverage Stern’s NYC resources and network
Further, your NYU Stern essays — particularly the “Change: ____ it” essay and Pick Six — will demonstrate your alignment with the program.
Additionally, Stern’s MBA culture seeks:
- Collaboration and community — the “Sternie” network is tight
- Adaptability and change — as exemplified in the “Change: ____ it” essay
- Emotional intelligence — as requested by the EQ endorsement
As you develop each Stern MBA essay, ask yourself: “Does this demonstrate logical and clear thinking (IQ) AND self-awareness, empathy, and impact (EQ)?”
If your answer is yes, you’re on the right track!
TTP PRO TIP:
Review your Stern application for evidence of IQ + EQ in MBA essays.
NYU Stern Essay Prompts Explained (Purpose & Word Limits)
For the 2025-2026 full-time MBA application, the NYU Stern essay questions are:
- Short Answer: Professional Aspirations — State your short-term career goals. (150 words max)
- Essay 1: “Change: ___ it” — Pick a verb to complete the sentence and discuss why this resonates with you. Then, explain how you’ll live this at Stern. (350 words max)
- Essay 2: Personal Expression (“Pick Six”) — Choose 6 images to introduce yourself to the MBA admissions committee (6 images, 3 sentences for an intro, and 1-sentence captions for each image). Essentially, this is the NYU MBA picture essay/NYU MBA picture application.
- Essay 3: Additional Information (Optional) — Provide additional context about your background and application to the admissions committee. (500 words max)
In sum, these NYU Stern essay prompts help you articulate the following:
- Short answer essay = Stern MBA goals
- Essay 1 = Change and leadership philosophy (plus subtle “Why Stern” response)
- Essay 2 (Pick Six) = Personality, values, interests, passions, and cultural fit with Stern
- Optional essay = Context on your background
Consider the Stern MBA essays holistically, rather than individually. Together, they’ll share all of the information the admissions committee needs to know.
TTP PRO TIP:
Rather than treating each essay in isolation, think of them as forming a complete picture for the admissions committee.
How to Write the Stern Goals Essay (Credible, Feasible, Realistic)
The Stern MBA goals essay seems simple enough. However, it’s one of the most important aspects of your candidacy. Specifically, Stern’s MBA application asks, “What are your short-term career goals?”
Here’s how you should develop your response:
- Be super specific. Identify your target role, function, industry, and a couple of examples of your target organizations. If you’re a career pivoter, try not to change both industries and functions at once.
- Share transferable skills and experiences. Talk about the skills you’ve developed and experiences you’ve had to date will help you be successful.
- Discuss where an MBA fits in (briefly). Identify where an MBA will bridge the gap from where you are today and where you want to be.
Of course, with 150 words, you don’t have space to be very detailed. However, it’s necessary to share specifics about your goals and plan to get there.
TTP PRO TIP:
The career goals you share should be specific and achievable.
How to Write the “Why Stern” Essay (Courses, Labs, NYC Access)
As you may have noticed, there isn’t a standalone “Why Stern?” essay. Therefore, you could address your fit for Stern indirectly in your career goals, “Change ____ it” essay, and/or your Pick Six.
However, you must be brief. Specifically, the word count limits for Stern essays are limited. So, be judicious and ensure that your reasoning is specific enough to Stern to warrant including, but not too detailed that it takes up valuable word count. Remember, you can discuss your fit for the program in the interview — at the very least.
TTP PRO TIP:
Stern’s MBA application does not specifically ask “Why Stern?”, but you can address your fit briefly in the essays and the interview.
NYU Stern “Pick Six” Guide (Theme, Image Choices, Strong Captions)
Stern’s Pick Six essay is unique. As a refresher, the prompt asks you to:
“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.”
Here’s how to approach the Pick Six:
- Consider a unifying theme. You can pick 6 unrelated items; however, some of the best Pick Six essays Stern sees have an underlying theme.
- Mix personal and professional images. Consider including images of your family and community, key professional moments, a hobby/passion/interest, and/or service projects.
- Write captions that add real information. Instead of identifying the obvious, describe the context of the image and why it’s significant.
- Follow the instructions. In addition to reviewing (and following) the prompt, create 1 PDF, use photos/illustrations/infographics/etc., and include a short 1–3 sentence intro.
You don’t need to be a PowerPoint wizard or an elite designer to create a successful Pick Six essay. So, focus on the content rather than exceptional design elements.
TTP PRO TIP:
Great Pick Six essays add significant dimension to your Stern MBA application, so take the opportunity to share something new!
EQ-Focused Storytelling for Stern (Influence, Collaboration, Reflection)
Stern’s MBA admissions committee values EQ and incorporates an EQ endorsement in the application process. Therefore, your Stern essays should also reflect your EQ.
Here are our tips for incorporating EQ into your Stern application:
- Show, don’t tell. Let your actions speak for themselves in your “Change: ____ it” essay response.
- Share challenge/failure/conflict/growth stories, as appropriate. Sometimes, EQ is demonstrated through your toughest challenges and your ability to overcome them. So, don’t be afraid to select one of these stories to showcase your grit.
- Don’t forget to reflect. Remember to reflect on your challenges and achievements while discussing what you’ve learned.
TTP PRO TIP:
You can demonstrate EQ by showing how you acted, reflected, and grew through challenges.
Edit Like an Adcom (Clarity, Specificity, Signal Density, Voice)
Here are our NYU Stern essay tips. Use this checklist:
Clarity:
- Can someone without your industry expertise understand your goals?
- Is your “Change: ___it” tagline clear in the first couple of sentences?
- Do each of your Pick Six images have a clear objective?
Specifically:
- Do you include target companies by name?
- Do you discuss the problems you’d like to solve in your future career?
- Do you name Stern resources (when appropriate)?
You have a maximum of 500 words for the first 2 essays, plus 500 words for the optional essay. Then, a few sentences across the Pick Six (and 6 images).
If your responses don’t clarify your career goals, demonstrate EQ, and illustrate your fit for Stern, revise them.
Finally, make sure that your essays sound like you. In other words, read them out loud and ensure they communicate the way you do.
Also, your MBA interview should build on the same style (see our guide on how to prepare for an MBA interview). After all, your Stern interviewer will read your entire application file. Therefore, it’s critical that your style is consistent across your written materials and your verbal communication.
TTP PRO TIP:
Ensure that your communication is consistent across all of your materials.
Common NYU Stern Essay Mistakes and How to Fix Them
These are some of the common mistakes across NYU Stern application essays, along with quick fixes:
- Generic career goals: Include your target role, function, industry, and geography, and discuss how your skills and past experiences make this achievable.
- A “Change: ____ it” essay that misses the point: Focus on the 1–2 examples of actual change, and connect your theme to how you’ll show up at Stern.
- Pick Six essays that look like a photo album: Choose a theme that unites your images, rather than selecting random photos from all areas of your life. Then, use the captions to discuss why the image matters.
- Lack of alignment with Stern: Include Stern-specific resources that tie directly to your goals.
- Misusing the optional essay: Use the optional essay only to include relevant information about your candidacy.
TTP PRO TIP:
Demonstrate your alignment with Stern by linking specific Stern resources with your goals.
Optional Essay & Reapplicant Tips (Proof of Progress)
NYU Stern’s optional essay is an opportunity to provide additional information or context that is critical to your candidacy. Specifically, this includes gaps in your employment, details about your academic record, plans to retake a standardized test, hardships you’ve faced in your life, etc.
The optional essay is not an opportunity to paste in another essay for a different MBA program. Instead, follow the instructions and only provide essential information.
Use the optional essay to:
- provide an explanation of a low GPA and examples of when you’ve excelled academically or in more recent coursework
- clarify gaps in your work experience and resume
- explain your test-taking strategy and provide context for your performance
- address hardships you’ve faced that have materially affected your candidacy
Your optional essay should be factual and to the point. Specifically, you should own up to your mistakes and provide evidence that you’ll be successful in the MBA program.
If you’re a reapplicant, the optional essay will detail progress since your last application. So, be prepared to share new developments at work, a new test score or coursework, and updated career goals and program research.
TTP PRO TIP:
The optional essay is for essential context, not recycled essays from other MBA applications.
Key Takeaways
NYU Stern’s MBA application provides the opportunity to be analytical AND creative. This can be a daunting task with a limited word count.
So, follow the steps in this guide to clearly articulate your career goals. Then, use your creativity to tell your story of change and share images that matter to you.
Stern MBA applications communicate your career readiness, demonstrate your EQ, and share how you’ll uniquely contribute to the cohort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much time should I set aside to research, draft, and revise my Stern essays?
It depends! For most applicants, it takes several weeks to research, draft, revise, and perfect their Stern essays. So, a common rule of thumb is to allocate 4–6 weeks to research the program and develop responses.
For detailed guidance on timing, check out our advice for creating an MBA application timeline.
Which parts of essays from other schools can I reuse, and what must be rewritten for Stern?
Generally, you can often reuse language about your career goals, along with your professional resume. So, if you’ve created career essays and a strong resume for other applications, these will come in handy.
However, the “Change: ____ it” and Pick Six essay prompts are unique to Stern. Therefore, you will most likely need to develop entirely new responses for these essays.
How do I brief recommenders so their letters complement — not copy — my essays?
Stern requires EQ endorsements, which are similar to — but a little different from — the typical MBA application recommendations. Therefore, you might consider providing specific examples to your recommenders that demonstrate your emotional intelligence and interpersonal strengths.
Additionally, make sure that your recommender has:
- your current resume and career goals
- a short list of professional achievements and examples
- references to experiences when you’ve demonstrated EQ
- hard deadlines to submit their endorsements (see full list of 2025–2026 MBA application deadlines by school)
It’s critical to understand that you’re not writing the EQ endorsement for them. Instead, you’re aligning on themes that will support your candidacy for Stern.
For related advice, read about waiving your right to see letters of recommendation.
If I can’t visit, what specific steps prove real Stern fit from afar?
Most candidates can’t visit Stern, and that’s OK! Instead, do the following:
- Attend Stern info sessions and webinars.
- Join online student panels or club events.
- Reach out to current students and ask specific questions.
- Dive deep into Stern’s curriculum, programs, and extracurricular activities.
This type of research will provide the intel you need to write effective Stern MBA applications. Additionally, it will serve you well in the Stern MBA interview.
How much do essays weigh compared with my resume, test scores, and recommendations?
As with other MBA programs, Stern evaluates applications holistically. Therefore, your resume, test scores, recommendations, and essays are considered part of the total package.
In summary:
- Your test scores and academic transcript demonstrate your academic readiness.
- Your resume and experience share your past impact and professional potential.
- Your essays and EQ endorsements communicate your fit, EQ, and future career vision.
So, leverage each of these application elements to share your strengths and unique story.
What’s Next?
If you’re unsure about your Stern MBA application, don’t go it alone! We can support your process and provide feedback on the Stern application and other top MBA programs, book a free consultation with an experienced admissions consultant today.
