Stanford Business School Admission Essays

We request that you write two personal essays. In each essay, we want to hear your genuine voice. Think carefully about your values, passions, aims, and dreams prior to writing them.

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

For this essay, we would like you to:
1. Do some deep self-examination, so you can genuinely illustrate who you are and how you came to be the person you are.
2. Share the insights, experiences, and lessons that shaped your perspectives, rather than focusing merely on what you’ve done or accomplished.
3. Write from the heart, and illustrate how a person, situation, or event has influenced you.
Focus on the “why” rather than the “what.”

Essay B: Why Stanford?

Enlighten us on how earning your MBA at Stanford will enable you to realize your ambitions.
1. Explain your decision to pursue graduate education in management.
2. Explain the distinctive opportunities you will pursue at Stanford.

If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs.