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2017 Stanford GSB MBA essay questions – Class of 2020

April 28, 2017 by EssaySnark - Discusses Stanford GSB Leave a Comment

Essay A: “What matters most and why?”

Essay B: “Why Stanford?”

Yup, those are again the questions that Stanford is asking you to write about in your MBA app this year.

A few weeks ago, Stanford admissions very quietly announced that there would be no significant changes to their application this year. Those same two questions are what they asked last season, and have been asking with only slight variations for practically eons. We’ve got a whole collection of commentary on how to deal with them on our Stanford Essay Questions page. You’ll find many many posts there on these two deceptively simple questions, including a bunch of essay critiques like this one on “what matters most”, which will help you understand what not to do.

We didn’t make a big announcement here on the front page of the blahg when we heard that this year’s Stanford essay questions would be the same because, well, we know that nobody is really working on essays yet. It’s too early. You should be focusing on things like GMAT (or maybe GRE if you have a good reason for that test instead) and researching your schools. Stanford also released their deadlines and their Round 1 of September 21 isn’t even the earliest. You can expect HBS to take that slot. Or, if you’re trying for Columbia Early Decision or J-Term, then you’ll want to hustle an app in well ahead of September if you can manage it. But none of these other schools have yet hinted at what their app requirements will be. So, too early to start on those, either.

Anyway, you won’t want to start with Stanford as your first app. Too hard. Like, way way way too hard. You don’t want to deal with the difficult learning curve of learning to write MBA essays at the same time as you’re tackling the hardest essays around (not to mention, the essays for the hardest school on the planet to get into). The stakes are too high. The first application you write will not be your best. Struggle through another school’s essays first — ideally, a school with more straightforward questions. Columbia, conveniently, tends to offer those. Again, we don’t know what they’ll be doing this coming season, but it’s likely that theirs will be easier to deal with than Stanford’s.

So what should you be working on right now?

As we stated above:

  1. GMAT (or GRE). If you’re serious about making a good impression at Stanford or any other top school, then make sure you’re bringing your best self. You’re reading this early, in the Spring. You have plenty o’ time to deal with any weaknesses in your profile. Take advantage of that now, BSer.

      Read more in the ‘Snarchive of posts on GMAT & GRE

  2. School research. If Stanford is asking you, “Why Stanford?”, then that means you need to know why you’re applying there. It’s not just because it’s the “best” bschool (whatever that means). Stanford is a special place — but then so is every other school. It’s up to you to articulate to the adcom, at Stanford and every other program you’re applying to, why you’re choosing them. If you’re going on rankings alone, then by definition, you’re taking someone else’s opinion on what school is “best” — and we can guarantee that you will have trouble articulating why that school is “best” for YOU. This can come about only through your own effort of learning about each place and what they offer, which comes from talking to people, and hopefully visiting if you can.

      Read more in the ‘Snarchive of posts on Selecting Schools

If you’re feeling especially eager, then sure, you can pick up our Stanford MBA Application Guide which does have some long-term planning advice that is super helpful for those who are motivated and who are starting early. It currently covers last year’s app but as you can see from this post, the questions are going to be the same. And, even though it’s still valid and accurate, we plan to update that guide sometime this summer, once we have seen the new GSB application and all app requirements have been confirmed by admissions. When we do, we’ll also be able to integrate the most up-to-date advice and learnings gleaned from coaching a bunch of Brave Supplicants last year who are now headed to Stanford this Fall. That’s what makes EssaySnark’s MBA application guides so useful, BTW: We bring in real-world examples and nuggets of experience from the trenches, based on the work we’ve done with the prior crop of candidates. We frequently hear from BSers that our guides are the best available, and that’s why. Anyway, if you subscribe to the guide today, you’ll get instant access to any update that’s published during your 90-day subscription term, or you’ll be able to re-up for another 90-day subscription later on to get the 2017 version for $4.95. (Sorry that we can’t be definitive on when this 2017 update will go out; suffice to say, one is planned, but the timing is unknown.) Or you can hold off and plunk down your pennies for the updated version when it’s released at whatever price it’ll be published at.

Sorry folks, didn’t mean to turn this post into an infomercial.

If you’re starting to think about these very challenging Stanford MBA questions, like “what matters most” and how in heck do you write an essay on that, please stay tuned over the coming weeks, as we have a new series planned for a novel approach to applying to bschool.

It’s called, Tell the Truth.

And we don’t just mean that MBA apps are no place for alternative facts.

The best way to get into bschool — especially Stanford GSB — is to be yourself. Tell the truth about who you are, what you’ve done, why you need an MBA.

It’s not that most people intentionally make stuff up. It’s that it’s really hard to answer questions like the ones that Stanford asks unless you figure yourself out first.

Maybe what we’ll title our coming series: How to be authentic in your MBA applications

If you’re serious about Stanford then that’s the very best advice we can offer.

More to come on that important topic! Y’all come back now, ya hear.

And enjoy your weekends in this wondrous springtime pre-app-season lull. There will come a time in the not-too-distant future where you will have no life. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts.

Filed Under: planning your strategy, school reviews & insights Bschools: Stanford GSB

« Previous: ($) essay critique! LSE Personal Statement
Next: Applying to Bschool: The Strategy of Authenticity »

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

We're the snarky experts in MBA admissions!

Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

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From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

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  • 2020: "What should I do with my summer?"
  • 2019: ($) Got a glitch with your grades? TAKE ACTION NOW!
  • 2018: Should you care who the dean is?
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