The NYU x NYU / Stern program is a deferred MBA pathway tailored exclusively for high-achieving undergraduates in their final year at any NYU school.
In this NYU X NYU Deferred MBA Essay tips, we cover:
- Overview of the NYU x NYU / Stern Program
- Mission, Vision, and Culture of NYU Stern
- Ideal Candidate for the Program
- What to Include in the Essay
- Essay Tips
- Short Answer Essay
- Change Essay
- Personal Expression Essay
Overview of the NYU x NYU / Stern Program
Selected students secure a place in Stern’s Full-Time MBA Program, with the option to enrol after gaining 2–5 years of professional experience.
Program Highlights:
• Reserved spot in the full-time MBA with a flexible entry window (2–5 years).
• $10,000 Early Advancement Award applied to tuition.
• Access to full Stern scholarship consideration, including the Berkeley Early Advancement Fellowship.
• No application fee or standardized test required (test optional if needed to demonstrate quantitative ability).
• Admission includes a required interview with the Stern Admissions Committee.
Enrollment Options Post-Admittance:
• In addition to the standard two-year MBA, candidates may be eligible for:
o Andre Koo Tech & Entrepreneurship MBA, or
o Luxury & Retail MBA, depending on their professional experience and career goals.
Regular communication with Stern Admissions and an abbreviated application are required before enrolling.
Eligibility Requirements:
• Final-year NYU undergraduate from eligible schools.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50.
• Good academic and disciplinary standing.
• Domestic and international students may apply.
Mission, Vision, and Culture of NYU Stern
Mission: “To empower individuals and organizations to discover and pursue their unique purpose, creating a profound ripple effect that enhances well-being across families, communities, and society.”
This mission reflects Stern’s emphasis on individual purpose and social impact, anchoring the school’s approach to leadership development and community building.
Cultural Values at NYU Stern:
• Collaboration: Trust-based teamwork and humility in inquiry.
• Impact: Focus on measurable, research-backed outcomes.
• Spike: Innovation through creative risk-taking and iterative learning.
• Bridge: Commitment to integrating academia with industry and interdisciplinary thinking.
• Craft: Excellence in facilitation and continuous learning.
• Urgency: Action-oriented problem-solving and rapid prototyping in real-world contexts.
These values emphasize Stern’s focus on purpose-driven, adaptive, and collaborative leaders who can translate ideas into meaningful, scalable action.
Ideal Candidate for the Program
Candidates selected for NYU x NYU / Stern reflect not just academic excellence but a strong alignment with Stern’s mission and values. Based on the program's design and institutional ethos, the ideal candidate is:
• Purpose-driven: Has a clear personal mission and shows commitment to social impact.
• Academically strong: Demonstrates consistent academic rigor (3.50+ GPA).
• Collaborative: Shows leadership through teamwork and humility.
• Quantitatively competent: Especially if applying without a standardized test.
• Innovative: Willing to challenge conventional thinking and take initiative.
• Curious and interdisciplinary: Able to bridge disciplines and contexts effectively.
• Action-oriented: Motivated to create real-world change with urgency.
What to Include in the Essay
Based on the mission, culture, and ideal candidate profile, applicants should ensure that their essays touch on the following themes:
• Your Purpose and Values: Explain your long-term vision and how it aligns with Stern’s mission of purposeful leadership and societal well-being.
• Demonstrated Impact: Highlight real-world projects, leadership roles, or initiatives where you’ve created measurable outcomes.
• Collaborative Mindset: Share examples where trust, humility, or inclusive leadership played a role in team success.
• Quantitative or Analytical Aptitude: If you’re not submitting test scores, use examples from coursework, research, or internships to show readiness.
• Creative Problem-Solving: Discuss times when you’ve taken risks, learned from failure, or pursued innovation.
• Cross-Disciplinary Thinking: Include moments where you’ve bridged different disciplines, sectors, or communities.
• Future Readiness: Describe your career aspirations and how Stern will serve as a launchpad for those goals within 2–5 years.
Essay Tips
Short Answer Essay
Short Answer: What are your career goals following your undergraduate degree? (150 word maximum)
How To Approach:
1. Understand What the Question Is Really Asking
What Stern wants to know: This question isn’t just about naming a job title. It’s about clarity, direction, and alignment with your academic and professional background. Stern is asking:
• Do you have a thoughtful, realistic plan?
• Can you connect your undergraduate work to what comes next?
• Are you self-aware about what a deferral period could look like?
Break down your answer into three steps:
1. What is your intended short-term path post-graduation?
2. Why does this goal make sense for you, based on your academic focus, internships, and interests?
3. How do you plan to use your deferral period to build toward this path?
Case Study (Connor): Connor could begin by explaining his post-graduation goal to join a healthcare-focused communications agency, where he can apply his skills in media strategy and regulatory communications to large-scale public health campaigns. This connects directly to his undergraduate studies in media, his minor in the business of entertainment and tech, and his work with GCI Health. He should also acknowledge that while he may not have a linear "corporate" track, his community organizing and nonprofit roles demonstrate early leadership and initiative—traits valued at Stern.
2. Demonstrate Feasibility and Awareness of Industry Trends
Stern wants applicants who aren’t just dreamers—they want thoughtful, grounded professionals.
Highlight how your goal fits into an evolving industry, especially with AI and digital disruption.
Show your awareness of how your industry is changing and how you plan to adapt. Acknowledge where the challenges are, but stay confident in your role and how you'll contribute.
Case Study (Connor): Connor could mention the growing role of AI in healthcare marketing, automated content creation, and regulatory chatbots, and say that while these tools may change execution, storytelling, ethics, and regulatory fluency will remain core to success. He can position himself as someone who will stay ahead by focusing on human-centered strategy, campaign measurement, and impact.
3. Acknowledge the Experience Gap—and Turn It Into an Asset
Deferred applicants like Connor will have 2–5 years before starting their MBA. Use this space to show how you’ll be intentional with that time.
Rather than gloss over the experience gap, lean into it.
Detail what kind of roles you want to pursue, skills you want to build, or areas you want to explore before enrolling at Stern. This shows maturity and planning.
Case Study (Connor): Connor can highlight that he hopes to deepen his work in healthcare ESG strategy, potentially through roles at agencies or internal corporate teams. He can describe how he plans to seek out cross-functional experiences, including client-side exposure, regulatory training, and maybe even nonprofit consulting. This not only justifies the time but makes the MBA feel like a well-planned next step, not a fallback.
4. Tie Your Goals to the Bigger Picture and Social Impact
Stern values applicants who go beyond personal success and think in terms of societal contribution and ethical leadership.
Frame your goal in terms of who or what it helps. Do you want to serve a specific population, solve a key problem, or influence a system?
Case Study (Connor): Connor could write that his long-term interest is improving how underserved communities access healthcare information. This aligns with his nonprofit experience and his passion for ESG. He can say that while his short-term goal is in health communications, his deeper purpose is to make systems more transparent and inclusive, especially for women and LGBTQ+ populations facing medical disparities.
5. Show Fit with Stern—Without Overselling
You’re applying through a school-sponsored deferred program, so Stern wants to know: Will this person use our MBA the right way?
You don’t need to name-drop every class or club. Instead, connect Stern’s core values (IQ + EQ, collaboration, agility) and your goals. Mention how Stern will help you transition into leadership later, not right away.
Case Study (Connor): Connor can briefly say that he’s drawn to Stern’s strength in strategy and its focus on emotional intelligence, which he sees as essential for work in both corporate and nonprofit spaces. He could also mention aspirations to return to Stern with a clearer lens on business impact and eventually join projects like the Stern Signature Projects or ESG initiatives, making the most of what he gained during the deferral period.
Change Essay
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? (350 word maximum)
How To Approach
Understanding the Essay
This isn’t just a fill-in-the-blank game. The prompt is designed to test your relationship with change: how you process it, act on it, and embody it. It wants to reveal:
• What word best expresses your attitude toward change?
• Why does that word carry personal significance?
• And most importantly, how will this mindset translate into your engagement at Stern?
The admissions committee wants to see:
• Self-awareness and depth
• A sense of personal agency
• Alignment with Stern’s call-to-action: “Change. Dare it.”
It’s not about picking the most poetic or bold-sounding word; it’s about choosing a word that captures your authentic, lived relationship with change and connects to your goals and values.
1. Choose a word that reflects action, not just attitude
The most effective responses to this essay come from students who pick a word that shows agency, not just how they feel about change, but what they do with it.
“Accept,” “resist,” or “fear” are passive. Instead, words like "orchestrate," "channel," or "design" show intention.
Your word becomes your personal brand. So, it should be specific, repeatable, and evocative.
Organizational theorist John P. Kotter, in his book Leading Change, emphasizes the importance of not just responding to change but creating it proactively through “vision-driven action.” This idea aligns with choosing a word that signals leadership over circumstance.
Case Study (Connor): Connor might pick: “Design it.”
Given his background in media and strategic communications, plus his hands-on experience in reimagining healthcare and financial narratives, this word reflects how he actively crafts change. From designing cross-platform campaigns to reworking nonprofit tech strategies, “design” captures both his mindset and his toolkit.
2. Tie your word to a personal evolution or turning point
The admissions team wants to see that your relationship with change is earned, not theoretical. Ground your choice in a moment of transformation or adaptation in your own journey. Think of a pivotal internship, a nonprofit initiative, or a leadership role where you grew because you engaged with change.
Case Study (Connor): Connor could write about transferring from Rockland Community College to NYU — a moment that required him to design a new academic path and identity. Or he might reference designing a digital campaign for United Women of Rockland that changed the way the nonprofit engaged with donors. These stories show why the word “Design” is more than just a buzzword — it’s a lived principle.
3. Explain how this mindset will shape your time at Stern
This essay specifically asks: How will you embrace your tagline while at Stern? That’s your cue to show how your word will guide your choices in clubs, projects, and community life at the school. This is your chance to show fit with Stern’s values: creativity, impact, collaboration, and global leadership.
Stern USP to Highlight:
• Stern Signature Projects (SSPs): experiential learning around real-world challenges
• Social Impact & Sustainability Association: perfect for Connor’s ESG focus
• Stern Consulting Corps: a platform for designing change across sectors
Case Study (Connor): Connor can explain how “Design it” will guide his approach to the Stern Signature Projects, where he wants to co-lead a healthcare-focused SSP that maps sustainable outcomes for marginalized communities. His commitment to designing communication strategies could also shape his contributions to the Management Consulting Association or Stern Student Government communications.
4. Link your word to your post-MBA vision of impact
Even though this essay is about Stern, they still want to understand your direction. Your words should echo in the life you’re trying to build after the MBA. Think about how your approach to change, whether it’s designing, accelerating, leading, or deconstructing it, will show up in your post-MBA goals.
Case Study (Connor): Connor might write that “Design it” also defines how he wants to approach healthcare transformation. Whether as a consultant focused on ESG integration or a strategist improving communication in health equity, he aims to design inclusive systems, not just react to them. That mission gives long-term meaning to his chosen word.
5. Optional: Reinforce your message using ideas from change theorists
A strategically placed quote or reference to a relevant idea can make your essay stand out, especially if it deepens your philosophy around change. Don’t overdo it; this isn’t an academic essay, but if you’re naturally drawn to theory, cite wisely.
Connor might mention Donella Meadows, who wrote in Thinking in Systems that “The future can't be predicted, but it can be envisioned and brought lovingly into being.” This would support his idea of “Design it,” suggesting that change isn’t chaos to survive, but a system to shape.
Case Study (Connor): Connor could say: “To me, change is a system that can be designed with care. Donella Meadows’ systems thinking teaches us that designing change requires both empathy and precision, qualities I’ve applied while managing six-figure healthcare campaigns or raising funds for women-led nonprofits. At Stern, I want to deepen this systems mindset through experiential learning and community-led projects.”
Personal Expression (Pick Six) – Essay
Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six"): Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain the following elements: a brief introduction or overview of your "Pick Six" (no more than three sentences), six images that help illustrate who you are, 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 that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or linked to a website.
How To Approach
Tips for Writing the Brief Introduction (3 Sentences Max)
The short introduction at the beginning of your response should set a clear tone for your “Pick Six.” It’s your way of telling the admissions committee how these images represent who you are, what you value, and how you see yourself growing at Stern.
• Start with a unifying theme or mindset, such as “curiosity,” “reinvention,” or “storytelling.” Choose something that naturally weaves across all six images.
• Mention the diversity of experiences, including family, career, cities, challenges, and perspectives, to signal emotional range and multidimensionality.
• End with a future-facing line, hinting at how this foundation connects to who you hope to be at NYU Stern.
IMAGE & CAPTION STRATEGY TIPS
1. Build Story-Based Captions Around Moments of Change
Use this image to narrate a turning point that shaped your identity or worldview.
• Image Suggestion (Connor): A photo of Connor hosting or recording his college podcast on equity and access.
• Caption Guidance: Connor should describe how this project gave him a voice and, more importantly, gave others a voice. The caption should highlight what the moment taught him about power, communication, or leadership, not just the act of podcasting.
• Why it works: This aligns with narrative captions moving from a specific visual memory to a broader insight or transformation.
2. Use Value-Based Captions to Anchor Deep Motivations
Highlight an experience where your values were clearly in action and explain what drove you.
• Image Suggestion (Connor): A photo from his nonprofit initiative to help first-generation students navigate internships.
• Caption Guidance: He could use the caption to show how this work wasn’t just volunteering. It came from his personal experience navigating complex systems without a roadmap. Mentioning how this fueled his commitment to access and mentorship would root the photo in purpose.
• Why it works: This uses additive captioning to give deeper meaning to a scene that might otherwise seem like generic service work. It connects to long-term goals.
3. Leverage Family Influence to Show Emotional Roots
Share an image from your upbringing that reveals where your leadership, resilience, or values come from.
• Image Suggestion (Connor): A childhood photo with his mother at her workplace or celebrating his school success.
• Caption Guidance: The caption shouldn’t just say, “My mom inspired me.” It should zoom in on a detail, maybe how watching her work long hours shaped his perspective on ambition or humility. He could also hint at how her sacrifices influenced his academic discipline or choice to advocate for others.
• Why it works: This narrative caption builds an emotional through-line, making his story personal and grounded, not just professional.
4. Use Multi-City Exposure to Highlight Adaptability
Choose a photo that reflects how moving between cities shaped your way of thinking or interacting.
• Image Suggestion (Connor): A collage or skyline shots from New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
• Caption Guidance: Connor could reflect on how each city challenged his worldview. For example, New York made him resourceful, Philly helped him find his voice, and D.C. taught him how institutions work behind the scenes. The caption can also note how this exposure shaped his interest in public-private collaboration.
• Why it works: Additive captions are great here; each image might be simple, but the explanation adds conceptual and personal depth.
5. Highlight a Unique Life Experience to Show Range
Pick a moment that breaks expectations, something quirky, creative, or brave.
• Image Suggestion (Connor): A photo of him doing stand-up comedy, acting on stage, or performing spoken word poetry.
• Caption Guidance: Connor should share how putting himself in vulnerable spaces helped him build presence, storytelling skills, or courage. This could tie back to why he feels comfortable navigating ambiguity or leading diverse teams.
• Why it works: This type of caption helps the reader reimagine the applicant. It adds texture and surprise. It also subtly signals executive presence.
6. End with a Forward-Facing Vision
Choose an image that reflects how you want to grow, not just where you’ve been.
• Image Suggestion (Connor): A photo from a leadership program, consulting case competition, or brainstorming session with peers.
• Caption Guidance: The caption should reflect not just what he did but what it revealed about the kind of changemaker he hopes to become at Stern. He could mention learning to collaborate across disciplines or seeing how systemic solutions are born from dialogue.
• Why it works: The final caption becomes a narrative “bridge” from past to future, linking personal history to Stern’s collaborative, forward-looking culture.
References
