Founded in 1900, NYU Stern has consistently evolved as a pioneer in business education, integrating analytical rigor with social awareness and a strong emphasis on building an inclusive culture.
In this in-depth NYU Stern MBA Essay Tips, we cover:
• Vision, Mission, and Values
• Ideal Candidates
• What to Include in Your Essay
• Essay Tips
• Career Goals – Essay Tips
• Change Slogan – Essay Tips
• Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six") - Tips
Vision, Mission, Values of NYU Stern MBA Program
Vision
“Change. Dare It. Dream It. Drive It.”
NYU Stern’s vision embodies a culture of action-oriented ambition, encouraging students not only to imagine impact but to make it a reality. The school positions itself as a launchpad for bold thinkers who dare to challenge convention and drive meaningful change in business and society. This vision reflects Stern’s identity as an urban, globally connected institution where innovation meets pragmatism. Whether it’s developing new business models in fintech or reimagining sustainability in supply chains, the program empowers students to turn aspirations into measurable outcomes.
Mission
The school’s mission is grounded in five pillars that collectively define the MBA experience:
1. Academics: Stern emphasizes intellectual honesty and cross-disciplinary learning. The curriculum allows students to tailor their path through specializations in strategy, finance, entrepreneurship, and technology management, blending theory with real-world application.
2. Social Impact: Through the Center for Sustainable Business, Social Impact Core Curriculum, and the Stern Impact Labs, students learn to apply market-based approaches to global challenges, positioning purpose as integral to profit.
3. Global: Leveraging NYU’s worldwide network, with campuses in Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, and partner programs across continents, students gain firsthand exposure to international business contexts, preparing them for leadership in a borderless economy.
4. Professional: Stern’s deep ties with Wall Street, Silicon Alley, and global firms offer unparalleled access to recruiters and projects. The school cultivates professional maturity through hands-on experiences such as the Stern Solutions Program and Tech MBA experiential projects.
5. Community: A hallmark of Stern is its inclusive and supportive culture, strengthened by initiatives like Stern Women in Business, Association of Hispanic and Black Business Students, and Stern Pride, ensuring collaboration over competition.
Values
1. Excellence, Unbound by Tradition: Stern blends academic rigor with a forward-looking approach. Its emphasis on innovation is reflected in programs like the Andre Koo Tech MBA and Fashion & Luxury MBA, which merge business fundamentals with industry-specific innovation. The school’s adaptability mirrors the dynamism of its NYC environment, bold, creative, and unafraid to challenge convention.
2. IQ + EQ: This dual philosophy underscores Stern’s belief that leadership requires both analytical intelligence and emotional awareness. The Leadership Accelerator and Inclusive Leadership programs cultivate empathy, collaboration, and cross-cultural communication skills, which distinguish Stern graduates in complex global settings.
3. Radically Responsible: Stern embeds responsibility at the heart of its pedagogy. The Sustainability and ESG specialization and the Center for Business and Human Rights exemplify the school’s conviction that business can, and must, be a force for social good. Students are trained to assess not just profitability, but long-term ethical and environmental outcomes.
4. Uncommonly Connected: Located in the world’s most influential business hub, Stern thrives on access and collaboration. Students engage directly with firms through consulting projects, treks, and speaker series featuring leaders from finance, tech, and media. The school’s integration within NYU’s global network further extends these connections, allowing students to translate classroom insights into tangible professional growth.
Ideal Candidates for the NYU Stern MBA Program
1. Academically Curious and Analytical: Stern looks for individuals who can handle academic rigor while applying theory to practice. Ideal candidates demonstrate quantitative competence through coursework or testing, but also curiosity, an eagerness to explore intersections between disciplines. Whether you majored in liberal arts or engineering, Stern values students who use intellectual breadth to solve complex business problems.
2. Professionally Proven with Purpose: The strongest applicants bring a clear record of performance and impact in their prior roles. Stern doesn’t privilege any single industry; instead, it values professionals who have advanced projects, led teams, or created measurable results. The emphasis is not on title, but trajectory, those who’ve outgrown execution and are ready to lead with insight and accountability.
3. Emotionally Intelligent Collaborators (IQ + EQ): A hallmark of the Stern community is emotional awareness, students who listen as much as they speak and thrive in diverse, collaborative settings. Candidates should show evidence of empathy, adaptability, and self-awareness, often demonstrated through mentoring, cross-functional teamwork, or community leadership. Stern prizes EQ as much as IQ because it underpins responsible, inclusive leadership.
4. Radically Responsible Leaders: Beyond success metrics, Stern values applicants who align ambition with conscience. The school seeks individuals who recognize business as a platform for societal progress, those who have initiated sustainability drives, community projects, or ethical innovations. This reflects Stern’s “Radically Responsible” ethos: to lead not just profitably, but purposefully.
5. Globally Engaged and Industry Connected: Given its New York base and worldwide network, Stern attracts candidates who are outward-looking and globally attuned. The ideal student has either worked across markets or is actively curious about international business dynamics. They see New York not merely as a city, but as a laboratory for global collaboration and opportunity.
What to Include in Your Essay
1. Define Your Inflection Point: Explain why now the right time for your MBA is. Pinpoint a specific professional or personal moment that revealed a skill gap or shifted your ambitions. Avoid vague career growth statements. Stern values applicants who can articulate the exact insight or experience that triggered their next move.
2. Show the Intersection of IQ and EQ: Include examples where analytical skill meets human understanding, perhaps leading a cross-cultural team, managing conflict, or balancing data-driven reasoning with empathy. This demonstrates that you embody Stern’s signature “IQ + EQ” principle, a balance crucial for leadership in dynamic, people-driven industries.
3. Demonstrate Radically Responsible Impact: Highlight instances where you took ownership beyond job requirements, initiating sustainability projects, mentoring underrepresented peers, or designing inclusive business practices. Stern prizes candidates who act on conviction, proving that responsibility is not a talking point but a pattern of behavior.
4. Articulate Clear and Connected Goals: Your goals should be specific, directional, and logically connected to your background. Identify how Stern’s courses, clubs, and NYC-based opportunities directly advance your plan. For example, link the Stern Solutions Program to your interest in tech strategy or the Center for Sustainable Business to your ESG ambitions.
5. Reflect Community Fit, Not Just Career Fit: Convey how you will contribute to Stern’s collaborative community. This could be through mentoring, sharing cross-industry experience, or leading student initiatives. Stern admits individuals who will both benefit from and elevate the collective learning environment, embodying its value of inclusivity and shared growth.
NYU Stern MBA: Essay Tips
Career Goals - Essay Tips
What are your short-term career goals? (150-word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
Understanding the Question
This 150-word prompt is deceptively simple. NYU Stern wants to see clarity, focus, and thoughtfulness in your career planning.
The Admissions Committee isn’t just assessing ambition; they want to understand:
• The logical progression from your pre-MBA experience to your next professional step.
• How Stern’s curriculum, experiential opportunities, and NYC ecosystem will prepare you for this role.
• Your awareness of the industry landscape, function, and impact you aim to achieve.
Short-term goals are the bridge between your current capabilities and your long-term vision. They must be specific, realistic, and actionable, showing that you understand what is required to succeed in your chosen field while aligning with Stern’s values of IQ + EQ, Radical Responsibility, and being Uncommonly Connected.
Anchor Goals in Pre-MBA Experience and Insight
Your short-term goals should emerge naturally from your existing expertise and professional trajectory. This demonstrates self-awareness and strategic planning. Rather than stating general aspirations (“I want to work in tech”), focus on function, domain, and impact. Explain why the role is the right next step given your background.
Case Study: Natalie
For Natalie, a prospective MBA student, she could highlight that her experience in digital strategy and UX design at EY exposed her to the gap between designing solutions and driving product strategy decisions. Based on the motivation, she would write about her goal to join a product strategy or operations role in a global tech firm. This approach illustrates a logical transition, showing she is deliberately pursuing a role that allows her to influence strategy, scale products, and apply human-centered insights at a larger organizational level.
Show Stern-Specific Preparation and Fit
Admissions officers want to see that your goal isn’t generic; it is informed by Stern’s unique offerings. Briefly indicate how you plan to leverage courses, experiential programs, clubs, or NYC industry access to prepare for your short-term role. Such a strategy shows preparation, strategic thinking, and engagement with the Stern alumni and current students.
Case Study: Natalie
Natalie might explain that she intends to use Tech & the City, part-time product immersion opportunities, and leadership in the Stern Technology Association to develop a practical understanding of scaling products and leading cross-functional teams. Connecting her goal to Stern’s strengths demonstrate that she is thinking about actionable ways to use the MBA experience to position herself effectively for her chosen role.
Emphasize the Impact You Aim to Create
Even in a short-answer format, your goal should signal the value you intend to generate. Focus on outcomes, influence, or contributions rather than just the title or company. By breaking down motivation with contribution & outcomes, you act as a forward-thinking professional who measures success by impact.
Case Study: Natalie
Natalie, as a prospective student, could note that she aims to leverage her UX and digital strategy background to improve product adoption, user engagement, and inclusivity in digital experiences, signaling both technical skill and social awareness.
Change Slogan - Essay Tips
Essay 1: 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? Examples:
Change: Dare it.
Change: Dream it.
Change: Drive it.
Change: Empower it.
Change: Manifest it.
Change: [Any word of your choice] it.
(350-word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
Understanding the Essay Question: “Change: ______ it”
This essay is one of Stern’s most personal and interpretive prompts, yet it is deeply rooted in the school’s mission— “Change. Dare it. Dream it. Drive it.” It’s not about describing change in an abstract or philosophical sense; it’s about showing how you embody change. The admissions committee wants to see how you perceive transformation, how you act when faced with uncertainty, and how your mindset aligns with Stern’s culture of innovation, adaptability, and responsibility.
Change Slogan and Personal Brand Statement
Your chosen word becomes your personal brand statement. It reveals how you navigate challenges and how you influence the world around you. The essay should therefore connect three elements: your relationship with change, your core identity, and your vision for growth at Stern. In essence, Stern is asking: how do you define change, how have you enacted it, and how will you continue to drive it with the tools and community that Stern provides?
The strongest essays maintain a balance between introspection and practicality. They go beyond lofty ideals to show real examples, projects you initiated, perspectives you challenged, or times when change required you to unlearn and rebuild. The narrative must also close the loop by linking your past experiences with your aspirations at Stern, demonstrating that the MBA is not a pause, but an evolution of how you engage with change.
In this context, Stern’s values, IQ + EQ, Radical Responsibility, Uncommon Connection, and Excellence Unbound by Tradition, serve as implicit guidelines. The essay is your chance to demonstrate that you are self-aware, adaptable, and emotionally intelligent enough to thrive in a collaborative yet high-performing environment.
Choose a Verb that Embodies Your Personal Change Philosophy
The verb you choose for “Change: ___ it” is more than a creative exercise, it’s the conceptual anchor of your essay. It should represent the lens through which you view growth, leadership, and innovation.
Authentic Change Slogan vs. Drive or Empower
While many applicants gravitate toward strong-sounding words like Drive or Empower, the most memorable essays come from words that authentically reflect the applicant’s lived experiences and evolving philosophy.
Research in cognitive linguistics (Lakoff & Johnson, Metaphors We Live By, 1980) suggests that the verbs we associate with abstract concepts reveal how we interpret the world.
A candidate who chooses “Drive” may see change as an act of control and momentum, while one who chooses “Design” views it as an iterative and empathetic process. The key is not to pick a verb that sounds powerful, but one that feels inevitable when describing your story.
Once you’ve chosen your word, you must prove it through evidence. The essay should show a consistent pattern of behavior that supports your chosen approach to change. Every example, whether professional or personal, should reinforce that philosophy and show how it has matured over time.
Case Study: Natalie
For Natalie, the most authentic word would likely be “Design.” Her career so far has been shaped by human-centered problem-solving, from her undergraduate studies in UX Design to her consulting work at EY, where she translated business challenges into actionable, user-oriented strategies.
“Change: Design it” captures her belief that innovation is intentional, structured, and empathetic. In her essay, she could describe how leading digital transformation projects taught her that design is not merely about creating products, but about shaping systems that respect both user needs and business goals.
For instance, she might reflect on her work improving customer experience for a Fortune 500 client, narrating how she listened to frustrated users, realized technical fixes alone weren’t enough, and proposed a design-led strategy to simplify onboarding.
Finally, as a prospective Stern student, she could connect this philosophy to her plans, explaining how she intends to leverage courses like Tech & the City and her anticipated role as Co-President of the Stern Technology Association to refine her ability to “design” not only digital products but also innovative teams, strategies, and organizations. By linking her past experiences with her post-MBA aspirations, Natalie would answer the essay prompt while showing a clear trajectory from designer to strategic change-maker, aligned with Stern’s ethos of intelligence, empathy, and action.
Anchor Your Narrative in a Defining Change Moment
Every powerful Stern essay revolves around a single turning point, a moment when the candidate didn’t just experience change but authored it. The admissions team isn’t looking for a long list of accomplishments; they’re looking for depth, reflection, and self-awareness. Show how a particular event reshaped the way you think, lead, or make decisions.
In narrative psychology, Dan McAdams (2001) notes that individuals form their identity through “self-defining memories,” moments that integrate past experiences with future aspirations. For your essay, this translates into choosing a story where challenge meets choice, a situation that forced you to act with intention. The focus should not be merely on external outcomes but on internal evolution: what you learned, what shifted in your mindset, and how that growth continues to shape your path forward.
Agency in your Choices
For instance, you might describe the first time you took a creative risk in a conservative workplace, led a cross-functional team through ambiguity, or confronted an ethical dilemma that tested your values. What matters most is agency: demonstrating that you were not a passive participant but a deliberate catalyst for change.
Case Study: Natalie
For Natalie, this inflection point could be her transition from UX consulting at EY to pursuing a broader product strategy role. She might recall realizing that while design improves user experience, it often remains reactive without a strategic vision guiding it. This realization prompted her to seek an MBA, to move from implementing solutions to shaping the frameworks that define them.
By framing the transition as a conscious step toward greater impact, Natalie’s essay would highlight her maturity and her proactive relationship with change. It shows she doesn’t wait for transformation; she engineers it.
Connect Your Change Philosophy to Stern’s Values
While your essay begins with introspection, it must ultimately return to Stern.
The admissions committee is deeply interested in fit, not only whether you can succeed at Stern, but whether your principles resonate with the school’s collective ethos.
Stern’s value, Radically Responsible, IQ + EQ, Uncommonly Connected, and Excellence, Unbound by Tradition, defines the type of leadership it seeks: intelligent, empathetic, innovative, and socially conscious.
A strong essay, therefore, builds a bridge between your personal change philosophy and NYU Stern’s values.
If your word centers on collaboration, it reflects emotional intelligence and the ability to lead with empathy.
If your change slogan focuses on innovation or design, it aligns with being Radically Responsible.
The connection doesn’t need to be explicit or forced; it should emerge naturally through how you describe your motivations and actions.
The key is to show that your version of change contributes not only to personal advancement but also to the collective good, a hallmark of Stern’s approach to business education.
Case Study: Natalie
Natalie’s chosen theme, “Change: Design it,” inherently aligns with Stern’s Radically Responsible ethos. Through her human-centered design background, she could illustrate how she strives to create products that are inclusive, accessible, and ethically sound. She might describe leading a project that addressed digital accessibility for underrepresented users, reflecting both technical expertise (IQ) and empathy (EQ). By linking this mindset to Stern’s initiatives, such as the Social Impact Fellows Program or Tech & the City course, she can show how she intends to refine her design philosophy into a form of leadership that merges innovation with accountability.
The admissions team should come away feeling that Natalie doesn’t simply fit into Stern’s community; she will help expand its definition of what meaningful, responsible innovation looks like.
Illustrate How Stern’s Ecosystem Will Amplify Your Change
Once you’ve defined your philosophy of change and grounded it in a meaningful personal story, the essay must take the next leap, connecting that philosophy to NYU Stern’s ecosystem. This section isn’t about listing every appealing course or club; it’s about demonstrating strategic intent.
The admissions team wants to see that you understand how Stern will help you turn your ideas into measurable impact.
To achieve this, focus on integration rather than enumeration.
Choose one or two elements of Stern’s learning environment that genuinely resonate with your narrative, perhaps a lab, initiative, or community where you can apply your chosen verb in practice. This approach transforms your essay from an application into a roadmap, showing that you’ve envisioned how Stern will serve as your platform for experimentation, collaboration, and execution.
Empower It Slogan
For instance, if your essay centers on “Change: Empower it,” you could describe engaging with the Leadership Accelerator or the Social Impact Fellowship as spaces where you plan to practice empowerment through action.
Build It Slogan
If your focus is “Change: Build it,” referencing the Endless Frontier Labs or the Entrepreneurs Challenge could illustrate how Stern’s real-world, hands-on approach aligns with your desire to construct tangible solutions.
Case Study: Natalie
For Natalie, whose theme is “Change: Design it,” Stern offers a living ecosystem of innovation that perfectly complements her vision.
She could describe how courses like Tech and the City or Digital Strategy would allow her to merge UX design principles with strategic business thinking.
The Stern Technology Association could become her collaborative lab, a place to co-create with peers from diverse industries and test her ideas in live settings. Additionally, being in New York City will situate her at the crossroads of design, business, and technology, where she can engage directly with the city’s vibrant startup community.
Through these connections, Natalie’s essay would illustrate foresight: she isn’t coming to Stern to find her purpose but to scale it.
By linking her personal ethos to the school’s ecosystem, she demonstrates that Stern is not just a backdrop for her growth; it’s a multiplier of her capacity to lead meaningful change.
End with Forward Momentum, Your Future Vision of Change
The final section of your essay should carry the reader beyond Stern, toward the horizon of what you aim to build, transform, or inspire.
Too many essays end with a reflective summary; a strong Stern essay ends with projection, a confident, forward-looking statement that connects your chosen word to your long-term vision. This closing paragraph is not about what Stern will give you, but what you will do with it.
Think of it as completing a narrative arc.
You began by defining your relationship with change, illustrated how you’ve enacted it, and described how Stern will amplify it.
Now, show how you intend to sustain that change beyond graduation.
Whether your goal is to found an inclusive fintech company, lead sustainability strategy in global retail, or build public-private partnerships for climate innovation, your conclusion should reflect Stern’s ethos of being “Uncommonly Connected”, leaders who leverage networks, knowledge, and empathy to shape a more equitable and dynamic world.
Case Study: Natalie
For Natalie, the conclusion could spotlight her ambition to create a design-led venture studio focused on inclusive digital access.
Building on the “Change: Design it” theme, she might describe how she plans to translate Stern’s principles of radical responsibility and EQ-driven leadership into ventures that prioritize social inclusion in technology. By highlighting her intention to work across industries and geographies through Stern’s global alumni network, she projects both humility and vision, showing that her change philosophy is scalable, adaptable, and deeply aligned with Stern’s global mindset.
Ending the essay this way transforms it from a personal reflection into a manifesto for purposeful leadership. The admissions committee should close your essay with a clear sense that you’re not just coming to Stern to learn about change, you’re coming to Stern to lead it, and to carry that spirit of transformation far beyond the walls of Tisch Hall.
Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six") - Tips
Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six")
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. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:
A brief introduction or overview of your "Pick Six" (no more than 3 sentences).
Six images that help illustrate your interests, values, motivations, perspective and/or personality.
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. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.
Understanding the Essay Question
The Pick Six essay is Stern’s most creative prompt, a visual autobiography that transcends resumes and transcripts. It asks not what you’ve done, but who you are.
The Admissions Committee uses it to assess emotional intelligence, self-concept clarity, and storytelling ability.
Psychological studies on narrative identity (McAdams, 2001; Adler, 2012) show that the most memorable personal narratives combine coherence, authenticity, and growth. This exercise is Stern’s way of uncovering the person behind the profile, how your personality, passions, and perspective will enrich the Stern community.
The strongest submissions:
• Create a narrative thread connecting the six images.
• Reveal values, motivations, and personality beyond achievements.
• Balance professional and personal dimensions with emotional honesty.
• Align subtly with Stern’s culture, IQ + EQ, “Radically Responsible,” and “Uncommonly Connected.”
Your goal isn’t to impress through perfection, it’s to express with sincerity and purpose.
Begin with a Defining Narrative Arc
Before selecting your six images, it’s essential to map out the story you want to tell.
The Pick Six is not a portfolio of accomplishments; it is a narrative about who you are becoming.
Think of each image as a chapter in a short autobiography, each adding depth, context, and progression.
Admissions research (McLean & Pratt, 2006) indicates that stories with clear progression, from curiosity to purpose, or from challenge to growth, create stronger emotional resonance and make the applicant more memorable.
A compelling narrative arc allows the reader to understand not just your past achievements, but also your underlying motivations, your evolving perspective, and your future aspirations.
Begin with the roots of your identity: formative experiences, cultural background, or early moments that shaped your values.
Move toward transformational experiences, events or challenges that changed how you think or act.
Conclude with aspirational moments, hinting at the kind of leader or innovator you aim to become.
Thematic sequencing is often more effective than strict chronology.
For instance, you could organize images around curiosity, empathy, resilience, leadership, creativity, or connection. This strategy ensures cohesion while highlighting the dimensions of your personality most relevant to Stern’s values of IQ + EQ, Radical Responsibility, and Uncommonly Connected.
Case Study: Natalie (Around One Theme)
Natalie could frame her Pick Six around the theme “Designing Change, Human First.”
Her images might start with her fascination with design right as a child – images of toys, stacking building blocks into unique shapes.
Her second image could be around her parents, one of whom was an engineer working on a design (her inspiration).
Her third image could be her interest in design and sustainability – her first win in a competition where she designed a mobile composting facility.
Her fourth image could be her first UX prototype in college, highlighting early curiosity and experimentation in digital design.
Her fifth image could showcase collaboration at EY, illustrating how professional exposure deepened her understanding of strategic impact and helped a large client bring design to a hard problem.
For the creative type, a sixth image could be a future with NYU Stern’s Tech & the City course, showing how she plans to gain hands-on learning in a high-stakes, real-world environment (you may use imaginative deliverable).
Through this narrative arc around one theme - Design, her Pick Six would convey growth, empathy, and purpose, connecting her past, present and future at NYU Stern.
Choose Visuals That Convey Emotional Texture, Not Just Achievements
The Pick Six is about revealing the person behind the résumé.
While professional accomplishments matter, the committee already has access to those metrics.
The goal is to show dimensionality, authenticity, and emotional resonance, qualities that distinguish leaders who make a difference from those who simply succeed in conventional metrics.
Research in visual storytelling (Bateman et al., 2017) demonstrates that emotionally charged imagery strengthens narrative authenticity by activating empathy and curiosity in the audience.
Effective images capture values in motion, not static representations of past achievements.
Examples include moments of collaboration, teaching, mentoring, reflection, creativity, or community contribution.
Avoid Generic Images
Avoid generic images such as formal conferences or awards; instead, show how you act, think, and connect in meaningful contexts. Each visual should evoke a specific feeling, curiosity, determination, compassion, or resilience, so that your personality and worldview shine through.
Case Study: Natalie (Highlight Leadership and Functional Skills)
Instead of posting a finished product design, Natalie could include an image of herself listening intently while her desk with devices where she sketches wireframes is clearly visible in the background.
The caption might read: “Innovation begins, by listening.”
This choice would highlight her human-centered design philosophy and emotional intelligence, emphasizing how she engages empathetically with stakeholders to understand needs.
Another example could be an image representing her role co-leading a brainstorming session at EY, showcasing the collaborative leadership style she plans to cultivate.
Together, these visuals would convey both the process and leadership behind her approach, demonstrating that her future strategy and technology work will be guided by empathy, purpose, and thoughtful execution, rather than just outcomes.
Balance Personal Intimacy with Community Impact
Stern seeks students who are uncommonly connected, those who not only excel individually but also elevate those around them.
The Pick Six is an ideal medium to show this duality.
Your images should reveal both your personal identity and the ways you contribute to communities, reflecting the school’s IQ + EQ philosophy, which blends intellectual capability with emotional intelligence and empathy.
A practical approach is to structure your six images in a balanced way: three images that showcase introspection, personal passions, creativity, or cultural roots, and three that highlight connection, mentorship, collaboration, or community engagement.
The balance communicates that you are reflective but also action-oriented, a thinker who translates insights into impact.
Case Study: Natalie (Balance)
Natalie might include one image of herself facilitating a design-thinking workshop for underprivileged children with the caption: “Learning Creativity with the most creative group - children”
Another image could depict her hiking alone in nature, symbolizing reflection, clarity, and personal grounding.
Together, these images convey that Natalie is both introspective and community-oriented, a designer who not only innovates but also nurtures the ecosystem in which those solutions emerge.
The duality reinforces her capacity to lead with empathy and intellect, aligning her story with Stern’s values.
Write Captions as Micro-Stories, Not Labels
Captions are the narrative glue that transforms static images into a coherent, meaningful story.
Generic labels (e.g., “My graduation” or “Team project”) are ineffective.
Each caption should act as a micro-story that conveys insight, emotion, or personal growth in one line.
Research on narrative framing (Labov & Waletzky, 1997) highlights that strong micro-narratives combine action, emotion, and meaning compactly, making each moment resonate with the reader.
When crafting captions, consider three guiding questions:
• What did this moment teach you?
• How does this reflect your worldview?
• What emotion defines this experience?
Case Study: Natalie (Micro-Stories)
If one of Natalie’s images depicts her summer internship at Visa Consulting & Analytics, instead of writing “Internship at Visa,” she could caption it: “Where data met empathy, discovering that algorithms can serve people, not just profits.” This would transform the image into a story of curiosity, human-centered thinking, and professional development.
Another example could be an image representing her planned co-leadership of a peer hackathon at Stern, with the caption:
“Turning ideas into impact, guiding peers to innovate beyond boundaries.”
Each caption would convey intention, emotional engagement, and alignment with Stern’s emphasis on collaboration, responsibility, and social impact.
By combining carefully chosen visuals with thoughtful micro-narratives, Natalie’s Pick Six could effectively communicate both who she is and how she aspires to engage with the world, making her essay memorable and authentic.
End with a Forward-Looking Visual
The final image in your Pick Six should act as a visual epilogue, offering a glimpse of your future self.
It is less about a literal representation of a goal and more about conveying trajectory, intent, and the broader impact you hope to create. This image signals to the Admissions Committee that you see your Stern journey not as a conclusion, but as a launchpad for ongoing growth, innovation, and leadership.
Neuroscience research on memory and narrative closure (Mar et al., 2011) demonstrates that audiences remember stories that convey continuity, endings that project into the future leave a lasting impression.
When choosing this image, think symbolically: it could be a skyline representing ambition, a team prototype capturing collaborative creation, a mentorship moment reflecting community impact, or a design workshop hinting at scalable innovation.
The key is that the image should resonate emotionally, tying together your personal philosophy with your professional and societal aspirations. It should reflect how your journey at Stern is a bridge between past experiences, present development, and future impact.
Case Study: Natalie (Micro-Stories)
Natalie could select an image of a diverse group of students collaborating at a startup hub or design studio, illustrating her goal of co-founding a design-led venture studio.
Her caption might read: “Designing begins and ends with people.”
This visual ties back to her central theme of human-centered design and innovation, while emphasizing her future-oriented mindset.
It communicates that her story is ongoing; she is not only reflecting on her past and present but also actively shaping the future of technology, strategy, and inclusive digital experiences.
The final image creates emotional resonance, leaving the reader with a sense of continuity, authenticity, and visionary leadership.
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References
- NYU Stern MBA
- Dan P. McAdams, The Psychology of Life Stories, Sage Journals
- George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, Metaphors We Live By
- McLean, Kate C. Pratt, Michael W., Life's little (and big) lessons: identity statuses and meaning-making in the turning point narratives of emerging adults
- John A. Bateman, Multimodality: Foundations, Research and Analysis – A Problem-Oriented Introduction
- Labov, W., & Waletzky, J., Narrative analysis: Oral versions of personal experience
- Raymond A Mar, Emotion and narrative fiction: Interactive influences before, during, and after reading
