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NYU Stern MBA: Total Cost and Funding Tips

NYU Stern MBA Cost Breakdown

In this in-depth cost analysis and funding tips of the NYU Stern Full-time MBA, we cover:


Tuition Fees (NYU Stern MBA)

The tuition and orientation Fees of the NYU Stern MBA program are $86,916 and $1,960. Also, these fees do not include the other living and boarding expenses. The Orientation fees have to be paid only in the first year.

Total Cost (NYU Stern MBA) (1 Year)

The total one-year cost of NYU Stern’s full-time MBA Program is $131,818. This cost includes tuition ($86,916), orientation fee ($1,960), Room and Board ($30,038), Books and Supplies ($1,500), Transportation ($2,342), Miscellaneous ($8,846), and Loan Fees ($216). If the student is not availing of the loan, then no loan fees will be charged to them. Hence, in that case, the total cost for a student would be $131,818. Insurance is included in the miscellaneous.

Total Cost (NYU Stern MBA) (2 Years)

The total two years of cost for NYU Stern two years full-time MBA Program at NYU Stern has increased by 4.6%% to $263,636, including a one-time orientation fee since the orientation fee is not applicable in the second year of the full-time MBA program. For the students who are not availing of the loan, the total two-year cost for an NYU Stern MBA is $263,636.
 

NYU Stern MBA ExpensesCost 2024-25
Tuition$86,916
Orientation Fee (LAUNCH)$1,960
Living Expenses 
Room & Board$30,038
Books & Supplies$1,500
Transportation$2,342
Miscellaneous$4,500
Health Insurance$4,346
Loan Fees$216
Total$131,818

Atul Jose - Founding Consultant F1GMATEssay Editing - Work with Atul Jose (Founding Consultant and Essay Specialist)

With the word limit typically in the 250 to 500 range, it is not easy to structure the essay without losing momentum.

As F1GMAT’s Lead Consultant and Essay Specialist, I will help you structure the Essay by:

1)  Focusing on your Personal Brand

I will help you find unique life experiences that would differentiate you from the highly competitive NYU Stern MBA application pool.

2)  Capturing elements of Storytelling

I have developed a keen sense of storytelling from over a decade and a half of editing essays and writing essay examples for F1GMAT’s Essay Guides.

The skills that a writer/editor brings to the table are different from what a former admissions officer or a consultant who has limited writing skills brings

Review Skills # Writing Skills
Movie Critics # Movie Directors

It is easy to comment, but it is tough to structure the essay from the perspective of the applicant and turn the essay into a winning application essay.

3) Aligning your story with the Culture of the School

A big part of editing and guiding applicants is in educating them about the culture of the school

Some schools have very ‘specific’ traits that they are looking for in an applicant. 

If you don’t highlight them and lean towards general leadership or cultural narratives, the essay won’t work. 

I will guide you through the writing process. 

I will also iteratively edit the essays without losing your original voice.

Email me, Atul Jose, at editor@f1gmat.com and start the collaboration


NYU Stern MBA Cost: 2023-24 VS 2024-25

The total estimated cost of attendance for the NYU Stern MBA program increased from $126,874 in 2023–24 to $131,818 in 2024–25, reflecting a 3.9% overall rise. The tuition fee, which makes up the largest portion of the cost, rose by 3.25%, going from $84,180 to $86,916. The Orientation Fee (LAUNCH) also saw a modest increase of 2.5%, rising from $1,912 to $1,960.
Living expenses have generally trended upward. Room and board costs increased from $29,344 to $30,038, a 2.36% rise. 

While the costs for books and supplies ($1,500) and miscellaneous expenses ($4,500) remained unchanged, transportation expenses saw a significant adjustment. The transportation cost more than doubled from $1,154 to $2,342 marking a 103% increase, likely reflecting updated assumptions for commuting and travel in New York City. Health insurance premiums also rose from $4,068 to $4,346, representing a 6.83% increase. Loan fees remained steady at $216 across both years.

In summary, while most categories saw modest increases, the spike in transportation costs contributed notably to the overall rise in expenses for the 2024–25 academic year.

NYU Stern ExpensesCost 2023-24Cost 2024-25
Tuition$84,180$86,916
Orientation Fee (LAUNCH)$1,912$1,960
Living Expenses  
Room & Board$29,344$30,038
Books & Supplies$1,500$1,500
Transportation$1,154$2,342
Miscellaneous$4,500$4,500
Health Insurance$4,068$4,346
Loan Fees$216$216
Total$126,874$131,818

 

NYU Stern MBA Financial Aid

Merit-based scholarships are awarded to approximately 20-25% of admitted full-time two-year MBA students. Most Stern MBA scholarships cover the entire or a portion of the tuition. All applicants (domestic and international) are taken into account. There are no additional materials required. Scholarships are decided at the time of the admissions process and are final. Scholarship award amounts and types may vary from year to year. In addition to Stern Scholarships, NYU Stern has one of the most comprehensive scholarship databases, where students can learn more about receiving aid from outside sources.

The following Stern merit-based scholarships are available to full-time two-year MBA students:

Dean’s Scholarship: One of Stern's most prestigious awards is the Dean's Scholarship, given to a select group of our most deserving admitted students. This scholarship covers full tuition and fees. It is given in memory of Dean Rangarajan "Raghu" Sundaram and provides the opportunity to meet Dean Sundaram directly.

NYU Stern MBA Scholarship

Named Faculty Scholarship: The Named Faculty Scholarship is intended to connect some of our most deserving students to have the chance to work with some of Stern's most distinguished and prestigious faculty members. This scholarship matches admitted students with full tuition and fees with a selected faculty member in that field based on their background and interests. Named faculty scholars can form close relationships with their assigned faculty members. Viral Acharya, Robert Salomon, Adam Brandenburger, Dolly Chugh, Elizabeth Morrison, Aswath Damodaran, Kathleen DeRose, J.P. Eggers, Sonia Marciano, Anindya Ghose, Richard Hendler, Peter Henry, Alvin Lieberman, Glenn Okun, Anjolein Schmeits, Robert Seamans, and Tenise Whelan were among the 17 faculty members honored this year.

Leadership Accelerator Scholarship: This merit-based scholarship is only awarded to applicants with high leadership potential throughout their application. According to the Leadership Accelerator's philosophy, leadership development necessitates students repeatedly stepping outside their comfort zone, taking risks and failing, and learning from these experiences through skillful reflection.

Fertitta Veterans Scholarship: This scholarship Program is a unique program designed specifically for US military veterans and active duty students to help them transition to business school. Military students accepted into the Fertitta Veterans MBA Program are eligible for the Fertitta Veterans Scholarship, which is a partial scholarship, thanks to the generous gift of alumnus Lorenzo (MBA '93) and brother Frank Fertitta. Students who are eligible for veterans' benefits, including Yellow Ribbon funding, will remain so.

William R. Berkley Scholarship: The William R. Berkley Scholarship Program, established in 2013, assists Outstanding college seniors or recent graduates who would like to pursue their MBA full-time at NYU Stern. This scholarship is open to candidates pursuing the two-year Full-time MBA, Fashion & Luxury MBA, or Andre Koo Tech MBA. The scholarship includes mandatory fees, full tuition, and a stipend for housing and educational expenses.

Advancing Women in Business Scholarship: The NYU Stern Advancing Women in Business Scholarship, established in 2017, is a merit-based scholarship given to students entering the Two Year Full-time MBA program who shows persistent dedication to the advancement of women in business. This scholarship includes the full tuition and mandatory fees for the two-year full-time MBA program. Alumnae and members of the Stern Executive Board contribute to the award's funding.

Directors Scholarship: This $50,000 scholarship is for the first year of study and is given to admitted students who demonstrate exceptional merit.

Community Scholarship: This $25,000 scholarship is for the first year of study and is given to admitted students who demonstrate exceptional merit.

Scholarships Awarded after Admission

Scholarships for admitted Full-time MBA students that do not require a separate application are listed below. 

•    Howard Gilman Foundation Scholarship: The Howard Gilman Foundation Scholarship will be awarded to graduate students who have worked in the performing arts and want to pursue a career in business, thanks to the generous support of the Howard Gilman Foundation. The Financial Aid office will select students; no separate application is required. 

•    Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America Scholarships in Law & Business: JD/MBA Dual Degree students will be eligible for the Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America Scholarships in Law & Business if they are pursuing careers in law and business thanks to the generous support of Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America. During their final year, Hyundai and Kia Scholars must enroll in the Law & Business Projects Seminar to receive the substantial writing credit required for the law degree. There are merit and need-based scholarships, and no separate application is required.    

Scholarships Awarded after Admission by Application

The scholarships listed below are for incoming Full-time MBA students and require a separate application. As information about the application process for these scholarships becomes available, admitted students are notified, typically during their first semester.

•    Moral Contract Scholarship
•    Harvey Beker Scholarship

Donor Awards for Second-Year Students

Second Year students in the MBA program have another opportunity to receive funding thanks to the generous support of NYU Stern alumni and friends. All students are taken into consideration for second-year awards based on merit and the donor's criteria. There is no need to apply.

Apart from all the mentioned scholarships and awards. Following are the other necessary domestic and international awards available at NYU Stern for the students.

NYU Stern MBA Fellowship

Forté Fellowship: The Forté Foundation is an alliance of major corporations, top business schools, and influential nonprofit organizations committed to educating and advancing women in business. Stern names Forté Fellows during the admissions process to exceptional candidates who have already been chosen for a merit-based scholarship and are committed to promoting gender equity in a business.

ROMBA Fellowship: Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) is a non-profit organization that educates, inspires, and connects LGBTQ+ MBA students at US business schools. Stern provides ROMBA Fellowship to exceptional candidates who have already been chosen for a merit-based scholarship. They also have to demonstrate an interest or commitment to opportunities for LGTBQ+ leaders in business.

Consortium Fellowship: This fellowship covers full tuition and fees and is offered in collaboration with a partner organization. The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management sights to increase African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans' representation in business education and management. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens and permanent residents from these underrepresented groups and others who can showcase a commitment to the Consortium's mission. To be considered for this full-tuition fellowship, applicants must apply to NYU Stern through the Consortium application.

Elizabeth Elting Advancing Women's Leadership Fellowship: Each year, two two-year Full-time MBA students and two one-year Andre Koo Tech MBA students receive the Elizabeth Elting Advancing Women's Leadership Fellowship. The Fellowship provides $50,000 per academic year for the two-year Full-time MBA program and $50,000 for the one-year Andre Koo Tech MBA program. Recipients of this award have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, an impressive record of leadership experience, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a commitment to advancing women in business. Exceptional candidates are named Elizabeth Elting Fellows by Stern at the time of admission.

Teaching and Graduate Fellowships

Working as a Teaching Fellow (TF) or Graduate Fellow (GF) in one of the positions available through Stern departments can earn you up to $31,600 in tuition remission during your MBA program. These positions allow students to contribute to the School and their classmates' experiences. Every year, Stern MBA students fill hundreds of TF and GF positions.

Teaching Fellowship and Graduate Fellowship positions include the following:

•    Admissions ambassdors
•    Career counselors
•    Assisting teachers

To be qualified for a Teaching Fellowship or Graduate Fellowship, students must have completed at least nine credits at Stern and be in good academic standing (GPA of at least 3.0).

NYU Stern Scholarships/FellowshipsEligibilityAward
American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholarship    Underrepresented Minority Students. applicants must be a U.S. citizen or Canadian eligible to attend college in the U.S.    NA
Citizens Scholarship    All MBA students    $2,500 and $15,000
Excellence in Accounting Scholarship        heavily on financial need and excellent academic performances$2,500
Fleet Reserve Association Scholarships    Military Veteran Students    Up to $5,000
Gamma Mu Foundation Scholarship        LGBTQ$1,000-$2,500
Government Finance Officers Association Scholarships    All MBA students    $5,000 to $20,000
Graduate Program Legacy Scholarships        Female Students Military Veteran Students$2,500 to $3,000
Hebrew Free Loan Society (HFLS)        Based on financial needUp to $5,000
Make the World Better Scholarship        All MBA students$1,000 & $500
Military Scholarship    Military Veteran Students    $1,000
NABA Scholarship Program    Underrepresented Minority Students    $1,500
National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program    Students with Disabilities    up to $12,000
PAF's Scholarships for Survivors    Students with Disabilities    Up to $3,000 annually
Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans    continuing generations of immigrants and refugees to the United States.    Up to $90,000
Point Scholar Program    LGBTQ    Varies
Rizio Lipinsky Lawyer Scholarship    Possible attorney candidate    $5,000
Rowe Fund COVID-19 Relief Scholarships    citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States    $2,000
Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship    Military Veteran Students    $5,000
Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund (SBMEF) National Scholarships    Female Students    $5,000 to $10,000
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship    New Americans, immigrants or the children of immigrants, who are pursuing graduate school in the United States.    Up to $25,000
Yellow Ribbon    Military Veteran Students    Up to $30,000
International Scholarships/Fellowships  
BAEF Full-Time MBA Fellowship    Belgian nationality    up to $100,000 for two academic years
Fulbright Program for Non-U.S. Students    Foreign students    N/A
Hebrew Free Loan Society (HFLS)    students with financial need, primarily in the New York City metropolitan area, as well as international students studying in the New York metropolitan area    Up to $5,000
Make the World Better Scholarship    All MBA students    $1,000 & $500
Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG)    Female Students    Awards vary up to $15,000
OPEC Fund For International Development (OFID) Scholarship Award    Applicants must be from a developing country and must first obtain admission to pursue a Master’s degree studies, from any recognized university/college in the world.    Cost of attendance


NYU Stern MBA Loans Program

Domestic Students – Federal and Private Loans

Federal loans are for the US citizens and permanent residents. They have the option of applying for private loans as well.

Federal Loans

The United States Department of Education offers federal unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans.

Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for a federal unsubsidized or Graduate PLUS loan. Applicants are motivated to give their FAFSA as soon as possible and no later than May of the calendar year they intend to begin school. 

The FAFSA information determines students’ eligibility for the following benefits:

Unsubsidized Loan
Students can borrow up to $10,250 per semester through Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans. This loan has a fixed interest rate of 6.54 and a loan origination fee of 1.057%, which is applied at the time of disbursement.

Graduate PLUS Loans
Domestic students are eligible for the Graduate PLUS loan to help cover the full cost of attendance in addition to the federal Direct Unsubsidized loan. This loan has a fixed interest rate of 7.54% and a loan origination fee of 4.228%, which is applied at the time of disbursement.

Private Loans

Private loans may be available to US citizens and permanent residents. The Stern Graduate Financial Aid website contains a comprehensive list of current lenders commonly used by Stern students.

International Students- Private Loans

International students may be eligible for private student loans with or without a cosigner from the United States. Students can visit the Stern Graduate Financial Aid website for more information on possible student loan opportunities.

The private lenders that provide education loans specifically to international students with a US co-signer are:
•    Citizens Student Loan
•    Discover MBA Loan
•    Sallie Mae Student Loans
•    SoFi Graduate Student Loans

The lenders who can provide education loans to international students without a co-signer are:
•    MPower Financing
•    Prodigy Finance Student Loan

NYU Stern Loan Assistance Program

NYU Stern has established a Loan Assistance Program with the help of its Social Enterprise Association MBA club. The objective of the Program is to decrease the financial burden of repaying business school loans for graduates who want to work in social enterprise. These jobs frequently offer lower pay than traditional MBA programs. The Loan Assistance Program helps the School achieve its mission of developing leaders who add value to business and society.

Download F1GMAT's NYU Stern MBA Essay Guide for 21 Sample Essays, Leadership Narratives, Curriculum Analysis that you can use for Essays and 300+ pages of Essay Writing, Editing and Review Tips

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Reference

NYU Stern MBA Scholarship and Financial Aid

Winning MBA Essay Guide - A Complete Guide for M7 and Top 15 MBA Application Essays 


F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay guide will teach you how to transform your essay into a life journey with trials and tribulations that will move the admission team.

+ Over 245 Sample Essays (Read Previews of F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay Guide Sample Essays here)

+ Top 15 MBA Programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Booth, MIT, Kellogg, Yale, Haas, Darden, INSEAD, LBS, NYU Stern, Tuck, Duke Fuqua, Ross)
+ The Art of Storytelling 
+ Leadership Narratives
+ Review Tips
+ Persuasion Strategies
+ The Secret to "unleashing" your unique voice
+ How to prepare and present for the Video Essay
+ How to write about your Strengths
+ How to write about your Weaknesses
 
 

Want to try the individual school Essay Guides before upgrading to the Winning MBA Essay Guide? Try below.

F1GMAT's Essay Guides

  • Harvard MBA Essay Guide (20 Sample Essays)

    Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words) 

    Example #1: Persistence Narrative 
    Background Information: The applicant – a design and music talent, shares her journey through several setbacks. She attributes curiosity to her growth.  
    Curiosity: Philosophy  
    Curiosity (Explained): Curiosity as a philosophy is tough to translate into a narrative unless you are from the creative industry or your contributions had an influence on a solution or an initiative.  
    MBA Essay Strategy: I wanted to capture the humanity of the applicant and her influence in music instead of just highlighting how she overcame multiple roadblocks to gain attention as a designer.  
    Theme: Persistence  
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Life Starts at NO (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example) 

    Example #2: International Community Building 
    Background Information: The applicant, a Machine Learning (ML) entrepreneur specializing in healthcare diagnostics, shares how his curiosity to learn other ML algorithms’ evolution in diagnosing Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease transformed his platform into a global community. 
    MBA Essay Strategy: I wanted to show the applicant’s contributions in diagnostic from 2020 to 2024 by citing two events. Such examples build credibility instead of engagements that were recent. The evolution of the platform from an AI development community to a community for discussing the application of AI in diagnostics is captured through a ‘curiosity’ angle.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Growth through Collaboration (AI in Healthcare) (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #3: Culture
    Background Information: The applicant, an Entrepreneur from India narrates his first entrepreneurial experience – facilitating exchange of stamps in the late 1990s.
    Theme: Culture
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Instead of addressing the biases in the investor community that could turn preachy, I wanted to focus on the applicant and his entrepreneurial journey by citing two entrepreneurial experiences – a platform(club) for stamp collection and his Grocery delivery App.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – The American Dream (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #4: Addiction
    Background Information: The applicant – a beneficiary of the foster home system, captures the sacrifice his adopted grandparents made to save him from a path of addiction. Paying it back through early intervention among teenagers and community engagement is the curiosity narrative.
    Theme: Addiction
    MBA Essay Strategy:  My strategy is to capture a gratitude narrative in the first one-third of the essay to demonstrate motivation for starting the venture and dedicate the latter part of the essay to the unique solution
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Drug Addiction and Gaming (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #5: Scarcity
    Background Information: The applicant, an education major, recognizes that 70% of all students in Kenya don’t have a computer. The curiosity that drives him to pivot from one solution to another is the growth narrative.
    Theme: Innovation
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Often, innovation is captured with a ‘hero’ narrative where the applicant is the sole originator of an idea. I wanted to break that cliché and include a person from whom the applicant learned to use a concept called ‘scaffolding.’
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Scarcity (Growth-Oriented HBS Essay Example)

    Example #6: FinTech
    Background Information: The applicant captures a vulnerable moment of a beneficiary to compare his journey of side hustle before a technology giant noticed his talent. Although cryptocurrency is not a flavor for the year, capture niches where innovation is still happening. 
    Theme: Education, Child Welfare
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Empathizing with a techno solution is tough without a strong backstory around the beneficiary. For the essay, I wanted to clearly establish the beneficiary – Rami, before the applicant narrates the similarities to his journey and finally shares the solution that emerged from his curiosity.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – FinTech as a Tool for Good (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #7: Learning from the best
    Background Information: The applicant – a Remote Engineer in the Oil and Gas industry, reflects on a value that has helped her learn from the best regardless of her geographical limitations.
    Theme: Learning
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The effectiveness of the case-study method depends on the assumption that peers in a Harvard MBA class will help elevate your learning experience. For the essay, I have highlighted the applicant’s recognition of this value proposition with three examples.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Learning from the Best (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #8: Military & Search for IMPACT
    Background Information: The most common narrative for US military applicants is to quote 9/11 and the reaction your immediate family had while watching the events unfold. The horrifying moment is captured as a motivation to join the Military. On digging deeper, most applicants would share that their motivations were diverse.
    Theme: Career Choice
    MBA Essay Strategy:  I wanted to quickly highlight that the applicant had the choice of entering any industry. One achievement to demonstrate his curiosity that I shared in the first half is the invention of a game. Since the game is mentioned in the resume and verifiable through search, I didn’t quote the name. By clearly highlighting the person’s curiosity and career options, the family legacy is used as a factor in joining the military.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Career Choice after a Military Career (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)
     
    Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

    Example #9: Small Business Values
    Background Information: The applicant - a second-generation Asian American, is familiar with the values of fiscal conservatism, building relationships, and understanding the daily struggles of the community through his family’s department store.
    Theme: Customer-Centric
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The applicant’s role in developing an App for the store is highlighted in the essay at a crucial part of the narrative so that the essay is not all about his father. I have also humanized the journey – by sharing how upset the father was when the revenues fell by 40%. The essay is about the transformation in the applicant’s value from a person chasing productivity and optimization technique to someone who is truly thinking about the customers. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Small Business Values (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #10: Breaking Away from Family Business
    Background Information: A unique challenge that applicants whose parents are public figures or CXOs of businesses or entrepreneurs are the pressure to live up to the parent’s standards or milestones. For the leadership narrative, the burden of legacy is established before the narrative addresses his leadership principles.
    Theme: Authenticity  
    MBA Essay Strategy:  For the essay, I want to capture an entrepreneur’s journey to rise above his entrepreneur father’s image. But I didn’t want to make the entire essay about this complex dynamics. The narrative is around the applicant’s focus on customers and surrounding with teams who keeps him grounded. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Breaking Away from Family Business(Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #11: Creativity and Communication 
    Background Information: When the overall percentage of users with internet access is 62% in South Africa and the inequality accentuated by the rural and urban divide, the applicant endured the lack of digital infrastructure, and spending close to 22% of the family income on gaining relevant information on schools, global exams, and financial assistance. 
    Theme: Creativity, Communication
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The strategy is to share why the applicant values no distraction in a child’s home for optimum education experience. Then I highlight the many roadblocks the applicant’s non-profit faced in receiving fee waiver for their cooperative run ISP.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Non-Profit (Telecom) (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #12: Mental Health
    Background Information: The applicant like most didn’t pay much attention to the mental health epidemic until tragedy hit home.
    Theme: Communication, Innovation
    MBA Essay Strategy:  A question we frequently get from applicants is whether they should cite tragedy in the family as a motivation for a venture or a non-profit initiative. As long as you don’t linger too much on the tragedy and offer a balanced narrative, there are no restrictions on leveraging unique stories from your life. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Mental Health (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #13: Trauma, Healing & Finding Authentic Self
    Background Information: The applicant narrates the absurdity of war in the narrative about the duties in Kabul, and the trauma. Instead of wallowing in on the horror, the applicant takes what makes military applicants strong and guides unprivileged children build life and leadership skills.
    Theme: Resilience
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Capturing PTSD in an essay, the healing process, and the cues that helped the applicant are too sacred to be shared in a Harvard MBA application essay. However, with the right motivation and narrative arcs, you can capture the essence of your journey without sharing the darkest secrets. That is what I did by merging two stories – the horrors of the war with a non-profit engagement.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Military & PTSD (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #14: Addiction, Setback and Leadership Mantra
    Background Information: In this narrative, the applicant captures Peru’s Silver mining boom of 2006. The growth experienced in her father’s business shifted the family’s economic status to a new stratosphere. Through the changing economic and family dynamics, the applicant finds her voice in a unique way, initially to record her unheard voice but later as one of the youngest subject matter experts in mining and commodities.  
    Theme: Failure
    MBA Essay Strategy:  For the essay, the strategy is to show how life’s unpredictability is a blessing. By narrating two setback events, the essay demonstrates the applicant’s resilience and her acknowledgment of people who made a comeback possible.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Addiction, Setback and Leadership Mantra (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #15: War, Immigration and Starting Over Again
    Background Information: Despite a raging war in Syria, the family of the applicant was unblemished by the chaos. The strategic government assets near the applicant’s house would have made the region an easy target, but it was not. The calmness of her journey is shattered in one event. From the privileges of a cocooned life, the applicant is forced to think about survival, her sister’s future, and her future in the US. The second half of the narrative captures the change that was forced on her. 
    Theme: Gratitude, Resilience
    MBA Essay Strategy:  I consciously chose not to start the essay with a dialogue or trauma. Two lines are allocated to set up the narrative before the trauma event.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – War, Immigration and Starting Over Again (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Harvard MBA Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

    Example #16: Creative or Finance
    Background Information: The applicant starts the narrative with the origin of her talents. The unbridled enthusiasm receives a reality check when in high school, the applicant’s father has a conversation with her about academics. While the applicant picked up her quant skills, she was reaching over 50,000 loyal fans, and her videos captured 1 million views. 
    Theme: Passion, Talent
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Capturing vulnerability is the toughest part for Harvard MBA applicants. For this essay example, I have captured the applicant’s uncertainty about career choice throughout the essay. Here the goal is to show vulnerability in the career choice essay while for leadership and growth essay, I could capture one example each from creative and PE industry respectively to balance the narrative. So don’t follow this example without a strategy.  
    Read: Harvard MBA Business-Minded Essay – Creative or Finance (Business-Minded HBS MBA Essay Example)

  • Stanford MBA Essay Guide (24 Sample Essays)
  • Columbia MBA Essay Guide (21 Sample Essays)
  • Wharton MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • INSEAD MBA Essay Guide (19 Sample Essays)
  • Darden MBA Essay Guide  (21 Sample Essays) 
  • Yale SOM MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • Tuck MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • Haas MBA Essay Guide (18 Sample Essays)
  • NYU Stern MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays + 6 Examples - Visual Essay)
  • LBS MBA Essay Guide (6 Sample Essays)
  • MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide (6 Sample Cover Letters + 3 Sample Video Statement Scripts + 3 Sample Optional Essays)
  • Kellogg MBA Essay Guide (11 Sample Essays)
  • Chicago Booth MBA Essay Guide (12 Sample Essays)
  • Ross MBA Essay Guide (31 Sample Essays)
  • Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Guide (10 Sample Essays + Two 25 Random Things Samples)
  • Cambridge MBA Essay Guide (12 Sample Essays)

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