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Sample Why Stanford MBA Essay: Career Switching (394 Words)

Essay B: Why Stanford? (400 Words) (Career Switchers Sample Essay)

Joining Stanford MBA program does not immediately guarantee smooth sailing for career switchers. In fact, Employers expect much more from Stanford MBA candidates even if they don’t have any pre-MBA experience in the new industry. Admission team wants to understand whether you are up for the challenge.


In this example, we consider a fictitious profile – an Investment Banking analyst, who is working on blockchain technology. During weekends, the applicant is involved in a role that requires extroversion rather than the ‘stare at the screen’ synchronicity with the computer. The encounter with the Founder of a green energy non-profit company sparks a mission to develop a multi-dimensional perspective on Business and green technology.

First Section Why Stanford MBA Essay: The applicant starts with an introduction of his work and the challenges of his day to day responsibilities.


Second Section: The applicant highlights his volunteering on the weekend and the encounter with the non-profit founder as a triggering event for an MBA.

Section Three: The applicant highlights a bigger problem that he alone cannot solve with the current knowledge and skills.

Section Four: The applicant quotes the relevant parts of Stanford MBA program that would bridge the skill gap and help him achieve the greater good for the world

Why Stanford MBA Sample Essay: Career Switching (Finance to Green Energy Consulting)(394 Words)

With start-ups in the cryptocurrency market challenging 300-year old Financial institutions, our management knew that without taking leadership in the new technology, the unknowns of today would be the traditional banks of the future.

I was assigned to the ‘Smart Contracts’ teams. We designed conditions that cut the middleman for Financial contracts and saved transactional cost for the customers. The complexity of interpreting the contract and the numerous changes in laws when money crosses a border, were details that were translated to software code.

The project required a maniacal obsession for accuracy and three to four cups of coffee every day. Although the daily challenges were interesting, the 12-14 hours in front of the computer were isolating. To balance my individual contribution with community engagement, I volunteered for...
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F1GMAT's Stanford MBA Essay Guide

Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? (650 Words)

Essay B: Why Stanford? (350 Words)

Optional Question: Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? (600 Words) (200 words – each example)

Download F1GMAT's Stanford MBA Essay Guide 

(24+ Sample Essays & 300+ Pages of Essay Writing Wisdom)

About the Author 

Atul Jose - Founding Consultant F1GMAT

I am Atul Jose - the Founding Consultant at F1GMAT.

Over the past 15 years, I have helped MBA applicants gain admissions to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Chicago Booth, Kellogg, Columbia, Haas, Yale, NYU Stern, Ross, Duke Fuqua, Darden, Tuck, IMD, London Business School, INSEAD, IE, IESE, HEC Paris, McCombs, Tepper, and schools in the top 30 global MBA ranking. 

I offer end-to-end Admissions Consulting and editing services – Career Planning, Application Essay Editing & Review, Recommendation Letter Editing, Interview Prep, assistance in finding funds and Scholarship Essay & Cover letter editing. See my Full Bio.

Contact me for support in school selection, career planning, essay strategy, narrative advice, essay editing, interview preparation, scholarship essay editing and guiding supervisors with recommendation letter guideline documents

I am also the Author of the Winning MBA Essay Guide, covering 16+ top MBA programs with 240+ Sample Essays that I have updated every year since 2013 (11+ years. Phew!!)

I am an Admissions consultant who writes and edits Essays every year. And it is not easy to write good essays. 

Contact me for any questions about MBA or Master's application. I would be happy to answer them all