For candidates who have their hearts set on relocating to (or remaining in) New York City, NYU Stern is a great option.

What are NYU Stern’s Application Deadlines?

Round 1: September 15, 2026

Round 2: October 15, 2026

Round 3: January 15, 2027

Round 4: April 15, 2027

It is worth noting that unlike many other top programs, the NYU Stern full-time MBA has a round 2 application deadline in October. This option is great if you cannot make the round 1 deadline but prefer not to wait until January to submit everything.

What are the 2026-2027 NYU Stern MBA essays?

This year, NYU Stern removed its change essay and, as we have seen with many other top MBA programs, instead asks applicants to focus on their post-MBA goals. Stern did retain its long-standing Pick 6 essay.

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations: What are your short-term career goals? Why is the Stern MBA the necessary next chapter in your professional story? Please be specific. (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
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.
Essay 3: Additional Information (optional): Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information. (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

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What are Personal MBA Coach’s Stern MBA essay tips?

Please see below for Personal MBA Coach’s tips on how to answer the NYU Stern essays.

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations

Stern’s first essay is a fairly traditional goals essays (check out this article for more detail on the top essay types).

One of the key roles of the admissions committee is to assess whether applicants have a strong reason for pursuing an MBA and will arrive on campus ready to go. While no one will hold you to the essays you write in your MBA application, the most successful applicants have a strong “why” behind their decision to pursue an MBA. This includes both a clear vision of what they hope to accomplish in their careers as well as an understanding of how an MBA from Stern will set them up for success.

In this 500-word essay, applicants must demonstrate both. Focus on your short-term goals for Stern. These goals should be logical and attainable for you. For more tips on how to think about your post-MBA goals, check out this blog!

Next, explain why Stern is the right fit for you. Be specific about the courses, clubs, and opportunities you hope to take advantage of on campus. You should also demonstrate that you have thoroughly researched the program and considered how Stern’s unique offerings align with your goals. The strongest responses go beyond simply describing what Stern can offer you and explain how you will engage with and contribute to the community as well.

Essay 2: Pick 6

If you are seeking NYU Stern Pick Six examples, know that there are no wrong answers here as this is your chance to let the reader into your world. You do want to include a well-rounded mix of photos that tell the reader more about you. Treat this as a personal story essay, just narrated in a different medium (in fact, this year Stern explicitly points out that this is not a professional essay and that you should include only personal details). Think about what makes you unique and what values drive you as you select these images. Finally, follow the directions. One sentence is ONE sentence. Have fun with this and feel free to be creative.

Along with the NYU Stern full-time MBA, those interested in NYU Stern also can pursue a Fashion & Luxury MBA, Tech MBA, Executive MBA, or Part-time MBA. Personal MBA Coach has been helping clients get into NYU Stern, alongside other top business schools, for 18 years.

Hear how Personal MBA Coach helped this client gain acceptance into Columbia Business School, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern and Yale SOM: