Stanford GSB Deadlines, Essays and analysis, 2010-2011

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Application Deadlines for Class of 2013 It is important that you apply only when you feel your application is as strong as it can be.

We offer 3 application rounds.
Within each round, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.
If you are considering applying in either Round 1 or Round 2, we strongly encourage you to consider Round 1. Over the past few years, we've noticed more applicants applying in Round 2 and, as a result, this round has become bigger and a bit more competitive. You should never rush your application. But, on the margin, earlier is better.
While we admit outstanding individuals in all three rounds, there are some advantages to applying in either the first or second round.
The ability to receive an aid award from the Financial Aid Office prior to the date by which you must respond to your offer of admission.
Ample time to complete preliminary quantitative and/or language coursework prior to arrival on campus.
Access to the on-campus housing lottery and/or Schwab Residential Center housing.
Sufficient time to complete the visa application process (international students).

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Application Deadlines for Class of 2013
(Entering Fall 2011)





Application Round Submit your application by We will notify you on Your reply & deposit are due by
Round 1 06 Oct 2010* 15 Dec 2010** TBD
Round 2 06 Jan 2011* 30 Mar 2011** TBD
Round 3 06 Apr 2011* 18 May 2011** TBD
* Applications are due by 5:00 PM, Pacific Time

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Decision Notification**
We will post decisions to your ApplyYourself account by 5:00 PM Pacific Time on the decision date for the round in which you applied.
Under no circumstances can we provide decisions earlier.
Provide an email address on your application form to which you will have access through the decision date. You are given the option to report a second email address.
We do not release admission decisions via telephone or in person.


Admit Weekend Dates





Round 1
Admit Weekend  TBD
Round 2
Admit Weekend TBD
Round 3
Admit Weekend no Admit Weekend is held for Round 3

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Application Fee
The non-refundable MBA Program application fee is $265.
You may pay via credit card as part of the online application.
If you pay by check or money order, please make your payment in U.S. currency and payable through a U.S. bank. Submit the payment so that we receive it before 5:00 PM Pacific Time on the appropriate deadline.
If someone else writes the check or money order for you, please ensure that your name appears on the front.
Please make the check or money order payable to the Stanford Graduate School of Business.


Fee waivers are granted only to university/college seniors receiving need-based financial aid.
We do not grant other fee waivers.
If you are requesting a waiver, please upload a copy of your school's financial aid award letter in the Additional Information section of your online application.
If you do not pay the application fee, we will not evaluate your application or release your decision.

updated 8 june 2010

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Essays
We read your essays to get to know you as a person and to learn about the ideas and interests that motivate you. Tell us in your own words who you really are.
In other parts of the application, we learn about your academic and professional accomplishments (i.e., what you have done). Through your personal essays (Essays 1 and 2), we learn more about the person behind the achievements (i.e., who you are).
Because we want to discover who you are, resist the urge to "package" yourself in order to come across in a way you think Stanford wants. Such attempts simply blur our understanding of who you are and what you can accomplish.
We want to hear your genuine voice throughout the essays that you write and this is the time to think carefully about your values, your passions, your hopes and dreams.
In your short answer responses (Essay 3, options A, B, C, or D), we learn more about the experiences that have shaped your attitudes, behaviors, and aspirations.
Truly, the most impressive essays are those that do not begin with the goal of impressing us.

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Essay Questions for Class of 2013
(entering Fall 2011)Tell us in your own words who you really are. Answer essay questions 1, 2, and two of the four options for essay 3


EssaysWe read your essays to get to know you as a person and to learn about the ideas and interests that motivate you. Tell us in your own words who you really are.

In other parts of the application, we learn about your academic and professional accomplishments (i.e., what you have done). Through your personal essays (Essays 1 and 2), we learn more about the person behind the achievements (i.e., who you are).

Because we want to discover who you are, resist the urge to "package" yourself in order to come across in a way you think Stanford wants. Such attempts simply blur our understanding of who you are and what you can accomplish.

We want to hear your genuine voice throughout the essays that you write and this is the time to think carefully about your values, your passions, your hopes and dreams.

In your short answer responses (Essay 3, options A, B, C, or D), we learn more about the experiences that have shaped your attitudes, behaviors, and aspirations.

Truly, the most impressive essays are those that do not begin with the goal of impressing us.

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Essay Questions for Class of 2013 (entering Fall 2011)

Tell us in your own words who you really are. Answer essay questions 1, 2, and two of the four options for essay 3.

·Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

oThe best examples of Essay 1 reflect the process of self-examination that you have undertaken to write them.

oThey give us a vivid and genuine image of who you are—and they also convey how you became the person you are.

oThey do not focus merely on what you've done or accomplished. Instead, they share with us the values, experiences, and lessons that have shaped your perspectives.

oThey are written from the heart and address not only a person, situation, or event, but also how that person, situation, or event has influenced your life.

评论：这是Stanford最经典的题目，我一直比较欣赏该校的这个做法——直接给出essay的题目分析，告诉申请人ADCOM需要什么、关心什么、忌讳什么，借此帮助申请人理解题目要求，少走弯路。不过，仍然有很多人对此题目胆寒。不少人说，这篇essay出彩了，基本上就搞定一半！

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另附上Mbamission历史上的分析：

Clearly, because of the very personal nature of this essay, you must thoroughly contemplate your response. At mbaMission, we always brainstorm in depth with our candidates, pushing them to explore the psychological and philosophical motivations behind their goals and achievements to best help them determine their Stanford themes. We cannot emphasize this enough-you should not make a snap decision about the content of this essay. Even after candidates have identified their themes, we encourage them to discuss their ideas with those with whom they are closest; this step helps to validate deeply personal and authentic themes and thereby results in an essay that truly stands out.

Once you have challenged yourself and identified your main themes, you should not simply provide a handful of anecdotes that support your idea-or worse, recycle the ideas you used in your HBS three accomplishments essay. The best Stanford essays are true explorations of the concept or issue posed by the essay question, involving a thorough analysis of decisions, motives and successes/failures. In other words, your anecdotes constitute a recounting of moments of personal exploration and so are not ends in and of themselves. If you are merely telling stories and trying to tie in your preconceived conclusions, you are most likely not analyzing your experiences, but rather forcing a theme on the reader-and this will be transparent to the experienced eyes of Admissions Committee readers. In short, be sure to fully consider and develop your most sincere answers, outline your essays accordingly and then infuse your responses with your personality, thoughts and feelings. These are the first steps in crafting a compelling essay.

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·Essay 2: What are your career aspirations? What do you need to learn at Stanford to achieve them?

oUse this essay to explain your view of your future, not to repeat accomplishments from your past.

oYou should address three distinct topics:

§your career aspirations

§the role of an MBA education in achieving those aspirations

§and your rationale for earning that MBA at Stanford, in particular.

oThe best examples of Essay 2 express your passions or focused interests; explain why you have decided to pursue graduate education in management; and demonstrate your desire to take advantage of the opportunities that are distinctive to the Stanford MBA Program.

评论：坚持！依旧不变！

另附上Mbamission历史上的分析：

You will notice that Stanford does not explicitly ask about your short- and long-term career goals but instead about your "career aspirations." Short- and long-term goals can be somewhat confining; Stanford's "aspirations" offer a level of flexibility and allow you to provide a broader and more reasoned compendium of your objectives and the path you hope to take to reach them. Once you have provided this sketch, you must explain precisely how Stanford will help you achieve your goals. Essay 2 is not an opportunity to simply sing the school's praises, but rather to profoundly connect with Stanford's pedagogy and resources. You must convincingly explain how Stanford has the resources necessary for you to make your dreams and goals a reality.

Because Personal Statements are similar from one application to the next, we have produced the "mbaMission Personal Statement Guide." We offer this guide to candidates free of charge, via our online store.  Please feel free to download your copy today.

For a thorough exploration of the GSB's academic program/merits, defining characteristics, crucial statistics, social life, academic environment and more, please check out the mbaMission Insider's Guide to the Stanford GSB.

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·Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.

oOption A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

评论：GOD！还是不变！

另附上Mbamission历史上的分析：

Although this question is somewhat straightforward, the difference between a strong and a weak essay will be contained in the cause-and-effect relationship between the actions you took to create/develop the team and the team's subsequent effectiveness. You must be sure that your essay reveals that you played a direct and integral role in the makeup, character and performance of your team and that your intent/actions had the desired effect.

oOption B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.

评论：GOD！还是不变！

另附上Mbamission历史上的分析：

Again, demonstrating the "how" element in this essay is every bit as important as presenting the results. When writing this essay, consider a before-and-after scenario-one in which the distinction between the situation you inherited and the situation you created is clear, thereby establishing yourself as the catalyst for the change. Further, you must establish that your influence was not fleeting, but enduring. Your impact need not be completely revolutionary-a training initiative, a change in process that brings efficiency, a new product or service could all work-but it should be indelible.

oOption C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative.

评论：终于改了！不过，穿了马甲还是能够认出来原形，看看去年的吧。