NYU Stern Names New Dean

The NYU Stern School of Business has just named Peter Blair Henry, currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Economics at Stanford University, its new dean effective January 15, 2010.

A Rhodes Scholar, Henry recently received some notoriety as the leader of the Obama Transition Team's review of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and other international lending agencies. He has also served as an economic advisor to governments from the Caribbean to Africa, Dean-designate Henry's scholarship focuses on the impact of economic reform on emerging economies.

NYU President John Sexton said, "After some time, one can read the 'body language' of a dean's search committee. Seldom –- if ever –- have I seen greater certainty or more enthusiasm for a candidate for a deanship. And when I met with him, it was immediately apparent why: a superb and highly productive economics scholar, a natural leader, a community-builder, and a manifestly good person, Peter Blair Henry has just the attributes to lead NYU's business school.

Henry is currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of International Economics, the John and Cynthia Fry Gunn Faculty Scholar, and Associate Director of the Center for Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was first appointed an assistant professor of economics in 1997.

He is also a Senior Fellow of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and the Stanford Center for International Development, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Henry is President of the National Economic Association and received the Association's dissertation prize for his doctoral thesis.

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NYU Stern MBA Essays for 2009-2010

Recently NYU's Stern School of Business released its application essays for the the 2009-2010 admissions season. Here are NYU Stern's essays, followed by our comments in italics:

NYU Stern Application Essays

1. Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following (750 words):
   
   (a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
   (b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
   (c) What is your career goal upon graduation from the NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
   
   (This is the same as last year's Question #1, although the word count grew from 500 to 750 words. What stands out most about this question vs. other schools' similar questions is Stern's emphasis on the choices you've made up until now. Be sure to answer that part of the question -- don't simply write about what you've done up until now, but also explain why you did those things and made those choices.)


2. We take great care to shape the Stern community with individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. We seek individuals who are highly intelligent, collaborative, and committed to flourishing as Stern leaders. Please answer the following questions (500 words):
   
   (a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? Tell us what actions you have taken to learn about us.
   (b) Describe what most excites you about Stern from both an academic and extracurricular perspective.
   (c) How do you anticipate making your mark on the Stern community? Be specific about the roles you will take on and the impact you hope to achieve.
   
   (This question is a modification from last year's Essay #2. The Stern admissions team has removed the part of last year's question that asked about the toughest piece of feedback you've ever received, and as a result this question has evolved to hit the question of "Convince us that you're passionate about Stern" more directly. Note the emphasis on specifics -- make your answer as specific and as real as possible. What do you know about NYU Stern that convinces you that it's right right school for you, and that you're the ideal Stern student?)


3. Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.
   
   (This question carries over from last year. Like Booth and Anderson, Stern seeks new ways to learn about what makes you unique. As trite as it sounds, the school really does want to get to know the real you. Stern's admissions officers are almost begging you to stand out here, so don't let them down! One other note: Just because this question allows you to use any medium, that doesn't mean that you need to submit something other than the written word. If that's your best medium, use it. Just be creative with how you use those words, and let the Stern admissions committee get a glimpse of the real you.)

To keep updated on all of the latest news at NYU Stern, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

NYU Stern Searches for a New Dean

Thomas Cooley, NYU Stern's dean, has announced that he is stepping down from the post that he has held since 2002. The school has started its search for Cooley's replacement. While Cooley's announcement may seem somewhat abrupt, it sounds as though he simply wants to get back to more research and teaching.

It will surely take a lot of work for Stern to replace Cooley with someone just as capable. Under his leadership, the school hired more than 90 new faculty members and raised $190 million in its most recent fund-raising effort. Cooley also significantly increased NYU Stern's international footprint, setting up join programs with schools in Asia and Europe.

If you're applying this year, take a look at this year's NYU Stern application essays, and visit the Veritas Prep Business School Selector to see what your chances of getting into Stern are.

NYU (Stern) Application Essays for 2008-2009

Earlier we posted NYU Stern's 2008-2009 application deadlines. The school has since posted its full online application. Here are Stern's application essays for 2008-2009, with our comments in italics:

NYU (Stern) Application Essays

1. Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following (500 words):
   
   (a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
   (b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
   (c) What is your career goal upon graduation from the NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
   
   (This question is the same as last year's Question #1. It is pretty straightforward, and should be approached as you would approach any other "Why an MBA? / Why this school?" question. What stands out most about this question vs. other schools' similar questions is Stern's emphasis on the choices you've made up until now. Be sure to answer that part of the question -- don't simply discuss what you've done up until now, but also address why you did those things and made those choices.)



2. The NYU Stern community is one of our strongest assets. Please answer the following questions about this community: (500 words)
   
   (a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? What actions have you taken to learn more about us?
   (b) What is the most difficult piece of constructive feedback you have received, and what did you do as a result of it? How will this experience make you a better member of the Stern community?
   
   (Part A of this question remains the same since last year, although part B is new. For part A, Stern clearly wants you to demonstrate that you truly want to attend Stern, not just any good finance school in the Northeast. While campus visits are not really required for any program, being able to say you've visited Stern would obviously be a plus in answering this question. Part B's inclusion in this question seems odd at first glance, although this is your chance to emphasize the teamwork dimension in your application and your own self-awareness abilities. Be sure to close the loop and address how this growing experience will make you a better classmate at Stern.)



3. Personal Expression (500 words, if written):
   
   Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.
   
   (We love how interesting this question is, as well as the interesting responses that come from applicants answering this question. Like Chicago GSB's PowerPoint presentation or UCLA Anderson's audio response, this shows that the school is eager to see you as a real person, not another list of accomplishments or post-MBA career goals. In other words, they're almost begging you to stand out. By no means does that mean doing something outrageous. But it does remind us how hard of a job admissions officers have, and how you can make their job easier by helping them remember the real you. One other note: While this question allows you to use any medium, don't feel the need to offer up something other than written words -- if that's your best medium, use it. Just be creative with how you use those words, and let the Stern admissions committee get a glimpse of the real you.)

For more advice on applying to Stern, visit the Veritas Prep NYU Stern information page and see these sample MBA essays.

NYU (Stern) Application Deadlines for 2008-2009

NYU's Stern School of Business has released its online application for the 2008-2009 admissions season. Here are Stern's deadlines for the coming year:

NYU (Stern) Application Deadlines
Round 1: November 15, 2008
Round 2: January 15, 2009
Round 3: March 15, 2009

Stern's deadlines (esp. Round 1) come a bit later than most other top schools' deadlines. That will give you some nice breathing room in terms of workload if Stern is one of your target MBA programs.

To get a feel for your chances of getting into Stern, try Veritas Prep's Business School Selector, a fun tool that serves as a good starting point when researching which MBA programs you want to target.

NYU (Stern) Round One Application Deadline for 2008-2009

NYU's Stern School of Business has not yet released its application for 2008-2009, but the admissions office wanted to give a nod to the early birds in the applicant pool. A recent message on the school's web site announced that Stern's Round One deadline will be November 15, 2008. The full Stern MBA application will be available by late August.

For more advice on applying to NYU Stern, visit the Veritas Prep Stern School of Business information page.