In a brief note on the school's web site, the Stanford Graduate School of Business announced yesterday that its application is now online for the 2009-2010 admissions season. You can access the application here.
As we previously noted, Stanford has moved up its Round 1 application deadline to October 7th. In yesterday's announcement, Stanford said that it may also extend interviews earlier this year. This is part of the school's push to get out its Round 1 decisions before the end-of-year holiday season.
For more advice on applying to Stanford, take a look at our Stanford essay analysis for 2009-2010. Note the subtle changes in this year's essays vs. last year's... These should provide some clues as to what Stanford GSB looks for in its MBA applicants.
Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all Stanford-related admissions news!
Showing posts with label Stanford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stanford. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Garth Saloner Named New Dean of Stanford GSB
Last week, the Stanford Graduate School of Business announced that Garth Saloner will be its next dean, effective September 1st. He will succeed Robert Joss, who has served as dean for the past 10 years.
Saloner joined the Stanford faculty in 1990, and is currently the Jeffrey S. Skoll Professor of Electronic Commerce, Strategic Management and Economics. He also serves at director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Graduate School of Business. Saloner led the overhaul of Stanford's MBA curriculum, making this a natural transition as the school seeks to maintain leadership continuity.
"Over nearly two decades at Stanford, Garth Saloner has demonstrated that he is not only a top-notch scholar, but also a respected leader among his peers and distinguished teacher highly-praised by his students," President John Hennessy said in the school's official announcement.
Saloner discussed some of the challenges that he will face in his new role:
"The Stanford GSB has the opportunity to prepare future generations of principled critical analytical thinkers whose actions can change the world. Through our research, we will continue to develop the intellectual underpinnings of management and we will embody that knowledge in our teaching. From our sustainable new management center on the Stanford campus we will promote the free-flow of students, faculty, and ideas across disciplines and schools as we develop management knowledge and business leaders for the 21st century."
To learn more about Stanford, visit Veritas Prep's Stanford GSB information page. And, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!
Saloner joined the Stanford faculty in 1990, and is currently the Jeffrey S. Skoll Professor of Electronic Commerce, Strategic Management and Economics. He also serves at director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Graduate School of Business. Saloner led the overhaul of Stanford's MBA curriculum, making this a natural transition as the school seeks to maintain leadership continuity.
"Over nearly two decades at Stanford, Garth Saloner has demonstrated that he is not only a top-notch scholar, but also a respected leader among his peers and distinguished teacher highly-praised by his students," President John Hennessy said in the school's official announcement.
Saloner discussed some of the challenges that he will face in his new role:
"The Stanford GSB has the opportunity to prepare future generations of principled critical analytical thinkers whose actions can change the world. Through our research, we will continue to develop the intellectual underpinnings of management and we will embody that knowledge in our teaching. From our sustainable new management center on the Stanford campus we will promote the free-flow of students, faculty, and ideas across disciplines and schools as we develop management knowledge and business leaders for the 21st century."
To learn more about Stanford, visit Veritas Prep's Stanford GSB information page. And, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Stanford GSB Application Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010
Last week the Stanford Graduate School of Business released its admissions essay topics and deadlines for the 2009-2010 application season. Just like the upcoming HBS Round 1 deadline, Stanford's Round 1 deadline is now in the first week of October, and the school will now notify Round 1 applicants before the holidays at the end of the year.
Here are Stanford's essays and deadlines, followed by our comments in italics:
Stanford GSB Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 7, 2009
Round 2: January 6, 2010
Round 3: April 7, 2010
(Interesting... Harvard matched Stanford by moving its Round 3 deadline back to April. Now, like HBS, Stanford has moved its Round 1 deadline forward, to early October. For these schools, there's now six months between the Round 1 and Round 3 deadlines! Perhaps one reason for this move is to make admissions officers' lives easier during the peak season, by spreading it out a bit.)
Stanford GSB Application Essays
For more guidance on your Stanford business school application, visit the Veritas Prep Stanford GSB information page. To get a feel for how strong your chances of getting into Stanford are, try Veritas Prep's Business School Selector.
Here are Stanford's essays and deadlines, followed by our comments in italics:
Stanford GSB Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 7, 2009
Round 2: January 6, 2010
Round 3: April 7, 2010
(Interesting... Harvard matched Stanford by moving its Round 3 deadline back to April. Now, like HBS, Stanford has moved its Round 1 deadline forward, to early October. For these schools, there's now six months between the Round 1 and Round 3 deadlines! Perhaps one reason for this move is to make admissions officers' lives easier during the peak season, by spreading it out a bit.)
Stanford GSB Application Essays
- What matters most to you, and why? (750 words recommended, out of 1,800 total)
(Ahh, Stanford's tried-and-true essay question. Old timers will remember when this question had no word limit. Now, the essay's 750-word limit forces applicants to be a little more economical with their words, which is a good thing. This question requires a great deal of introspection, after which you should create an essay that truly answers the question asked, whether or not you feel that it's directly applicable to your candidacy. Obviously, the more relevant to the topic at hand, the better, but where applicants often go wrong is by offering grand ideas and big words, rather than a real glimpse into who they are as a person.) - What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them? (450 words recommended)
(This is the "Why do you want an MBA, and why this school?" question that nearly every school asks. Here you can feel more comfortable writing about the topics that business schools more often look for in their applications. Remember to keep it realistic and to demonstrate that you understand what the Stanford MBA experience will -- and won't -- do for you as a growing professional.) - 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. (300 words recommended for each)
Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.
Option C: Tell us about a time when you motivated others to support your vision or initiative.
Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected.
(Some small but key differences here vs. last year. For Option A, they have added the "whose performance exceeded expectations" clause, indicating that last year's applicants may not have put enough focus on results in their answers. Option B has changed from "Tell us about a time when you felt most effective as a leader." The change to "the lasting impact" question also suggests that the school is looking for more results in its essay answers. Option C has evolved from a question about overcoming an obstacle or failure to a question that gets at one version of leadership -- motivating others to support your ideas. Stanford considers this type of persuasiveness a key ingredient in the future leaders that it wants to produce. Option D remains from last year; this is another results-oriented question that also gets at a core component of leadership)
For more guidance on your Stanford business school application, visit the Veritas Prep Stanford GSB information page. To get a feel for how strong your chances of getting into Stanford are, try Veritas Prep's Business School Selector.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Stanford GSB Wants More Round 3 Applicants!
This is a little surprising... Or is it?
Last week Stanford GSB's Derrick Bolton posted a message on Stanford's blog encouraging anyone who's on the fence to pull the trigger and apply to Stanford in this year's Round Three. Could it be that the slow economy has hurt Stanford's numbers? Could Stanford really need applicants this year?
Probably not. It's doubtful that an MBA program such as Stanford needs more applicants, or that the school's yield has dropped much vs. previous years. What is true, though, is that this year Stanford's Round 3 admissions deadline (April 8) is nearly three weeks later than last year's, and no top MBA program has a Round 3 deadline nearly as late as Stanford's. We're not sure of Stanford's reasons for this change, but it could be that Stanford made this move to snag a few extra top-tier candidates that HBS and Wharton, etc., may miss out on because of their earlier R3 deadlines. Now that Stanford is the last top school with its doors still open for 2008-2009 applicants, perhaps Bolton has so far been underwhelmed by the number (and quality?) of applicants that this strategy has brought in this year.
He writes:
The media hype says that business school applications soar when the economy is bad and, as such, there won't be any spots left for third round applicants. This simply isn't true. And we worry that some great people may delay applying because of these misperceptions. Historically, we've found that applications follow demographic cycles more than economic cycles.
We assure you that we admit outstanding individuals in all three rounds--this year is no exception. While it is true that the final round typically is smaller than the first two, we do admit excellent candidates in Round 3--including our current Director of MBA Admissions.
Odds are that you long ago already decided to apply this year, or know that you definitely won't apply any sooner than this coming fall. It's good to see messages like this coming out of a top-tier MBA program, because it suggests that your chances this year may be a little better than some expected, but our advice remains the same: Only apply when you're ready, and only when you have a competitive GMAT score, can get outstanding letters of recommendation, and have enough time to create strong admissions essays. Don't apply in Round 3 just on a lark!
For more advice on applying to Stanford, visit our Stanford information page, or follow us on Twitter.
Last week Stanford GSB's Derrick Bolton posted a message on Stanford's blog encouraging anyone who's on the fence to pull the trigger and apply to Stanford in this year's Round Three. Could it be that the slow economy has hurt Stanford's numbers? Could Stanford really need applicants this year?
Probably not. It's doubtful that an MBA program such as Stanford needs more applicants, or that the school's yield has dropped much vs. previous years. What is true, though, is that this year Stanford's Round 3 admissions deadline (April 8) is nearly three weeks later than last year's, and no top MBA program has a Round 3 deadline nearly as late as Stanford's. We're not sure of Stanford's reasons for this change, but it could be that Stanford made this move to snag a few extra top-tier candidates that HBS and Wharton, etc., may miss out on because of their earlier R3 deadlines. Now that Stanford is the last top school with its doors still open for 2008-2009 applicants, perhaps Bolton has so far been underwhelmed by the number (and quality?) of applicants that this strategy has brought in this year.
He writes:
The media hype says that business school applications soar when the economy is bad and, as such, there won't be any spots left for third round applicants. This simply isn't true. And we worry that some great people may delay applying because of these misperceptions. Historically, we've found that applications follow demographic cycles more than economic cycles.
We assure you that we admit outstanding individuals in all three rounds--this year is no exception. While it is true that the final round typically is smaller than the first two, we do admit excellent candidates in Round 3--including our current Director of MBA Admissions.
Odds are that you long ago already decided to apply this year, or know that you definitely won't apply any sooner than this coming fall. It's good to see messages like this coming out of a top-tier MBA program, because it suggests that your chances this year may be a little better than some expected, but our advice remains the same: Only apply when you're ready, and only when you have a competitive GMAT score, can get outstanding letters of recommendation, and have enough time to create strong admissions essays. Don't apply in Round 3 just on a lark!
For more advice on applying to Stanford, visit our Stanford information page, or follow us on Twitter.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Job Data for Stanford GSB Class of 2008
Last month Stanford GSB published its final job placement statistics for the Class of 2008.
Consistent with prior years, consulting was the most popular single industry for Stanford MBAs, with 27% of the class opting for a median starting salary of $1250,000 and a median signing bonus of $20,000. Private equity came next, at 14% of the class, with the median starting salary being $150,000 and the median signing bonus clocking in at $32,500.
Slicing it by function, consulting was still the most popular, at 29% of the class, with private equity (16%) and investment management (8%) coming next.
The most popular careers for the Stanford GSB Class of 2008 were:
Industry | Percentage of Class | Median Base Salary | Median Signing Bonus |
Consulting | 27 | $125,000 | $20,000 |
Private Equity/LBO | 14 | $150,000 | $32,500 |
Hedge Funds | 8 | $150,000 | $25,000 |
Internet Services/E-Commerce | 6 | $115,000 | $22,500 |
Investment Banking/Brokerage | 5 | $ 95,500 | $40,000 |
Nonprofit | 5 | $ 80,000 | n/a |
Venture Capital | 5 | $155,000 | n/a |
Investment Management | 4 | $127,500 | $19,125 |
Real Estate | 4 | $112,500 | $15,000 |
Consumer Products | 3 | $100,000 | $20,000 |
Pharma/Biotech/Healthcare | 3 | $103,750 | $20,000 |
Note that the non-profit sector accounted for 5% of Stanford grads' post-MBA careers. While this is consistent with other top business schools' statistics, we wonder if this number will increase this year and next as the rough economy encourages more grads to pursue non-profit and social enterprise careers in place of high-paying consulting and banking jobs, which may not be plentiful in the near term.
If you are applying to Stanford this year or next, take a look at our Stanford admissions essay analysis.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Top Ten Common MBA Application Mistakes from Stanford GSB
Last week LaNeika Ward, Acting Assistant Director of MBA Admissions at Stanford GSB, posted the top ten most common mistakes that the admissions committee finds in applications.
Some of them are pretty amazing (e.g., "Enter your name correctly"), but smart people do indeed make mistakes! Other mistakes are very important things that can be easily forgotten while cramming to complete your applications, such as failing to provide a good reason for leaving any of your previous jobs.
Other than these standout mistakes, several interesting things emerge from this list:
All in all, some good advice that applies to any MBA application. But the above points are interesting because they especially shed light on what Stanford GSB looks for in its business school applicants.
For more advice on applying to business school, read about the MBA application process at Veritas Prep.
Some of them are pretty amazing (e.g., "Enter your name correctly"), but smart people do indeed make mistakes! Other mistakes are very important things that can be easily forgotten while cramming to complete your applications, such as failing to provide a good reason for leaving any of your previous jobs.
Other than these standout mistakes, several interesting things emerge from this list:
- When discussing experiences, Stanford wants you to only focus on the past three years. In other words, it's great if you were president of your fraternity in college, but the Stanford admissions committee puts much more emphasis on what you've done more recently.
- The admissions committee asks that you explain any period of four months or more when you were not in school or working. I actually find it interesting that they're not interested in ALL such periods. Perhaps they understand that some fresh college graduates may take some time to land on their feet and get their first job.
- Ward makes a point of making sure that your letter of recommendation from a peer truly comes from a peer, not a supervisor whom you consider to be a friend.
- Note the reference to the "application verification process over the summer," which should serve as a clear warning against pulling any shenanigans in your application. Stick to the truth!
All in all, some good advice that applies to any MBA application. But the above points are interesting because they especially shed light on what Stanford GSB looks for in its business school applicants.
For more advice on applying to business school, read about the MBA application process at Veritas Prep.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Stanford GSB Announces Social Innovation Fellowship Pilot Program
Last week the Stanford GSB's Center for Social Innovation announced the Social Innovation Fellowship Pilot Program to support social entrepreneurs.
The Fellowship was created for graduating Stanford MBAs who are ready to spend their first year after business school building a nonprofit venture. Starting this coming spring, a handful of second-year students will be selected to receive a stipend for the following year as well as access to the Center's wide range of resources.
All second-year Stanford MBA students in good academic standing are eligible, and teams of two led by a Stanford MBA are also eligible (i.e,. teams can include non-Stanford members).
If you're interested, learn more in this Q&A on the Stanford GSB admissions blog. And for more advice on applying to Stanford, visit the Veritas Prep Stanford GSB information page.
The Fellowship was created for graduating Stanford MBAs who are ready to spend their first year after business school building a nonprofit venture. Starting this coming spring, a handful of second-year students will be selected to receive a stipend for the following year as well as access to the Center's wide range of resources.
All second-year Stanford MBA students in good academic standing are eligible, and teams of two led by a Stanford MBA are also eligible (i.e,. teams can include non-Stanford members).
If you're interested, learn more in this Q&A on the Stanford GSB admissions blog. And for more advice on applying to Stanford, visit the Veritas Prep Stanford GSB information page.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Stanford GSB Essay Topics for 2008-2009
Stanford has just released its application essays for the 2008-2009 admissions season:
If you want more guidance on your Stanford business school application, visit our Stanford GSB profile page.
- Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?
- Essay B: What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them?
- Essay C: Short Essays—Options 1-4
Answer two of the 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.
Option 1: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team.
Option 2: Tell us about a time when you felt most effective as a leader.
Option 3: Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult, or frustrating.
Option 4: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected.
If you want more guidance on your Stanford business school application, visit our Stanford GSB profile page.
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