NYU Stern School of Business, located in the heart of New York City, is a globally renowned institution known for its academic excellence, innovation, and strong industry connections.
With a legacy dating back to 1900, Stern prepares students to lead in finance, consulting, tech, entrepreneurship, and beyond – blending rigorous education with real-world impact.
Arvind Kumar (Founder, admitStreet) interviewed Lindsay Loyd, Executive Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business, to cover topics ranging from the Stern MBA admissions process and curriculum to post-MBA careers, scholarships, and other lesser-known aspects of the program.
NYU Stern MBA Admissions: Applications, Essays, Interviews
admitStreet: Could you please explain the application process for NYU Stern in detail? Specifically, what steps are involved, who evaluates applications, and other pertinent details?
Lindsay: We take a holistic approach to our admissions process. Each applicant must provide standardized tests (or an approved test waiver), transcripts from prior educational institutions, professional work history, an EQ endorsement from a professional recommender, and responses to three core essay prompts.
We evaluate all of these application components across the dimensions of academic performance, professional achievements and aspirations, and alignment with NYU Stern’s core values. Our application is designed to help applicants highlight not just what they’ve done, but how they’ve done it, and how they’ve inspired others around them.
We operate our admissions process a bit differently than many of our peers. It’s neither a purely rolling process, nor do we have structured rounds where everyone gets notified on the same day. Our process is a hybrid ongoing review, structured around four application submission deadlines.
Each deadline has a corresponding “initial notification deadline,” which is the absolute latest date by which you’ll hear about the next step from us. Those next steps are: invitation to interview, waitlist, or denial of admission. Many will receive their initial notification before then, as we don’t wait for a submission deadline to pass to begin reading applications.
All steps of the admissions process, from application reads to interviews to admit calls, are conducted by NYU Stern administrators and staff. Every single application is read in its entirety by multiple reviewers on the MBA Admissions team.
More information about our process and policies can be found here. We also regularly offer virtual “Application Tips” and “Mock Application Workshops” which can help demystify the NYU Stern MBA admissions process.
admitStreet: How does Stern define Emotional Intelligence in the context of MBA admissions? What parts of the application provide the strongest signals of EQ?
Lindsay: Our admissions process provides prospective students with many opportunities to demonstrate their EQ – or emotional intelligence.
For example, someone with high EQ is self-aware and reflective, communicates clearly and with empathy, and operates with a strong sense of community and inclusion. They understand that how you do something is just as important as what you are doing. Are you leading with integrity, are you bringing up those around you, are you open to change and new ideas?
We’re looking for future Sternies who have the winning combination of intellectual horsepower and great people skills, who are excited to grow with and be challenged by their classmates.
We evaluate EQ elements across all pieces of the application. In the application data form and on your resume, this can come through via extracurricular activities at school, work, and/or within your community.
In the EQ endorsement, we specifically ask your recommender to provide EQ examples from your work experience. The essay prompts provide opportunities to incorporate EQ examples, too. And finally, the interview is a chance for an applicant to answer questions and demonstrate EQ in real time.
admitStreet: How can a candidate stand out in a competitive applicant pool?
Lindsay: We evaluate applications holistically, across academic performance, career achievements and aspirations, and alignment with Stern core values.
I recommend each applicant focus on putting their best foot forward in each component of the application. Some things may be out of an applicant’s control at this point, e.g., undergraduate grades on your transcript.
My advice to all applicants: Focus on maximizing the things in your control. Strive to get the best standardized test score you can. Present your work history with compelling bullets on your resume that specifically highlight and quantify the impact you made in each role. Be clear on your “why” before you start your application and ensure you incorporate those elements into your essays responses.
Most importantly, share your unique story and motivations. We value authenticity and want to hear from you!
admitStreet: Regarding the famous “Pick Six” essay component of Stern’s application process, what guidelines or recommendations can you provide? What are some do’s and don’ts that candidates should keep in mind?
Lindsay: Our “Pick Six” essay is a visual essay and an opportunity to share a bit about the things that are important to you in a different format than a traditional written essay.
Many people use snapshots from their life, and I often hear candidates tell me how much they enjoyed going back in their camera roll archives to pick six images. Snapshots are probably the most popular format used, but we’ve also had folks do their own illustrations, and more recently use generative AI to create images. Each image should include a brief, one-to-two-sentence caption to explain the image.
Don’t over think this one. A good place to start is to think about the people, places, activities, things, or processes in your life that are meaningful to you, and go from there.
admitStreet: Tell us about the interview process once a candidate is invited to interview. Who conducts the interviews, and what are the key aspects being evaluated?
Lindsay: Interviews are by invitation only, and you must be interviewed in order to be admitted. All interviews are 30 minutes long, and conducted by members of the MBA Admissions team via Zoom.
We want to ensure a consistent and equitable interview experience for everyone, whether you are local to NYC or Zooming in from the other side of the world.
The admissions officer interviewing you will have read your application in full before the conversation and likely will have questions customized for you based on what they read. They will definitely cover your work experience and career aspirations and how an MBA from Stern fits into your plan.
We will be evaluating the same things I mentioned in a prior question (i.e., academic performance, career achievements & aspirations, alignment with Stern core values), in addition to your communication skills in a live one-on-one setting.
NYU Stern MBA Curriculum
admitStreet: One of the strengths of Stern’s curriculum lies in its extensive array of electives and concentrations, with over 20 specializations and 200+ electives available. How can prospective candidates efficiently prioritize their time and resources to maximize the benefits from these offerings during the two-year program?
Lindsay: My advice to incoming students before they arrive for LAUNCH MBA orientation in August is to go back to all of the reflection and self-assessment you did as part of your application process.
Re-read those essays, remember your why, and think about that as your guiding North Star for your MBA experience. Understand what your “must dos” are, prioritize them and plan around them, and allow some flexibility around the other stuff.
And remember, Stern supports lifelong learning through our Alumni Audit Program. So even if you aren’t able to take every elective you’d like during your program, you may be able to audit the class later.
admitStreet: What are some of the unique learning methodologies and curriculum/ courses (e.g. Stern Solutions) adopted in the Stern MBA program?
Lindsay: Our Stern Solutions experiential learning projects and courses give students the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with leading companies across industries on real-time business challenges, all with the guidance of Stern’s faculty.
Stern has a vast foundation in this space, with long standing corporate partnerships thanks to our location in NYC as well as our alumni network – nearly 50 alumni sponsor projects annually. With more than 90 clients and projects per year across more than 16 industries on average over the past five years, students have a range of options to meet their interests and career goals.
Another unique offering worth mentioning is Stern’s Leadership Accelerator, which provides leadership practice through immersive scenarios with professional actors, peer coaching, and real-time feedback. Through courses and events, students have an opportunity to get into the hot seat and learn how to lead through tension, try out new approaches, and receive feedback.
In today’s world where EQ is more important than ever, these offerings equip students with critical, experience-based leadership tools they’ll carry into their careers.
admitStreet: NYC is often called Stern’s ‘second classroom’. How do faculty actively incorporate the city’s dynamism into coursework or field projects?
Lindsay: NYC is absolutely core to the Stern experience, both in and out of the classroom. Professors at Stern regularly have executives drop in to classes and share relevant insights in real time.
This city is home to so many amazing companies, we have a wealth of experiential learning projects across every industry to give students hands-on experience with current business challenges.
Our alumni network is 114,000 strong and more than half call the tri-state area home. This makes it easy to go beyond an email or phone call; simply hop on the subway and meet with alumni in person to make stronger connections.
New York is a great city full of opportunity, and if New York is where you want to be, then you should come to Stern.
1-Year Stern MBA
admitStreet: Tell us about the 1-Year MBA Variants: Andre Koo Technology and Entrepreneurship MBA and Luxury & Retail MBA. What is the application process for these programs?
Lindsay: The application itself is nearly identical, with a couple of minor variations on short answer questions that are specific to each focused MBA program.
The deadlines are similar but not the same, so you will want to check the dates. The most important thing to note is since the focused MBAs matriculate in May, the final application deadline for international students hoping to join is the January deadline.
Deadlines for all three full time MBA programs can be found here.
admitStreet: What are the key differences between the One-Year MBA and the Two-Year Full-Time MBA? What type of candidates would benefit most from each of these Programs?
Lindsay: Our one-year, focused Andre Koo Technology and Entrepreneurship MBA and Luxury & Retail MBA programs start in May and end in May. The curriculum is structured to deliver the foundational business core classes of an MBA plus specialized classes and experiential learning via the Tech core or Luxury & Retail Core, while still leaving space for some electives. All in just one year!
These one-year, focused MBAs are ideal for someone who already has some foundational experience in their industry or functional area and want to continue in that path, using the focused MBA to accelerate their growth within that path.
Due to the timeline of the program, there’s not an opportunity to do a summer internship like there is in a traditional two-year full-time MBA program, but experiential projects with actual companies are integrated into the curriculum. If an applicant is hoping to make a more significant career pivot, the two-year MBA is likely to be the better option.
In any given application cycle, a prospective Sternie may only have ONE application. So, I highly recommend attending an information session, other admissions events, and speaking with our Graduate Ambassadors before starting your application.
An MBA is a big investment of both time and money, and so is the application process itself. It’s important to do your due diligence. The upside: all of that research is likely to help you submit a stronger application, too!
Careers @ NYU Stern MBA
admitStreet: Your latest employment statistics indicate that approximately 37% of the Class of 2024 entered consulting, 35.7% entered financial services, 9.1% entered technology, and 5.7% entered consumer packaged goods. Could you elaborate on the recruitment process at Stern? How does Stern ensure such diversity in career outcomes, and what processes are in place to help candidates achieve their desired career placements?
Lindsay: At the outset, we admit candidates with a wide range of career goals and support them throughout the MBA journey. Our wonderful Careers team begins the conversation with students before they even step foot on campus.
In the summer before their first semester, admitted students connect with the Careers team on their goals and also refine their resumes so before the recruitment process starts, they are clear on their accomplishments and can articulate their skill sets.
Candidates also have access to and take career assessments to gain greater insights on their individual strengths and motivators, and how they align with various career paths, along with access to a range of resources that help them explore different industries.
Once LAUNCH MBA orientation begins, the Careers team kicks off our foundational career education program, IGNITE, which supports students through programming, resources and coaching. The modular program helps students develop a baseline to build a successful career and navigate any future job search, including learning how to leverage design thinking to design a meaningful career, refining their professional branding, and mastering job search fundamentals.
Throughout the MBA journey, students have access to career coaches and relationship managers specific to their career goals, and access to tools like résumé reviews, networking workshops, and mock interviews.
The Careers team also offers access to Executives in Residence and Industry Advisors, dedicated alumni who provide students with career guidance and real-world industry insights.
Equally important, the Careers team also has very active partnerships with each of the professional student clubs to ensure that our employer engagement and career education offerings are meeting their needs and complementing the great work they are also doing in support of student career interests.
Our most recent Employment Report, including data on domestic and international students, is available here. The recruiting cycle for the Class of 2025 is still underway.
Concluding Remarks: NYU Abu Dhabi
admitStreet: Tell us more about the Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi program.
Lindsay: First, for background, the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi (Stern at NYUAD) is a collaboration between the NYU Stern School of Business (NYU Stern) and NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).
Stern at NYUAD launched its first program, a one-year full-time MBA program for students who want to build careers in the MENA region. The first cohort started their program in January 2025 – 54 highly accomplished candidates representing 25 countries, with the largest groups from the UAE and the United States, along with strong representation from India, China, and Pakistan, bringing a diverse and global perspective to the classroom.
With 54 credits, Stern at NYUAD’s inaugural MBA program matches the rigor of two-year MBA programs while allowing students to complete their degree in just one year, in response to both student and market demands. Designed for early-career professionals, the program equips graduates to capitalize on the region’s dynamic growth across private and public sectors.
Students will participate in modules in both Abu Dhabi and New York City, gaining international exposure and drawing on industry expertise from prominent UAE and global business leaders. In fact, the first cohort is currently at Stern in NYC this summer.
Over the next several weeks, students will engage in several courses including “Doing Business in New York City,” combining rigorous academic work with firsthand exposure to the city’s multifaceted business environment.
Also, a key feature of the program is its hands-on experiential projects with top-tier corporate partners, including Microsoft, Hub 71, ADGM, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, providing students with practical, real-world business experience.
I’ll conclude with a fun fact: NYU Stern is the highest globally ranked business school offering a full-time MBA in the UAE and MENA region.
admitStreet: What are some unknown facts about the Stern MBA that you’d like to share with applicants?
Lindsay: Fun fact: this year (2025) we are celebrating Stern’s 125th anniversary! And we are welcoming our new Dean, Bharat Anand, this August.
admitStreet: Thanks a lot, Lindsay. We very much appreciate your time and insights, and hope this will give applicants a comprehensive overview of the NYU Stern MBA.