Stanford MBA Essay Questions for 2025-2026

Stanford MBA essay questions

Stanford Graduate School of Business has posted the essay prompts for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle. The required Stanford MBA essay questions remain unchanged from previous admissions seasons, although the word count has been slightly adjusted this year.

Stanford requires two personal essays to gain a deeper understanding of applicants’ character and aspirations. “In each essay, we want to hear your genuine voice,” the admissions team advises. “Think carefully about your values, passions, aims, and dreams. There is no ‘right answer’ to these questions — the best answer is the one that is truest for you.”

Stanford MBA Essay Questions

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

For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives?

Essay 2: Why Stanford for you?

Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs.

Length

You may write up to 650 words for the first essay (“What matters most to you, and why?”) and up to 350 words for the second essay (“Why Stanford for you?”). We often read effective essays that are written in fewer words.

Additional Information

If there is any information that is critical for us to know and is not captured elsewhere, include it in the Additional Information section of the application. Pertinent examples include:

  • Extenuating circumstances affecting your candidacy, including academic, work, or test-taking experiences
  • Academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere
  • Explanation of why you are not using a current supervisor as a recommender

This section should not be used as an additional essay.

Optional Short-Answer Question

Per the GSB applicationWhat do we mean by “optional”? We mean you have the opportunity to choose. In evaluating your application, we want to know about who you are and how you think Stanford will help you achieve your aspirations. We are also interested in learning about the things you have done that are most meaningful to you. If you feel that you’ve already addressed these questions well in other areas of the application, congratulations, you’re done!

If you would like to discuss your contributions more fully, this section is the place to do so. Perhaps you would like to expand upon a bullet item from your resume and tell us more about the “how” or “why” behind the “what.” Or maybe you have had an impact in a way that doesn’t fit neatly in another part of the application. You are welcome to share up to three examples (up to 1,200 characters, or approximately 200 words, for each example).

Question: Think about a time in the last few years when you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others?

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The Stanford MBA application for the Class of 2028 will open in June. Here are the GSB’s updated application deadlines. For more information, please visit the Stanford GSB admissions website. If you need guidance on your Stanford MBA application or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help!

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Harvard HBS, Stanford GSB and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team:
Meet Erin, who was Assistant Director of MBA Admissions at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) and Director of MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Meet Andrea, who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.

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