NYU’s Stern School of Business is home to the No. 10 best MBA program in the whole country, and the proof is in the data. 94% of MBA graduates seeking jobs were able to secure one within three months of graduation, with median salaries of $175,000. Some are even able to land $200,000 right out of the gate, not even accounting for signing bonuses.

Beyond outcomes, the school has a rigorous academic environment where candidates thrive. NYU Stern has a close to 95% graduation rate and 98% retention rate. 

However, getting into NYU is not that easy. Of the 4,550 class of 2026 applications submitted to Stern, only 1141 were accepted—calculating to a 25% acceptance rate. 352 students ended up enrolling this fall.

Stern in particular is looking for those with a strong intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ). Students should have intellectual horsepower and be commercial savvy—but also be people savvy, explains Lindsay Loyd, executive director for MBA admissions at NYU Stern.

Many business schools are also competing amongst themselves for the best students. Loyd says the opportunity to be in the learning laboratory that is New York City—while also having relatively small classes is part of the lure of Stern.

“We are in the finance capital world, but we’re also in the media capital world and the fashion and luxury capital of the world, and there are a host of industries that have a really significant basis here in New York,” Loyd says.

If you think NYU Stern could be a right fit for you, here’s what you need to know to get into the full-time MBA program.

NYU Stern MBA application requirements

Like most business schools, NYU Stern requires applicants to provide details on their education, work experience, and career goals. The Stern full-time MBA requirements include: 

• Undergraduate degree: Applicants must have a bachelor’s or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or around the world.
• Transcripts: An unofficial transcript is required to apply, and an official transcript is required for enrollment.
• Standardized testing: NYU requires students to submit the scores from at least one standardized test. There is no preference or minimum test score requirement. Eligible tests include GMAT, GRE, EA, LSAT, MCAT, or DAT. For applicants who do not speak native English or have not received a degree from an English-taught program, test results from either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test are required.
• Resume: A resume should include full-time, post-university work experience as well as educational background. Other experiences, like internships, part-time employment, or extracurricular activities may be included.
• EQ endorsements: Stern’s form of a letter of recommendation has endorsers rate your abilities and qualities as well as answer five questions. One EQ endorsement must come from a current supervisor. A second optional endorsement can come from someone who knows you professionally or personally.
• Essays: 
  • Shorter answer: In 150 words or less, provide details about your professional aspirations, answering the question, “What are your short-term career goals?”
  • Essay 1: Change: _____ it
    • Students must fill in the blank with the word of their choice of how they view change, and in 350 words or less, answer, “Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern?”
    • “We have our change tagline at Stern, dare it, dream it, drive it. And we invite our candidates to select their own change verb. And we’re trying to understand like, what is their relationship to change? How do they deal with change?” says Loyd
  • Essay 2: Personal expression / “Pick Six”
    • Share six images that embody you, your interests, your goals, etc. 
    • Share a three-sentence introduction for the collection as well as a one-sentence caption for each.
    • “We want (applicants) to share six images that tell us a little bit more about them and the things that matter to them and what’s been important to them throughout the course of their life,” says Loyd—adding that some examples include simple photographs, comic strips, hand drawings, or even AI-generated images.
  • Essay 3 (optional): In 500 words or less, applicants can share anything else with the admissions team, including hardships, employment gaps, etc. 

The admission committee takes a holistic review of each application and what each applicant brings to the table, says Loyd. 

While generative AI and its increasingly advanced computations have caused headaches in the admissions world, Loyd says she sees it more as a writing partner that can help someone refine their writing, similar to the role of spell check or even just having a friend read one’s essays.

The best applicants, she says, have put in the time doing proper self-reflection to figure out the unique points they want to make in their essays and ultimately tie it to their career goals.

Entrants typically have at least 5 years of work experience, an undergraduate GPA of about 3.64, and a GMAT score of 733.

NYU Stern MBA application deadlines

NYU Stern has four different application rounds. The school says students will receive an initial notification, which will either invite applicants to an interview, offer them to the waitlist, or admission denial.

NYU Stern MBA specializations

NYU (Stern) has 27 different specializations as part of its full-time MBA program. Students graduate with an MBA in General Management with up to three—or zero—specializations. The options include:

• Accounting
• Banking
• Brand Management
• Business Analytics
• Corporate Finance
• Digital Marketing
• Economics
• Entertainment & Media
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Finance
• Financial Instruments and Markets
• Financial Systems and Analytics
• FinTech
• Global Business
• Healthcare
• Law and Business
• Leadership and Change Management
• Luxury Marketing
• Management
• Management of Technology and Operations
• Marketing
• Quantitative Finance
• Real Estate
• Sustainable Business and Innovation
• Strategy
• Supply Chain Management and Global Sourcing
• Tech Product Management

Stern also offers 1-year, focused MBA programs in areas technology and entrepreneurship as well as luxury and retail.

Showcase your EQ—via endorsements and interviews

Unique to NYU Stern is its EQ endorsements, which most closely resemble a traditional recommendation letter. Applicants must submit at least one of these endorsements with an application. One must come from a current supervisor, but the other can come from someone who knows you personally or professionally. 

Endorsers are asked questions to specifically target the applicant’s EQ:

1. How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles (if applicable)? Please provide specific examples. (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
2. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
3. Emotional intelligence (EQ) skills such as self-awareness, empathy, communication, and self-management are at the core of our community of leaders. Please provide one specific and compelling example to demonstrate the applicant’s emotional intelligence.

These questions allow the admissions team to hear from a third party about a candidate’s skills and emotional qualities. 

Certain applicants are also invited to a virtual interview. The process is non-blind, meaning the admissions team member will have already thoroughly reviewed one’s application. Individuals should be prepared to talk thoroughly about one’s motivations and objectives for learning at Stern.

The takeaway: emphasize why NYU Stern is best for you

Applying to any MBA program is a journey that may take several years. However, setting your sights sooner rather than later can ultimately help you in the long term.

Loyd encourages those who may be thinking about applying to business school to focus on building relationships, taking the standardized test, and figuring out why an MBA is the best fit for your career.

With close proximity to other top MBA programs including Columbia University (home to the No. 5 best MBA program, according to Fortune), prospective applicants should focus on why Stern may uniquely fit into their career goals.

“Change is something we all deal with in all aspects of our life, and at Stern, we don’t rest on tradition, we don’t accept the status quo, and we want to lean into change,” Loyd says. “We want to make sure that we’re doing it smartly and thoughtfully.”

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Frequently asked questions

Is NYU Stern hard to get into?

Yes, NYU Stern is challenging to get into, with about 1 in 3 applicants being accepted. Prospective students should embody NYU Stern’s values throughout their application materials.

How prestigious is NYU Stern?

NYU (Stern) is one of the best business schools in the U.S. The school is home to the No. 10 best MBA programs, according to Fortune. It is one of the top and highly competitive business schools outside of the M7.

What GPA do you need to get into NYU Stern?

There is no GPA requirement to be accepted into NYU (Stern), but its full-time MBA class of 2026 had an average undergraduate GPA of 3.64.

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Sydney Lake contributed to this piece.