Stanford MBA Program

I recently toured the GSB's new Stanford Venture Studio, which opened this past summer. Created by the GSB's Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, the Venture Studio is a place for graduate students across Stanford University to practice the entrepreneurial skills and concepts they are learning in the classroom. Early-stage entrepreneurs often complain of isolation, and the Venture Studio provides an instant community where teams can share skills, test ideas, and get feedback and inspiration. In addition to peer-to-peer interaction among the teams, the Venture Studio offers practical workshops, peer feedback sessions known as Start-up Mob, small-group Q&A; with company founders, one-on-one advisory sessions, and practice pitch sessions. The Studio serves as both a hub for the entrepreneurial community to participate in events open to the entire student body and as a dedicated workspace for graduate student-led teams from any school at Stanford. There is an application process to use the Studio, and student teams are then given 24/7 key card access. The Venture Studio is not an incubator; it does not take an equity stake in return for services and does not accept teams who are currently selling products or services.

During the summer, 17 multidisciplinary teams (about 50 students) worked on ventures spanning multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, hospitality and tourism, media and entertainment, financial services, big data, real estate, consumer products and service, energy, and agriculture. Katie Fifer '13, an entrepreneurial student who worked in the Studio this summer, commented, "I've learned a tremendous amount not only about tactical things (user interface design, SEO, etc.), but also, more importantly, about managing team dynamics. We're all figuring out day-to-day how we build our teams and all the most interesting challenges come from trying to get those teams to operate at a high level. I know I'm learning far more because I'm surrounded by people trying to figure out the same things."

Besides all the amazing projects going on in the Studio, what also amazed me was how quickly this space was created. The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies started working on the concept last spring, and within a couple of months, a pilot of the Studio was launched. But that's pretty much how things work around here.

An interdisciplinary group of Stanford graduate students in the Venture Studio.

Recently, I held two webinars for Round 1 applicants to answer your last-minute questions. Many of your questions had to do with small, logistical details like...”Where do I put my CFA?”…“How do I abbreviate an award that won't fit?” …“Should I put my 40-hour weekend job in the part-time or full-time employment section?”

We're glad you’re paying attention to the instructions and trying to represent yourself carefully and correctly. Please be assured, however, that your admission decision will not hinge on whether you put information in one box or another. We read everything you submit. If you’re not sure where to put something, just do what makes sense. Feel free to include a brief explanation in the Additional Information section of your application.

And, yes, don't forget to run spell check. :-)

Registration has just opened for Fall Quarter Class Visits, which begin on Monday, 8 October 2012. Find out more about these, and our other on-campus events, on our website.

And, as we always say (because we mean it), visiting Stanford GSB is a great way to get to know our program better, but a campus visit is neither required nor expected. Out of fairness to all applicants, we do not give preferential treatment in the admission process to those who have visited the GSB.

Want to know more about what it's like to be in a GSB classroom? We just posted a video that highlights the variety of engaging ways you can learn here. Take a look!

Want to visit the GSB and hear more about the MBA Program? Here are three great opportunities:

Open House
11 October 2012, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Many Voices: Perspectives on Diversity
13 October 2012, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

XX Factor: Women Changing the World
14 October 2012, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

All of these events allow you to gain insight into the admission process, see the campus, and hear about the MBA Program from students and alumni who know it the best. Space at all three events is limited, so please register for just one by 14 September. Also, these events are intended for, and will be most helpful to, those of you submitting your application in January 2013 or later.

We hope to see you here in October!

The theme of the conference, which will be held 10 October 2012, is "Shared Value and Supply Chains - Strategies for Success." Chinese environmental activist Ma Jun, recently named the Most Creative Person in Business by Fast Company Magazine, will be a keynote speaker at this event. Register by August 22 and receive $100 off of the regular conference registration price.

You’ve probably heard that as of June 2012, the GMAT includes a new section on Integrated Reasoning (IR). And you might be thinking that this is one more thing to keep you awake at night during the application season. But there is no need to worry.

Rest assured that IR is is new to us, too, and it’s going to take us (and our peer schools) some time before we know how to interpret it as it relates to the Stanford MBA Program. What we DO know is that the test was designed to provide insight into how you pull together knowledge from different sources--something you probably do already at work, and will certainly do here at Stanford.

For this application year, we will see your IR score if you have taken the new GMAT, but will focus on the verbal, quantitative, AWA, and total scores. Once we have had the chance to review IR scores in this first year, we will determine how to evaluate them in our process for next year. And, as we never tire of reminding you, no one score or section of a test is decisive in our process. We require no minimum or maximum scores; there is no cut off. We look for indicators of your academic ability throughout your whole application, and a test score is only one data point in a much larger picture.

And of course, some of you haven't taken the new GMAT, which is just fine. Test scores are valid for 5 years, and we accept both the GMAT and the GRE (and we don't play favorites). We do not have a preference about when you take your test. For more about test requirements, including a handy test validation calculator, visit our GMAT-GRE page.

The Stanford MBA Program application is now available online and it's never too early to get started.

Just as a reminder, our application deadlines are:
Round 1: 03 October 2012
Round 2: 09 January 2013
Round 3: 03 April 2013

As always, you can find application details and advice on our website. We hope to see your application for the MBA Class of 2015!

The new application season is right around the corner, for us and for many of you. If you're eager to get started, take a look at the 2012-2013 essay questions and guidance.

This year, we are asking you to write three essays instead of four.

Essays 1 and 2 are unchanged:

What matters most to you, and why?
What do you want to do - REALLY - and why Stanford?

The Essay 3 prompt now reads:

Answer one of the three 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 A: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
Option B: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you identified and pursued an opportunity to improve an organization.
Option C: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you went beyond what was defined or established.

Why did we make this change? As we reviewed your essays last year, we were left wanting more insight into how and why you do the things you do. We want to allow you to write more meaningfully. As such, we eliminated one of the required essays and increased the suggested word count for Essay 3. We reduced the combined word limit from 1800 to 1600 words, but the decision of how you allocate those words remains yours.

We feel this change will serve you well and will simplify your application process. Stay in touch this summer for more updates, including the new application set to launch by 1 July.

We hope you'll be part of the 2012-2013 application season!

Next year, Stanford MBA students will be traveling to some amazing places on the 2012-2013 Global Study and Service Learning Trips. So far, trip locations include:

Antarctica
Brazil
China
Dominican Republic & Haiti
Ecuador
Guatemala
Iceland & Sweden
India (2 trips)
Indonesia
Israel
Kenya & Rwanda
Mexico
Russia
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia & Egypt
Singapore & Thailand
South Africa
South Korea
United Arab Emirates & Oman

Learn more about the Global Experiences offered at the Stanford GSB.

As this year's application season winds down, and second-year MBA students prepare to graduate, we are planning our summer/fall travel season. We love meeting people out on the road, so look for us in a city near you. And of course, even though class visits and tours are coming to an end for this academic year, you can still attend an on-campus information session at the GSB during the summer.

Over the next couple of months, we will be posting next year's application essay questions, as well as the application itself. If you want to be one of the first to get Stanford MBA Admissions updates and event details, please fill out our Stay in Touch form.

We look forward to the 2012-13 application season. We hope you'll be part of it!

Read the full article in Stanford Magazine.

Each year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) recognizes up to 200 young leaders from around the world for their outstanding "professional accomplishments, commitment to society, and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world."

This year's list of honorees includes Stanford GSB alums Jane Chen, MBA 2008, Alvaro Fernandez, MBA 2002, Dave Hanley, MBA 2003, Greg McKeown, MBA 2008, and Fred Swaniker, MBA 2004.

The award is a high honor. As Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the WEF, said, "Within the World Economic Forum community, the Young Global Leaders represent the voice for the future and the hopes of the next generation."

For more information about the award, including a list of the honorees, visit the WEF website.

The Knight Management Center has achieved the LEED Platinum rating for environmental sustainability from the U.S. Green Building Council. In order to attain this rating, Knight was designed to generate solar energy and maximize natural resources, while using less water and electric energy. And of course, amidst these environmental innovations, Knight was intended to be--and has become--a place that brings people from the Stanford campus together and facilitates learning.

For more information on Knight's LEED Platinum rating, visit our website.

We know that many of you Round 2 applicants are waiting anxiously to get an interview invitation. How do we know this? Because you call and email us, asking if interview invitations are still going out. (And, yes, they are.) In the meantime, we thought you might be interested in hearing a bit from our interviewers: why they interview for us and their advice on how best to prepare for an interview. As you probably know, the vast majority of our interviews are conducted by hundreds of GSB alumni all over the world.

Why do our alums volunteer as interviewers?
— "This is the way I give back to the school that I love and did so much for me personally and professionally. It means something to me to give back to the GSB."
— "Keeping a strong connection to the school, and contributing in a small way to making sure the very best are in the class."
— "I love the school. I have a good 'no jerk' radar."
— "I meet many exceptional people and get to share the joy of the GSB experience."
—"I am inspired by the interviewees' amazing contributions made and their aspirations to change the world. I also have made lasting friendships with some of them as they keep in touch during and after their MBA at the GSB!"

What is your role as an interviewer?
— "Getting past the ‘prepared answer’ to something genuine/telling."
— "Spending time trying to discover the unique strengths and weaknesses of each candidate."
— "The interview is as much a fluid, casual conversation as anything else. I aim to put the applicants I interview at ease so that we can have an enjoyable conversation."
— "Getting to the essence of a candidate - who they really are, what makes them tick, why they want/need an MBA, why Stanford."
— "I put a lot of effort into getting to know the interviewee, and I really enjoy listening to them. Also I give them the benefit of the doubt and always try to let them give the best answers they can."
— "I try to take the time to really understand the candidate's motivations, strengths and weaknesses, and provide a candid assessment, and I also work hard to represent the school well."

How would you recommend that candidates best prepare for their interview?
— "Understand who you are and be yourself. Overprepared answers stand out as not being genuine."
— "Think critically about how your experiences (work, extracurricular, college, etc.) have shaped you and your motivation to attend business school, specifically the GSB. Be able to condense these experiences into effective conversation pieces."
— "We are pushing hard to dive into candidate's personal accomplishments. I don't think there is any real preparation necessary...other than a good night's sleep and willingness to talk about themselves."
— "Be prepared to have a real conversation."
— "Have a strong story on why the GSB. Demonstrate that you have done your homework and you want to attend this school. It is obvious when the GSB is one of many choices."

More information about interviews is available on our website.

Spring Quarter is my favorite time of the year. I hope that you will join us for some fun, sun, and admission events!

On Wednesday, 7 March 2012, registration will open for Spring Quarter Class Visits, Information Sessions, and Knight Management Center Tours. Information Sessions will begin on Monday, 2 April 2012, Class Visits will begin on Friday, 13 April 2012, and Knight Management Center Tours will begin on Monday, 16 April 2012.

Visiting the Stanford GSB is a great way to get to know our program better, but a campus visit is neither required nor expected. Out of fairness to all applicants, we do not give preferential treatment in the admission process to those who have visited the GSB.

For detailed information about our events, please visit our on-campus event page.

Take care,
Madison Kawakami
Admissions Coordinator

Now available on Stanford on iTunes U, download "New Sights on Campus," an enhanced podcast that takes you on a stroll through some recent additions to Stanford's campus.

The tour begins at the Knight Management Center at the Monument to Change as it Changes art installation. You'll also visit the east side of campus, including the Stanford School of Medicine.

The podcast can be viewed online or downloaded to a smartphone.

Recordings of two recent webinars are now posted on our website at web-based events. These webinars may answer some of your questions about a unique scholarship opportunity offered by Eli Lilly in collaboration with Stanford as well as how the Stanford GSB can prepare you for a career in Africa.

Stanford MBA Admissions Webinar for Prospective Students in Africa (held 30 November 2011)
Featuring Chinezi Chijioke, MBA 2005; Andreata Muforo, MBA 2009; Seun Oloruntimehin, MBA 2012; and Tayo Oviosu, MBA 2005

The Charles P. Bonini Partnership for Diversity Fellowship Program (P4D) (held 8 December 2011)
Featuring Allison Osler, MBA 2010; Tiffany Abdullahi, MBA 2013, and Juan-Pablo Mas, MBA 2011.

Stanford GSB alumni become an integral part of your MBA experience through active participation as mentors, class speakers, project resources, and recruiters. They are also renowned for staying involved with the Stanford community long after graduation.

An alum who epitomizes this spirit of giving back is Steven Denning, MBA 1978, who was just elected chair of the Stanford University Board of Trustees. In addition to supporting the University, Denning continues to volunteer for the Stanford GSB where he is a member and former chair of the school's Advisory Council.

Please join us in congratulating Steven Denning on his election to chair of the Stanford University Board of Trustees.

Read more at Steven A. Denning elected chair of Stanford University Board of Trustees

Last week I attended a presentation by one of our Japanese alums, Kenji Tateiwa '04, who was in the thick of the Fukushima nuclear accidents in March 2011. Kenji shared with an audience of Stanford alumni his experience as a nuclear engineer and manager at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which owns and operates the nuclear power stations that were severely damaged by the tsunami. This was a rare opportunity to hear the facts from someone on the inside, including information that is not well-known to the public. It was both harrowing and moving to hear Kenji quote from the workers on-site who were dealing with the crisis in darkness with only flashlights and who believed they may never see their families again. Kenji began his presentation by sharing part of his "What matters most to you" essay from his application to Stanford 10 years ago. It was inspiring to hear the aspirations he expressed in his essay about his "dream of establishing a perfect energy world -- one sustainable from an energy point of view and protective of mother nature". And, now, to see what a critical role he is playing in strengthening the U.S.-Japan relationship so that the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident can enhance nuclear safety worldwide. Kenji said that the GSB mantra of "Change lives, change organizations, change the world" guides him in this important work.

UPDATE Japan's Nuclear Crisis Points To Need For Sharing Crisis-Management Talent

Allison