Applying to Stanford GSB’s MBA? Here Are the Basics.

The Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) is a leading business school with special strengths in private equity and venture capital, entrepreneurship and social impact. Although it compares unfavorably to Harvard Business School (HBS) in certain metrics–as of 2019, its endowment is reported by Poets&Quants to be nearly $2 Billion lower, and HBS, thanks in part to its larger enrollment, consistently produces more CEOs, cabinet members, and other alumni in powerful positions–Stanford GSB is actually the most selective business school.

This low acceptance rate means that even if you are a great applicant, you are not guaranteed a place. Dean Emeritus Robert Joss famously remarked that he could “double the size of the incoming MBA class without even touching the quality,” and the corollary of this statement is that a large number of very well qualified applicants will be rejected each year.

As any MBA program does, Stanford wants to be appreciated for more than it’s historical reputation (for entrepreneurship, in this case). Stanford applicants would be well-advised to understand the school’s culture of emotional sharing (or over-sharing), giving feedback to each other, and pursuing a humanistic approach to business that relies on understanding the relationships between people. This may be good news for you if you’re a humanities major– Stanford admits far more people from this group than peer schools.

This profile lays out the basic facts about Stanford GSB and the resources you’ll need to further research the program.

For fast facts on getting into the Stanford MBA program see Your Chances at Stanford GSB: Acceptance Rate & Other Factors.

Class Size	424
Acceptance Rate	Does not disclose
GMAT Average	738
GPA Average	3.75
Average Age	Does not disclose
Avg. Years Work Experience	Does not disclose
Diversity Intl.	39%
Diversity Women	44%
Pre-MBA Industries	Consulting: 20% Investment…: 19% Technology: 14% Government/Education/Non…: 9% Consumer Products & Services: 7% Healthcare: 6% Financial Services: 6% Military: 5% Manufacturing: 4% Arts/Media/Entertainment: 3% Cleantech/Energy/Environment: 2% Other: 3%
Undergraduate Majors	Engineering: 31% Economics: 20% Business/Commerce: 18% Social Sciences: 16% Math/Sciences: 10% Arts/Humanities: 5%

The data above is from 2024 and represents the Stanford MBA class of 2026.
See the full report: Stanford GSB Class Profile

Student Experiences

Stanford GSB MBA Employment Report & Careers

Salary Average	$231,259.00
Offers Upon Graduation	71%
Offers At 3 Mos.	89%
Post-MBA Industries	Finance: 38% Investment Management: 2% Private Equity: 18% Venture Capital: 13% Other: 5% Technology: 24% Consulting: 15% Enterprise: 10% Consumer: 9% Consumer: 9% Health Care: 4% Consumer Products: 3% Energy: 3% Media / Entertainment: 2% Real Estate: 2% FinTech: 2% Other: 3% NonProfit: 1% EdTech: 1% Automotive: 1% Other: 5% Total 100%
Post-MBA Locations	North America: 93% Mid-Atlantic: 2% Midwest: 3% Northeast: 31% South: 3% Southwest: 3% West: 50% Canada: <1%
Post-MBA Companies	Does not disclose
Career Development Resources	Stanford GSB Career Support

The data above is from 2023 and represents the career statistics for the Stanford MBA class of 2023.
See the full report: Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA 2023-2024 Employment Report

Stanford GSB MBA Academic Programs 

MBA Curriculum

The Stanford MBA program curriculum is segmented into 6 quarters: the autumn, winter, and spring quarters of year one, and the autumn, winter, and spring quarters of year two. The GSB required curriculum spans over the first year of the program, where students take fixed core classes in the autumn quarter, and select from a limited variety of classes during the winter and spring quarters. Students must also complete one Global Experience requirement. GSB’s elective curriculum allows students to choose from at least 100 courses in their second year. These courses vary by year. Some of the current courses offered at Stanford are Strategic Philanthropy and Impact Investing, Media Entrepreneurship, Investing for Good, Strategic Pivoting for your Next Chapter, and Making Social Ventures Happen by Attracting Financial and Human Capital.

Explore the full list of course offerings: Stanford GSB course bulletin 

Majors

The Stanford MBA leads to a comprehensive general management degree. Although GSB does not offer majors, students choose their electives from nine different academic areas: 

• Accounting
• Finance
• Economic Analysis and Policy
• General and Interdisciplinary
• Marketing
• Organizational Behavior
• Operations, Information and Technology
• Political Economics
• Strategic Management

Experiential Learning Programs

GSB offers a range of opportunities through their Social Entrepreneurship Program and the Stanford GSB Impact Fund.

Research Centers

GSB has seven research initiatives and two research centers: 

• Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, which focuses on issues faced by entrepreneurs and growing companies 
• Center for Social Innovation, which focuses on social and environmental change

MBA International Study Programs

GSB requires students to complete at least one global experience in their first year. Students can choose from four experiences.

• Global Management Immersion Experience: Students spend four weeks in a foreign country working on projects during the summer.
• Global Seminars: Seminars provide an in-depth coverage of a global business topic, and students spend eight to ten days in the seminar location. 
• Global Study Trips: Travel to an international location for eight to ten days in a group of 20 to 30 students to develop a strong understanding of a global issue.
• Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program: Collaborate with students from Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management on academic projects.

GSB also allows students to create their own independent study or global internship.

Video Resources on Stanford GSB Academics

Stanford GSB MBA Application

The latest application requirements set by the Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA admissions office are described in the links below.

Essays

Here are the prompts for Stanford GSB’s most recent application cycle:

Video Resources on Stanford GSB Admissions

Stanford GSB MBA Admissions Interviews

The majority of admissions interviews are conducted by Stanford GSB alumni. Interviewers are trained to focus especially on behavioral questions, asking numerous follow-up questions to understand exactly what you did in each situation and why. Interview reports from our clients indicate that the variability from interviewer to interviewer in terms of length, style and content is high.

Read more: The MBA Interview for Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford GSB School Useful Links

Admissions Info	MBA Program Home Page Admissions Home Page Application Requirements
How to Apply	Request Information Start an Application
Meet Stanford GSB	Visit Campus Admissions Events – Upcoming Admissions Events – Recorded
Do Your Research	Insights by Stanford Business A Week in the Life – Stanford GSB Students Stanford GSB Newsroom Faculty Directory

What Makes Stanford GSB Unique?

Touchy Feely: This incredibly popular course about interpersonal dynamics is the single most famous aspect of the Stanford GSB.  Be warned–it is difficult to say anything fresh about this topic in your essays!

Stanford University’s Six Other Schools: Stanford’s campus is designed with the GSB at the center, with the other graduate schools radiating outward from it.  Many GSB students take courses at these schools, or design programs at the d.school.

TALK: This is a forum for Stanford students to speak publicly to their classmates about highly intimate personal stories.  You won’t find a homepage for this club with recordings of previous sessions–but some Googling for “Stanford GSB TALK” will bring back more information about this tradition.

Ready to Apply?

Stanford’s MBA is one of the most competitive programs in the market, and creating a strong application requires a solid strategy. Applicants can benefit from the help of an MBA consulting service, ensuring they leave no stone unturned in the Stanford GSB application.

*All data retrieved from the Stanford GSB MBA Program webpages, unless otherwise stated.