Stanford Graduate School of Business
Why Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)?
At Stanford GSB, everything centers around transformation of your thinking, your career, and your sense of what's possible. Set in the heart of Silicon Valley, it's a place where you're encouraged to take bold swings, challenge convention, and build things that don't yet exist. The school looks for people who are curious, driven, and ready to lead in unconventional ways. Whether you want to launch a startup, bring new thinking to an old industry, or scale impact through policy or investing, GSB is designed to help you take those ideas from spark to reality.
Entrepreneurship is in the air at Stanford. From access to VC networks and faculty with real-world experience to student-led funds and startup garages, the school gives you room to experiment and the support to make it real. If you're the kind of person who sees opportunity where others see risk and you're excited by the idea of shaping the future rather than simply adapting to it, Stanford GSB gives you the platform to do just that.
🎓 MBA Class Profile (Class of 2026)
Key Demographics
- Enrolled Students: 424
- Acceptance Rate: 6.8%
- Yield Rate: 85.1%
- Women: 44%
- International Students: 39%
- US Minorities: 48%
Academic Profile
- Average GPA: 3.75
- Average GMAT: 738
- GRE Verbal: 163
- GRE Quantitative: 164
- Average Work Experience: 5.1 years
💼 Employment Statistics (Class of 2024)
Job Placement
- Median Base Salary: $185,000
- Median Signing Bonus: $30,000
- Received Offers (within 3 months): 88%
*Not all offers included a signing bonus
Top Industries
- Financial Services: 37%
- Technology: 22%
- Consulting: 14%
- Healthcare: 6%
- CPG / Retail: 4%
🎤 Interview Tips
Unique Interview Features:
Stanford GSB interviews are typically conducted by alumni and are highly personalized. Interviewers often explore your experiences in depth, seeking to understand the "why" behind your decisions and actions. Expect follow-up questions that probe into your motivations, thought processes, and the impact of your actions on others.
| Unique Questions Common to Stanford | Prep Tips |
|---|---|
| Describe a situation where you faced a significant challenge. | Choose a scenario where you encountered a substantial obstacle, such as managing a project with limited resources and a tight deadline. Discuss how you prioritized tasks, motivated your team, and navigated the constraints to deliver the project successfully. Emphasize your problem-solving skills and resilience. |
| Describe an experience where you influenced others without formal authority. | Think of a time when you persuaded colleagues to adopt a new process or idea. For example, you identified inefficiencies in a workflow and proposed a new system. By presenting data and facilitating discussions, you gained buy-in and implemented changes that improved productivity. |
| Tell me about a time when you failed to reach your goals. | Be honest and reflective in choosing a meaningful failure. For instance, you might have missed a major deadline because you underestimated the timeline and overcommitted your team. Share what you learned and how it changed your approach going forward. Expect the interviewer to dig deeper — they may ask "why" multiple times to understand your mindset and decision-making. When preparing, go beyond surface-level details and explore the root causes and personal lessons of the experience. |
Note: For a full list of potential interview questions, check out our MBA interview guide.
📅 Application Deadlines
| Round | Application Deadline | Decision Notification |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | September 12, 2023 | December 7, 2023 |
| Round 2 | January 4, 2024 | March 28, 2024 |
| Round 3 | April 2, 2024 | May 16, 2024 |
Note: All applications are due by 4:00 PM PST on the day of the deadline.