Last week, the Veterans Club hosted Stanford GSB's 5th Annual Military Service Appreciation Dinner. The event honored George P. Shultz, former Secretary of State and Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution.

Steve G., a first-year MBA student and 11-year U.S. Navy veteran, shares his impressions from the event:

It was humbling to have a front row seat to hear George Shultz's reflections on 71 years of leadership and public service. "Troops come first; officers eat last," Shultz learned as a Marine Corps officer in the Pacific in 1942, and he never forgot as he served in three Presidential administrations, as Dean of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and as President and later a Director at Bechtel Corporation. "This ethic has been lost on society–do the best for the guys who work for you," he elaborated.

When he went through basic training at Parris Island, one of the first things his drill instructor taught him was "never point your rifle at someone unless you’re prepared to use it." It was a philosophy that guided him and President Reagan through Cold War diplomacy : "no empty threats."

He shared two more lessons from the Marine Corps that stayed with him–don't negotiate if you don’t have the ability to hold out for a good deal (learned while bargaining on a two-hour shore leave in the South Pacific), and, more seriously, if you're going to commit your troops to combat, make sure it’s a great mission; leaders have an obligation to make that decision very carefully.

Dr. Shultz addressed a sold-out dinner of 200 guests, including the veterans (U.S. and international) enrolled in the MBA and Sloan programs. The overwhelming response from the crowd–most of whom were faculty and students with no direct affiliation with the military–reminded me of how simple and enduring the leadership lessons from combat are, how international the military community really is, and how strong the ties are in a community that spans WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Semper Fi, Dr. Shultz!

George P. Shultz, former Secretary of State and Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution, speaking at the 5th Annual Military Appreciation Dinner.

This summer and fall, we will be hosting information sessions and other events across the globe. If you want to learn more about the Stanford MBA Program and the admission process, these events are the perfect opportunity.

Take a look at the cities we will be visiting. Events are still being finalized, so check back for updates.

Better yet, complete the Stay in Touch form, and we will send you invitations to events in your region.

We hope to meet you soon!

The big news about essay questions for application to the Class of 2016 is that there is no news. Last year, we reduced the number of essays from four to three, and increased the suggested word count in one of the essays. This worked really well, so essay questions are remaining the same as last year.

Bigger changes are taking place in the Letters of Reference requirements. We are streamlining the questions we ask your recommenders—merging two questions on the professional recommendation, and making the last of the four questions on the peer recommendation optional. We honed our questions to garner the most essential information needed to evaluate your application. This way, we ask only for what we need and your recommenders' time is well spent.

One other small change to the application: Last year we added a "Just for Fun" question that asked what your favorite food is. We found this made the admission readers hungry, so this year we’re asking what your favorite place is instead.

The 2013-14 application will be available in early July. Fill out our Stay in Touch form to receive notification. We hope to read your application for the Class of 2016!

For the second year, Stanford is hosting Tedx--a day of innovative and dynamic speakers, videos, and interactive art. Although the event is sold out, you can sign up to watch the free, live webcast on Saturday, 11 May 2013. Speakers and performers from across Stanford will share their world-changing ideas. Among them are Shirzad Camine, MBA '88, Zipho Sikhakhane, MBA '14, and GSB faculty member JD Schramm.

This year's TEDxStanford will discuss everything from the psychology of compassion and student breakthroughs in energy design, to oceanic and African wildlife studies.

Business in China is undergoing a transformation, and Stanford GSB alumni are at the forefront.

We just posted a new video that features agents of change in China. Watch them discuss the companies they are creating and leading, and how Stanford GSB helped them achieve their success.

Featured alumni include: Leo Chen, MBA 2009, founder and CEO of Jumei.com; Alan Du, MBA 2001, Vice President of Corporate Development of Renren; Victor Koo, MBA 1994, chairman and CEO of Youku Tudou Inc.; Wei Shu, MBA 2009, founder of Civo.im, and many others.

» Watch "Agents of Change: The Many Faces of Stanford GSB in China"

Christine H., Assistant Director of MBA Admissions, attended Sandberg's recent presentation at the GSB and shares her impressions.

The expression "Lean in" isn't new to HR professionals who have been using it for years. But Sheryl Sandberg, COO at Facebook and author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, wants to make it a movement. On 2 April, Sandberg gave the Jing Lyman Lecture at Stanford, presented by the Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Speaking to a packed house at GSB's Cemex Auditorium, she encouraged the audience to "do that one thing you think you can't do."

Sandberg focused on women "owning" their own success. She also urged the audience to become aware of, and have conversations about, gender bias. Some of the statistics Sandberg cited were startling. Only 14% of the top jobs in corporate America are held by women, and that number has not changed much in the past 10 years, despite the fact that women now outnumber men in earning undergraduate degrees (they also account for 43% of all GMAT test takers). Little has changed on the home front as well. Men account for just 4% of all stay at home parents. Why? Sandberg encouraged more discussion. She suggested that stereotypes are self-perpetuating, but knowledge can lead to change.

That is why Sandberg, along with Rachel Thomas, Debi Hemmeter and Gina Bianchini (MBA '01), founded leanin.org, an online community where women and men can go to educate and empower themselves, and support one another. Many of the educational materials available on leanin.org are produced in partnership with the Clayman Institute, and include videos from the Voices & Influence program which features GSB faculty, students, and alumnae.

Whether you want to join the conversation, or are just curious about what others have to say, check out leanin.org. And if you want to get a taste of some of the subjects that are taught at the GSB, watch these videos and learn about influence and power from Professor Deborah Gruenfeld, or discover the power of stories with Professor Jennifer Aaker.

There was one question Sandberg asked that I suspect many audience members are still thinking about: "What would you do if you weren't afraid?"

- Christine H.

Watch the complete video of Sheryl Sandberg's presentation.

We are very excited to announce the Stanford Africa MBA Fellowship Program. Why the enthusiasm?

Africa's opportunities and challenges position this frontier market for growth. We believe Stanford GSB can contribute to Africa's human and economic development by educating leaders committed to making an impact on the continent. This fellowship program is a critical step toward removing any financial barrier.

We also are keenly aware that Stanford GSB's international reputation as a leader in management education is built on the quality and diversity of our students. It is this broad range of experiences and backgrounds that fosters our distinctively collaborative community. African students are an important part of the GSB's student body, and they provide direct insight into an emerging global economy that will be increasingly powerful in business.

A few details about the Stanford Africa MBA Fellowship Program:

• If you are a citizen of an African country, can demonstrate financial need, and are admitted to the Stanford MBA Program, you are eligible for this program.

• The fellowship covers tuition and associated fees (approximately U.S. $140,000) for the two-year MBA Program.

• If you receive a Stanford Africa MBA Fellowship, you will be required to work in Africa for at least two years in a professional role that contributes to the continent's development.

• Stanford GSB will award up to eight fellowships annually.

This is a pilot program we expect to run for three to five years, and ultimately hope to scale globally.

» Read complete details about the Stanford Africa MBA Fellowship
» Read about Stanford GSB in Africa

Interested in new technology ventures? Along with your Stanford MBA, you now can earn a joint degree in Computer Science from Stanford's renowned Computer Science department. This exciting program joins the other Stanford MBA joint degree options: JD/MBA, MA Education/MBA, MPP/MBA, and MS Environment & Resources/MBA. Here are some details:

• Current applicants are eligible for the MS Computer Science/MBA joint degree program.
• The program will take 3 academic years (8 to 9 quarters) to complete.
• 129 units total are required, including 45 units of Computer Science courses and 84 units of MBA courses.
• You may "double-count" up to 21 units toward curricular requirements for the MBA and the MS. More than two dozen Stanford GSB courses count toward the MS requirements.
• You get to choose a specialization from one of the following nine areas: Artificial Intelligence, Biocomputation, Computer and Network Security, Database Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Real-World Computing, Software Theory, Systems, or Theoretical Computer Science.

As we get more information about this program, we'll post it to our Joint and Dual Degrees page. Better yet, fill out the Stay in Touch form (and check the box next to MS Computer Science/MBA), and we'll send you email updates.

Planning to apply to the Stanford MBA Program this fall? Because of our academic calendar, we typically aren't able to offer class visits in the fall prior to the Round 1 deadline in October. So if you'd like to sit in on a class before you apply, now is the time.

Even if you aren't applying in Round 1, spring is a great time to visit. The weather is unbeatable and MBA students are busy and happy.

As always, we know visiting campus isn't a reality for everyone. We don't expect it, nor does it play a role in your admission decision. We just like seeing you here.

Register for an event
Read more about on-campus events

The recent Future of Media Conference generated over 1200 tweets, with the majority originating from mobile phones. What's the future of media? Well, that in part sums it up. Mobile and on-demand. If this GSB student-organized event, the most tweeted in the school's history, drove one thing home, it is that the future of media to a large extent depends not only on the industry-leading companies that participated in the conference, but the ingenuity and ambition of the over 500 participants, including the many first- and second-year MBA students in attendance. In perhaps a telling sign, the conference was book-ended by keynote events led by GSB grads David Fischer, vice president, Business and Marketing Partnerships at Facebook, and Hunter Walk, director of product at YouTube, exemplifying how integral the GSB has been and will continue to be as the media industry evolves over the coming decades.

It's tough to sum up the future of media in 140 characters or less, but here's some of the most popular tweets of the day:

• Entrepreneurship @stanfordentrepr: Pandora makes more mobile revenue than Yahoo, Microsoft and Apple #fomc13


• Chris McGarry @cmcg: Neilsen is creating new #twitterTV rating to help marketers measure integrated strategies @gyalif #fomc13


• Vicki Slavina, @vslavina: Mobile Facebook users spend twice as much time on Facebook (11hrs vs. 5hrs)


• Kelley Cox @kellypcox: "In order to understand how we are similar, we also need to understand how we are different." #changetheworld #fomc13 @hunterwalk @youtube


• Dragos Bucurenci @bucurenci: Perfect closing for #fomc13 @StanfordBiz @hunterwalk: "Instead of changing the world, help the world change itself!"

Watch highlights from the Future of Media Conference.

Lizabeth C., Associate Director of MBA Admissions, offers some healthy tips on serving up a well-rounded and authentic application.

Living in California, I've begun to think about food differently. I understand what "California Cuisine" is all about - fresh, local ingredients prepared simply so you can taste the amazing flavors. Food that is actually a pleasure to eat. Not that I don't love certain processed foods, but I'm more aware of the difference between the two, and how much better I feel when I eat good food.

Getting up to read applications today, I thought about the parallel. Over the years I have seen more and more applicants over-strategizing, being "coached," or trying too hard to "package" themselves. Sometimes after a day of reading it can feel like I've eaten processed foods all day. There's less pleasure in it for me as a reader, but I think it matters beyond that.

To me, a great dish has good ingredients and is presented well. To put your best foot forward in your application and "present a great dish" to us, here's my advice:

• Try to find the right balance between "well presented" and "processed." We expect you to show us your best self, just make sure it is YOURself.


• Focus more on being a great candidate than on creating a great application. Follow your interests. Take the risk to try leading something or someone. Learn from your successes and failures, and apply that learning to do it better the next time. Step up for challenges. Do an excellent job.


• Stay true to yourself. Don't let anyone else tell you how you should be or what we want. You know yourself best, and if you want to know what we want, then come to us. That's why we travel around the world, do webinars, answer phones, and post on our website. Always go to the source.

Well, now that I've made myself hungry, I need to get back to reading. Happy cooking!

-LC

For the first time ever, Stanford GSB held an information session in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, a vibrant modern city of 14 million people and a key inland Chinese metropolis with offices of major Fortune 500 companies. It all started when Paul Chen, a first-year MBA from Chengdu, offered to hold an event for us when he was home for the winter school break. Over 160 prospective applicants turned out at the Shangri-La Hotel to hear Paul and a panel of GSBers talk about their experiences. Both working professionals and college students were there. Even some parents attended and milled in the lobby enjoying the sweets and tea. We were honored to have the deputy director general from the Office of External Affairs of the Chengdu government, the president of the Sichuan Youth League, and the vice-president of a local university in the audience.

Paul talked about his personal journey from Chengdu to Stanford and how he's learning from real global leaders like Dr. Condeleeza Rice, former Secretary of State, who is on the GSB faculty. Frank Hawke, the GSB's director based in Beijing, talked about Stanford's activities in China. The panel, comprised of first-year student Altaf Saiyed, and alumni Kevin Choo (CEO, Accessen Group, a Shanghai-based Sino-US joint venture and the second player in China's Plate Heat Exchanger industry), James Liu (COO of Renren.com), and Yi Xu (Founder of FocusEdu, an education startup based in Beijing) shared their experiences, took questions, and then chatted informally with the crowd.

Some of the comments from those who attended:
"Stanford students have the reputation of being innovative and down-to-earth. The interactions today further confirmed this to me."
"The thoughts of the alumni are very innovative and creative."
"Stanford has a great alumni network in China."
"I liked the openness of Stanford including faculty, alumni and curriculum."
"I felt the panel did a good job of addressing important issues."

Several people said they hoped that Stanford would host more events like this in Chengdu. Based on the tremendous success of our first event, we plan to be back again soon.

Altaf Saiyed MBA '14, James Liu MBA '00, Kevin Choo MBA '04, Yi Xu MBA '08 (left to right).

Frank Hawke, China Director for Stanford GSB.

Paul Chen MBA '14 talking with prospective applicants.

Prospective applicants at the Stanford information session.

With seven of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world, Africa is an emerging market rife with challenges and opportunities. Faraimose Kutadzaushe, MBA 2013, is optimistic about the future. Despite the recent economic challenges in his native Zimbabwe, he recently wrote for a Poets and Quants article, "I witnessed a spirit of mirco-entrepreneurship develop. That spirit made me want to take part in restoring my country's economy, even in some small, modest way. Those small companies that people start, they all contribute to our economy, so that's where I want to go with my life."

His desire to make an impact in his home country ultimately led him to apply to Stanford GSB, which he found to be a valuable introspective process. "I wrote an application that was really authentic to what I wanted to do. That made the process easier because I was writing about things that really resonated with me," he writes.

Read more about Faraimose's personal journey and advice for prospective students in the Poets and Quants article, "My Story: From Zimbabwe To A Stanford MBA."

Stanford University and the GSB are committed to playing a role in Africa's economic development. Want to know more? Attend The Stanford Africa Forum, Tomorrow's Africa: Where are the Builders? This year's theme focuses on changing the dialogue around business in African countries, from visions of the future to action toward turning those visions into reality. The keynote speaker is Mitchell Elegbe, managing director and CEO of Interswitch, the largest payment switching company in Nigeria. Register now.

Attending business school is a life-changing experience. Whether your acceptance letter is already hanging on the wall or if you haven't yet begun the application process, here are some ways to kick off the new year on your way to business school success.

• Take advantage of every learning opportunity at work before you begin business school. Stretch yourself to take on new challenges, even if you may not succeed at first.
• Give yourself time to think deeply about what matters most to you, and how going to business school will help you achieve your life goals.
• Winter and spring are great times for a campus visit. There are few better ways to get a feel for what's in store from a particular program.
• If you haven't yet applied, choose your recommenders carefully. Pick people who know you well and will take the time to write thoughtful recommendations.

Our Round 3 application deadline for the class of 2015 is 3 April 2013. You can read more about the process on our website, and consider visiting us for an info session and campus visit soon. Have a great year, and much luck to you in 2013!

On-campus events are winding to a close for 2012, but we've just opened registration for next quarter's offerings. Information sessions will resume on 7 January 2013, and class visits on 14 January. Find out more about these, and other on-campus events, on our website.

Visiting Stanford GSB is a great way to get to know our program better, but a campus visit is neither required nor expected. But we can virtually guarantee that, should you decide to visit, there will be no snow!

In two days, we will be admitting our first round of Class of 2015 MBA students, which is always a busy and exciting time for us. This leads right into the holiday season, during which time Stanford University shuts down and the MBA Admissions Office is closed (22 December-6 January). This gives us time to regroup as we head into Round 2 (which is a good thing, because, let's face it, we could use a breather at the conclusion of Round 1). Many of you applying in Round 2 probably plan to work on your application over the holiday break. If you have questions during our winter closure, please take a close look at our website; most of your questions are answered there. You can also submit questions via the website, but there will be a delay in our response.

As a reminder, the deadline for applying in Round 2 is 9 January 2013, 5:00 PM PST. We look forward to reading your application in the new year!

MYTH 1: If I worked full-time during or before college, I can count those months as "full-time work experience."
THE TRUTH: We value all work experience, including jobs or military service you've had before graduating college. We ask that in the box for “months of full-time work experience," you include only the months of full-time work experience SINCE you graduated from your undergraduate university, calculating the number of months from your college graduation until September 1, 2013. This is simply for data reporting purposes. You'll see that statistic in our class profile so we want the data to be consistent across the entire applicant pool. It has NOTHING to do with how we evaluate applications. If you pursued a full-time career prior to graduating college, we would be eager to hear about your personal journey and the choices you've made.

Since the application form doesn't fit every person's situation, we ask that applicants who have worked full-time before graduating college report that in the Part-Time Employment section and indicate 40 hours in the "hours/week" box. We read everything and will connect the dots that you were working before or throughout college. Also, the resume we ask you to submit will show us your career path.

MYTH 2: After I submit my application, I will receive regular updates on my status throughout the application process.
THE TRUTH: Unfortunately, we do not have the staff to update each applicant's status for every step in the process. When you submit your application via Hobson's ApplyYourself, you will receive an immediate message thanking you for your submission. Your application status in Hobson's ApplyYourself shows as "Submitted." Approximately two weeks after the application deadline, all applications are updated to "Your application is currently under review." This line will appear under the "Submission Status: Submitted" line. (Note that all applications are reviewed even if they are missing documents like recommendations. We will evaluate your application and make a decision based on the application documents that you submitted.) You will be contacted via email by our office if you are invited to interview; your application status will remain "Under Review." On the decision notification date, you will receive an email that the decision on your application has been posted. You will be directed to log into your Hobson's ApplyYourself account, where you will see your decision letter.

MYTH 3: It's critical to visit campus before I apply. If I can't schedule a visit before the application deadline, I'd better wait to apply in the next application round.
THE TRUTH: Visiting campus does not affect your chances of admission whatsoever. It may be of value to you as part of your research on which schools to apply to; that's up to you. Keep in mind that many of our applicants come from outside the U.S. so we couldn't expect everyone to visit. If you have only one chance to visit, come after you've been admitted for Admit Weekend, where you'll meet students, alumni, faculty, and your future classmates.

MYTH 1: If I work in a family business, am self-employed, or can't tell my boss that I'm applying, I will be at a disadvantage since I cannot get a recommendation from a current direct supervisor.
THE TRUTH: Rest assured that you are not the only applicant in this situation. You may not be disclosing to your employer that you are applying to business school. You may have started a new job recently, and your supervisor does not really know you that well. Perhaps you are self-employed, run your own company, or work in a family business where your direct supervisor is a relative (not a good choice for a recommendation! :-)) If you're in one of these situations, you just need to be a little more creative in terms of where you get your recommendation. You could ask anyone who is in a position to evaluate your work: a previous supervisor, a client, or a member of your board of directors.

MYTH 2: It is okay to submit more than 3 recommendations. In fact, more is better!
THE TRUTH: We discourage you from sending additional letters. More is not better. In fact, it can have the opposite of the intended effect as it adds an additional burden to our staff who read literally thousands and thousands of pages over the application season. When we receive additional letters of reference, we do add them to your application file, but there's no guarantee that they will be read.

MYTH 3: It is better to get my recommendations from three different sources to highlight different aspects of my professional and personal background.
THE TRUTH: It's your decision how to present yourself in your application, what to highlight and what to focus on. And, this goes for your choice of recommenders as well. Some applicants get all their references from work; others include references from outside of work. Some get all their references from their current employers; others include previous employers. There is no one right way. The mix of recommendations does not affect your chances of admission. When choosing a recommender, our best advice is to (1) choose someone who knows you really well and can provide the detail, examples, and specifics that support their assertions; and (2) choose someone who is truly enthused to write a recommendation for you and will spend sufficient time writing a thoughtful letter.

MYTH 4: Recommendations must be written in English.
THE TRUTH: Recommendations must be submitted in English, but we do not expect the English to be perfect in recommendations written by non-native speakers. We focus on the content of the letter, not the writing style, so we will ignore minor syntax or grammar errors or awkward phrasing. However, if you and your recommenders think that their English is not sufficient to convey complex ideas, it may be to your advantage to have them write in their native language and then get it translated into English either by a friend or colleague of the recommender, or from a paid service. The translation does not need to be from a paid service unless that is the only option available to the recommender. The translation is the responsibility of the recommender; the translator cannot be the applicant or a friend or family member of the applicant. Your recommender would then upload both the original language and the English translation into the recommendation form, and must also supply us with the name and contact information of the translator in case we have additional follow-up questions.

MYTH 1: The interview has a lot of weight so if I blow the interview, I have blown my chances of being admitted.
THE TRUTH: There is no specific weight assigned to the interview; the interview is one part of a comprehensive process. A positive interview does not guarantee admission, while a less than favorable interview does not, by itself, preclude admission. The written application, including the essays and letters of reference, is a critical part of the evaluation process. The interview is a key source of supplemental information.

MYTH 2: I received my interview invitation early in the round so it must mean I have a better chance of getting admitted.
THE TRUTH: The timing of your interview invitation reflects only the order in which your application was reviewed (and the order in which your application was reviewed doesn't mean anything, honest!). Interview invitations are extended from about a week or so after the round's deadline until about a week before the round's notification date, because it takes the Admissions Committee that entire period to review all applications thoroughly.

MYTH 3: I will be interviewed only if there is an alumni interviewer in my local area.
THE TRUTH: Please rest assured that we will work with you to match you with an interviewer. If there is none in your area, we may ask if you'd like to fly to another location or consider a "virtual" interview.

The Stanford MBA Program welcomed 398 new students to campus this academic year. As you may have noticed, the only real constant in Stanford MBA class profiles from year to year is that almost every statistic changes, and the Class of 2014 was no exception. There are many reasons for these fluctuations. With our small class size, even two students can, and do, shift a percentage here or there. But the most relevant factor is that our candidate pool is ever-changing.

These fluctuations also speak to our admission process: we don’t admit categories; we admit individuals. There are no quotas or targets in the admission process, and each applicant is evaluated entirely on his or her own merits. This is why we consider a class profile illustrative, rather than informative. In truth, there is no metric that can measure character.

Since we admit person by person, rather than group by group, we never know a priori what a class profile will reflect. Though the admission criteria remain constant, there were minor shifts in the Class of 2014 profile, including:

· The representation of international students increased to an all-time high of 42%, comprising 53 non-U.S. countries.

· U.S. minority representation reverted from last year's 20-year high of 27% to a more typical level of 20%. All types of diversity matter at Stanford. Our outreach efforts will continue to foster students whose unique perspectives will enhance our learning community.

· The breadth of undergraduate study continues to dazzle us. This year, a few more engineers and humanities majors joined the MBA program, with a handful fewer students who studied business.

· The industry mix changed slightly, but the absolute number both of schools, (especially non-U.S. institutions), and of organizations represented, reached an all-time high. Two-thirds of our new students are the sole person to come directly from that organization.

· Work experience in the class increased slightly to 4.2 years from 4.0 years. This is a peak for the last decade.

>> Read the Class of 2014 profile