What are the word limits for Stanford GSB's and Wharton's MBA essays?
Stanford GSB currently structures its application around two essays, with caps of 650 and 350 words. Wharton takes a different approach, asking for two short-form responses limited to 50 and 150 words, plus one additional essay capped at 350 words.
If you are applying to Stanford GSB or Wharton, you are working with very different word limits, so it helps to know the exact caps before you start drafting. Neither school uses one long, generic essay format.
Word Caps by School
| School | Essay | Word Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford GSB | Essay A | 650 words |
| Stanford GSB | Essay B | 350 words |
| Wharton | Short response 1 | 50 words |
| Wharton | Short response 2 | 150 words |
| Wharton | Longer essay | 350 words |
What This Means for Your Drafting Process
Because Wharton's short responses are so tightly capped, you need to be far more selective with your wording than you would be for Stanford's longer 650 word essay. Treat each prompt as its own writing exercise rather than reusing one draft across both applications.
My Advice
Write your Wharton short responses last, after you have distilled your key points through the longer Stanford style essay, since compressing an idea is usually easier once you already know exactly what you want to say.
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