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Meet the NYU Stern Class of 2021: Diverse and Highly Academically-Inclined

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NYU Stern got a jump start on introducing their Full-Time MBA Class of 2021. This week, they released their preliminary class profile on their admissions website.

Of the 3,518 applicants hoping to join the NYU Stern Class of 2021, only 919 were admitted and 359 enrolled, for a 26 percent admission rate. Those students are, on average, 28 years old and have 5.2 years of professional experience. A few of them were also fresh graduates, with 3 percent having no work experience.

Dramatic Jumps in Academic Performance

One of the major highlights from the Stern Class of 2021 is the improved academic performance of the candidates.

  • The average GMAT score rose 5 points, from 716 to 721
  • Average GPAs increased from 3.45 to 3.52

There was also quite a difference regarding undergraduate majors. While a quarter of the Class of 2020 majored in business, that percentage increased to 30 for the new group.  Meanwhile, the choice of engineering, math, or science as a major matched last year’s candidates at 22 percent. The third most popular major for the Class of 2021 was social sciences (19 percent) followed by economics (15 percent). This is a reverse of last year when a fifth of the class were economics majors.

Women on the Rise, Veterans Hold Steady

The Stern Class of 2021 is expected to arrive on campus with more women than last year—female enrollment rose from 35 percent to 36 percent. However, international diversity decreased slightly. Only 33 percent of the Class of 2021 maintains international citizenship in 37 different countries, compared to 39 percent last year.

There was also a slight decrease in the number of minorities represented in the student body. In the Class of 2021, around a quarter of students (24 percent) identify as minorities, 9 percent of whom are underrepresented minorities. That’s down from 29 percent and 13 percent from last year. However, 7 percent of students are still U.S. Military veterans or on active duty, which is owed in part to the Fertitta Veterans Program.

Work Experience and Industry Background

Students entering the NYU Stern Class of 2021 come from a wide range of industries and backgrounds, the most popular being financial services (28 percent). After that, prior industries are widely mixed with no other industry breaching 12 percent of the class. They include:

  • Consulting, 11 percent
  • Technology, 9 percent
  • Consumer, Products, Retail, 7 percent
  • Nonprofit, Arts, Education, 7 percent

To see the full profile as of July 31, 2019, visit the Stern Full-Time MBA admissions website.

Kelly Vo
Kelly Vo is a writer who specializes in covering MBA programs, digital marketing, and topics related to personal development. She has been working in the MBA space for the past four years in research, interview, and writing roles.