If you are looking for a small MBA class in an idyllic location with warm and genuine classmates, then Cornell Johnson might be the business school for you. While the largest portion of Johnson’s graduates typically enter the financial services industry after graduation (42% of its Class of 2024), 31% accepted roles in the consulting industry, 11% joined the technology and telecommunications industry, 4% went into consumer packaged goods, and 12% took positions in a diversity of other industries, reflecting the school’s strong quant, analytical, and marketing curricula. 

Cornell’s class of approximately 300 students is known to be close-knit and collaborative. Most first-year students choose to spend their second semester in an Immersion Experience, a unique combination of course and field work that positions them to thrive in their summer internships.

In this post, I’ll break down Johnson’s essay questions, along with the admissions office’s guidance, and offer my tips on responding to each.

Ready to get to work on your Cornell Johnson application? Read on.

Cornell Johnson application essay tips

Goals Statement – Use this short-answer section to succinctly share your short- and long-term goals. If you’re invited to interview, you will have the opportunity to elaborate on your statement further, and you should be prepared to connect your prior experience with your future aspirations.

Goals Statement Prompt: A statement of your goals will begin a conversation that will last throughout the admissions process and guide your steps during the MBA program and experience. To the best of your understanding today, please share your short and long- term goals by completing the following sentences and answering the enclosed short answer question (350 words maximum):

Immediately post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) [Role] at [Company] within [Industry].
Targeted Job Role:
Target Job Company:
Industry:

In 5–10 years post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) [Role] at [Company] within [Industry].

Targeted Job Role:
Target Job Company:
Industry:

Please share how you plan to utilize the resources available at Johnson, as well as any personal resources to transition to your immediate post-MBA career goal.

Consider your goal for the position you want to secure immediately after you graduate from Johnson. The adcom wants to know that you understand the industry and role you are targeting. You must clearly comprehend the skills required to land the job. Additionally, you must conduct a skills gap analysis. Consider the skills you have already developed to some extent in your career and those you still need to acquire. Yes, the career office will be your partner during your MBA journey, but the adcom needs to know that you are aware of the challenges ahead of you with respect to your job search. 

This essay enables you to convey your motivation for a goal that is achievable, even if it might be a stretch, by presenting a clear outline of your plan for developing the necessary skills and enhancing your existing ones. What experiences have you had that have laid the groundwork for transferrable skills? As you have researched and learned about the Johnson MBA program, what opportunities have you identified that will allow you to develop the skills you don’t yet have? Speak to Johnson students and recent graduates to learn about the recruiting process, positions available, and the qualifications, if any, that students must have to enter your field of interest. As you prepare this essay, connect the dots between what you have done and what you want to do.  

Again this year, Cornell offers you the option of writing either the Impact Essay or The Unique Trait that Defines Me essay. Applicants must limit their response to 350 words.

Impact Essay: At Cornell, our students and alumni share a desire to positively impact the organizations and communities they serve.  How do you intend to make a meaningful impact on the Johnson community?

Your two-pronged answer to this prompt should first be backward-looking, to convey elements of your background and previous experiences that are the basis for some of what you can contribute. Offer one or two meaningful examples of how you have made an impact previously to serve as the building blocks for your response to the second part of the school’s question: what impact will you make at Johnson? Based on the research you’ve done on the program, consider opportunities outside of the classroom that resonate with you, and share specific examples that connect with your demonstrated impact in the first part of the essay, preparing you to be an active contributor at Johnson. Share two or three ideas of how you see yourself engaging with the community to make it better with you as a member.

The Unique Trait that Defines Me: What is something unique about you that others will remember you by, and how will this trait help you contribute and engage with the Cornell MBA community?

A trait can be physical or behavioral. For this essay, consider a trait or distinguishing quality about yourself that manifests in a pattern of behaviors. Johnson wants to know who you are and how you will make an impact on its community. For this essay, what is something about yourself that has made a difference in your life in terms of how you engage with others or how you have positively affected a situation?

Begin by explaining the trait and how it manifests in your daily life. For instance, perhaps you have an inclination to care for others. Whether showing compassion for or being present and attentive to someone, consider what has inspired you; perhaps it was your family upbringing or simply a personal drive that resulted from a difficult life event. 

Next, describe an example of a time when you demonstrated your care for others. Provide enough context to set up the situation, and share details about the actions you took. Finally, highlight the outcome and the positive impact you had on others in this situation.

As you reflect on this trait, think about how you can imagine demonstrating this trait within the Johnson community. What will the potential impact be? How will your classmates benefit from your involvement in their lives? How will they remember you?

Optional essay (required for reapplicants): You may use this essay to call attention to items needing clarification and to add additional details to any aspects of your application that do not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson (350 words maximum).

If you are reapplying for admission, please use this essay to indicate how you have strengthened your application and candidacy since the last time you applied for admission. Please also review our Application Guide for additional information about reapplying (350 words maximum).

Use this space to address any meaningful issue you feel has not yet been addressed in your application. For example, if you believe your grades require explanation, you have a gap in your employment history, or you have chosen a nontraditional recommender, this is the space to provide clarification.

If you are a reapplicant, use this essay to demonstrate that you have made considerable efforts to improve your candidacy. Perhaps you have boosted your GMAT score, taken on more leadership roles, reached out to additional Cornell students and staff to understand the program and how you will fit into it, and/or researched your career goals in greater depth.

Park Leadership Fellows Program Essay (optional): The Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows Program is a two-year, full-tuition fellowship award for Two-Year MBA candidates who have demonstrated outstanding leadership potential and who are committed to making an impact within their communities. Each year, fellowships are awarded to up to 25 incoming students with the expectation that they will participate in additional leadership and personal development activities outside of our regular curriculum, serve in leadership roles within the school, and complete a public service project by the time they graduate. The Park Fellowship is only available to U.S. citizens applying for the Two-Year MBA program.

Candidates being considered for the Roy H. Park Leadership Fellowship will be notified after their admissions interview with an invitation to join us for one of our virtual Leadership Exploration and Assessment Day (L.E.A.D.) events. Candidates invited to attend a LEAD event will be required to submit a response to the Park Fellows Essay.

Park Leadership Fellows Program Essay Prompt (500-word limit): Describe a past formal or informal leadership experience and how it informs your goals for growth as a leader. How would the Park Leadership Fellowship assist with these goals?

The Park Leadership Fellowship aims to bring a strong contingent of socially responsible leaders to Johnson. Up to 25 Park Fellowships are awarded each year, which means that nearly 9% of each incoming class will earn this award (and since 65% of the class is made up of U.S. citizens, approximately one-fourth of them could earn full sponsorship of their two-year MBA!). 

The best essays in response to this prompt will share not only a leadership experience but also one in which the leadership role was somewhat difficult (e.g., leading volunteers or people outside of your organization). Of course, your story also needs to demonstrate that you had a clear and lasting impact on your community.

Johnson Cornell application deadlines

Round 1	September 17, 2025
Round 2	January 8, 2026
Round 3	April 7, 2026

Source: Cornell Johnson website.

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Cornell Johnson directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Cornell Johnson class profile

Here is a look at the Johnson MBA Class of 2026 (data taken from the Cornell Johnson website):

Enrolled: 282

Median GMAT: 710

Median GPA: 3.4

Average age: 28

Average years of full-time work experience: 5.3

Women: 41%

Underrepresented minorities (Black/African American, Native American, and Hispanic American): 22%

Countries represented: 34

International origin: 35%

U.S. military: 9%

You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are in life. Now that you’re ready for your next achievement, make sure you know how to present yourself to maximum advantage in your Cornell Johnson application. In a hotly competitive season, you’ll want a member of Team Accepted in your corner, guiding you with expertise tailored specifically for you. Schedule a free consultation today!

As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, Kelly Wilson has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management. Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources

• Crafting Compelling MBA Goals Essays, a free guide
• The Business School Selectivity Index: GMAT Scores, GPAs, and MBA Acceptance Rates, a free tool
• How to Get Accepted to Cornell Johnson MBA, podcast Episode 586