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 consulting industry after graduation (42% of its Class of 2023), 35% accepted roles in the consulting industry, 11% joined the technology and telecommunications industry, 4% went into consumer packaged goods, and 8% 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
- Cornell Johnson application deadlines
- Cornell Johnson class profile
Cornell Johnson application essay tips
Goals Statement: 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 to you at Johnson as well as any existing resources you bring to the program to help you secure your post-MBA career goal.
Consider your goal for immediately after you graduate from Johnson. The adcom wants to know that you understand the industry and role you are listing. You must clearly comprehend the skills required to land the job. Additionally, you must conduct a skills gap analysis. Consider what skills you have already developed to some level in your career and which you still need to gain. Yes, the career office will be your partner during your MBA journey, but the adcom needs to know that you are aware of the challenge ahead of you with respect to your job search.
This essay allows 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 skills you need 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, 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.
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 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. One or two meaningful examples of how you have made an impact previously will serve as the building blocks for your response to the second part of this question: what impact will you make at Johnson? Based on your research 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?
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, whether 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 train 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).
If you are a reapplicant, use this space to demonstrate that you have made considerable efforts to improve your candidacy. Perhaps you have improved 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.
If you are a first-time applicant, you should use this space to address any meaningful issue that you feel has not yet been addressed in the application. For example, if you believe your grades require some explanation, if you have a gap in your employment, or if you have chosen a nontraditional recommender for any reason, this is the space to explain.
Park Leadership Fellows Program Essay (optional, Two-Year MBA only): The Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows Program is a two-year, full-tuition fellowship award for Two-Year MBA candidates in Ithaca 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.
To receive consideration for the fellowship, you must submit your online application during the October or January Application Rounds or by the Consortium Early Application or Consortium Traditional Application Deadlines, complete the enclosed essay regarding leadership, and be invited to attend a Johnson Leadership Exploration and Assessment Day (L.E.A.D.) event.
To apply for the Park Fellowship, please complete this essay (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 a story that is not only about a leadership experience but also about one in which that 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 impact on your community – ideally, a lasting one.
Johnson Cornell application deadlines
| Round 1 | September 18, 2024 |
| Round 2 | January 9, 2025 |
| Round 3 | April 10, 2025 |
Source: Johnson website.
***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with 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 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!
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