Essay 1:Describe your greatest professional achievement and how you were able to add value to your organization. (400 word limit)

Essay 2: What career do you plan to pursue upon completion of an MBA degree and why? How will the Johnson School help you achieve this goal? (400 word limit)

Essay 3: You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. Please write the Table of Contents for the book. (400 word limit)

Essay 4: Complete this essay if there is other information you would like to add regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate GPA or test scores) does not accurately reflect your potential for success at the Johnson School. (Optional; 400 word limit)

Essay 5: Describe the measures you have taken to strengthen your application since you last applied to the Johnson School. (Required for all re-applicants; 400 word limit) :

The complete Cornell/Johnson application can be accessed here.

Though Johnson has added a new question this year, bringing the total number of required essays to three, its application remains relatively short as compared to most other schools.  Thus, some will find it challenging to present a comprehensive and truly rounded picture of one’s candidacy.  It is therefore important to approach these essays carefully and arrive at topics that are truly representative of your most important qualities.  Fortunately, the new prompt offers applicants an opportunity to exercise balance and creativity in presenting the big picture of their candidacies.

Essay 1: Describe your greatest professional achievement and how you were able to add value to your organization (400 words)
This is your fairly standard workplace achievement question. When selecting a topic, make sure that you are choosing a story that highlights your interpersonal skills and ability to work with others in addition to your capacity to effect positive change. Keep in mind that there are two main points you’ll need to cover: the impact you made on your organization and the process by which you brought this about. It’s important that you provide quantifiable details and present the reader with a before and after picture in order to really illustrate the significance of your contribution. In addition to this, you’ll want to explain the thought process behind your approach and the steps you followed, as the explanation of your reasoning is really what’s going to show the adcom that you possess the skills and knowledge that would enable you to replicate this level of impact in another job and make a valuable contribution to the business school itself.

Essay 2: What career do you plan to pursue upon completing the MBA and why? How will the Johnson School help you achieve this goal? (400 words)
This typical MBA career goals essay requests that you articulate your professional objectives and reasons for your interest in the school, and poses the added challenge of doing so in 400 words. Economy of language will be key here, as you may need to provide a very brief overview of your career to date in addition to the requested information, so as to establish a basis for your goals and demonstrate that you would bring a valuable perspective to the MBA classroom. There won’t be any room for a discussion of the general merits of a business education here - it will be crucial to include a significant amount of school-specific information to prove that you’ve done your homework on Cornell and are sincerely interested in the program.

Essay 3:  You are the author for the book of Your Life Story.  Please write the Table of Contents for the book. (400 words)
This unusual new prompt calls for a high-level and non-narrative overview of an applicant’s life to date.  Of course, there’s still a good deal of room for strategy and creativity; while the structure is set, candidates are free to decide which eras or events to highlight, how to title each chapter, and so on.  Though relying on a list format might be a viable approach, candidates will likely get more mileage out of this essay by structuring information in paragraphs or a series of sub-sections under broad chapter headings, offering a description of that “chapter” in your life and drawing out the important themes of the story.

As for the content itself, the admissions committee is likely looking for a sense of each candidate’s background, as well as his or her trajectory and growth over time.  Touch on those events and accomplishments that are most meaningful and important to you, highlighting the ones that have shaped your personal development.  Remember, though, that this is a b-school application, so you will also want to share information that is relevant to your current work and your future objectives without too much repetition of points raised in your other essays.

Optional Essay: Complete this essay if there is other information you would like to add regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate GPA or test scores) do(es) not accurately reflect your potential for success at the Johnson School (400 words)
This essay is set up as a place to address extenuating circumstances or issues with your application.