Cornell Johnson

Ithaca, NY · Private · 2-year full-time (Two-Year MBA)

Median GMAT Focus: 660
Median GPA: 3.40
Class size: 276 (Class of 2027)
Median base salary: $175,000 (Class of 2025)
Program tuition: $177,868 (≈ 2 × first-year tuition)

Deadlines

Round 1: Sept. 17, 2026
Consortium Early: Oct. 15, 2026
Round 2: Jan. 5, 2027
Consortium Traditional: Jan. 5, 2027
Round 3: April 6, 2027

Essays

Goals statement (Fill-in-the-blank goals plus a short answer)

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: 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 leverage your unique qualities and utilize the resources available to you at Johnson to transition to your immediate post-MBA career goal.

Essay 1: Impact essay (choose Essay 1 or Essay 2) (350 words)

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?

Essay 2: Table of Contents essay (choose Essay 1 or Essay 2) (350 words if written; multimedia under 3 minutes; files up to 25 MB)

You are the author of your Life Story. Please create the table of contents for the book in the space provided or upload it as an attachment. We value creativity and authenticity and encourage you to approach this essay with your unique style. Alternative submission formats may include a slide presentation, links to pre-existing media (personal website, digital portfolio, YouTube, etc.), as well as visually enhanced written submissions.

Optional essay (350 words)

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.

Reapplicant essay (optional essay slot; required for reapplicants) (350 words)

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

Park Leadership Fellows Program essay (invitation only) (500 words)

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?

Test waiver statement (only if requesting a waiver) (100 words)

Please prepare a short statement that describes your personal circumstance and provide a clear and compelling argument for why you will flourish in our rigorous academic environment (100 words).

Editor's notes

Round 1 is gone, so Jan. 5 is your real deadline unless you're applying through The Consortium by Oct. 15. Cornell says early applicants get the best scholarship consideration, and students who start without a scholarship shouldn't expect one in the second year. Round 3 in April is reviewed on a space-available basis. Treat January as the main event.
Your file has to earn the interview. After the first review, Cornell sends one of three answers: interview, waitlist without an interview or denial, and the interview is required for admission. Write goals you could explain in depth out loud, because you may have to.
Goals matter early here. Johnson puts its industry immersion in the first year, before the summer internship, which means you're choosing a lane within months of arriving. That's why the goals statement asks for a role, a company and an industry. Vague goals fit badly with this curriculum.
Think twice about the test waiver. A score is required for the Sage Scholars award, and Cornell says it may advise you to test anyway if your target recruiting needs it. With 41% of the Class of 2025 in financial services, that advice applies to a lot of applicants.