Post by The Art of Applying Consultant Elisa The biggest differentiator for Cornell is the high quality of education in a collaborative, supportive environment. The Johnson school provides practical interdisciplinary experiences and individual attention to students in its small program. This fosters a strong sense of community and gives the MBA students a diverse network of peers and alumni. It’s no surprise that their application essays for 2016-17 focus on how you, as a prospective student, will contribute to this community.
Essay 1
At Cornell, we value students who create impact. Please indicate the opportunities for impact that you have identified through engagement with our community and describe how these interactions have influenced your decision to apply to Johnson. Please limit your response to 500 words or fewer. This question is twofold because it focuses on why you are applying to Johnson and how your admission will impact the Johnson community.
- You should clearly state what differentiates Johnson from the other business schools of its caliber.
- You should identify one to two elements of the education that resonate with your past experience and future aspirations.
- Then, you should illustrate how your past skills and potential will align with the differentiators of the Johnson experience.
Clearly state what differentiates Johnson from other business schools of its caliber.
This question also focuses on how you will shape the Johnson community academically during your studies and after you return to the workforce. Find a few activities, both academic or extracurricular, that support what you want to do after business school and write about them. You’ll make an even bigger impact if you contact current students or recent alumni to learn more about Johnson has to offer to supplement your core education. Don’t be afraid to mention the Cornell alumni you have spoken with in your essay. You’ll also want to use this limited space to talk about how your education and impact on the community at the Johnson School will serve your future. How will Johnson prepare you to achieve your ultimate career goals?
You’ll make an even bigger impact if you contact current students or recent alumni to learn more. Don’t be afraid to mention them in your essay.
Table of Contents Essay
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. Maximum file size is 5 MB. If you choose to submit a written Table of Contents, please limit your submission to 500 words or fewer. Please limit multimedia submissions to under 5 minutes. This is an interesting way for the admissions committee to learn, at a high level, about your past, your reasons for applying, and your future aspirations. You can use the list approach to this question, like a standard table of contents. However, you may be better served by providing more information about each of your chapters. Make sure to put time and thought into the medium you use to communicate your table of contents. After all, the prompt mentions several alternative submission formats. Time and effort on this part of the application will demonstrate your commitment to the school.
Make sure to put time and thought into the medium you use to communicate your table of contents.
The prompt gives a nod to the values of the school, so make sure you are authentic and creative in your approach. Inject your humor, voice, and personality while you provide a 5000-foot view of your past experiences, your upcoming life at Johnson, and your future professional achievements. This is your opportunity to differentiate yourself as a candidate, so be sure to provide a well rounded representation of your whole self—professional and personal.
Be sure to provide a well-rounded representation of your whole self—professional and personal.
Optional Essay
Complete this essay if you would like to add additional details regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate record or test scores) do not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson. If you are reapplying for admission, please use this essay to indicate how you have strengthened your application since the last time you applied. Please limit your response to 500 words or fewer. Here at The Art of Applying, we recommend applicants always consider submitting the optional essay. Use this space to explain any liabilities in your application. Be honest, concise, and identify how you will act to improve on the liabilities before you attend or during your time at the school. If you are reapplying, you will want to address any weaknesses you believe contributed to why you were not accepted previously and discuss the actions you have taken to strengthen your candidacy and overall application. Be specific in the steps that you took to fill those gaps and quantify how you have improved.
We recommend applicants always consider submitting the optional essay.
Best of luck on your Cornell Johnson application!
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