School guides · 2026-27

Cornell Johnson

The essay prompts, word limits and deadlines for 2026-27, and what Cornell Johnson says it looks for. Always check the official site before you submit.

Essays

Goals statement

350 words

Use this short-answer section to succinctly share your short- and long-term goals. Immediately post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) [Role] at [Company] within [Industry]. 5-10 years post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) [Role] at [Company] within [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.

Impact or Table of Contents

350 words

Choose one of the two essays. (1) Impact essay: How do you intend to make a meaningful impact on the Johnson community? (2) Table of Contents essay: You are the author of your Life Story. Write its table of contents. A written table of contents is limited to 350 words; you may instead submit slides, a visually enhanced document, links to existing media or multimedia under 3 minutes (attachment up to 25 MB).

Second essay

350 words · optional

Optional second essay: the one of the two essays (Impact or Table of Contents) that you did not choose.

Optional essay

350 words · optional

Use this space to address any meaningful issue you feel has not yet been addressed in your application. If you are reapplying for admission, please use this essay to indicate how you have strengthened your application.

Deadlines

R1September 17, 2026
R2January 5, 2027
R3April 6, 2027

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Sources

Last checked November 7, 2026. Storylode is not affiliated with Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell.