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Quick Answer: If you’re applying to Cornell, understanding the essay component is key to standing out.
Cornell essays are a critical part of your application. Effective essay responses should reflect your academic goals, personal values, and fit with Cornell. The Johnson MBA program’s unique prompts are designed to assess your alignment with Johnson’s values and specific motivations for attending.
Keep reading to learn Cornell MBA essay tips, see prompts and a sample response, and get expert tips for crafting strong essays.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What Are the Cornell Essay Prompts for 2025–2026?
- What Are the Cornell Supplemental Essays and Why Are They Important?
- What Does Cornell Look for in Supplemental Essays?
- How Can You Write a Standout Cornell Essay?
- What Are Some Examples of Successful Cornell Essays?
- What Mistakes Should You Avoid in Your Cornell Essays?
- How to Review and Finalize Your Cornell Essays
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How many essays does Cornell require?
- How specific should I be about Cornell programs in my essay?
- Should I talk about my career goals in my Cornell essay?
- Does Cornell have supplemental essays?
- How many supplemental essays does Cornell have?
- How do you write Cornell’s supplemental essays?
- What makes a Cornell supplemental essay stand out?
- What tone works for Cornell supplemental essays?
- Where Can You Get Help with Your Cornell Application Essays?
What Are the Cornell Essay Prompts for 2025–2026?
The Cornell essay prompts include short answers and longer essay responses.
Specifically, the Cornell MBA Goals Statement asks for post-MBA career goals. Then, the application essay asks applicants to share something about themselves.
Here are the essay prompts for the 2025–26 application season:
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:
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 at Johnson, as well as any personal resources to transition to your immediate post-MBA career goal. (350 word maximum)
Application Essays
The core application essay topics in Cornell’s MBA application are below.
Choose 1 of the following:
- 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? (limit: 350 words)
- The Unique Trait that Defines Me Essay — What is something unique about you that others will remember you by? (limit: 350 words)
Park Fellows Essay
Candidates for the Park Leadership Fellows Program are required to submit an additional essay. Specifically, the prompt is as follows:
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?
KEY FACT:
Cornell requires 2 short answers and 2 longer essays in its 2025–26 MBA application.
What Are the Cornell Supplemental Essays and Why Are They Important?
Cornell’s MBA application also includes an optional, or supplemental, essay.
Specifically, this optional essay question is:
You may use this space to explain gaps in your resume, call attention to items needing clarification, or provide additional details about any aspects of your application that do not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson.
What Does Cornell Look for in Supplemental Essays?
Our Cornell admissions essay advice for the supplemental essay includes the following:
- Additional information— The full story of your career or experiences is not always captured in your resume or other materials. Therefore, you can provide additional information regarding certain situations, such as a gap in your resume.
- Relevant context — There may be certain situations in your academic background or otherwise that require additional context. For example, if you experienced extenuating circumstances during your undergraduate years, use the optional essay to explain what happened.
- Your choice of recommender —If you believe that your choice of recommender needs further explanation, use the optional essay.
It’s totally up to you to submit an optional essay. However, it is a useful opportunity to provide the MBA admissions committee with additional context.
TTP PRO TIP:
The optional essay is truly optional, but if any part of your application needs clarification or more context, you should submit one.
How Can You Write a Standout Cornell Essay?
Use the following tips to develop strong Cornell essays:
- Be specific. The short answers require detailed information about your short-term and longer-term career goals. Therefore, you must share your target role, company, and industry.
- Show fit. If you choose the Impact essay, research the unique offerings at Cornell Johnson. Then, describe how you’ll make your mark on the community.
- Tell a story. If you choose the Unique Trait essay, support your answer with a specific story or example/s.
- Answer the prompt. Read the prompt carefully to understand what the admissions committee is asking. Then, answer the question.
- Be authentic. Write in your own words and share your own unique experiences. Specifically, don’t try to be someone you’re not. Be yourself. The MBA admissions committee wants to learn more about who you are!
- Get an expert opinion. Get advice from a trusted friend, colleague, or experienced MBA admissions consultant.
TTP PRO TIP:
Make sure your essays have clear narratives and are structured logically.
What Are Some Examples of Successful Cornell Essays?
Successful Cornell Johnson MBA essay examples use the following best practices:
Goals Statement
The most effective goal statements follow the instructions carefully. Specifically, our MBA personal statement tips recommend that you follow them.
For example, here is a sample response for the first part of the Goals Statement:
Immediately post-MBA, my goal is to work as a Product Marketing Manager at an early-stage startup within the tech industry.
Targeted Job Role Post-MBA: Product Marketing Manager
Targeted Job Company Post-MBA: DNA Micro Software
Targeted Industry Post-MBA: Tech
In 5–10 years post-MBA, my goal is to work as a VP of Product Marketing at a Series C company within the tech industry.
Targeted Job Role: VP of Product Marketing
Target Job Company: Eon
Industry: Tech
The best responses to the second part of the Goals Statement discuss how your past experiences and skills will help achieve your immediate post-MBA career goal.
Additionally, successful responses are well-researched and identify actual resources at Johnson. Specifically, these resources include courses, programs, extracurriculars, and more.
TTP PRO TIP:
The best responses to the second part of the goal are well-researched and reference actual resources at Johnson.
Application Essays
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? (limit: 350 words)
Similar to the long-form Goals Statement, successful responses to the Impact essay show that you have researched the program. Then, identify specific opportunities to contribute.
In other words, it’s not enough to say that you want to “help people.” Instead, provide concrete examples to showcase your intentions.
TTP PRO TIP:
For the Impact essay, your response should include concrete examples of how you plan to make an impact on the Johnson community.
The Unique Trait that Defines Me Essay — What is something unique about you that others will remember you by? (limit: 350 words)
This essay is looking for “something” rather than “many things.” Therefore, you should home in on something truly unique.
Successful responses to the Unique Trait essay share a unique experience, perspective, or characteristic. For example, did you have a unique upbringing that influenced your perspective? Or did you follow a non-traditional career path that shaped how you think? There are many possible directions to explore. However, you must focus on a single trait and provide solid evidence.
Finally, avoid the temptation to provide a laundry list of traits — this does not answer the question.
TTP PRO TIP:
Your response to the Unique Trait essay should focus on a single experience, perspective, or characteristic that is unique to you.
Park Fellows Essay
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?
Similar to the Unique Trait essay, Johnson’s MBA admissions committee asks for 1 experience, not several. Therefore, you must choose wisely. You can choose to write about a formal OR informal leadership experience.
Then, you must link that experience to your career goals. For example, did your experience mentoring a junior team member incite you to pursue a leadership role? Alternatively, did your experience creating the marketing plan for a product launch inspire you to pursue product marketing?
In conclusion, after discussing your past leadership experience, link to your future goals. Then, discuss how the Park Leadership Fellowship will help you achieve them.
TTP PRO TIP:
Storytelling is a great approach for the Park Fellows Essay.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid in Your Cornell Essays?
Earlier, we discussed how to write strong Cornell essays. Now, we’ll discuss Cornell application essay mistakes to avoid:
- Avoid using cliches. Don’t say you want to “help people” without sharing specific examples.
- Do not overuse ChatGPT or other AI tools. Be authentic. Instead, use these tools strategically.
- Do not exceed the word limits. Ensure your writing is clear and concise.
- Do not tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Instead, use your own words and tell the truth.
How to Review and Finalize Your Cornell Essays
Make sure you have time to review your application essays and proofread them. Specifically, this will help you fix grammatical errors and typos.
Finally, create a “soft” application deadline before the actual deadline and use the Completeness Check feature to audit your Johnson application.
Key Takeaways
Follow the strategies and tactics outlined in this article to create strong Cornell Johnson MBA essays. The more time you have, the better your application will be.
Good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many essays does Cornell require?
Cornell requires 2 main essays — the Goals Statement and either the Impact essay OR the Unique Trait that Defines Me essay.
How specific should I be about Cornell programs in my essay?
You must be specific about Cornell Johnson programs in your Impact essay (if you choose this one) and the Park Fellows Essay (if you apply for the program).
Should I talk about my career goals in my Cornell essay?
Yes. You must talk about your career goals in the Goals Statement and accompanying essay.
Does Cornell have supplemental essays?
Yes. Cornell has an optional essay to provide relevant, additional information.
How many supplemental essays does Cornell have?
Cornell has just 1 supplemental, or optional, essay.
How do you write Cornell’s supplemental essays?
Review the specific instructions in this article to write Cornell’s optional essay.
What makes a Cornell supplemental essay stand out?
Your Cornell supplemental essay does not need to stand out. Instead, it should provide factual information that is not provided elsewhere in your application.
What tone works for Cornell supplemental essays?
Use a straightforward tone for your supplemental essays.
Where Can You Get Help with Your Cornell Application Essays?
Cornell’s MBA application essays require strategic thought and stellar execution. If you’d like guidance on your Cornell application package, we can help! Target Test Prep’s experienced MBA admissions consultants will guide you through the process from start to finish.
Book a free consultation with one of our expert admissions consultants today.
