Coffee Chat with Admission Director - Johnson, Cornell - 02 Aug'18

Hi Everyone,

Today I had a chance to meet the Assistant Director of Admissions of Johnson, Cornell, Lindsay Martin in Mumbai, India.

The 45 minutes that I spent - while having a cup of black coffee without sugar - were very worthwhile. Below is the gist of general queries in the form of question and answer format. I hope it would be useful !!

Q. Does Cornell entertain students' applying for a second MBA?
A. Yes. I would recommend that you use the optional essay to explain why a second MBA and why now. I would suggest that you aim for our 1 year MBA.

Q. Lindsay, herself said that: "I usually ask students about their backup plan in interviews".
A. She herself answered that "be prepared with a genuine, logical backup plan".

Q. What makes Johnson stand apart.
A. The students and the alumni. The culture at Cornell is very supportive and the second year students help the first year students a lot. For example, if Google comes for recruitment then they might suggest you to wear a pair of jeans rather than a business suit.

Q. What is back of the resume essay.
A. Try and explain yourself. Give details about you that aren't mentioned in the resume. We want to know more about you!

Q. As a consultant, I tend to work with clients individually and don't lead a team. How can I strengthen my application?
A. Leadership is just one aspect of the entire application. There are numerous ways to depict your leadership and team player qualities. A good recommendation would be very useful.

I hope this would be somewhat useful.

Best of luck with the application process!