Johnson MBA Interview: Format, Questions & Tips

Interview format

Johnson interviews are by invitation only. Invitations are sent by email after a preliminary review of the application. Interviews are held in person in Ithaca, NY, or via Zoom, and the Admissions Committee has no preference between the two formats. Interviewers are the Admissions Team, MBA programs professional staff, and/or trained second-year students in the Johnson Admissions Group (JAG); all interviews are evaluated equally regardless of the interviewer. Candidates must complete an interview to be offered admission to the Two-Year MBA.

Scheduling

Johnson encourages candidates to schedule the interview within seven days of the invitation. Interviews must be scheduled and completed by the interview completion deadline for the round. Applicants who are invited to interview can elaborate on their goals statement during the interview.

After the interview

Final decisions, including waitlist invitations, are released on a rolling basis and posted no later than the final notification date: December 9, 2026 (Round 1), March 26, 2027 (Round 2), and May 21, 2027 (Round 3). Domestic candidates considered for the Park Leadership Fellowship are invited after the interview to a virtual Leadership Exploration and Assessment Day. Johnson does not provide feedback to candidates who are not admitted.

Sources

1. 1. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, MBA admissions process & application guide
2. 2. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell MBA application deadlines & important dates (2026-2027)
3. 3. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell MBA application requirements & FAQs (2026-2027 essays, tests, English proficiency)