Cornell / Johnson - Question - 04-15-2024

April 15, 2024 12:52pm ET

Question about Cornell / Johnson

For first time applicants, did you write an optional essay for your application?

The prompt stated "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."

If I feel like I do not have any aspects of my application that do not accurately reflect my potential for success, should I still fill the optional essay? If so, what should I write?

Like (1)

Show Comments (10) Last: April 17, 2024

anon71836 Likes Earned: 1 This area should only be used to address and mitigate concerns you think the ADCOM may have with your profile like a low GPA or gap in work experience. (1)

tomalderman Likes Earned: 3 You should always complete every essay, even if it is optional. It is a trick and most people fall for it. There are many things you can write about in the optional section. There’s no way you have a perfect 4.0 and a perfect life without some hardship or struggling in at least one class. What prevented you from having a smooth college life or having a 4.0 is what you need to talk about in the optional section. (1)

anon16553 Likes Earned: 94 ??? IDK where does the info from tomalderman comes from. I got into 4 M7 schools and never completed the optional essay. Note that some schools such as GSB and MIT do have specific optional essays in which they invite you to provide more info AND the typical optional essay (which unless you have extenuating circumstances, you should not fill-in). My advice is that you should only fill it if you have extenuating circumnstances. Using it as an additional essay will hurt your application and show insecurity. Hope it helps. (2)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1580 Agree with @16553 (0)

tomalderman Likes Earned: 3 My rule does not apply if you are @16553 with a high GMAT score. Most MBA schools decide your candidacy based on your GMAT alone, and if you have a very high score, then you do not need to "technically" do extra things like submitting an optional essay. To anon, I would still recommend doing so unless you have the stats to easily get you into an M7. (1)

tomalderman Likes Earned: 3 Also, I would understand the "insecurity" component if you are beyond qualified, as I previously noted. Also, if you are a non-traditional applicant, such as an undergraduate, it would make sense to provide more information in the optional essay. Talking about your grades in college should not show insecurity if this is recent. Maybe talking about getting a poor grade in one class you took ten years ago is another story. (1)

anon16553 Likes Earned: 94 Just trying to help future applicants as I have already gone through this long process of applying. I double down on my previous recommendation, only write the essay if you have a very clear weak spot. A low GMAT could be one and you might have a reason for it like being sick or going through some family issue. “Not having enough time due to work” is not generally a good excuse as bankers, PE and consultant dudes apply and they have even less time. Regarding the importance of the gmat: it will get you out if it is low, but it wont get you in if it is high. I had a 740, but I had friends with higher scores who had a hard time and I suppose it was the story. Get a good advisor, it is worth the money. (1)

anon16553 Likes Earned: 94 Also, if you have a not so obvious weakness in your stats, do not write the essay as you are explicitly telling them "hey look at this, I have this weakness" unless you have a very good reason to explain (again, real reasons, deaths, etc. not enough time or feeling stress wont make it). Adcoms read thousands of apps, they might overlook a small weakness and you want to highlight your strengths. And again, get a good advisor, it will help. (1)

anon16553 Likes Earned: 94 I had a not so obvious weakness in my transcript and chose to just swing it and worked. Your story and gmat are more important that transcripts. (1)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1580 Again, agree with @16553 on all points, and very well stated, except the GMAT versus transcript. Both are going to be important. (0)

<< See more LiveWire entries from Cornell / Johnson