Interview

Guide
Samuel Curtis Johnson
Graduate School of Management

2022–2023
Applying to
Business School?
Schedule a free, 30-minute consultation at www.mbamission.com/consult,
and start getting answers to all your MBA admissions questions!

Why mbaMission?

More than 20 years of MBA Ranked number one MBA

admissions consulting admissions consulting
experience, with thousands firm by GMAT Club and
of acceptances and $20M+ Poets&Quants
in scholarships earned
annually

Dedicated, full-time team Exclusively recommended

of carefully selected and by Manhattan Prep,
meticulously trained MBA Powered by Kaplan since
admissions experts 2009

Extensive, unparalleled Services available for all

library of free business stages of the application
school content process

 +1-646-485-8844
 [email protected]
 www.mbamission.com
Your Post-MBA
Career Starts Now!
Whether you are entering business school this fall, writing your applications,

or just starting to look at MBA programs, now is the time to start thinking

about your long-term professional path.

Explore your options and learn about typical

post-MBA fields—including consulting,
investment banking, and private equity—by
downloading our free Career Guides.

Visit the mbaMission blog for posts on

effective networking, acing your job interviews,
writing standout cover letters, assembling a
strong resume, and other valuable tips.

For help defining and preparing to execute

your personal career plan once you have
been accepted but before you even set foot
on campus, sign up for a free 30-minute
consultation with one of our Career Coaches:
www.mbamission.com/careerconsult.

 +1-646-485-8844
 [email protected]
 www.mbamission.com
What role does the interview
play in the admissions process?
MBA programs employ a holistic evaluation process, so the interview represents only one aspect of the ad-
missions decision. Still, it is a very important and influential element of the admissions process and should be
approached with the same level of attention as the other parts of your application.

The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University states on its website that
the MBA interview “allows the Admissions Committee to get to know [the applicant], and [the applicant will]
have the opportunity to assess whether our program and community are a good fit.” We believe that John-
son’s primary goals in the interview are to gauge a candidate’s fit with the school’s values, approach, and
atmosphere and to assess how the individual might perform in a team-based environment.

Our past clients describe Johnson’s interviews most often as “relaxed” and “friendly.” One question received
by most of our clients who interviewed at the school was “Why Johnson?” Therefore, the admissions commit-
tee wants to not only learn why you are right for Johnson but also ensure you understand why the program is
right for you.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 4

What is the admissions
committee’s perspective on
interviews?
Johnson uses interviews primarily to get a feel for applicants’ personality and communication skills as well
as to ensure that they are well versed in what the school has to offer and why its MBA program is the right one
for them. Our past clients have reported that Johnson’s interviews are very friendly and conversational, with
many clients describing the interview as “a very pleasant/positive experience.” We believe that Johnson is
truly interested in hearing what you have to say and wants applicants to take full advantage of this opportu-
nity to explain their story and qualifications beyond what is conveyed in the electronic application. Finally,
Johnson is committed to giving candidates a high level of access to all facets of the school and strongly
encourages applicants to come to campus to interview when safely possible. Visiting campus will give you
a more complete sense of the program, allow you to interact with students and school representatives, and
help you better understand whether Johnson’s tight-knit community within the college town of Ithaca might
just be a perfect fit for you.

Your essays communicate who is likely to Expect the unexpected — think about how
show up for the admissions interview and you respond to unexpected circumstances
that’s important to us, because we are also and anticipate how you would reply to a
using this process to better understand you question that isn’t a “standard” part of the
and see how you will fit and contribute to our MBA admissions interview. Doing so speaks
student and alumni communities. volumes about your ability to think quickly
on your feet and maintain composure under
 Judi Byers, Former Executive Director of Admissions and stress.
Financial Aid; BusinessBecause

 Judi Byers, Former Executive Director of Admissions and

Financial Aid; Poets&Quants

Prepare your content, practice your delivery

— the most successful candidates have a
clearly articulated personal narrative and
demonstrate strong ownership of their story.

 Judi Byers, Former Executive Director of Admissions and

Financial Aid; Poets&Quants

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 5

Remember to be memorable — don’t be afraid
to reveal and share the true stories that make
you unique. Memorable candidates are not
forgotten and that makes you a standout from
others.

 Judi Byers, Former Executive Director of Admissions and

Financial Aid; Poets&Quants

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 6

What type of interview can
I expect?
Invitation-Only Process

Interviews at Johnson are “by invitation only,” meaning that the Admissions Office extends invitations to se-
lected applicants after reading their application—and only those invited applicants can schedule interviews.

Hybrid Format

At Johnson, interviewers only see the resume of the applicant, but they also receive notes from another
member of the admissions committee who has reviewed the applicant’s entire application. Your interviewer
will therefore not necessarily know your GMAT score or GPA (unless this information is on your resume) or the
content of your essays. This means that referencing anecdotes or examples that you used in other parts of
your application is completely acceptable.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 7

Where will my interview
take place?
Because of the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak, most business Remote
schools are conducting their interviews remotely. Therefore, the de-
tails in this section may not apply to the current situation. Please visit Prior to 2020, Johnson offered video interviews in isolated instances
the school’s website for the most recent information. to candidates from outside the United States when admissions
committee members were unable to conduct off-campus in-person
interviews. However, during the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak,
On Campus, In Person the school has been conducting interviews online via Zoom as well as
in person. “Please know that the Admissions Committee does not have
At Johnson, some interviews are conducted face-to-face on the a preference in terms of interview format and that interviewing via
school’s campus. Although the location of your interview has no influ- Zoom will not have a negative impact on your presentation as a candi-
ence on your chances for admission, in-person interviews can some- date,” the Johnson website states.
times feel more natural, with you and your interviewer sitting down
together in a quiet space at the school to have a conversation about Remote interviews generally follow the same format and carry the
your candidacy. On-campus interviews also allow you to interact with same weight in the evaluation process as the other types of interviews
students and admissions representatives during your visit. the school offers, but some candidates may have difficulty establish-
ing a connection with their interviewer when they are not physically
face-to-face. If you do a remote interview, treat it exactly as you would
Off Campus, In Person an in-person interview. Find a quiet place with a reliable connection,
remove any possible distractions, and dress the part!
For some international applicants, Johnson offers off-campus, face-
to-face interviews. Depending on the specific arrangements, these
interviews could be conducted in a more public place, like a coffee

How long will the

shop, or at the interviewer’s place of business. “While we encourage
you to visit us in Ithaca, we understand that making a trip is not always

interview last?
possible, especially for international applicants,” the school’s website
states.

According to our past applicants, Johnson

interviews typically last between 30 and 45
minutes.

30–45 minutes

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 8

Who will interview me?
The Johnson Admissions Committee weighs all applicant interviews the same. Indeed, the school states
plainly on its site: “All interviews are evaluated equally, regardless of the interviewer.” The person with whom
you interview often depends on the location of your interview.

Students

Johnson uses specially chosen second-year students, referred to as members of the Johnson Admissions
Group, for some interviews. These students have been selected and trained by the school’s admissions of-
ficers to interview candidates on the committee’s behalf.

Admissions Committee Members

At Johnson, some interviews are conducted by admissions staff members. Since the school does not offer
alumni-conducted interviews, admissions committee members sometimes travel abroad to interview inter-
national Johnson hopefuls.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 9

What do past mbaMission
applicants say about the
interview experience?
Our clients who interviewed with Johnson in the past few years consistently described their interview experi-
ence with the school as “relaxed,” “friendly,” and “conversational.” Johnson is not interested in putting candi-
dates on the spot or trying to stump them, but rather in making sure that applicants have a solid grasp of the
ways the MBA program would benefit them and how they would fit with the school’s community.

Here is a sample of what our past clients have told us about their interview experience at Johnson:

It was a good experience. Although it felt like Very laid back. [My interviewer] started the
an interview, there were no questions that you interview by stating that he wanted it to
shouldn’t expect. [My interviewer] was very be more of a conversation rather than an
honest when she answered my questions and interview and wanted to have some back and
spoke about her experiences with the school forth.
and location, which I appreciated.

[The interviewer] made it conversational but

The interviewer put me at ease by telling me it felt like an interview. She had a set list of
a bit about himself to start with. He had some questions it seemed that she wanted to ask.
comments from the admissions committee
that he asked during my interview and a list
of other questions that he asked. I was given
time at the end to ask questions. It was overall
a conversational interview. Though he asked standard interview
questions, the interviewer made it feel very
casual, natural, and non-confrontational. It
was more like a pleasant conversation.

The interviewer was very laid back and

explicitly stated that he wanted the interview
to be conversational.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 10

Advice from Past Clients Who Have Interviewed at Johnson

Definitely have your answers to “Why Ithaca?” Be ready to help the interviewer understand
and “Why Cornell?” down. Those appear to be WHY you want to be at Cornell in Ithaca. [My
the most important questions. … Make sure interviewer] explicitly said, “We want people
you have a good understanding around your who want to be here.”
career choice as well.

Really know why you want to go to Johnson

[The interview is a] really laid back and why it is a good fit for you. Talk to as
atmosphere, but be sure to do your homework many people as you can and be as friendly as
on the school. I felt like they were really possible.
looking for people that want to be there, so
having specific examples will set you apart.

Do solid research on Johnson. Connect with

students and weave that into your interview.
As long as you can effortlessly communicate
where you’ve been, where you want the MBA
to take you, why an MBA is necessary, and why
Johnson is a good fit, and you can discuss any
item you’ve written on your resume, there’s no It is a very personal conversation about
reason at all to stress out over this interview. who you are, and they want to understand
your past experiences. They aren’t trying
to trick you with any questions. They put
heavy emphasis on time management and
prioritization, so make sure you reflect that in
your answers.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 11

How can I prepare for the
interview?
Although the focus and style of Johnson’s admissions interviews can Johnson wants to hear specific examples about your professional ac-
vary, you should expect to be asked about your personal, professional, complishments, leadership potential, and experience with diversity in
and academic experiences and—in most cases—will receive questions the workplace, so be prepared to provide detailed information and sto-
meant to reveal your knowledge about the school. ries in these subject areas beyond what is presented in your resume.

Johnson’s interviews tend to start with an open-ended question or Finally, because Johnson is trying to gauge candidates’ “fit” with its
prompt, most often “Tell me about yourself.” or “Walk me through your community, the interview will at times include personal questions to
resume.” This is your opportunity to offer a comprehensive overview help the interviewer evaluate whether you would be a good match.
of your profile and to touch on—very briefly—some of your major ac-
complishments, both professional and personal. We strongly recommend that you practice vocalizing your responses
rather than just writing them out on paper. Try using a timer to get
Our interview reports for Johnson indicate that “why you need an MBA” a sense of how long you typically take to answer each question, and
is a topic that the school’s interviews often include, in addition to practice in front of a mirror to detect (and then practice minimizing)
other career goals questions. any facial tics or distracting hand gestures. Mock interviews can be
particularly helpful and revealing; provide a friend or family mem-
Johnson’s interviews consistently include very school-specific ques- ber with your resume and a list of possible questions (see the next
tions. Almost all our past clients noted that they were asked some section), and then have them interview you for 30 minutes and give
variation of the question “Why Johnson?” and often other Johnson- you feedback on your performance. Guard against preparing your re-
related queries as well, including questions concerning the school’s sponses word for word and memorizing them, however, so that you do
principles and values. If you are not ready to answer these types of not sound over-rehearsed and artificial. For more in-depth interview
questions in detail, you must invest the time necessary to get to know preparation, consider scheduling a mock interview with an mbaMis-
the school thoroughly and to identify the programs, centers, clubs, sion consultant!
classes, professors, extracurricular opportunities, and other resourc-
es it offers that relate directly to your plans and your personality.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 12

Practice interview sequences
The following five lists present exact questions, in order, asked in actual Johnson interviews during recent
application seasons, as reported by our past clients. Although you can never be certain which questions you
will receive, and questions will undoubtedly vary to some degree, these samples serve to illustrate how a
Johnson interview is likely to progress.

Note: Identifying information about the applicants has been removed. Some questions have been edited for
clarity.

Sequence 1
1. Why Johnson, and why an MBA?
2. Walk me through your resume.
3. What qualitative/quantitative skills did you learn at [X company] that are transferable to Johnson/
MBA?
4. Tell me a time when you led a team.
5. Tell me a time when you used creative solutions to solve a problem/led a team.
6. What surprised you (in a good way) about Johnson/Ithaca during your research?
7. What are your short-term and long-term goals?
8. What is your plan B to your short-term goal?
9. Who have you spoken to at Johnson?
10. What classes and clubs at Johnson are you excited about?

Sequence 2
1. Walk me through your resume.
2. Why an MBA now?
3. I see that you’re doing MBA Math. What else are you doing to prepare yourself for an MBA?
4. Why Johnson?
5. What will other students gain from you?
6. What do you love about your work?
7. What would you change about your work?
8. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
9. Have you interacted with any students or alumni?
10. What do you want to get involved with at Johnson?
11. Tell me more about your short-term goal.
12. Tell me more about your long-term goal.
13. Which companies do you want to work for post-MBA?
14. What is your back-up plan if your career goals don’t work out?
15. How do you spend your free time?

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 13

Sequence 3
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why an MBA?
3. What is your back-up plan?
4. What drawbacks are in your background for your desired role? How will you overcome those?
5. Why Johnson?
6. How will you contribute?
7. What clubs will you join?
8. How will you prepare for recruiting?
9. Is there anything else we haven’t covered?

Sequence 4
1. Tell me about yourself and your education.
2. How would you describe your leadership style?
3. How do you work in teams?
4. When was a time that something didn’t go as expected?
5. Why an MBA?
6. Why now?
7. Why Johnson?
8. How would you get involved on campus?
9. What is your long-term career goal?
10. What is your plan B for both the short-term and long-term career goal?

Sequence 5
1. Tell me a little about yourself as well as your education, and then walk me through your resume.
2. Why Cornell?
3. Why an MBA?
4. Why [X field]?
5. At Cornell, we look for leaders and strong teammates. Tell me about what kind of teammate and leader
you are.
6. We discussed why an MBA. Why now?
7. You mentioned that you like to play [X sport]. What else do you do for fun or in your spare time?
8. Do you have any questions?
9. We’re not 100% sure we’re going to be on campus for the first semester. Where do you stand in terms
of beginning the semester remote?
10. Where else have you applied? Have you heard back from anywhere?
11. Is there anything else you’d like the admissions committee to know?

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 14

Notoriously challenging
questions
Having performed thousands of mock interviews over the years and reviewed even more post-interview
reports, we believe these are the six questions that MBA applicants find most difficult to master. Note that
questions marked with an asterisk are particularly common at Johnson.

Why should we take you?

Be ready to articulate your two or three greatest strengths and to support each one with a thoughtful
anecdote that validates your claims. Research your target school so that you are able to relate each of your
highlighted strengths to an aspect of the program in a meaningful way; this will simultaneously show that you
have done your homework on the school and that you are a serious and thoughtful applicant.

To which other schools are you applying?*

List peer schools only. You do not want to give the impression that you consider the school at which you are
interviewing either a “safe” choice or a “reach.” Be prepared to discuss your target school relative to the peer
institutions you mention and to identify specific characteristics about the target school that you find more
appealing on the whole.

If you are not accepted to any business school this year, what will you do?*

A large part of mastering this question lies in how you respond, rather than what you say. Project confidence
and show that your plans for the future involve a high level of intentionality. A suitable answer would be some-
thing like this: “I am hopeful that I will be accepted to your program this year, but if not, I will definitely reapply,
because I know an MBA is important for me as I seek to transition in my career. I know I need to develop my
skills in the areas of [areas of importance to you] to achieve my career goals.”

What are your weaknesses? or What have you learned from a failure?

Be honest. Any attempt to disguise a weakness or shift responsibility away from yourself will actually be det-
rimental! Show that you are cognizant of areas or ways in which you can improve, and then express a sincere
interest in making a positive change. Reveal how and what you learned from a failure and, if possible, provide
a subsequent example in which you succeeded with your new approach.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 15

What have we not covered that you wish I had asked about?

Have a mental list ready of your best attributes, most impressive accomplishments, and reasons for target-
ing the program. Then, if any remain that you have not broached by the time you are asked this question, this
is your opportunity to share them. If, on the other hand, you have truly exhausted all your material, you can
instead offer a quick overview that recaps your strongest points and stories: “We discussed my early promo-
tion at American Express, my reasons for wanting to attend this program specifically, my career goals, my
leadership experience with Friends of the New York Public Library, and my passion for photography. I think we
have everything covered.”

What other questions do you have for me?*

Always have a few thoughtful questions prepared about your target program to show that you have re-
searched and are genuinely interested in the school. Keep in mind that questions vary depending on the
person interviewing you, so you should tailor your queries accordingly. For example, alumni may not know
about the latest on-campus news but can talk about their personal experience at the school and subsequent
career success; student interviewers would be unable to discuss post-graduate topics but can provide
insight into courses, professors, and clubs. Avoid basic questions like “What makes this program special?” or
“What courses do you have for aspiring consultants?” You should already know the answers to such questions
at this point.

Demonstrate that you have advanced knowledge of the school by including references to specific offerings
and resources in your queries: “I am interested in an individualized First-Year Project. How many students
pursue these relative to the more conventional option?” Such nuanced questions help prove your authentic
interest in the program.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 16

What if I get stumped during
the interview?
Many applicants worry that during their interview, they will be asked 1. Resist the urge to launch into a story. Your instinct may be to
a challenging question that will leave them awkwardly silent and that just start speaking, hoping that you will find the right story or
the moment will effectively put an end to their candidacy at the target answer as you progress. This is a high-risk strategy, because if
school. Although such an experience would certainly be uncomfort- it goes wrong, this can compound the problem. Instead, pause
able—and we suggest, of course, that you definitely do your best to get for a moment to recall an appropriate story. To buy yourself a
ready for your interview so as to avoid this kind of predicament—some- little extra time, you can even say, “That is a good question. I am
times even well-prepared candidates find themselves “stumped.” We going to have to think about it for a moment,” before answering.
can assure you, however, that an awkward pause in an interview will
not cancel out all the positive elements of your application. Still, being 2. Take a sip of water. Many interviewers will offer you a glass of
ready for such a situation, should one occur, is important, so we offer water at the beginning of your meeting. If your interviewer does
the following tips on how to mitigate an uncomfortable moment: so, accept the offer, and then use the water throughout the
interview as a buffer to buy time or help yourself slow down.
If you get stumped, taking a sip of water can provide a brief
opportunity to pause naturally, alleviating any awkwardness
before you continue speaking.

3. Maintain your poise. If you absolutely cannot answer a ques-

tion, do not get overly apologetic or grovel. Simply acknowl-
edge that you are having trouble with the question and politely
ask if you might come back to it later in the conversation. This
is not a best-case scenario, but it is certainly far better than
rambling and apologizing. A confident approach during a tricky
moment may even impress!

4. Forget about it. If you simply cannot answer a question, accept

the fact and move on. Do not dwell on the situation. If you spend
the rest of the interview thinking about that moment, you will be
distracted and struggle with any subsequent questions.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 17

What should I wear to the
interview?
Although Johnson does not specifically state a dress code on its website, you can safely assume that you
should dress in a professional manner.

Follow these rules to look the part for your MBA interview at any school:

1. Always follow any guidelines the school provides on dress code.

2. If the school does not specify a dress code, wear business attire for an on-campus interview as well as
for an off-campus interview with a member of the admissions staff. Business attire is usually best for
remote interviews as well.
3. Business casual attire is often best when meeting alumni off campus, though you may consider polite-
ly asking your interviewer about proper attire in advance.
4. Jeans, T-shirts, and ripped, wrinkled, or unclean clothing are never appropriate.
5. Showing some creativity and style is okay, but do not go overboard.
6. Avoid wearing strong-smelling perfume or cologne.
7. Bring a copy of your resume printed on nice paper.
8. Make sure you turn your cell phone off.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 18

Should I send a thank you?
In short, you should always send a brief thank you email after your interview. Write and send the note as soon
as possible after your interview—the same day or the next is ideal. Interviewers usually need to submit their
feedback on candidates within 24–48 hours, so you want your message to be received quickly. Be sure to ask
for your interviewer’s business card or email address before you finish the interview, if it has not already been
provided.

Follow these tips to write an effective thank you note:

1. Be sure to mention specifics from your conversation or visit.

2. If you realized after the interview that you forgot to make an important point about your candidacy,
you can (succinctly!) include that point in your thank you email.
3. Always check to make sure you have spelled all names correctly in your email, including the name of
your interviewer, the school, any program or course you discussed, or any professor you met.
4. Limit your email to no longer than a few sentences. Keep it direct, clear, and to the point.

Here is a sample thank you message:

Dear Mr. Jones:

Thank you for meeting with me to discuss my interest in XYZ School’s MBA program. I appreciated your
valuable insight into the advanced finance classes, particularly Professor John Smith’s “Portfolio Invest-
ing” course. Should I be so lucky as to be accepted, I will definitely enroll in that class and know it would
be incredibly helpful in my future investment career. After speaking with you and several students, I am
confident that XYZ offers everything I am seeking, both personally and professionally. Thank you again
for your time, and I hope to see you on campus this fall.

Warm regards,

Jane Doe

mbaMission Interview Guide: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management 19

  +1-646-485-8844
 [email protected]
 www.mbamission.com