Cornell (Johnson)- How good is the program?

<p>I'm going to be an undergrad in the fall, and I'm considering applying for the direct 5 year MBA program for ILR students.</p>

<p>If I do pursue it, I'd have to start planning by the end of my freshman year to configure my sophomore schedule to make sure I get my undergraduate requirements out of the way before the middle of my junior year. </p>

<p>So I ask, how good is the Johnson MBA program, and where is it regarded in the business field? </p>

<p>The pro's here are obviously I won't need work experience to apply for my MBA, I'll be able to do it in one year instead of two, I'll have it done at a very early age, and I wont have to pay for it; it'll be covered by my scholarship (I'm going to Cornell on a full ride and they'll pay for up to 5 years, and I talked to them and they said if I get into this program they'll cover it).</p>

<p>However, I am ambitious (like many of the others on this board), and don't want to commit to this program if its not a respectable degree.</p>

<p>I'm looking for a little more than just BusinessWeek/US News rankings here.
Just to state them and get them out of the way, BW: 11; USN: 17.</p>

<p>However, I've never seen it come up in any of the major discussions on this board, and I am just wondering where you all and the rest of the business community regards it.</p>

<p>Personal anecdotes would be great :D</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Bump…? Anyone have some insight?</p>

<p>It is a good business school. Sure it isn’t one of the top 9 or so programs, but it’s still pretty damn good. After you’re done with undergrad there is a chance you won’t be strong enough to get into an MBA program as strong as Johnson’s. You have to ask yourself:
Is it worth it to have a guaranteed degree form a top 15 MBA program
or
Is it worth taking a risk and trying to get into a HWS type MBA program while still having no guarantee that I’ll be accepted to an MBA program half as good as Johnson’s. </p>

<p>The best thing to do is talk to graduates from Cornell who did the same thing you are trying to do and talk to MBAs at Cornell who did not go through that program. See how they are doing financially, what types of jobs they have, and whether they thought it was worth it.</p>

<p>Cornell’s program seems to have slipped recently, but it is still a very good program. </p>

<p>However, I would want to know how many undergrads are able to go directly into the MBA program. My guess is that it’s VERY low. If that is the case, then being accepted will mean that you are one of the best. Given that, you would probably be Harvard/Wharton/Stanford material with a few years of work experience.</p>

<p>It is a very low and selective number, but my application (extra-curriculars, letters of rec) were very business oriented, and as long as I maintain a certain GPA (although it is a very high GPA they want me to maintain -_-), I could be eligible for the program without even having to take the GMAT (which would be nice). </p>

<p>However, I do pretty well with standardized testing, and I figure I could get at least a respectable score on the GMAT, so it’s not like that was a big fear of mine or anything. </p>

<p>I’m more worried about job placement and networking. I mean there’s someone on this board who thinks a Stern MBA isn’t good enough to cut it, and that’s at least a full tier above the Johnson program.</p>

<p>Before I transferred out of Cornell (to another Ivy), I was going to do the 5 year Johnson program, but my advisers told me they have pretty much never sent a kid into the program for like 15 years haha. Not to discourage you…go ahead, but just letting you know the selectivity of the program. So even if you don’t make it, it’s not a big deal.</p>

<p>Ah ic yeah the GPA I have to maintain is pretty ridiculously high -_-</p>

<p>Jw where did you transfer to, and was the transfer a difficult process for you?</p>

<p>It’s not your GPA either…it’s tough because you don’t even have a B.S. yet. They’re comparing you to the applicant pool where 99% have a bachelor’s degree and work experience AS WELL AS high GMAT scores. the problem lies in that they compare you to regular MBA candidates…don’t think that they’re comparing you to other undergrad candidates!</p>

<p>I transferred to Columbia…wanted to be in NYC. it wasn’t that bad…I had a 3.7 at the time of transfer and a small leadership position at Cornell. There’s definitely a difference haha…people at Columbia are more into their work and getting out with a degree while Cornellians are more social-oriented… At Cornell I went to 3 frat parties a week for the entire semester…at Columbia I went to…oh, 1 party per month? hahaha…social life is the biggest difference between the two</p>

<p>Mhm well they actually told me that if I maintain the GPA they told me to I would have entrance into the program. </p>

<p>Anyways, check your inbox I PM’d you with some questions :D</p>