How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2023/2024

how to write cornell essays

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • What are the Cornell University supplemental essay prompts?
  • How to write each supplemental essay prompt for Cornell
  • All Undergraduate Applicants essay
  • College of Arts & Sciences essay

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

  • Prompt #1: “Why us + Why major” essay
  • Prompt #2: Optional “Community contribution” essay
  • Prompt #3: Optional “Agriculture background” essay

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

  • Prompt #1: “Three words” short answer essay
  • Prompt #2: “Why us + Why major” essay
  • SC Johnson College of Business essay
  • Brooks School of Public Policy essay

College of Engineering

  • Prompt #1: "Three words about you" short answer essay
  • Prompt #2: "Three words about engineering" short answer essay
  • Prompt #3: "Why major + Why us" essay
  • Prompt #4: Multiple options essay
  • College of Human Ecology essay
  • College of Industrial and Labor Relations essay

What’s the meaning of life? Answer in 150 characters. That’s what a lot of supplemental essay prompts can feel like: Too much content to fit in a tiny amount of space. The Cornell essays are a bit different.

Sure, on the Cornell essays, you’re still going to find a lot of the same themes you see from other schools. However, the Cornell writing supplement asks you to apply to a specific school, and most give you 650 words (the length of a whole personal statement) to explain what you bring to the table. That gives you a little bit more wiggle room than the average application.

If that doesn’t make you feel better and you’re still scared to start writing, that’s okay too. We’re here to help.

Before you begin writing, you may want to get deeper insights into the kind of student Cornell is looking for, and how it views itself. You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set . For a better sense of how Cornell envisions its role, read its mission here .

What are the Cornell supplemental essay prompts?

All undergraduate applicants.

In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study." For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “...any person…any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350 words)

College of Arts & Sciences

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (650 words)

(Required) Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (650 words)
Instructions: The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission. The content of any responses submitted will be included in the holistic review of your application (which is also the case for any optional additional information submitted as part of your Common Application or uploaded through your Cornell Application Portal once you’ve applied).
  • (Optional): At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (200 words)
(Optional): Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.) Students select from check boxes (all that apply):
A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity. My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity. I have experience working in an agricultural entity. I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.
then are offered the prompt “Please feel free to share additional details below.” (100 words)
What three words best describe you? (30 characters per word) How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA) or urban and regional studies (URS)? B.Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 words)

SC Johnson College of Business

What kind of business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words)

Brooks School of Public Policy

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650 words)

What three words best describe you? What three words would you use to describe Cornell Engineering?
All Engineering applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B. How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. (250 words) Choose either Question A or Question B:
A. Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem. B. Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

College of Human Ecology

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (650 words)

College of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. (650 words)

How to Write each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Cornell University

Cornell supplemental essay prompt for all undergraduate applicants.

How have you lived in this world, and how has it shaped you? This prompt seeks to know about the different communities you’ve engaged in and how they’ve influenced your perspective. It’s what we call a Community Essay , and you’ll find an in-depth explanation and more sample essays at the link. It may also be helpful to think of it as a Diversity Essay , which many colleges have added in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down race-conscious admissions. Cornell endeavors to bring together a group of scholars with a diverse range of lived experiences because the institution and the education it offers is stronger when informed by different values, beliefs, perspectives and lived experiences.

So what are you bringing to Cornell? Think broadly about your identity and the communities—from local to global—you’re a part of. This can include ethnicity, religion, sexuality and economic background, but also upbringing, worldview, interests, and participation in particular communities. Grew up in a complex neighborhood? Exposed to a certain family belief system? Hang with math nerds who crochet? Bring it. Bring all of you—especially those experiences that you’ve had that some others may not have. We love this type of essay because it gives you the chance to show aspects of yourself that might not appear elsewhere in your application. 

Step 1: Create a “communities” chart by listing all the communities you’re a part of. Keep in mind that communities can be defined by ...

Place: Groups of people who live/work/play near one another

Action: Groups of people who create change in the world by building, doing, or solving something together (Examples: Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code, March for Our Lives)

Interest: Groups of people coming together based on a shared interest, experience, or expertise

Circumstance: Groups of people brought together either by chance or external events/situations.

Tip: For the community you pick, give some key details that convey the essence of that community to someone who doesn’t know it.

Step 2: Use the BEABIES Exercise to generate your essay content. Once you’ve chosen a community, map out your content using the BEABIES Exercise . That exercise asks:

What did you actually do? (Tip: Use active verbs like “organized” and “managed” to clarify your responsibilities.)

What kinds of problems did you solve (personally, locally, or globally)?

What specific impact did you have?

What did you learn (skills, qualities, values)? 

How did you apply the lessons you learned?

Step 3: Do some “how will you contribute” research.

You’ll want to offer a few specific ways that show how the experience/s you’re discussing in your essay will allow you to contribute to Cornell. The easiest way to do this is to do some “Why Us”-like research and find ways you’ll engage with and contribute to the Cornell community. 

Step 4: Pick a structure. The Narrative Structure works well for students who have faced a challenge in or with this community. Otherwise, the Montage Structure works well.

Consider answering these three questions in your essay if you choose the Narrative Structure:  

What challenge did you face?

What did you do about it? 

What did you learn?

How do those things shape how you will contribute to Cornell? (Ideally with some Why Us detail)

Because this prompt is new for Cornell, we don’t have an example written for this school, but the example below for another school’s very similar prompt would work well.

What are you?  Mixed-race people and people of color get this question all the time. While a part of me wants to respond with “a bit tired, thanks for asking”, I usually just end up telling them I am half Indian, half European. I know that my ambiguous features, darker skin, and unusual name makes people uncertain about what my background is, and that in turn makes people uncomfortable -- they don't know what box to put me in. I am both Jewish and half-Indian, an unusual blend of cultures. Although I’m not particularly religious, I often see things from a Jewish point of view: Tikkun Olam and Tzedakah, peace and neighborly love, community and solidarity. I always strive to make my community a better place than it was initially, and to make sure that I stand with those that may be facing economic or social issues. My time as a counselor-in-training for a Jewish summer camp also helped me learn about other people’s interpretations of Jewish values from a wide range of ages, including from my fellow counselors. In addition, the Indian side of my family exposes me to a wide range of Indian culture, from the artwork in my grandparents house, to the stories from when my grandfather moved to America for school. Through this half of me, I have been able to experience, to a small extent, what it’s like to be seen as “different”. Even though I’ve never even been outside the United States, I’m still considered at least slightly foreign to most people. This helps me better empathize with people of color who may be facing much tougher questions than I ever was. The junction between these two identities gives me a unique intersectional identity that I can use to better empathize, communicate, and interact with other people. Intersectional identity is something that everyone has at some level, even if it isn’t apparent in their appearance. As someone who has a diverse set of experiences, I have a genuine curiosity for what intersectional identities other people have hidden away, and appreciate cultural exchanges with those around me. Even just sharing latkes or gulab jamun would allow me to share my side of the story, and can help open them up to new cultures. With the Residential College system, this not just becomes easier, but almost inevitable. Each residential college has its own traditions and culture (such as McMurtry’s association with bananas or Duncan’s Monday Night Lights), which add a unique aspect to their respective residents’ identities, creating an intersectional identity that enriches everyone’s experience. I can use my own background and understanding of identities to help broaden the perspectives of the others in my residential college, on top of letting other people teach me their traditions and perspectives. Everyone benefits from exposure to new ideas and perspectives, and I think that not only can I provide some of these ideas and perspectives, but I can also benefit from others. — — —

Tips + Advice

Give a glimpse inside your world: This author shares illustrative aspects of both their communities: Tikkun Olam and Tzedakah, peace and neighborly love, community and solidarity on their Jewish side; artwork and grandfather’s stories from their Indian side. Bring in those descriptive details—sights, sounds, tastes, images, traditions—that let your reader experience your community(ies) as you do. Pro tip: actual phrases heard within your community can bring this piece to life!

Reflect on your experiences: This student explains what they took from each community: “helped me learn about other people’s interpretations of Jewish values from a wide range of ages” and “able to experience, to a small extent, what it’s like to be seen as ‘different’.” How has participation in your community(ies) shaped you? What have you learned, and how do you see or engage in the world as a result? Help us to see through your eyes.

What’s your particular contribution? The prompt asks how you’ll contribute to a diverse learning community. Here, the author discusses their intersectionality and the increased ability to empathize, communicate, and interact that flows from it. They elucidate this point with specific examples of how they’ll do that on campus—sharing latkes and gulab jamun, stories and ideas. And they indicate their value of mutuality, not only broadening others’ perspectives by sharing their background, but also learning from others’ traditions and perspectives. How do you see yourself sharing your community(ies) and because of your community(ies) at Cornell?

Never hurts to say, “Why Us?”: By naming insider cultural details of Cornell’s residential college system (McMurtry’s bananas, Duncan’s Monday Night Lights), this student signals that they’ve really looked into Cornell’s offerings and can see themselves taking part at this particular institution. Schools are always looking for an answer to the question “Why Us?”: What draws you to this school over any other? Inserting responses to that question into your essays can help lift up your application. Read on below for more about Why Us? .

How to Write the Cornell University “Why Us?” Essay Prompts

Cornell’s various colleges offer prompts with pretty large word counts (most are 650) that essentially boil down to the same questions:

What excites you intellectually and extracurricularly?

How do your experiences reflect that excitement?

How will you bring those skills or experiences to Cornell?

Sure, 650 words can be daunting. But that also means you have tons of space to inject your own personality and creativity into the mix, to show where your interests stem from, and to help Cornell see why you and the college fit together.

And while we’ll primarily look at the prompt for the College of Arts and Sciences as an example, the tips below apply to the other Cornell prompts.

College of Arts & Sciences supplemental essay prompt

This is a combo “Why Major” and “Why us?” essay. (Important note: the other colleges’ prompts are generally combo “Why Major” and “Why us?” as well)

For the “Why Major” aspects, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing this essay at this link , but here’s the short version:

Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet point outline.

Step #2: Probably put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.

For the “Why Us?” aspects, here’s a quick step-by-step guide to getting started:

Step #1: Spend 1 hr+ researching 10+ reasons why Cornell might be a great fit for you (ideally 3-5 of the reasons will be unique to Cornell and connect back to you).

Step #2: Use this chart to map out your research.

Step #3: Create an outline based on either Approach 1, 2, or 3.

Some tips before you start writing your essay:

Remember that this is not just another personal statement. Don’t repeat ideas that readers can find in other parts of your application. Bring something fresh to the table or add new dimensions to topics you’ve already mentioned.

Don’t feel pressured to use all 650 words, but take advantage of how much space Cornell gives you. As you’ll see in the example below, great essays don’t need to reach the word limit to do their job. Sometimes, in fact, less is more.

Be specific. Whenever possible, offer memorable details or specific experiences. Don’t just say you like science. Name the particular areas that interest you, what classes you’ve taken to foster your interest, what research you’ve done, how you’ve brought that interest to a certain community, or offer a (short!) specific story you associate with that interest. In addition, a little descriptive language (you’ll see some in the example below) can help the reader understand you in a more visceral way. In other words, the way you describe something is just as important as what you’re describing.

Show the reader you know your stuff. Cornell explicitly requires students to apply to a specific college. While you could include (perhaps at the end) a few details on why you’re interested in Cornell in general, be sure to first share the specific programs, classes, clubs, events, and professors you’re interested in at the specific school you’re applying to. 

Lastly, have some fun with it. Don’t let a dull prompt prevent you from getting creative. As you’ll see in the example below, some of the most impressive essays are the ones where applicants think outside the box.

Without further ado, here’s a great essay sample for this prompt: 

I hopped into my friend's car, having just finished my first day of Cornell summer macroeconomics class. Exhilarated by what I had learned, I spent the fifteen-minute drive to the gym explaining to him the law of diminishing marginal returns and how the concept encourages manufacturers to adopt automation to eliminate human error... Silence…I asked him if he heard me. He responded, “yes, but whether or not I care is a different question.” In hindsight, his reaction made sense: economics can be boring for some. But economics fascinates me given its interdisciplinary nature—combining math, political science, and social psychology to solve societal issues. Having taken this class and written my IBDP extended essay on US-China trade relations, I’m confident in my desire to pursue a major in economics as part of my college education. The College of Arts and Sciences’ economics curriculum provides an array of courses like International Trade Theory and Policy that would allow me to further pursue my interest in global trade. I anticipate augmenting this primary area of study with a minor or major in computer science, an increasingly important combination given the large amounts of data which can be used to construct more predictive economic models. I look forward to taking unique classes at this intersection such as Data Science for All, where I would learn to leverage technology to aid in my analyses. The Milstein Program would be a natural fit given my interdisciplinary educational interests and demonstrated high school community leadership experience. The First-year Project and Sophomore Seminar would provide useful skills in project scoping and problem-solving using technology. By engaging in the MStudio, I’d gain practical professional skills through courses such as How to Land an Internship in Tech or Public Speaking, as well as connect with fellow Cornellians through team building exercises like the Hoffman Ropes Course Challenge. Applying my acquired knowledge from the Summer Program at Cornell Tech, I’d be eager to research social media’s impact on teenage financial decision making for my Junior Year Project and implement my findings through a financial literacy program with a local non-profit. Embodying Ezra Cornell’s “any person...any study” founding vision, I’m enthusiastic about pursuing subjects beyond my degree. One such area is Latin, which I’ve taken for seven years and would like to continue studying. I’m excited by Conversational Latin, something I’ve never been exposed to in a classroom setting. I also anticipate delving into new academic fields, such as philosophy through the Philosophy in Practice: Issues in Applied Ethics First-Year Writing Seminar. Outside the classroom, I’d like to continue developing my journalistic skills by writing for the historic Cornell Daily Sun’s Money & Business Section. I also look forward to playing men’s club basketball, a sport I love, and exploring the natural beauty and changing seasons of Upstate New York with the Cornell Outing Club.  Having heard many heartwarming stories from my father, uncle, aunt, and several cousins who graduated from Cornell, it wasn’t until I took Professor Arnab Basu’s summer macroeconomics class that I understood what they meant. While Professor Basu’s excitement about and knowledge of economics was impressive, it was his dedication to his students, demonstrated by his willingness to meet with me during my campus visit this past summer, which inspired me. The Dairy Bar’s ice cream, McGraw Tower’s chimes, Uris Library’s lakeview, and new North Campus residence halls are “icing on the cake” knowing Cornell has faculty like Professor Basu. Cornell’s strong academic offerings and sense of community is a tradition I sincerely would love to be a part of. From storming the homecoming football game with fellow first-years to watching the dragon slaying on the Arts Quad to celebrating the end of spring classes on Libe Slope, I’d be so lucky to spend my next four years “far above Cayuga’s waters.” — — —

Tips + Analysis

Fun hook: This exuberant opening announces the applicant’s enthusiasm and invites the reader to hop in and whiz along on their econ-fueled journey to Cornell. A great hook can perk up your (probably exhausted) admission reader’s attention and get them interested in your story. Check here for 9 innovative ways to explore building a hook .

Make the match: Great Why Major? and Why Us? essays make strong connections between a student’s experiences and interests and the school’s offerings. This student doesn’t just say they’re into economics and that they want to study it at Cornell; they connect it to what they’ve already done by referencing their IBDP extended essay on US-China trade relations. You might not have had the opportunity to attend the college’s summer program or have several alum family members (‘cause yeah, most people don’t), but look through your resume and activities list to highlight examples that reinforce the reasons you’re interested in this school.

Do your research: This essay is chock full of specific classes (International Trade Theory and Policy, Data Science for All), academic programs and opportunities (The Milstein Program, First-year Project and Sophomore Seminar, MStudio), and enriching extra curricular and social activities (Cornell Daily Sun, Hoffman Ropes Course, Cornell Outing Club) that show beyond a doubt that this student is genuinely fired up about Cornell and can see themself there. And don’t you also get a well-rounded sense of this student from the particular collection of opportunities they recount? With 650 words, you have a golden opportunity to share with Cornell a crystal clear view of your unique constellation of interests. Here’s a link to that handy research chart again to help you gather all the goodies. Pro Tip: Think proper nouns. Your reader’s eyes will naturally catch those capital letters announcing all the terrific offerings you dig up.

And here’s a bonus example written for an older version of this prompt that was more “Why Us” focused, but could still work nicely with some “Why Major” tweaks/additions.

Dear Cornell, When I discovered you, first through Andy Bernard’s resounding a cappella in The Office and then by your amazing stem cell research, I couldn’t help but think how perfect we’d be together. I would chart an educational path centered on interdisciplinary learning in your collaborative community, merging stem cells with linguistics; biology with beatboxing; outdoor adventure with poetry. Cornell offers unique opportunities to expand my medical research interests. Advanced classes like the Regulation of Cell Proliferation, Senescence, and Death—one of the few classes in the country offered on epigenetic regulation and signal transduction-induced pluripotency—perfectly match my interests in stem cells. I am excited by the work of Dr. Brian Rudd at the Cornell Stem Cell Program, as it will allow me to build on my previous work in CRISPR-mediated T-cell development. To my knowledge, similar research is not being conducted anywhere else in the world, and I hope to study signaling pathways and T-cell development under his guidance. Although I have remained focused on stem cell research, I also have great aspirations beyond molecular biology. A double minor in economics and linguistics will allow me to study interdisciplinary mechanisms and examine humanistic issues through a cultural lens. I relish analyzing market trends as my high school’s Investment Team co-leader, and look forward to courses like Behavioral Economics and Public Policy, which will help me build a theoretical understanding of financial markets and relate individual behavior to public policy. A minor in linguistics will further my seven-year-long Spanish journey, and I look forward to academic opportunities encompassing Spanish poetry and poetry of the Americas. While I may not be the archetype paper salesman (think Andy!), I too share a special connection with Cornell A Cappella. Many a middle school car ride were spent listening to Cornell Tarana, and it feels surreal that I may be experiencing campus life with the group I’ve loved and admired for so long. I hope to merge my background in beatboxing and Hindustani Classical music by singing with Tarana, learning from peers and sharing my love of South Asian music with the Cornell community. A kid who grew up racing Hot Wheels on top of my mother’s medical books, medicine was always prevalent in my life. Medicine now excites me because it is a perfect balance between intense scientific inquiry and dedicated personal connection. With Cornell’s unique interdisciplinary environment, I would have the ability to expand my endeavors in medicine, develop a global view of community healthcare, and explore new avenues essential to my diverse aspirations. Oh, Cornell, you are gorges. I long to hold your hand as I walk along the Beebe’s scenic waterfront, take in picturesque sunsets on the Slope, put on awesome Tarana concerts on your hallowed ground. It is the perfect harmony of research, music, and holistic approach to my aspirations, that tells me you are the ideal place to nurture me into a globally aware physician-scientist! Sincerely, [Student Name] — — —

Be creative and add personality. This essay is essentially a love letter from the applicant to the College of Arts and Sciences. The author is able to weave her skills and experience into a really engaging structure that showcases both her sense of humor and playful nature. 

Even if we didn’t look too closely at the substance of this essay, we’d get a sense of who the author is just by how she approached the prompt and the way she chose to frame her answer. She loves watching The Office and has fond memories of racing Hot Wheels. Those details may not seem important, but they give us a fuller picture of who this person is and what kind of energy she would bring to a community. 

Just because the prompts here are relatively generic doesn’t mean your answer should be. Invest some time in thinking about how you can stand out, and inject personality into your answer.

Combine the unconventional. The best essays come out of nowhere. They take ideas, disciplines, and experiences that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with one another and somehow make them seem like the perfect combination. 

We wouldn’t necessarily expect one person to enjoy “biology and beatboxing,” but through the course of the essay, the author shows us how her love of both can be fostered at Cornell.

Be specific. Clearly, this applicant has done her research. She references specific programs, clubs, and classes she would like to explore if she were admitted. If you’re a Cornell admission reader, the specificity of those references makes you feel the student values the school. That’s why it’s so important to look through a college’s website before you apply. Think about your core values or what resources you absolutely need in a college setting, then try to find places for that within Cornell. Doing that research pays off in the long run.

Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Supplemental Essay Prompts

Cornell college of agriculture and life sciences prompt #1.

Required: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (650 words)

Again, this is a combo “Why Major” and “Why Us.” See the guidance, examples, and analysis above: all the same things apply here.

Cornell College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Prompts #2 + #3

  • (Optional): Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.)
  • A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity.
  • My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity.
  • I have experience working in an agricultural entity.
  • I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.

These prompts might be labeled “optional,” but our philosophy at CEG is that it generally pays to take every opportunity to share more about yourself, AKA your “background, interests and experiences.” Consider how you might use these prompts to talk about aspects of yourself that haven’t appeared elsewhere in your application. Holistic review means the whole you!

For Prompt 2:

Think purpose and impact: This prompt begins with CALS’ mission to support students who’ll use the mastery gained at this school to work for the public good. You’re asked to describe a time when you took action to positively impact people, community and/or an environment. Reflect on your community service, and select a project that has both meant a lot to you, and which has achieved measurable impact. 

Essay structure: A great way to approach this essay is with a problem/solution lens, which we refer to as the Powerwall approach. Check it out in the linked guide, or the TL;DR version is:  

Identify a problem you observed—locally, nationally or globally.

Raise the stakes—spell out the consequences of the problem.

Say what you did—be specific about your role and activities.

Show impact—how did your efforts affect the situation? If you’re able to quantify your impact (number of people served, policies changed, etc.), include that.

Reflect—what did you learn from this experience? Why does it matter to you and should matter to your reader?

Super Essay potential: You’re likely writing an essay for another school about a community service project you did, which you can repurpose here and potentially for some other schools’ prompts. Check out our guide to Super Essays for how to maximize this super time-saving technique.

For Prompt 3:

This prompt seeks to know about any background or interest you have in agriculture. Although it may not be your intended area of study, if you have any of the experience listed, describe it in as specific detail as you can. Share what you gained from those experiences, and if you intend to carry forward this work, how you’ll do it at CALS and beyond.

how to write cornell essays

Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning Supplemental Essay Prompts

College of architecture, art, and planning prompt #1.

What three words best describe you? (30 characters per word)

Get creative. These don’t all need to be adjectives. Also, hyphenated words of your own creation or short three-word phrases (like “nerdy animal whisperer”) are fair game. Just watch the per-word character count.

Here’s how other students have handled this type of prompt.

Sister Athleisure-lover Hermione — — — Hungry Petrichor Retrouvailles — — — Nocturnal Expressive  Nurturing — — —

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning Prompt #2

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA) or urban and regional studies (URS)? B.Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 words)

This prompt is a combo “Why Major” and “Why Us.” See the guidance, examples, and analysis earlier in the guide: all the same things apply here. The program-specific guidance encourages you to highlight work you’ve already done in your chosen area (architecture, art, or urban and regional studies), so demonstrate your interest with illustrative examples. Link those with what you intend to do in the B.Arch, BFA, or URS major, and beyond.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Although phrased differently, this is a “Why Major? and “Why Us?” essay, with a request to tailor your response to your chosen program within the College of Business. See the guidance, examples, and analysis above: all the same things apply here. 

Some core questions to consider and address:What has led you to study business? What direction do you intend to go with it? Highlight those experiences that convey the issues and topics you care most about, and speak to why they matter to you. Make the link between your examples and the business school of your choice by identifying specific offerings at the Dyson School or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School that will enable you to continue to pursue your interests and goals.

“New Data Shows Largest Number of People in Poverty on Record.” I couldn’t stop scrolling through the gut-wrenching graphs and pictures in the New York Times, each painting a more horrifying picture than the last. My sorrow and pity were matched only by my desire to help. But as a young adolescent, I lacked the knowledge and wherewithal to do so. And while I still don’t have the answers to global poverty, as a service-minded, leadership-oriented, and proactive student, I have sought opportunities to help out locally through volunteering at the local library and tutoring for the National Honors Society. At the Dyson School, I will pursue every educational avenue to prepare myself for a career as a high-impact social entrepreneur. A recent summer program introduced me to the fundamentals of finance, economics, and business. I studied different financial ratios, financial statements, and company analysis, and even created a detailed company presentation. A major in Applied Economics and Management with a Finance Concentration will enable me to build upon those fundamentals in courses like Introductory Micro and Macroeconomics with Jennifer Wissink, which will further illuminate concepts like cost of capital and price system, which would thoroughly prepare me for a future in business. I’m also eager to learn Corporate Finance with Jawad M. Addoum and discuss his research on the determinants of investment decision-making and the effects of investors on stock prices. This experience would build off of my experiences with my economic research paper to help establish a deep understanding of investing and finance. Electives such as Toward a Sustainable Global Food System: Food Policy for Developing Countries will enhance my social entrepreneurial senses through case studies, and aid my understanding in how to tackle issues close to my heart, such as world poverty and hunger.  Outside the classroom, I frequently look for ways to develop as a leader to make a positive impact. I’m eager to connect with different communities through Leadership by Design at Dyson. Not only will I be able to promote the welfare of the Cornell community with community service, part-time jobs, and club basketball, but I’ll also be constantly refining key skills to be successful in business, such as leadership, collaboration, and adaptability. Additionally, I’m excited to take part in the Dyson Map the Challenge competition, which empowers teams of students to devise solutions to one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which will offer me a hands-on opportunity to apply the knowledge I gain at Cornell to the betterment of humanity. I’ve frequently aided my local community through different opportunities, and Map the Challenge will give me a preview of how I can expand those ambitions on a larger scale.  Not only will I serve communities close to home, but I will also aid underdeveloped communities around the world through programs such as JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching Program) and World Teach. These opportunities will help me fulfill my ambitions as a service-oriented student. I’ve tutored Chinese students in English since sixth grade, an experience that will help me make a positive impact with JET and World Teach. These programs will help me develop a global perspective that is necessary for success in an increasingly globalized economy and business world today.   As an Asian American, I’m also eager to join the Business Inclusion and Diversity Program to engage with people like myself who share values important to me such as inclusiveness, collaboration, and devotion to others. This program will help me nurture critical thinking and communication skills necessary to be successful in a diverse workforce, and work towards providing opportunities and resources to under-represented groups in business.  With its unique combination of majors and courses that suit my academic interests and ample volunteer opportunities, the Dyson School of Business is the ideal home for the next phase of my education and the perfect launchpad for a successful career of service and innovation.  — — —

Think theme, structure, and clarity: Unlike shorter versions of this essay type (50-250 words), you’ve got 650 words to develop a full essay here. So you can employ elements like an overarching theme, thesis statement and conclusion, as this student does: “At the Dyson School, I will pursue every educational avenue to prepare myself for a career as a high-impact social entrepreneur…” and “The Dyson School of Business is … the perfect launchpad for a successful career of service and innovation.” And your reader will appreciate clear structural elements like effective topic sentences—after all, they’ll be reading hundreds of essays.

Stitch a seamless story between you and the school. Throughout the essay, the author weaves together their prior experiences with the opportunities they plan to seize at the Dyson School—for example, alternating between their summer college program and the courses they’ll take in their major, and from their tutoring experience to JET and World Teach. Establish both your commitment to this area of study and to this school by making these connections. That “Why Us” research chart will help you dig deep to uncover all the opportunities to spotlight in your essay.

Go broad and deep: Discuss your past and planned future involvement in multiple arenas—academics, extracurriculars, community, social and more. 

Start with the problem: Notice how the author grabs the reader’s attention by pointing to the problem of global poverty, and then explains that their Dyson education will help them address such issues by becoming a high-impact social entrepreneur? This problem/solution method can make for a compelling essay structure. Check out the Powerwall exercise in this extracurricular activity guide for an in-depth explanation of this approach.

Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy

Cornell college of engineering supplemental essay prompts, cornell college of engineering short answer prompts #1 + #2.

  • What three words best describe you?
  • What are three words you would use to describe Cornell Engineering?

See tips and advice above for the same “three words that best describe you” above—they apply to both these prompts. Short answer questions like these are kinda common for elite colleges (in fact, USC has the exact same “three words best describe you” prompt), so you may run into more of these on your college application journey. If so, you may find this comprehensive guide to the short answer questions helpful .

Cornell College of Engineering Prompt #3

Required response (250 word limit) How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.

You can treat this as a “Why us?” essay, with some optional “Why Major” flavoring—focus on really specific details of what Cornell offers and how it fits with your interests and values. Because the word count is fairly short, if you know what you want to major in, you can include some Why Major details, but the majority of the word count can focus on why you and Cornell will make a great team.

Here’s a nice example from a past student. Note that this was written when the prompt had a longer word count, but the approach to Cornell-specific details and “so what” are what you want to focus on here.

At its heart, Cornell is a research institution; at my heart, I am a researcher. With a focus in the control of multi-agent robotic systems, especially drawing inspiration from insect swarm mechanics, the Collective Embodied Intelligence Lab would be the perfect place to apply what I have learned from my own work in that area, while learning from Dr. Petersen and her groundbreaking research in termite-inspired construction robots. I think we could have some very interesting conversations since I have spent the last two years studying firefly swarm behaviors for my science fair projects. I also hope to work in the Autonomous Systems Lab under Professor Campbell and Professor Kress-Gazit as I would love to use their armada of autonomous segway robots as a platform for research.  In addition to Cornell’s reputation for research, what really struck me was its unique commitment to project teams. Upon researching the teams, I realized I wanted to join all of them. Take Baja for example; the prospect of building an off-road vehicle from scratch is reminiscent of FTC competitions. Though I am well-versed in CAD, wiring, and chassis building, I’m excited to tackle bigger problems with even more freedom for creativity. On the other end of the project team spectrum is Cornell Autonomous Bicycle. From developing self-correcting gyroscopic balancing mechanisms to the physics of bicycle motion, this team faces several unique challenges. After watching YouTube videos about their work, I have discovered a few ways to improve the design. Although steering of the front wheel is the team’s primary method of bicycle balancing, I wonder if robotic arms could also be incorporated in order to improve balance and allow for more complex maneuvers. (Hopefully we can have that discussion in person). Cornell Engineering’s new website CollabSpace was initially confusing to me because it seemed like a rebranding of instructables. But the more I’ve explored, the more I’ve realized what a unique and collaborative community Cornell is building. The projects on CollabSpace are held to far higher standards than most Maker websites. The fact that students at Cornell have the time, resources, and interest to pursue their own maker projects shows me that Cornell’s engineering program is truly supportive and inspiring. CollabSpace shows a dedication to the maker community that I am, and will continue to be, a part of. Between mentoring new members of my high school robotics team, working with my younger brother on science fair projects, and teaching engineering to elementary schoolers through an LEF grant, I’ve had ample opportunity to pass on what I’ve learned. Through the CURB organization’s mentorship programs and poster forums, among other things, I will get to develop my passion for teaching. I’ve found that teaching is intrinsically tied to leadership, so I also plan to join the Cornell Engineering Leadership Program. And, as if that weren’t enough, Cornell also has its own sustainable farm. This is also a passion of mine, having spent five summers volunteering at Gaining Ground Organic Farm. I look forward to volunteering and learning from new innovations at Dilmun Hill. I’m especially excited about the new movable high tunnel installed last year because I’ve seen firsthand how effective they have been at Gaining Ground. The farm’s other innovation, an irrigation renovation project, also includes a call for design proposals for a solar-powered fertigation unit. Answering the call is a perfect challenge for me: one that harmonizes two of my passions while simultaneously giving back to the community and the planet. With all that, I only have one problem with Cornell: its lack of a robot soccer team. But as my tour guide mentioned, anyone can start a club that doesn’t yet exist; I fully intend to add “coach” to my resume.  — — — 

Get super specific. You don’t necessarily have to find things that are truly unique to Cornell, but that’s the direction to aim: Find specific classes, professors, and programs that align with your specific engineering interests, and show through your discussion of why you connect with them that you and Cornell fit perfectly. Speaking of which …

Show you belong together. One way we sometimes joke about “Why us” essays is that you’re trying to show the school why their online dating profile and your online dating profile are perfect for each other—you’re going to make a great couple. To that end, details like “Dr. Petersen and her groundbreaking research in termite-inspired construction robots” paired with “since I have spent the last two years studying firefly swarm behaviors for my science fair project” are a great way to show both that this student really did their homework about the school, and that they’re ready to dive in and be an engaged member of its academic community.

Cornell College of Engineering Prompt #4

  • Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.
  • Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

Question A is fairly straightforward—what’s a problem some level of your society faces that you believe could be addressed through engineering.

We’d recommend spending some time trying to think of problems that other students are less likely to mention. And you only have 250 words, so probably focus on a problem that you can adequately address. Meaning that, while something like climate change is a noble goal to help solve, it’s probably tougher for this essay. But a super specific aspect of it? That could work. Similarly, poor infrastructure is going to lend itself to broad, possibly bland writing. But I want to use civil engineering techniques to turn dangerous intersections in my town into safer, more environmentally friendly roundabouts? Cool.

The example below is taken from an essay written for a USC Engineering prompt, but would fit nicely here.

Every school year, I walk around campus, arms and backpack chock full of heavy textbooks. In the classroom, I read the textbook, review a lesson, and complete a worksheet. Rinse and repeat. And not just me: nearly every other student has had this experience. Enter personalized learning. Personalized learning could mean allowing students to master concepts at their own pace, or it could refer to computer programs designed to match one’s personality. For example, some learn kinesthetically, while others learn visually. The possibilities to unlock true learning potential through personalized learning are endless.  As an engineer, I want to develop teaching methods that help both the young and the old acquire new skills and enhance learned ones. Through computer science, I can devise an intelligent tutoring system. And after designing a personality quiz, I can create an algorithm to match the student’s preferred learning style and determine which multimedia is best to teach them. Although I personally do not have a learning disability, a close friend suffers from autism. Surprisingly, if you met him, you probably could not tell. From a young age, he was placed in a regular classroom, not a special ed one. As an extrovert, this personalized learning system enabled him to be a social butterfly while also learning at his own pace. Therefore, I believe that by advancing personalized learning experiences and minimizing inflexibility in education programs, we can reduce perceived learning disabilities. The future of intelligence will be much more well-rounded and diversified. — — — 

Structure and clarity are your friends. You don’t have a ton of space here, so if you want to include some kind of hook, you can, but feel free to pretty quickly and clearly show us how you’re answering the prompt. The example essay clearly sets up the problem and why the student feels it’s important to address. They then offer us a glimpse of what the world could look like if we solved this problem, and detail a few different ways in which engineering (and CS) could be used to lead us to this world. And the personal example at the end shows us that this is already something we can achieve—we just need people (like the author) to go and do it.

Show your values. In particular, take a look at your personal statement and the other supplements Cornell is getting. Scan through them and see what values you’re showing. Are any missing? (Or if you don’t have a clear sense of how to define your values, head here for the Values Exercise .) Use this prompt to highlight some values that we maybe aren’t seeing fully, or at all, elsewhere in your application. Above, for example, we can see values like social progress, learning, growth …

Regarding Question B , many schools have a supplemental essay prompt that asks students to reflect on their experiences and demonstrate, essentially, how those experiences would allow them to add to the diversity of a college community. This one is similar, but it asks you to think particularly about the role of diversity in the engineering community and profession.

One common question or confusion is what exactly schools mean by “diversity.” While this can refer to things like ethnicity, class, or sexuality, and those can be strong topics to write about, don’t feel like diversity is limited to these. Instead, think expansively—what is a perspective that you’d bring to campus, particularly one that others might not? If you’re interested in a more specific look into what exactly “diversity” means, check out this post .

One great way to start thinking about what you would bring to Cornell’s engineering community is to brainstorm communities you’re a part of. And remember, community can mean a lot of different things. It can be places you’ve interacted with, actions you’ve taken, interests you’ve pursued, circumstances you’ve been in, or identities you inhabit. After you’ve brainstormed a list of these, connect them back to engineering. How might your identity as a queer Asian-American influence the way you conceptualize projects? How might your obsession with badminton affect how you work in group settings? These are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself. Then, once you’re starting to see some clear connections between the community you’re a part of and the perspectives you bring to engineering, you can start writing. Don’t be afraid to write it long and cut it shorter after you’ve gotten everything important on paper. Just let the ideas flow and use your brainstorming to guide you.

Cornell College of Human Ecology

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.

Cornell College of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

And again, this is a combo “Why Major” and “Why Us.” See the guidance, examples, and analysis above: all the same things apply here.

how to write cornell essays

Special thanks to Luci for contributing to this post.

Luci is an audiophile and storyteller with a love of all things radio and writing. In the wild, you might catch her struggling through a NY Times crossword puzzle, snuggling her abnormally fluffy dog Oreo, or saying her favorite expression “cool beans.” Crosswords, cute dogs, cool beans. What more could you ask for?

Top values: Interpersonal connections | humor | openness to new experience

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College Essays

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For the 2022–2023 admission cycle, Cornell admitted less than 8% of their total applicant pool. To be one of the students who gets accepted, you need to write amazing essays as part of your Cornell University application.

In this article, we'll outline the different types of essays you need to write for your Cornell University application and teach you how to write a Cornell supplemental essay that will help you stand out from the thousands of other applicants.

What Are the Cornell Essay Prompts?

Most students applying to Cornell only need to answer one Cornell supplemental essay prompt as part of their application (engineering students are the exception).

Don't get too excited though, because this one essay carries a lot of weight. The word limit is on the longer side (usually around 650 words), and the topic depends on which school within the university that you're applying to.

Cornell University consists of many smaller colleges, each with their own required Cornell writing supplement.

Your Cornell essay prompt will correspond to the school that you plan to study at, so give your future as a Cornell student some thought before you start writing. Be sure to write about the subject or area of study that you are currently interested in, even if that may change when you get to college. As with all college admissions essays, authenticity is key. You may have myriad scholastic interests, but for this essay, stick with what you know best and are most passionate about. Your potential topic must correspond with the areas of study at the college too.

The Cornell essay prompts give ample space for you to express yourself and reveal a more complete portrait of who you are as a student and human simply because of the word limit. You can say a lot in 650 words, so take advantage of it!

how to write cornell essays

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2023–2024 Cornell Supplement Essay Questions

Here are the essays and instructions as shown on the Cornell University admissions website :

College Interest Essays

The primary focus of your college interest essay should be what you intend to study at Cornell. In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 650 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying. Note that the College of Engineering is the only college that requires multiple shorter essays, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences lists one required and two optional essays.

Here are this year's prompts: 

  • Brooks School of Public Policy: Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals.
  • Required: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals?
  • Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful mpact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you (200-word limit).
  • A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity.
  • My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity.
  • I have experience working in an agricultural entity.
  • I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.

Please feel free to share additional details (optional) (100-word limit).

  • College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.
  • College of Arts and Sciences:   At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. .
  • Cornell SC Johnson College of Business: What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).
  • Essay 1 (Required response): How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.
  • Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.
  • Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?
  • College of Human Ecology: How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.)
  • School of Industrial and Labor Relations: Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

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Cornell Supplement Essays Analyzed

In this section, we'll take a look at each Cornell supplemental essay prompt in depth.

Remember, you may only answer one prompt for your application.

We'll also give tips for how to best approach answering the individual essay questions. Some tips will apply to all of the questions, but we will highlight the important differences for each program.

Brooks School of Public Policy

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals.

To apply to the Brooks School of Public Policy, you'll need to select a specific major . Be specific about what you want to study and why, and make sure that you clearly state why the Brooks School in particular is the best option for you.

Don't panic if you don't have a lot of experience with your chosen major yet! Instead, think about why you're interested in this field and what experiences led you to it . Maybe you're inspired by something you personally experienced, by research you conducted, or by a documentary or article you read.

You should also research the history of the Brooks School and its different programs. Choose the one that best aligns with your goals , and look to see whether any notable faculty or alumni might further inspire you.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Applicants must answer one required essay, but also have the option to answer two optional essays. We'll break down your options below.

Required: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals ?

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences asks you to have an idea of your major as you apply. In your essay, you should commit to one major and be specific about why it's important to you. Choose a topic of genuine interest to you and that you have a personal connection with, even if that personal connection consists solely of articles you've read and documentaries you've seen.

Do your research about the topic and the school. Dedicate some time to reading about CALS—its history, its current faculty, and its notable alumni. Is there anyone from your research who you can relate to or who you think of as inspiring? Are there professors whom you are looking forward to working with?

Lean into the school's reputation, and choose something specific to write about that has a personal connection to you. For example, instead of writing about homesteading trends across the country, write about a local farm in your area that you visited as a child or how you got interested in food science.

You could also write about your personal connection to a specific project of a professor who teaches in the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you.  (200-word limit)

This is a great opportunity for you to show how you want to use your passion for the greater good . Because the prompt tells you to define your impact "on people, a community" broadly, you have a lot of leeway here. Think about your local neighborhood, your family and friends, any trips you may have taken through school or service organizations—anything that shows your commitment to serving others.

Optional:  Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An "agricultural entity" for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.). Select all that apply: A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity . My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity. I have experience working in an agricultural entity. I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity. Please feel free to share additional details (optional). (100-word limit)

This isn't an essay prompt so much as a way for you to self-identify . If any of these options apply to you, make sure to check them!

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning wants to know how you connect your creative passions with your scholastic interests here. Think about what you learn about or engage with of your own volition, not just because you're required to. In other words, when you fall down an Internet rabbit hole, what are you often researching?

For example, what design trends fascinate you? Which artists, photographers, or architects do you gravitate toward? What sort of urban planning projects would you be inspired to pursue? What transportation, housing, or infrastructure issues in your community or region do you want to work toward solving? Keep in mind that you'll want to not just describe who or what motivates you but also  why .

Note also that the question asks you to describe either a "passion" or a "creative project," so if you've already had the opportunity to work on an art installation or design project that has inspired you to pursue your degree at Cornell, then describe that project and explain why it motivates you. Remember, the prompt asks about passions, as well as quirks. Don't feel embarrassed! Share something personal about yourself. Maybe you love watching old cinema or make your own pop-up cards for your family. Maybe you watch hundreds of hours of videos from YouTube photographers. Maybe you visit the City Hall of whatever new town you visit.

Whatever you choose, make sure you elaborate on why you're interested in it and how it's affected your life.

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College of Arts and Sciences

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences .

The College of Arts and Sciences is the most generalized school of study at Cornell University, and the admissions essay reflects that. If you know that you love to learn but aren't sure what your career will look like after college, it's likely you'll be applying here.

Don't be fooled! Just because the question is broad, you don't have to write a broad essay in response. Don't feel like you have to demonstrate an interest in both Russian literature and molecular biology. Rather, describe your real intellectual pursuits with honesty and sincerity .

You don't have to have huge aspirations or a fancy reason for your intellectual pursuits. Stay true to yourself. If you're interested in Tudor history because of some historical fiction novels you read as a child, that's fine! You can say that. Just be sure to always tie it back to how Cornell's academics will let you study your passion.

If you have multiple areas of study that you are passionate about, you may write about them—but don't write about more than two or three at the most. Otherwise, your essay will feel more like a list rather than an in-depth exploration of your actual interests.

If you do choose to write about multiple interests, be sure to connect them back to you and your individual experience as a Cornell student and community member.

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Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

For the Johnson College of Business, the first part of the essay question asks you to think about the business-related topics or issues you are interested in; how they're connected with your life, academic, volunteer, or work experiences; and why. The next part of the prompt invites you to discuss your interests in terms of what's on offer at the business school.

Your best approach, then, is to r esearch the programs so that you know exactly what their approach to business, management, economics, and hospitality is.   What topics do they offer classes on? What specific research areas do their professors study? Then, think about what you most often find yourself thinking, reading, or talking about that relates to two or three of these topics. Those connections should be the core of your essay.

For example, did a history class inspire you to research the evolution of print advertising to digital marketing? Did moving from abroad get you interested in international development? Did you grow up in a family of entrepreneurs and want to further explore how to build your own business?

As you build your response, keep in mind that your essay should also indicate why you want to attend Cornell's College of Business rather than any other and how you'll take advantage of the resources it offers. So do some research on what makes the college stand out from others. You can list specific classes you'd like to take or professors you'd like to study with. Doing so will show that you're interested in Cornell, not just any old business school.

If you're specifically interested in the School of Hotel Adminitration and you're having trouble coming up with a topic, use the list of global hospitality industry topics as a jumping-off point. Which are you interested in? How did you become interested in them? Why do you care so much about these topics? What type of career do you want in this industry?

When writing about the experiences that define you and your passions as a future business major, don't generalize. Instead, use stories, anecdotes, and details  that actually happened and that show your personality traits and motivations. Follow that old grade-school writing rule: show; don't tell.

College of Engineering

All applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B.

Essay 1 (Required): How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.

Essay 2 (Required):

And now for something a little different. Instead of writing one long essay, College of Engineering applicants have to write two shorter essays, and they get to choose from three prompts.

Each of the prompts seeks to understand why you want to study engineering and why you believe you'd excel at engineering. For all prompts, be sure to go beyond the surface level with your answers. Don't just say that you want a steady job after graduation. Cornell's College of Engineering wants to see that you have both ambition and interesting ideas.

The first prompt is required  and is the most similar to the prompts for the other colleges. It's a basic "why us?" prompt, in which you explain to Cornell what it is about their College of Engineering that made you want to apply. Again, the more specific you can be here, the better. Mention things such as specific professors, classes, or internship opportunities to strengthen your essay.

The second prompt is a chance for you to put your thinking cap on! This is a great place for you to shine. Your job here is to choose a problem that is important to you —and say a little about why before diving into the prompt itself. If you know what type of engineering you want to study, make sure the problem you're addressing can be solved through that subfield. If you're not decided, you have a little more leeway.

For the third prompt, you're focusing on diversity and how you'll add to it. This doesn't just need to be racial diversity; think about what your unique life experiences can bring to Cornell's College of Engineering and how that would contribute to its diversity.

body_engineering

College of Human Ecology

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.)

This essay prompt gives you lots of room for creativity. That being said, heed this caveat: don't get carried away in stating your grandiose mission for solving the world's problems. As with the other essay prompts, specificity is key.

For the first question, choose an example from your life to illustrate your answer.  Pick something that has truly been formative in your educational and professional goals , dive in deep, and write from the heart.

For example, if you're interested in studying policy analysis and management, you could talk about how your experience with social welfare programs has affected your life. Or if you're looking to be part of the fiber science and apparel design program, you could talk about why clothing has played such an important part in your life and your passion for fashion design.

Be sure to include your future goals in your answer. The College of Human Ecology has a very specific focus—you'll want to reflect that as you discuss your career and life aspirations.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

This essay is a great opportunity to show off your academic side. You get to write about your topics of study and describe how you will continue to make it a part of your life in your college career and beyond.

You don't have to limit your answer to school experiences. Academic pursuits can grow from hobbies, travels, or personal experiences. Do you take on leadership roles in your religious community? Have you had a particularly influential summer job? As long as you relate the experience back to academics, you are golden.

You should also specify why ILR is the right college at Cornell for you to pursue these interests. What can you study at ILR that you can't study in Cornell's other colleges, such as the College of Arts and Sciences? It can be helpful to list specific courses or tracks of study at ILR that reflect your intellectual interests. Remember, the prompt specifically asks why ILR is your Cornell college of choice.

cornell-university-cc0

How to Write a Great Cornell Essay

Regardless of which Cornell essay prompt you're responding to, you should keep in mind the following tips for how to write a great Cornell essay.

#1: Use Your Own Voice

The point of a college essay is to give the admissions committee a chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors.

Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed-out person.

You should, then, make sure that the person you're presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don't try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you're not.

If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Cornell wants you to be.

#2: Avoid Clichés and Overused Phrases

When writing your Cornell essay, try to avoid using clichés or overused quotes or phrases.

These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are overused in daily life. The college admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays from students who have grand plans to change the world. Only talk about changing the world if you have legitimate interests to back it up.

Strive for originality and avoid using clichés, which take away from the strength and sincerity of your work.

#3: Check Your Work

It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure your Cornell essay is the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your Cornell application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays.

Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit.

It's a good idea to have someone else read your Cornell essay too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check to make sure you haven't missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be.

Recap: Writing a Stellar Cornell Essay

The Cornell essay prompts give you a chance to really show the admissions committee who you are. Regardless of the question you're answering, remember to follow these basic dos and don'ts as you're writing:

  • Be authentic and honest.
  • Be specific when citing people, places, and things.
  • Strive for brevity and clarity; less is more!
  • Be yourself, and do your research—both will shine through in your essays!
  • Base your essays on what you think the Cornell application committee wants to hear.
  • Use clichés or broad sweeping statements.
  • Try too hard to be funny and original. Be genuine and your positive attributes will be visible to the committee.

What's Next?

Are you working on the Common App essay as part of your application? Read our breakdown of the Common App prompts and our guide to picking the best prompt for you .

If you're planning to take the SAT or ACT as part of your application , try out some of our famous test prep guides, like " How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT " and " 15 Key ACT Test Day Tips ."

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Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

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Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

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Cornell’s recognizable motto hinges on the idea of “any person… any study” and as a university comprising several schools each focused in one broad area of study, it lives up to its mission through rich academic and extracurricular offerings, not to mention its gorgeous campus in upstate New York. However, you may only apply to one specific college at Cornell, with little flexibility for changes down the line. This requires you to think deeply about what it is you seek from your college experience. Asking yourself concrete questions (what draws you to the particular field you’ve chosen? what do you hope to accomplish with the specialized education you’ll gain?) before embarking on the application process will prove to be helpful when it’s time to write your Cornell supplemental essays .

how to write cornell essays

Once you’ve chosen which school you wish to apply to, you’ll need to extensively research it and its courses, professors, and areas of research to define not only where you’ll belong, but what you’ll bring to this school. Try to craft a unique angle in your essay(s), not in the sense of creating a gimmick for the admissions reader, but rather showcasing an understanding of what you as an individual will contribute to the Cornell community and vice versa. Strive to be specific and tie in anecdotal experiences with your research on Cornell.

Cornell’s 2023-2024 Prompts

General essay prompt.

  • In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “… any person … any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350 words)

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Essays

  • Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (650 words)
  • Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (200 words)
  • Optional: Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.). (100 words)

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning Essay

  • How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to to [sic] consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 words)

College of Arts and Sciences Essay

  • At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (650 words)

Brooks School of Public Policy Essay

  • Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650 words)

SC Johnson College of Business Essay

  • What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words)

College of Engineering Essays

  • How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. (250 words)
  • Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.
  • Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

College of Human Ecology Essay

  • How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (650 words)

School of Industrial and Labor Relations Essays

  • Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. (650 words)

Next Admit Essay Review promotion

In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “… any person … any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350-word limit)

This essay prompt is your best opportunity to tell admissions officers why you are a great fit for Cornell, and why Cornell is a great fit for you. Specifically, you’re being asked to describe your “life experiences” in the various communities you have belonged or still belong to. In this essay, you can discuss the influence of your family members on your worldview, how reading the newspaper has changed your perspective, how your state politics have impacted your life, and so on.

Because this essay prompt is relatively open-ended, try to pick just a few communities (perhaps 1-3), if you can, and focus on them in great detail. In order for your essay to stand out from the crowd, you need to make your essay personal to you and your unique experiences in communities. In addition, Cornell’s admissions officers are looking for students who will provide a wide array of perspectives, ways of learning, and backgrounds to the University. If your essay in any way sounds like it could be written by someone else, then what you can add to the Cornell community won’t be as clear. Focus on the details of your story, and what’s unique about you will shine through.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. how will an education from the college of agriculture and life sciences (cals) at cornell university specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals (650-word limit).

If you’re passionate about ecosystems, food systems, agriculture, and human interactions with nature, there’s probably a cool story behind that. The key here is to match the school’s emphasis on real-world commitments: how will you apply your education beyond the theoretical? What steps will you take outside of the classroom to reinforce your knowledge and community contribution?

Couple that with your learning, growth, and pursuit of your goals. Your “learning” can refer to your academic goals or educational goals more broadly; you can bring in your personal development goals as well. This relates to your growth. Consider giving the reader a glimpse into your growth before college before describing the growth you’d like to achieve through college, specifically at CALS. Lastly, refer to your career and life goals and how CALS has unique programs, courses, and/or opportunities that will bring you closer to achieving those goals.

In sum, you’ll want to make sure you weave a narrative about your interests and goals as they relate to this college.

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (200-word limit)

This Cornell supplemental essay prompt is essentially asking you to describe a community service activity you’ve participated in. Note that it is even better if you can come up with a service activity connected to the agricultural sector. There’s also no pressure here to list something wildly impressive —even just showing care toward a community, and how you’ve taken steps to be a good member of it, will go a long way toward showing your values.

Remember, show don’t tell . Don’t just tell the reader your experience of service impacted the community, but describe the results of your service, such as the number of people you helped, the amount of money you raised, etc.

Optional: Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. (100-word limit)

In this optional question, you have the opportunity to indicate your family and/or personal history in agriculture. Select the options that apply to you, if any, and then offer as many as 100 words of clarifying details if you did select any of the options.

Although the clarifying details are a completely optional portion of this completely optional question, it’s advisable to provide some additional information if you did select any of the answers available.

Even though it’s only 100 words, it’s an opportunity for you to describe an extracurricular activity of great relevance to your application if you have worked in agriculture yourself before. If you have family who have worked in agriculture, then you can describe the influence of that background on your decision to apply to CALS. Any opportunity to further display your interest in CALS will help your application!

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the college of architecture, art, and planning (aap) why architecture (b.arch), art (bfa), or urban and regional studies (urs) (650-word limit).

This question asks you to describe how your past experiences have driven you to aim for your chosen future path, but it’s a complicated question just to look at. Let’s break it down:

  • How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? This question asks you to list some of your interests. Then, you should display some research skills and interest in the school by naming a few programs, courses, professors, or other aspects of AAP that are directly linked to your interests.
  • B. Arch applicants, please vide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. This question is particularly for students interested in Cornell’s B. Arch degree, and it provides you an opportunity to describe some of the high school experiences which you might not have been able to discuss elsewhere in your application. For example, you could describe a moment when you were working on a creative project and realized that this project was the beginning of your future career. Alternatively, you could describe how you realized your passion for architecture would become your career or was something you could enjoy doing all day everyday.
  • BFA applicants may want to to [sic] consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. This question, which is particularly for students interested in Cornell’s BFA degree, expects you to do a little more research into the “available resources at Cornell.” Mention the resources most of interest to you when responding to this question and describe how you might utilize those resources while a student at Cornell. Consider describing how you could use those resources to create a specific proposed art series. What does a “coherent art practice” look like for you, and how would Cornell’s resources facilitate one for you?
  • URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. This question is particularly for students interested in the URS program at Cornell. If you have past experience with urban or regional issues, now is the time to discuss them. For instance, if you grew up in an urban environment, have worked a summer job in regional politicals, or completed a research project in urban studies, then this essay prompt is a great opportunity for you to provide more nuance regarding those experiences.

College of Arts and Sciences

At the college of arts and sciences, curiosity will be your guide. discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. your response should convey how your interests align with the college, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in arts and sciences. (650-word limit).

The College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell offers the broadest liberal arts education, and that’s certainly reflected in the multidisciplinary interests of the students they admit. In this essay, it’s helpful to describe a few (no more than two or three) of the topics that interest you and why they’re all related and relevant.

Then, you’ll want to discuss how you’ll take advantage of these opportunities and curricula. What energy will you bring to class? What kind of learner will you be? How will you approach your studies? What past experiences of learning and joy in your education will you bring with you?

Bear in mind that the biggest thing you should be accomplishing with this essay is explaining reasons why Cornell would be the place for you to combine said interests. For instance, you can do this by describing programs you’ve researched, alumni you admire, and/or classes you couldn’t take anywhere else.

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650-word limit)

Public policy is rooted in a desire to improve our conditions, and with the Brooks School’s goal of making “positive change in the world,” you’ll want to explain where you too developed this goal. How did your interest begin, and how have you fostered this interest since its inception?

This is a good space to expand, perhaps, on an initiative you’ve taken for your community, a political campaign or volunteer center you’ve worked for, or even what gets you thinking about ways to better the world. Whatever it is, heed the prompt’s request that you talk about your experiences: it’s also always easier to be compelling when writing what you know, especially when it comes to applying to a school whose teachings will (hopefully) yield concrete benefits to society.

Lastly, you’ll want to touch on your life goals and how specific programs, courses, professors, or other aspects of the Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell connects to your life goals and will facilitate you in achieving them.

SC Johnson College of Business

What kind of a business student are you using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the cornell sc johnson college of business (charles h. dyson school of applied economics and management or the peter and stephanie nolan school of hotel administration). (650-word limit).

As business schools on the whole tend to be more professionally-minded, this is a good space to reflect on the real-world impact you wish your business school education to give you. Pay special attention to how the prompt asks you to explain how what you want to achieve aligns with the specific school you’re applying to. For instance, if you’re applying to Dyson, perhaps focus on the marketing skills and business savvy you’ve been building up throughout your life, but if you’re applying to be a Hotelier, use this essay to communicate what it is about the hotel, food, and administration industry that intrigues you.

Like the personal statement, this essay provides you an opportunity to talk about yourself. You’ll want to use personal details, experiences, and/or anecdotes in order to build out your essay and support your claims of interest in business. Bring in aspects of your personality that might not have been able to come through in your personal statement or other parts of your application if you can!

College of Engineering

How do your interests directly connect with cornell engineering if you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at cornell engineering if you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with cornell engineering. it may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. (250-word limit).

As you only have 250 words to fulfill this prompt, you must be concise about your interests and how they connect to Cornell Engineering. Don’t hesitate to show you’ve done research on the school by name-dropping classes, professors, or areas of research you would ideally pursue should you be admitted.

A great exercise to get you started is to visualize yourself as a student there — what classes would you be taking? What major would you eventually choose? Which professors would you elect to work with? Imagine yourself at Cornell: not only will help drum up your excitement for applying, but it will also help you craft a more compelling picture of your reasons to the admissions reader.

Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem. (250-word limit)

This has the potential to be a very fun question as you reason through a problem with an engineering mindset. In a question like this, think about the structure of your essay: describe and introduce your problem, and why it’s important to your community/to you, then detail the steps you would take to solve it, and follow through those steps with reflection on how they would work.

This question is two-fold in the sense that it asks not only to see how you think through issues as an engineer, but also how you seek to apply your engineering skills to the world. Essentially, the Cornell admissions officers want to see that you think about how those engineering skills will help better the world (and that they won’t just live in a vacuum).

Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community? (250 word limit)

Increasingly, as marginalized peoples continue calling out the disparities in access to opportunity within the field of engineering, diversity has become an essential factor in engineering education. Consider the following guiding questions:

  • Beyond being an aspiring engineer, who are you ?
  • What experiences make you you , and why do they contribute to your study of engineering?
  • How would you contribute to the humanistic side of engineering?

Understanding the role that your lived experiences and identity play into your Cornell engineering focus will help build your voice in that community, and this essay is an occasion for you to use that voice.

College of Human Ecology

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the college of human ecology (che) how will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with che and your choice of major. (650-word limit).

Unlike some of the other schools’ more clear-cut questions, this one asks for a more big-picture approach for how you will apply your education to a real-world setting. The College of Human Ecology is rooted in its mission to improve the human connection to nature in all kinds of ways, as evidenced by its multidisciplinary approach.

You’ll want to talk about your own big-picture goals in this question. What is the difference you hope to achieve in the world? What’s your goal career? You might not know the answers to these questions yet, but you can still broach the topic in this essay response.

Lastly, don’t forget to still include the specific details of this vision: which classes you’ll take, professors you admire, etc. Working some of the details of the four years you’ll spend at Cornell into your broader vision will help you write a cohesive essay.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. your response should show us that your interests align with the ilr school. (650-word limit).

The ILR school leads in all things labor relations, economics, human resources, and management. Some of the most pressing problems it seeks to tackle are labor negotiations, conflicts among employers and employees, and the social sciences (in diversity, statistics, etc) surrounding labor and employment.

These topics seem to be in the news all the time, and are certainly relevant to a large number of people—what makes them relevant to you? Why have you taken an interest in labor relations? How have you demonstrated this interest through your actions?

This prompt is also a personal question. While you’ll still want to write about how the school and its programs will help you accomplish your goals in labor relations, don’t hesitate to get personal about the motivations behind your decision to apply to this school, as there are few like it.

If you need help polishing up your Cornell University supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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Cornell Essays: Examples and Writing Tips

Featured Expert: Sophia Xian, Cornell University

Cornell essays

Are you wondering how to tackle the Cornell essays? We’ve got you! Admission to  Cornell University  is highly competitive! Like many of the other  Ivy League schools , Cornell has a holistic admissions process, which means they want to make sure that you are a good fit for the school, both academically and personally. That is why it is important that you ace the  supplemental college essay  component if you want to be offered admission at Cornell. 

Your college essays give you an opportunity to talk to the admissions board directly, in your words, and explain why you deserve a spot in their school. It also gives you a chance to show what makes you different and how you can  contribute to your future campus community.  This is especially important if you're hoping to  get into college with a low GPA. 

 Looking at Cornell essay examples can give you a better idea of what is expected from your own Cornell college essays and inspire you to write a better essay. In this blog, we share some examples of essays responding to some of the most challenging Cornell essay prompts, and some tips that will undoubtedly improve your chances of writing a stronger essay. 

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Article Contents 14 min read

The application process for Cornell is quite different from other Ivy League schools like  Columbia  or  Brown . Cornell undergrad applicants are required to apply to one of the school's colleges, which means the Cornell essays are also based on the college they've chosen to apply to. The school advises students that the primary focus of their essay should be what they intend to study at Cornell. So, as you read the examples below for the different colleges, pay attention to the way that the author of the essay talks about their academic interests using specific examples from their background and specific details about the program that they intend to study.

Prompt (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences):  Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals?

Millions of people around the world live with sickle cell disease (SCD), yet millions of people worldwide do not know what sickle cell disease is. The CDC estimates that about 1 in every 13 Black or African American babies is born with the sickle cell trait. My mother was one of those black babies, and so was my father. Like many Americans, they had no idea what sickle cell was and why the fact that they carry the trait for it matters. They found out seven years later when my younger sister was born with sickle cell anemia. 

I have spent most of my teenage years watching my sister suffer. According to sicklecell.com, although the treatment for SCD patients has significantly improved in the US, only about 20% of family physicians are comfortable treating these patients even though it is not contagious. I am not sure what their reasons for not being comfortable are, but I do remember how difficult it was to get help for my sister when she needed medical attention. 

The first time she had a crisis – the term used to describe the pain resulting from the sickled red blood cells blocking the path of the small blood vessels that carry blood to your bones – I was paralyzed with fear. My parents had taught me that a crisis can last anywhere from an hour to several days and that if untreated, it could have severe consequences for my sister. They taught me that I needed to call 911, but it took me a few minutes to remember that I needed to do that. 

It took me a few minutes to get to the hospital and much longer for us to get a physician who understood what my parents were trying to explain about my sister’s medical history. It was on that day that I started thinking about sickle cell anemia patients around the world. I have always recognized that living in the US gives me access to a certain amount of privileged, including access to some of the best doctors in the world. It occurred to me that these same doctors did not know how to approach an issue affecting millions of people of color worldwide, and I wondered how many other doctors worldwide didn’t have that same training or knowledge.

My sister was hospitalized for almost two weeks, and I spent most of that time in her hospital room researching sickle cell. My research helped me understand how to better care for my youngest sibling, and it renewed my interest in medicine. I have always been attracted to the medical field because I enjoy helping others and solving problems. Finding out that not only do we need more doctors equipped to treat sickle cell but that there is also so much research to be done on the subject helped me realize that this was the right career path for me. 

I am interested in pursuing my premedical degree at Cornell because it offers unique opportunities to explore and expand on my medical research interests with advanced classes like the Regulation of Cell Proliferation and Senescence. I believe that a strong molecular biology education will give me a solid foundation that’ll prepare me for both my medical school and the research I intend to pursue. Cornell's interdisciplinary and collaborative nature would also allow me to take courses like Behavioral economics and public policy, which will help me develop a global view of community healthcare. 

In other words, Cornell is the ideal place to nurture me into a globally aware physician-scientist who can significantly impact the way sickle cell is treated and maybe even cured. 

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Prompt (College of Arts and Sciences): Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21 st -century terms Ezra Cornell’s “any person…any study” founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our college. (Max: 650 words)

Three students from my high school attempted suicide during our sophomore year. They were all in AP classes, participating in multiple extracurricular activities, and well on their way to some of the best and most competitive universities in the country. We all thought that they were doing well, but we were all very wrong. Fortunately, two of the students survived and I am glad to say that they got the help that they needed but one of my classmates died. In his suicide note, he talked about feeling an immense amount of pressure and I could feel his sentiments being echoed by many of my other classmates.

If someone was keeping track of the number of times students cried or broke down in school from freshman to Junior year, they would have noticed that the number was rising exponentially. For context, I went to a boarding school that prides itself on teaching the brightest students and preparing them for the academically rigorous programs of the top colleges in the country. While I loved a lot of things about my high school, I can admit that the environment in which we studied was very pressure-inducing.

I was alarmed at the number of times I heard students say “I’m going to kill myself” on a daily basis, and many of my closest friends confessed that they considered quitting school. If I am being honest, there were a few occasions where I myself thought about quitting, but I was able to rely on my support system and they encouraged me to keep going. Many students did not have one, or they needed a different type of support. In short, my school community was very stressed, and these red flags made me decide that it was time to do something about it.

Because of my role as coordinator of the student event planning committee, I spent quite a lot of time in the administrative office, and I noticed how busy our school counselor was. She helped a lot of students, but she simply didn’t have the resources to care for over 2000 students by herself. I had researched and found that yoga and art therapy were empirically proven de-stressing methods. So, I approached the school counselor and she helped me create the mental health club.

I collaborated with the counselor and the library to organize several events every month. We had weekly meditation, stretching, and doodle sessions, “safe space” days where students could simply come and openly share their concerns and worries, and we even hosted therapy dogs once every term. We asked students to rate their mood before and after each session, and 92% of the students said that their stress level had decreased significantly.

That number is what got me interested in psychology. I was amazed to see that an activity like doodling which many consider mundane, can have such an impact on a person’s mental health. I wondered what else affects our psyche, what does so positively, and what does so negatively. The more research I have done on the topic, the more questions I seem to have. So, I am definitely excited to take courses like educational psychology and adolescence and emerging Adulthood at Cornell which are sure to provide more answers.

I am elated to say that the Mental Health Club is now a formal program of our school that offers weekly sessions and makes it a point to raise awareness about wellness and balance. I plan to use the knowledge I will gain at Cornell to create and introduce programs of this nature in other high-stress environments and learn how to ensure that students are learning in the best conditions possible.  (613 words)

Prompt (College of Architecture, Art, and Planning): What is your "thing"? What energizes you or engages you so deeply that you lose track of time? Everyone has different passions, obsessions, quirks, and inspirations. What are yours? (Max: 650 words)

I was thirteen years old when my mother forced me to put my shoes on and follow her to an art gallery. She told me that an art gallery was like a museum, and until that day, the only other time I had been to the museum was when my 5th-grade class had gone on a field trip to the Natural History Museum to see dinosaurs. I honestly had no desire to see more dinosaur bones, and I informed my mother of this. She told me that this was a different type of museum and that she had a feeling I would like this one a lot better. 

Mothers know best! I know it's not always true, but it definitely was in my mother's case. She had noticed my budding interest in painting and wanted to nurture it. I remember walking into the room and feeling almost overwhelmed by the beauty. I didn't understand what I saw, but I knew it was special. One of the paintings I saw that day was Razorbill by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, and I immediately loved everything about the piece. 

That evening, I talked a mile a minute about wanting to visit other galleries and museums, about how hard it must be to paint a particular color this way or that way, and about how I wanted to replicate my favorite paintings. I stayed up in my room that night, trying to paint using the same loose gestural brushwork I saw in Yiadom-Boakye's work. I obviously couldn't at first, but I tried again the next day. And the day after that. 

I also spent quite a bit of time researching and learning about some of the artists whose work I saw on that day at the gallery. That research led me to other great artists whose work I have come to know and love - From the classics like Van Goh and Basquiat to the contemporary visionaries like Henry Taylor and Joy Labinjo. I learned about the different painting techniques and practiced as often as possible. 

Unfortunately, my school did not have many resources for students interested in art, but I didn't let that obstacle stop me. After looking for months, I finally found an art teacher that was a forty-five-minute drive away, and I enrolled in one of her Saturday classes. Those lessons not only helped me improve my skills, but they also helped me feel more confident in my abilities. 

The more I learned about painting as a medium, the more I wanted to experiment with other art forms. This is one of the reasons Cornell's fine arts program is so appealing to me. The fact that the program includes core studio courses in the mediums that I am interested in, like digital media and drawing would allow me to explore all of my interests. It would also give me a chance to discover new ones through the many elective courses available to Cornell students. 

My goal is to one day create art that excites and inspires others the way that Lynette Yiadom-Boakye inspired me.  (513 words)

Prompt ( College of Engineering): How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. ( Max 250 words)

“You’re awfully happy for a person who has to get stitches” 

I explained to the ER doctor who said this to me that I’d accidentally hurt myself by jumping with joy when my robotics team and I finally managed to get our robot to respond to a sophisticated command. He didn’t seem to understand why that was a big deal.

Learning and creating have always excited me. So, when I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in engineering, it was important to me that I find a college that would encourage my need to explore and give me a chance to start creating from my undergrad years. Therefore, Cornell’s unique focus on independent investigations and its requirement of a senior thesis is perfect for me. 

My decision to apply to Cornell was solidified when I discovered that the school is an ABET-accredited Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering School. I am especially interested in learning about Environmental Biotechnology, so it is necessary for me to go to a school that will allow me to learn material that is both applicable and relevant to the industry. 

To prepare for the rigorous curriculum, I have enrolled in a differential equation and engineering basics course at the local institute. I am confident that the foundation I will gain from these courses, along with my experiences in robotics and passion for the field, will make me an excellent addition to the Cornell campus community. (240 words)

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What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (Max: 650 words)

Two years ago, my parents took my siblings and me to Timbuktu. It is a relatively small city in Mali that people often use when referring to far away places, but it also happens to be a city that is historically rich, home to three world heritage sites, and my father’s childhood home. We only spent a couple of weeks in Timbuktu, but it was enough time for me to see and learn some pretty amazing things – like how to make the perfect cup of green tea, how shea butter is produced, and how beautiful the Grand Mosque of Djenné is.

What impressed me the most about Timbuktu was its architecture. Most of the city’s buildings are constructed using sunbaked mud bricks. A local tour guide explained to us that in addition to being beautiful, these buildings are perfect for the local climate because they do such a great job at insulating against the heat and cold. The guide explained that these houses are actually more durable and a lot more environmentally friendly than the “modern” houses that they build in bigger cities and most of the western world.

His words stayed with me, so I spent a lot of time researching this architecture and the man knew what he was talking about. Architects and archeologists have found that many mud-brick buildings have survived centuries with little to no maintenance. Many of those buildings are in Mali, Egypt, and Australia. I saw the evidence of that myself in one of the oldest cities in the world and I was impressed.

I started to wonder why this method of building was not being used or at least studied more in the western world if it is that much better for our environment. So, when I got back to the United States, I asked my history teacher about it and they steered me in the right direction by asking me to look into the business of sustainability. I researched on my own and took an introduction to sustainability class from a local community college. Both of those things taught me that in our current economy, sustainable development of any kind can be, and often is, quite costly.

The reality is that nations will only promote environmentally friendly practices if they can afford it or profit from those practices. For some, protecting the Congo Basin comes second to protecting the livelihoods of the small lumber businesses around the region, while for others it comes second to making billions of dollars by selling electronics every year. On a smaller scale, families and people also have to choose between sustainability and affordability when it comes to electronics, fashion, and more. I think it’s unfair that families and regions and countries often have to choose between one or the other.

I want to join the efforts of the economists and environmental scientists who are working to find ways to make sustainable options more popular, accessible, and affordable. For a long time, I struggled because I was looking for an academic path that would allow me to explore economics and environmental sciences while learning about business management. These are the fields of study that I need to pursue in order to understand the world of sustainable architecture and manufacturing better, and eventually research ways to make those practices more accessible, affordable, and profitable.

Dyson’s unique program is uniquely designed to help me achieve this goal. I would be able to major in applied economics and management (AEM), and Environmental engineering through Dyson’s affiliation with CALS, thus balancing my business education with life science education. 

In order to get into a school as competitive as Cornell, it is important to write a  Common App essay  and a supplemental essay that stand out. This is no easy feat, especially when the prompts for the supplementary essay are as specific as the ones Cornell asks its applicants to respond to. These types of prompts are often referred to as "why this college essays" because they are essentially asking why you have chosen the Cornell college or program that you are applying to. To  ace the why this college essay , you will need to give yourself enough time to plan, draft, write and edit your essay until it is polished. We recommend planning at least four to six weeks to ensure that your essay is ready for submission. 

If you are not sure  how to write a college essay , do not hesitate to reach out to a  college essay advisor  for additional support. Or, even if you feel that you are a skilled writer, we recommend consulting with a  college essay review service  as the admission experts who review your essays may be able to identify issues in your essay that the untrained eye can't. Remember that because of colleges' holistic admissions process, your  college essays  can play a significant role in the admissions committee's decision so you want to do everything you can to submit an essay that will improve your overall application. 

For every 100 applications that Cornell received last year, only about eight students were offered admission. So, it is fair to say that it is a very competitive school. 

Much like the rest of your application, the number of essays you will need to write depends on the specific college you are applying to. You will be required to write one or two supplemental essays depending on your chosen college.

Your Cornell essays are an integral part of your application that can have a significant impact on the admissions committee's decision. A student with perfect stats might get rejected because of a poorly written essay, so it is important that you bring your A-game when it comes to your essays. 

Cornell has eight colleges: The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Human Ecology, School of Industrial and Labor Relation, and the newer Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. 

You need an attention-grabbing opening statement, examples to back up claims about you, specific details about the college and programs that interest you, and an essay that is easy to follow. 

You need to research the programs and colleges at Cornell and take the time to plan your essay before you start writing. Cornell prompts are incredibly specific, so you need to be able to provide detailed information to be compelling. 

Cornell essays can't be longer than 650 words. We recommend writing between 400 and 650 words to ensure your essay has a compelling story. 

You should highlight the strengths and skills that align with the college that you are applying to. This is why it's important to familiarize yourself with the college's specific character before writing your essay. 

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Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

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Cornell University is one of the most competitive schools in both New York and the nation. In recent years, the Cornell acceptance rate has only gotten lower . When considering how to get into Cornell , there’s no room to slack off on any part of your Cornell application. Simply meeting the Cornell University requirements will not be enough to gain admission. That’s where your Cornell supplemental essays come in. 

In fact, these essays are a key part of your application. Your Cornell essays allow you to highlight who you are beyond your grades, test scores, and recommendations. This means that you should approach each of the Cornell essay prompts with thought, consideration, and attention to detail.

If you’re feeling stuck when approaching the Cornell University requirements—and particularly the Cornell supplemental essays—then you’re in luck. This guide to the Cornell supplemental essays includes expert guidance on how to approach each prompt. You’ll find a breakdown of how to approach each Cornell essay and tips for creating an application narrative that will stand out to admissions.

Cornell Essay Guide Quick Facts:

  • Cornell acceptance rate: 9% – U.S. News ranks Cornell as a most selective school.
  • 1-2 school-specific essays (varies depending on school)
  • Cornell application note: The prompts and word counts for the Cornell supplemental essays vary depending on the college to which students apply. All students will complete the Cornell University requirements via the Common App . 
  • #1 Cornell essay tip:   We strongly recommend answering all Cornell supplemental essays—including the optional Cornell essay prompts—comprehensively and thoughtfully. Well-written Cornell supplemental essays give your readers a deeper look into your personality and passions, which can significantly increase your chances of admission.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website. 

How many supplemental essays does Cornell require?

You must complete one or two of the Cornell supplemental essays listed on the 2023-2024 Common App. The number of Cornell supplemental essays and the prompt you answer, however, depends on the school to which you apply.

Each of the Cornell essay prompts corresponds to one of eight undergraduate colleges/schools at Cornell. While there are eight Cornell supplemental essays to choose from—and we’ll cover them in this Cornell supplemental essays guide—you will only answer one or two Cornell essay prompts.

What are the Cornell supplemental essays?

The Cornell supplemental essays are accessible through your Common Application. Additionally, you can visit the main Cornell site for a full checklist of first-year application requirements (including the Cornell essay prompts).

Cornell Supplemental Essays

In addition to your Common Application Personal Statement , you will select one of eight Cornell essay prompts to answer. Each of the Cornell essay prompts corresponds to the undergraduate college or school at Cornell to which you are applying (including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; College of Arts and Sciences; Cornell SC Johnson College of Business; Brooks School of Public Policy; College of Engineering; College of Human Ecology; or the School of Industrial and Labor Relations). So, choosing which Cornell majors interest you is a key first step as you approach the Cornell supplemental essays. We’ll dig into each prompt later in this article. 

Although there are several Cornell essay prompts to choose from, you will only answer the prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate school at Cornell to which you apply. For example, those interested in engineering should only answer the prompt(s) for the College of Engineering . This means that every applicant will write only one to two Cornell writing supplements.

Remember that no matter which Cornell majors interest you, all applicants must also write the personal statement essay found on the Common App. Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our latest Common App essay guide to build your college application with confidence. 

Cornell Supplemental Essays – College Interest Essays  

The Cornell supplemental essays may seem more intimidating than other college essays—Cornell is an Ivy League school, after all. However, you’ll notice many similarities. It may seem as though the Cornell essay prompts vary greatly based on the college to which you apply. However, that’s not necessarily the case. 

The majority of the prompts for the Cornell supplemental essays pose the same questions. Why this major? And why at Cornell? So, essentially these Cornell supplemental essays are like a why major essay and a why school essay . 

Cornell College Interest Essay Prompts

College of arts and sciences:, at the college of arts and sciences , curiosity will be your guide. discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. your response should convey how your interests align with the college, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in arts and sciences. , college of architecture, art, and planning:, how do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the college of architecture, art, and planning (aap) why architecture (b.arch), art (bfa), or urban and regional studies (urs), b. arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. bfa applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at cornell into a coherent art practice. urs students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues., brooks school of public policy:, why are you drawn to studying public policy drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the brooks school will help you achieve your life goals., college of architecture and life sciences:, why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. how will an education from the college of agriculture and life sciences (cals) at cornell university specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals, s.c. johnson college of business:, what kind of a business student are you using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the cornell sc johnson college of business (the charles h. dyson school of applied economics and management or the cornell peter and stephanie nolan school of hotel administration)., college of engineering:, how do your interests directly connect with cornell engineering if you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at cornell engineering  if you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with cornell engineering. it may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about., choose question a or b to respond to..

  • A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.
  • B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

College of Human Ecology:

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the college of human ecology how will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future  your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with che and your choice of major., school of industrial and labor relations:, using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. your response should show us that your interests align with the ilr school..

Note that some of the Cornell supplemental essays are optional. We’ll take a closer look at these optional prompts later in this guide. 

Each of these prompts is slightly different. However, you’ll notice that the general essence of the questions stays the same. Your Cornell supplemental essays will vary greatly based on your unique experiences, academic interests , and future goals. There will be no one-size-fits-all way to complete the Cornell supplemental essays. Still, there are certain things that can help you craft the best Cornell University essay possible. 

Keep in mind that the most important part of answering a why major essay and a why school essay is being specific. You cannot give generic responses in your Cornell supplemental essay. 

Cornell Essay- Choosing a college

Cornell supplemental essays

Before we break down each of the Cornell essay prompts, let’s take a look at all of the colleges to which you could apply at Cornell. Each one has its own set of Cornell majors available. However, don’t be intimidated if you aren’t certain of your major just yet. Applicants are by no means locked into these colleges should they reassess their academic and career goals if accepted to Cornell. 

Academic Colleges at Cornell University: 

Brooks School of Public Policy . Applicants who complete the Cornell supplemental essay for Brooks will have two undergraduate majors to choose from. Brooks students can study Policy Analysis and Management or Health Care Policy. 

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) . Students who choose to study at CALS during their time at Cornell have a wide range of undergraduate degrees to choose from. Some options include Marine Biology, Plant Breeding, Food Science, Horticulture, and many more. 

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) . Students who study at Cornell AAP can choose to study Urban and Regional Planning, Fine Arts (BFA), Architecture, or Real Estate. 

College of Arts and Sciences . This is likely the college to apply to if you are undecided on your major as it offers a liberal arts education. Students in this college can choose from many different majors such as Economics, English, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, or Linguistics. 

SC Johnson College of Business . Students who hope to study business at Cornell will choose from two undergraduate programs: Applied Economics and Management or Hotel Administration. 

College of Engineering . Applicants interested in the engineering program at Cornell will have to write two Cornell supplemental essays. Students accepted to the program will have 14 majors and 22 minors to choose from. 

College of Human Ecology . Cornell’s College of Human Ecology offers three different majors: Human Centered Design, Psychology, and Nutritional Sciences.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) . There is only one major for undergraduates to study within ILR at Cornell. However, it’s an interdisciplinary program that studies urgent issues affecting society, organizations, the economy, and international affairs. 

Before reading all about the college-specific Cornell supplemental essays, take a look at an example of a successful why school essay for some tips. Of course, your Cornell University essay will be quite different. However, it should share the same goal: convincing admissions that you belong on campus. 

When writing a “why this college” essay, it is important to write passionately. If you’re waiting to take a tour of campus until after you’ve received your acceptance letter , then why not take one virtually ? Envisioning yourself on campus will help you find motivation and inspiration for the Cornell supplemental essays. So, no matter which of the Cornell supplemental essays you choose, admissions officers should be able to envision you enriching the college community. 

Now, let’s dive into how to write the Cornell supplemental essays for each college. 

Cornell Essay: College of Arts and Sciences

Students who are undecided on their major will likely write a Cornell supplemental essay to this college—unless, of course, a major within a different discipline has captured their interest. The College of Arts and Sciences focuses on an interdisciplinary education. This college is “curiosity-driven” and the perfect place for academic “exploration and discovery.”

Let’s look at the prompt. 

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. 

You’ll notice that this is a somewhat typical why school essay and essentially a why major essay as well. So, you’ll need to choose an area of academic interest in order to complete this Cornell University essay prompt. However, as the prompt states, you can mention multiple Cornell majors. You’ll have 650 words in which you can respond to this Cornell supplemental essay prompt. 

You can choose various areas of study interest to write about. However, you want to make sure that they connect. You should also highlight how they’ll help you to achieve your future goals. For example, don’t just state that you’re interested in studying Economics and Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality studies without giving any context. Maybe you’d like to explore the earning differences between different groups and find solutions to bridge those gaps. Whatever your current interests are, use this Cornell supplemental essay to logically link them to you and your future goals. 

Keep in mind

When responding to the Cornell essay prompts, reference specific opportunities only offered at Cornell. Get specific when writing about your academic interests as well as the Cornell community. How will studying at Cornell impact your education and future career?

Additionally, your Cornell supplemental essays should highlight your passion for the subject matter. However, this specific Cornell essay prompt asks applicants to “discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey.” What makes you a curious learner? How have those interests played a part in your education up until now? And, essentially, how will your intellectual curiosity help you when studying in the College of Arts and Sciences?

Still struggling to identify some majors to write about? Check out our article on how to choose a major for some guidance. 

How to Choose a Major

Cornell Supplemental Essays: College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

Cornell supplemental essays

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning offers three distinct majors. If you’re applying to this college, you likely know yours—if not, you’ll need to choose one before responding to this Cornell essay prompt. 

Here’s the AAP Cornell University essay prompt for hopeful applicants:  

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

This Cornell supplemental essay prompt is essentially another why school essay and why major essay combined. However, successful Cornell supplemental essays will link applicants’ interests with their intended area of study.

What do we mean by that? Well, let’s say you plan on studying architecture . Rather than writing about your obsession with baking the perfect cupcake, instead, focus on your love of old buildings. Was there a moment, an experience, or a trip that made you begin to notice every little detail of the buildings you step into? Strong Cornell supplemental essays should take the reader into these moments. 

Don’t shy away from using personal anecdotes. However, make sure that it connects back to the Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. After reading this Cornell supplemental essay, Cornell admissions should know just why you’ve chosen your intended major. Additionally, this Cornell essay prompt asks applicants to specify their interests even further within the school. That means Cornell supplemental essays to AAP should clearly state which area within that college is of interest to you. The anecdotes, interests, and experiences you describe in this Cornell University supplemental essay should relate to your intended area of study. As with every why school and why major essay, students should use specific examples of program offerings, faculty, or internships that they’d take advantage of. 

Keep in mind that applying to an Ivy League school is always a reach. So, it’s important to have other options in mind. Check out some of the best architecture schools to round out your college list. 

Cornell Essay: Brooks School of Public Policy

While our other two Cornell supplemental essays were nuanced versions of the why major essay and the why school essay, the Cornell essay for Brooks is pretty upfront in its intentions. Let’s look at the prompt. 

Clearly a why school and why major essay, applicants to the Brooks School of Public Policy will use their Cornell supplemental essay to tell Cornell admissions why they want to study Public Policy and why at Brooks. So, you’re likely familiar with this kind of college essay. However, this doesn’t mean your Cornell University essay should read as a list. 

Feel free to get creative with this Cornell supplemental essay. You can use an anecdote to make your why major essay uniquely yours. Remember that successful Cornell supplemental essays will be specific. Generic Cornell supplemental essays will do applicants no favors when it comes to impressing Cornell admissions. Think about your reasons for choosing this major, what offerings you will utilize that are only available at Brooks, and how this will all tie into your future goals. Address all of these points within your Cornell essay to Brooks.  

Additionally, keep in mind that Brooks aims to educate students to make positive changes in the world. So, if you can tie that into your Cornell University essay, great! However, steer clear of writing a cheesy Cornell essay that centers around world peace. Of course, if you can reference an experience you had that has had some impact on this larger, important theme, then by all means mention that in your Cornell essay for Brooks.

Learn more about Cornell admissions from the undergraduate advising team for the Brooks School of Public Policy in this helpful video below:

Cornell Supplemental Essays: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

cornell supplemental essays

Similar to the Brooks College of Public Policy , CALS asks all of its applicants to answer one prompt that reads as a typical why major and why school essay. 

Here’s the required prompt for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell: 

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals? How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals?

You’ll want to answer this Cornell University essay prompt by exploring why you’ve chosen this major. Start brainstorming just what brought you to this field of interest. Once you have a list, touch on the most meaningful or impactful points in order to write your most passionate Cornell supplemental essay. Or, maybe you know the exact moment when you decided this major was for you. Great! That’s a great place to dive into for this Cornell essay. This prompt asks you to show how your interests and experiences have influenced your choice. 

The second part of this essay asks why you want to study this major at Cornell. It also asks how studying there will help you to achieve your future goals. Strong Cornell essays will mention specific programs, internships , or professors at CALS. Do your research so that you can get the details right. 

Keep in mind that while not specifically among the Cornell University requirements for this school, applicants should show passion for intellectual exploration “on the ground.” Basically, when studying at CALS, students will get a lot of hands-on experience. Your learning won’t be confined to a laboratory. Cornell supplemental essays for this college might focus on the applicant’s adventurer’s spirit. Highlight how you constantly explore and dissect the world around you in order to make it a better place. 

Applicants to Cornell CALS can also answer two optional Cornell essay prompts. We encourage applicants to consider the first essay required. After all, strong and passionate Cornell supplemental essays will only enhance your Cornell application. However, you should only complete the second of these Cornell supplemental essays if it genuinely applies to you. 

Let’s look at both of the optional Cornell supplemental essays. 

Here’s the first optional prompt: 

At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you. We encourage you to think about community broadly – this could include family, school, or local and global communities. (300-word limit)

This essay may seem familiar from other college applications. Many universities want to know about applicants’ community involvement. This helps Cornell admissions officers understand how you would enrich campus life. 

The prompt makes it clear that “community” can mean many things. So, try to think outside the box with this prompt. There are many ways to write this Cornell essay, so start by thinking about which communities matter in your life. Then, choose one that matters most to you. You’ll need to show how you impacted that community and how you’d bring that experience to CALS.  

Now, let’s look at the second optional Cornell University essay prompt for CALS. 

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is dedicated to the exploration of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background in agriculture or are interested in pursuing a career in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. (300-word limit)

Select all that apply:.

  • My family owns or operates a farm.
  • I have experience working in agriculture.
  • I have an interest in pursuing a career in agriculture.

Cornell admissions wants to know more about applicants with significant agricultural experience. Consider this Cornell supplemental essay prompt truly optional. You should only respond if you have significant experience in agriculture or a serious interest in pursuing a career in that field. 

If you answer this Cornell supplemental essay prompt, use specific examples to illustrate your experience. Ideally, applicants should use personal anecdotes in order to show just how agriculture has influenced their lives so far. Applicants should also highlight why these experiences have made them want to pursue a career in agriculture. 

For more information directly from Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences check out this YouTube video below:

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Cornell supplemental essays

Applicants to the SC Johnson College of Business will need to specify which discipline they’d like to pursue: Applied Economics and Management or Hotel Administration. So, this Cornell essay prompt is another why major and why school essay. 

Here’s the Cornell supplemental essay prompt for SC Johnson College of Business applicants: 

Like the other Cornell supplemental essays, this prompt asks applicants to explore their experiences and show how they connect to their potential business major at Cornell. First and foremost, in order to respond to this Cornell essay, applicants must select a major. Make sure your essay justifies your choice. Strong Cornell essays will show how your past experiences and interests have led you to your chosen field. 

Additionally, applicants should tie in their future goals when writing this Cornell University essay. How will attending SC Johnson College of Business help you achieve your goals? Why do you want to study business there? Again, be specific and reference programs only found within each of these business programs at Cornell. 

Successful Cornell supplemental essays will also consider the values of Cornell’s business program. You won’t simply study business, but “business with impact”. Students at SC Johnson College of Business are educated to be leaders in business by creating sustainable and shared prosperity. So, tie in your personal values with the college’s in order to highlight why you’re a perfect fit for this program. 

Remember that the Cornell acceptance rate is very selective, and it is among the top business schools in the nation. So, when writing your Cornell supplemental essay, start long before the application deadline to give yourself plenty of time to write an impressive essay. 

Cornell Essay: College of Engineering

cornell supplemental essays

The College of Engineering prompt is a little different from the other Cornell supplements. Instead of one long essay, applicants to the College of Engineering will be required to answer the first prompt. They will then choose one of the two following provided Cornell essay prompts to complete. Your maximum word count for the two required Cornell supplemental essays is lower as well (250 words), so concision is key.

Like with the other Cornell supplemental essays, we will walk through each College of Engineering prompt. We’ll then put together a strategy for answering these Cornell essays effectively.

Let’s look at the first prompt, which is required for all applicants to the College of Engineering. 

The first of the Cornell supplemental essays for the College of Engineering is similar to many we’ve seen: the why major essay and the why school essay. It’s a combination of the two. So, in order to successfully answer this Cornell essay prompt, you’ll need to think deeply about why you want to study Engineering at Cornell. 

This Cornell supplemental essay prompt does two things. First, it asks you to talk about your academic interests. Then, it checks whether you’ve done your homework on Cornell Engineering. An effective response to this Cornell essay will explain both your interest in engineering and how Cornell specifically fits into your future as an engineer.

When answering a “why this college?” question like this Cornell essay prompt, specificity is key. Represent your future with Cornell in mutualistic terms. What do you hope to gain from attending Cornell Engineering? What will you, in turn, give back to the community, either in the short or long term?

Start with the basics

Let’s start with the basics. Why do you want to apply to Cornell Engineering? Speak honestly. You don’t need to stuff your response with tons of niche details or copy/paste from the Cornell mission statement . Instead, give honest reasons why Cornell fits with your aspirations. Then, highlight how studying at Cornell will help you grow as both an engineer and a person.

Do you have a makeshift robotics lab in your garage? Are you set on studying artificial intelligence within the Computer Science major at Cornell Engineering? Did you visit and fall in love with the community values you saw on campus? Or did you have an interaction with a professor whose research fascinated you? Tell the reader about it! 

Emphasize your interest in engineering as well as specific reasons why Cornell is the right place for you to foster this interest. Make sure that you tie your engineering interests to your intended major. 

If you’re unsure of your intended engineering major, that’s okay. However, make sure that your love for engineering comes through. You can use a personal anecdote to show just how passionate you are for the field, too. Don’t shy away from creativity if it feels right for you. Still, make sure to relate it all back to Cornell. 

Now, on to the second Cornell supplemental essay for Engineering applicants. For this Cornell essay, students will need to choose between two prompts. 

Choose either Question A or Question B. (250 word limit)

  • Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.
  • Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

When choosing a prompt, one question may stand out to you more than the other. Choose that one. If that doesn’t happen, then do a brainstorming session for potential topics for each prompt. Review your lists and see which topic most motivates you. That’s the prompt to write on. 

Let’s start with Question A. This Cornell University essay prompt is hoping to see applicants’ critical thinking skills. They want to know that you can navigate your way through a problem. Start listing potential problems and how you would address and solve them. They don’t have to be the most complex thing. Any problem will do—just make sure that it’s engineering-related and you can legitimately solve it with your response. 

Question B wants to see how your diverse background will impact the Cornell Engineering community. When talking about “backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities,” applicants have a lot of options. Focus on what most impacts who you are and how you navigate the world. First, you’ll want to address those topics and then demonstrate how they will positively influence the Cornell community. What will your unique experiences bring to the Cornell community? How will it impact your future in engineering both on and off campus?

Beyond academics

Top colleges like Cornell want to know that you will be an active participant in the campus community. Of course, your academics are a big part of your college experience. However, you will learn just as much from your interactions with other students on campus. In turn, other students will learn from you.

Question B asks you to explain what you will bring to campus—not only in terms of your own academic excellence, but also in how you will contribute to student life . Will you be an active member of the community? How will you work to ensure diversity and inclusion prevail at Cornell—be it through extracurricular leadership or through inclusive conversations over dinner? In short, what experiences and traits do you bring to the campus community? How will you use those experiences to build meaningful shared experiences with other Cornell students?

An effective Cornell writing supplement prompt will describe how you have fostered diversity and inclusion in your own communities. This Cornell essay will allow you to talk about how you wish to bring your own voice and experiences to Cornell’s campus. 

Ultimately, a strong response to this Cornell essay will make it clear that you belong at one of the top engineering colleges in the nation.

Cornell Supplemental Essays: College of Human Ecology

Cornell supplemental essays

Applicants to the College of Human Ecology at Cornell should have an interest in studying human health and well-being. Logically, the Cornell supplemental essay prompt asks applicants to expand on their interest in this particular field. 

This is the Cornell supplemental essay prompt for the College of Ecology: 

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.

For this Cornell University essay, students will need to directly link their passion for the field to their interests or experiences. For example, if you’re interested in studying nutritional sciences, you might want to relate it to your experience as an athlete and a vegetarian. Whatever your chosen major is, you will need to back up your interest in it with direct experiences in this Cornell essay. 

After you’ve shown why you want to study in this college, dive into your future goals. Do you want to work as a nutritionist for hopeful Olympic athletes? Or be the dietician for a professional sports team? Just make sure your objectives tie into the major you’ve selected. Since this is a why major essay and a nuanced why school essay, you’ll want to mention how studying at Cornell will specifically help you achieve your goals. The most impactful Cornell supplemental essays will specifically reference certain programs only offered at the Cornell College of Ecology. 

Cornell Essay: School of Industrial and Labor Relations

The Cornell essay for the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) follows a similar framework as the majority of the other Cornell supplemental essays. Let’s take a closer look at this Cornell essay prompt. 

When applying to the Cornell ILR, there is only one major that students can choose: Industrial and Labor Relations. No surprises there, right? So, when you choose to apply to this school, you’ve already chosen your major as well. 

Now, you need to show Cornell admissions why you’ve chosen this major. This Cornell essay prompt gives you plenty of ways to show your interest in this field. You can use personal, academic, work, and volunteer experiences. Start brainstorming a list of things you care about. Then, see how this list connects to your experiences. Or, maybe it’s easier to do it vice versa. Whatever works for you is fine. 

Once you have your topic, you need to show how it connects to this specific program. Students studying ILR at Cornell have an interdisciplinary major. They’ll take courses in law, organizational psychology, economics, history, statistics, and management. So, you’ll explore plenty of topics in this college—and your essay should show your enthusiasm for them. 

Let’s say you work on the school yearbook committee and notice that one group of students was in none of the photos. You gather your team members together to speak on the topic and decide to get some candid shots of the excluded group. This shows not only your leadership skills, but also that equality and inclusion are important to you. How would those skills and interests align with the ILR major? Show that in your Cornell University essay.

No matter which of the schools you apply to, keep in mind that the Cornell acceptance rate is one of the most competitive in the nation. That being said, your Cornell application will need to stand out among a large pool of qualified applicants. Writing an impactful, passionate, and authentic essay is a great way to make your Cornell application memorable. 

So, when considering how to write the ILR essay, or any others, don’t simply aim to check off another of the Cornell University requirements. Really take your time and write something that not only comprehensively answers the prompt, but also shows some insight into who you are as a person. 

How do you write a Cornell essay?

cornell supplemental essays

Next, let’s talk a bit more about how to approach the Cornell supplemental essays. 

To begin, you want to have a thorough understanding of what the Cornell essay is asking. Define any key terms, and ask yourself, “Is this a single Cornell essay with multiple steps/answers?” 

Once you’ve gotten a grasp on what the Cornell writing supplement is asking, then you’ll want to freewrite. In general, freewriting can help you if you’re struggling with how to begin an essay. It can also help you choose one topic from a long list of potential essay responses. For specific guidance, check out CollegeAdvisor’s guide to reflection exercises .

Now, armed with your freewrite, you’ll want to start drafting your Cornell essay. While you can work from your existing freewrite, you can also start fresh. In the early stages of drafting Cornell supplemental essays, don’t worry about the word count. While it’s important, you don’t want to stifle your creative flow. Leave the ruthless editing for later on in the process. 

Once you’ve completed the draft and have edited as needed, take your draft to a few trusted sources. These individuals (teachers, counselors, etc.), should read over your essay with a fine-toothed comb. They should focus on grammatical accuracy as well as tone and style.

This guidance should help you begin the Cornell essay process. However, use the specific breakdowns above for each college for more insights. This will help you approach each of the Cornell supplemental essays with confidence. 

To make sure you’re on the right track, keep in mind the following questions after writing your first draft for the Cornell supplemental essays. 

Cornell Essay Reflection Questions:

  • Does your Cornell essay response reveal what makes you a good addition to campus? Does it highlight your best core values?
  • Do you explain your future aspirations in your chosen field?
  • Does your writing show a true passion for your field of study?
  • Do your Cornell essays make the reader want to learn more about you?

How important are the Cornell supplemental essays for admission?

cornell supplemental essays

In a word—very! Each Cornell essay plays an important role in the review process.

Schools like Cornell University receive top-notch applicants from around the world in record numbers every year. High test scores , excellent grades, and meaningful extracurricular achievements are common in the Cornell application pool. Combined with your Common App personal statement, the Cornell supplemental essays give you valuable space to discuss your passions, values, and character.

Cornell admissions looks for students who demonstrate “honesty, open-mindedness, initiative, and empathy,” both academically and in their daily lives. The Cornell essay prompts are designed to find this kind of student. Use your Cornell supplemental essays to make it clear to Cornell that you are passionate about learning, curious about the world, willing to challenge yourself to pursue your interests, and will be a valuable addition to Cornell. Above all, your Cornell supplemental essays should show what makes you special and why Cornell should admit you!

Finally, remember that the Cornell supplemental essays are a required part of your Cornell application. However, try not to see them as a chore. After all, a strong Cornell essay, combined with a competitive Cornell application, will make a huge difference in admissions.

Share your voice

Your Cornell essay is a window into your passions, values, and personality. The Cornell supplemental essay allows you to speak to your readers on your own terms. While this task may seem daunting, a well-executed Cornell essay can be incredibly helpful to your application.

You can read more about what Cornell admissions officers look for in prospective students (and what they look for in applicants’ responses to Cornell essay prompts) on the “What Cornell Looks For” page . This can help you write Cornell essays tailored to the Cornell admissions team.

Of course, Cornell is among the most elite universities in the nation. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s your perfect college fit. Before you obsess over writing the perfect Cornell essay, l earn more about what it’s like to apply to and attend such a competitive university from a Cornell alumni per s pective . These insights can also help you write specific and targeted supplemental essays. 

Cornell Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Completing the Cornell supplemental essays can seem daunting, but don’t let them discourage you from applying. Instead, view these Cornell essays as an opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions. The Cornell writing supplements should help them see why you’d be a great addition to their school. Additionally, each Cornell essay gives you the chance to learn more about the school to which you’re applying. As you write, you should seriously think about what excites you about potentially studying there. 

Check out these successful college essay examples for inspiration. While they won’t be exactly like the Cornell supplemental essay prompts, they will show you how college essays can vary greatly from one another. The most important thing of any Cornell essay is showing admissions who you are while fully answering the prompt. 

Use your essays to your advantage

Maybe you’re applying with a lower than average GPA or SAT score , or maybe you have a couple of blemishes on your transcript. A well-written set of Cornell supplemental essays can work in your favor and make it obvious that you would be a great addition to campus. So, if you’re dreaming about the day you enroll at Cornell, use this guide to help you approach each Cornell application essay with a solid strategy. 

The Cornell supplemental essays are a great way to impress admissions, but make sure the rest of your Cornell application impresses as well. Don’t forget to read our How to Get Into Cornell guide for an overview of application strategy. Good luck!

how to write cornell essays

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Command Education Guide

How to write the cornell university essays, updated for 2023-2024.

In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “… any person … any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350 word limit)

Explanation:

This question requires you to consider how your life experiences will enrich the campus community at Cornell. Therefore, in addition to writing about yourself, you should include pertinent details about the college. Describe how specific (or a specific collection of) past experiences will translate to your student life at Cornell within the classroom and amongst the campus community.

As you begin to brainstorm your topic, start by considering the communities in which you are most intimately involved (i.e. your family, sports team, or school) before working outward to consider broader networks and communities in which you play a role. Consider not only how these experiences and communities have shaped you, but also the unique contributions that you have made to create a positive impact. Then, tie it all together by demonstrating how you will likewise contribute to the Cornell campus in specific and meaningful ways.

The school’s core values of “any person… any study” places special emphasis on interdisciplinary education. How will you take advantage of it?

I come from a tight-knit community of readers, though I’ve never belonged to a book club. I am the youngest of four siblings, all of whom love to read. My oldest sister was the one who taught me to read, and all my siblings read to me when I was little. As they have left the nest, we have continued sharing books we enjoy and still call each other to discuss them. We all have different interests and political views. Still, reading remains our way of connecting with each other and—importantly—of challenging each other and ourselves to consider perspectives different from our own.

Last Christmas, my oldest sister gifted me a copy of Primo Levi’s essay collection The Periodic Table. Each of Levi’s essays connects a particular chemical element to some aspect of his experience as a chemist, an Italian Jew and resistance fighter under Fascism, and a survivor of Auschwitz. Levi—who began writing to make known the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps—saw the work of the scientist and writer as “mutually reinforc[ing],” because both seek to uncover truth and make it available to humanity.

I admire Cornell because it, like Levi, takes a stand for the relationship between learning and public access to education. Given Cornell’s encouragement of interdisciplinary study, I hope to double major in Chemistry and English. My goal is to become a research chemist and writer who can help make scientific knowledge more accessible to the public.

To that end, I hope to continue my work as a chemistry editor for my high school’s STEM journal by becoming a science correspondent for Cornell’s Daily Sun. I’d also love to start a STEM Communication Club for students interested in writing about science in an accessible and public way, so that we may help bring the possibilities of “any person… any study” beyond the ivory tower.

Cornell also asks students to respond to specific questions depending on the specific school or program to which they are applying. Each of these questions requires meticulous insight and a description of why you chose to apply to that school and major. You will need to think carefully about why you would be a good fit for the college you are applying to, and demonstrate your academic fit based on your academic interests, extracurricular activities, or work experiences. Your writing should speak to your intellectual potential and reflect values Cornell considers important: honesty, open-mindedness, initiative, and empathy.

When writing the essay for any of the colleges, be sure to be specific about how you will take advantage of Cornell’s learning opportunities and resources in order to take your aspirations to the next level. Create a narrative arc for yourself. How would each experience contribute to your current hook as an applicant? Will you be continuing your current high school activities? Some examples you can write about include academic programs, study abroad opportunities, campus organizations and facilities, and research opportunities with faculty. Lastly, highlight your best traits by being forward-looking and positive about the future Cornell holds for you.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:

1. Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (Required, 650 words)

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences asks the broader “why this school” question, which is an opportunity to showcase your creativity! In addition to writing about yourself, don’t forget to include pertinent details about the college. Avoid writing broad statements that can apply to Cornell University as a whole. Rather, research and write about the unique aspects of the college you are applying to that appeal to you. Describe how your current passions and past experiences will translate to your student life at Cornell within the classroom and amongst the campus community.

Please note that CALS offers the two following optional supplementary questions. Always take advantage of extra space to write more about yourself, your outlook, and your attitude towards community.

The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission. The content of any responses submitted will be included in the holistic review of your application (which is also the case for any optional additional information submitted as part of your Common Application or uploaded through your Cornell Application Portal once you’ve applied).

1. At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you.

2. Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.).

Select all that apply: ❏ A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity. ❏ My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity. ❏ I have experience working in an agricultural entity. ❏ I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.

College of Human Ecology:

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.) (650 words)

The College of Human Ecology asks the broader “why this school” question, which is an opportunity to showcase your creativity! In addition to writing about yourself, don’t forget to include pertinent details about the college. Avoid writing broad statements that can apply to Cornell University as a whole. Rather, research and write about the unique aspects of the college you are applying to that appeal to you. Describe how your current passions and past experiences will translate to your student life at Cornell within the classroom and amongst the campus community.

College of Arts and Sciences:

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (650 words)

The College of Arts and Sciences asks the broader “why this school” question, which is an opportunity to showcase your creativity! In addition to writing about yourself, don’t forget to include pertinent details about the college. Avoid writing broad statements that can apply to Cornell University as a whole. Rather, research and write about the unique aspects of the college you are applying to that appeal to you. Describe how your current passions and past experiences will translate to your student life at Cornell within the classroom and amongst the campus community.

The school’s core values of “any person… any study” places special emphasis on interdisciplinary education. How will you take advantage of it? For example, to combine your interests in marketing and social justice, you might be interested in joining the marketing team for Anabel’s Grocery, a student-run organization addressing food insecurity on campus. Or, you might be interested in participating in a paid research opportunity under the Nexus Scholars Program, available for any discipline within the College of Arts and Sciences.

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning:

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA) or urban and regional studies (URS)? B.Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 words)

Home to one of the top-ranked undergraduate architecture programs in the U.S., the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning asks you to write about your authentic passions. Demonstrating your interests, however niche, is crucial to writing a stellar essay. Be specific in your description of how your interests or previous work confirmed your desire to pursue the degree, and in your mention of the opportunities you intend to take advantage of once at the college. Pick and choose the elements from this college that excite you, including programs, professors, or extracurricular activities, and write about how they will complement your academic endeavors.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business:

What kind of business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words)

Be as clear and as straightforward as possible when answering this question. Show how you fit the ideals of a business student that the Johnson College looks for (which can be found through their Mission & Values ). The SC Johnson College has two branches of undergraduate study: Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the School of Hotel Administration . The School of Hotel Administration places emphasis on hospitality and management, while Dyson expands to applied economics and policy, finance, and strategy.

In consideration of the level of specialization this school offers, recall the past experiences that speak to your diligence, communication skills, interdisciplinary thinking, or entrepreneurial curiosity. What have you learned from your pursuits in business, finance, or any other kind of work? Are you good at working with others? Why are you applying to the Johnson College of Business, as opposed to the College of Arts and Sciences? How can studying at this college help you to achieve your future ambitions?

College of Engineering:

All Engineering applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B.

Essay 1: How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.* (250 words)

Essay 2: Choose either Question A or Question B. * Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem. Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community? (250 words)

For the College of Engineering, you should aim to highlight your collaboration and problem-solving skills– what specific occasion demonstrates your top-notch qualifications as an applicant? Show your enthusiasm for engineering by writing about what you specifically intend to study, the professors whose research interests align with your own and how your work at the College will help you succeed in your future career ambitions!

As an engineering student at Cornell, you will have the opportunity to participate in many team-building opportunities, so describe your strengths as a team player through past examples. Then, you will want to write a bit about how you intend to apply your skills to a Cornell Engineering opportunity. Start by exploring the programs and opportunities available outside of the classroom, such as multi-disciplinary programs that allow students to apply their classroom knowledge to the real world. These can include building water treatment plant technology or working with World Health to create a meaningful impact! Cornell is especially famous for its Engineering project teams, which represent 14 engineering majors and compete in national and international competitions.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations:

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. (650 words)

The courses offered by the ILR School are particularly unique, so if you’re thinking about pursuing law school or public policy, this college might just be the place for you! The school is well-known for studying human behavior from an economics perspective in order to understand how to improve societal efficiency. Therefore, when this prompt asks you to write about your past experiences, it means that the focus should be placed on the broader picture than on the literal experience. Discuss the best examples from your life that exemplify your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Once you discuss your experience and interests, you’ll want to relate them to your future course of study at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Read about ILR’s program and curriculum, and write about why you share the school’s goals to understand work, employment, and labor through a social science lens.

Brooks School of Public Policy:

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals.* (650 words)

A new school that opened recently, the Brooks School of Public Policy seeks students interested in Policy Analysis and Management or Health Care Policy. As the Brooks School is another college with very specific requirements and programs of study, showing extensive research and expertise in their newly created opportunities would make your essay shine. Make sure to carefully study all their offerings including course selections, the Peer-Mentoring program, career paths, and research opportunities and to write about those that best suit your needs in an intentional manner!

how to write cornell essays

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How to Complete the 2023/2024 Cornell Supplemental Essays

how to write cornell essays

Cornell University is a private Ivy League research university located in Ithaca, New York. Cornell’s acceptance rate is around 9% , which means you will need to make your Cornell supplemental essay question answers stronger than other applicants. Cornell consists of eight undergraduate colleges in total. Students interested in attending the school will have to complete two essays total: one Cornell University essay question and one college-and school-specific essay question.

Don’t miss: Scholarships360’s free scholarship search tool

Cornell University Essay Question

“In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “…any person…any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped you shape your perspective. ( 350 word limit )

This prompt may sound confusing at first read, but ultimately it is asking about your background and life experiences and how they have helped you become who you are today. Therefore, you can begin responding by highlighting how your race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc., impacts the way you go about life. Choose which of these characteristics, or another one, that best describes you. Then, detail how your life has been shaped by this characteristic and how you have shaped your perspective overtime. 

Next, be sure to tie back to academics! How does this aspect of your life affect your studies and school? Describe what you love about your major and how you were drawn to it. Bonus points if you can intertwine your unique characteristics with your intended academic major. Ultimately, you want to make sure you are hitting on both the “any person…any study” aspect of this prompt! 

Questions to consider:

  • What is unique about you? 
  • How has your upbringing shaped your life thus far? 
  • What will you be majoring in and how has your background led to this decision?

Different schools at Cornell

Cornell requires students to apply to a specific school within their university. The Cornell supplemental essay prompts vary based on what school within the university you’re applying to.

The schools found at Cornell are:

  • Brook’s School of Public Policy
  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

College of arts and sciences.

  • School of Hotel Administration
  • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

College of Engineering

College of human ecology, school of industrial and labor relations.

So spend some time researching each school and figuring out what you are passionate about and where you want to study. This will help you breeze through the application process due to your extensive knowledge of the school you want to apply to. 

All of the school’s supplemental essay questions have a 650 word limit except for the College of Engineering. This may seem intimidating, but it provides you with plenty of room to stay creative and emphasize your personality. Let’s get started!

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650 word limit)

The Brook’s School of Public Policy is the newest of Cornell’s schools, having opened in 2021. Take the time to research their website and learn about the majors offered. Think about how the website states that:

“The Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy brings together scholars across disciplines to tackle the biggest public policy challenges we face as a society, both in the U.S. and globally. Our mission is to make positive change in the world.”

The goal of Brook’s School of Public Policy is to graduate students who will leave with a greater passion for public policy. So, make sure in your responses you really describe what made you interested in studying public policy. Try to be as specific as possible! After you detail your passion, then focus on your goals in life. What will you use a degree in public policy for? 

It is completely fine if you chose this major because it slightly stuck out to you more than the others! If this is the case, back up your decisions with some stories and experiences from your life. However, if you are hitting a roadblock you may want to consider writing about a different major! 

  • What is your social passion and how might it benefit by learning about public policy?
  • Are there social laws you would like to add, amend, or eliminate?
  • What role (think resources and opportunities) will the Brooks’ School of Public Policy play in helping you achieve your goals?

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 

Required essay response.

“Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals?”(650 words)

This is your opportunity to share your major and academic interests. Consider what programs CALS offers and why you are interested in them. 

Talk about:

  • A program you are currently a part of
  • Volunteering you have done
  • Anything remotely related to your intended major you have done outside of school

This will emphasize your interest in the program because you participate in it during your free time! 

Be sure to also include clubs, courses or other aspects that CALS has that you are looking forward to. Provide specific examples to display your interest and demonstrate that you have researched their school closely. 

Questions to consider: 

  • Why do you want to major in this particular subject? 
  • What does CALS offer that other schools do not? 
  • What do you hope to do after you graduate? 

Optional Essay #1:

At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good.  Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (200-word limit).

This question simply wants you to share how you apply your knowledge and skills for the good of the world around you.

  • What is your volunteering experience?
  • Why are you driven to serve a particular community?
  • How might you continue to expand upon that service while at Cornell?

Optional Essay #2:

Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of  disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.)    Select all that apply:    A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity I have experience working in an agricultural entity I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity Please feel free to share additional details (optional) (100-word limit)

This prompt wants to know about your authentic connection to the world around you. Answering it is as simple as responding to any or all of the relatable bullet points above.

Also see: How to respond to the Common App essay prompts

“How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B.Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues” (650 words) 

There are different questions depending upon your intended major in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning – so make sure you are responding to the correct prompt! 

For Architecture students, describe a project or passion you have that inspired you to study this field. This can be an academic project in school or a side hobby you have! Make sure you are describing this project in detail, highlighting the process as much as the result. Be sure to detail any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Additionally, focus on what you learned from creating this project and how it further solidified your interest in architecture. Once you have a solid response completed, tie back to Cornell! What resources are you excited about being able to use to help you further your architectural career? 

For Art students, you want to focus your response on explaining why Cornell. Describe resources, professors, courses, the location, etc. that you are looking forward to being a part of. Make sure you have thoroughly researched Cornell before responding to this prompt as you want to be as detailed as possible! It is also important to tie each resource back to yourself and your interests and goals. This will show the admissions committee that you would make a great addition to the Cornell community.

For Urban and Regional Studies, you have a lot of freedom in your response! Begin by detailing your background and how it led you to want to study urban and regional studies. Once you have established your passion for this topic, the next step is to tie it back to Cornell! Find a few resources you are interested in and how they tie into your passions. Additionally, don’t forget to discuss your career goals and how Cornell will help you achieve those goals. 

  • Why do you want to study this topic? 
  • What made you interested in Cornell specifically? 
  • How will you take advantage of resources to help you achieve your goals? 
“At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences.” (650 words) 

The College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell is one of the most diverse schools offered in terms  of range of majors. Therefore, try and make your passions and interests stand out so Cornell can see you will find your place in such a broad community. 

Emphasize what major you would like to pursue. Talk about why you want to study this particular subject and any experiences that have influenced your major decision. 

Then, discuss professional and future goals and how the College of Arts and Sciences can help you.

Be specific about clubs, classes and other aspects of the school that will aid you in achieving your goals. 

  • Why do you want to major in this topic? 
  • What classes offered are you excited about? 
  • What are your interests?

Don’t miss: How to write an essay about yourself

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

“What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and/or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).” (650 words)

The SC Johnson College of Business has two schools that you can apply to. Be sure to reference which one you are interested in and research that particular school thoroughly. 

In your response, describe how you fit the mold of an ideal business student. Reference their mission statement to show how your values align and to show you have done your research. 

Be sure to write about an experience you have with a business related activity such as a school club or even something as small as realizing how much money a candy bar is. 

Be as specific as possible and feel free to get creative with your response. 

Make sure to reference clubs or extracurriculars that the business schools offer that you want to be a part of and how they will help you in the future. 

  • Why are you applying to the SC Johnson College of Business? 
  • What business background do you have? 
  • What activities are you involved in outside of school? 

Don’t miss: Top business scholarships

This application is different from the other college essay questions offered at Cornell. Applicants must write responses for two of  three essay options (Essay #1 is required, but you can choose between two prompts for Essay #2). Each response is limited to a maximum of 250 words, which is significantly less than the usual 650 word limit. This means you should focus on being concise with your responses. 

  • Do not drag on
  • Be purposeful with your responses

Essay #1 (required)

How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. (250 word limit)

This prompt is ultimately a “why this major and college?” So, answer that! Try to think about what you truly want out of college and why Cornell is the perfect place for you to study engineering. Make sure you have done thorough research on aspects of Cornell that you are looking forward to such as specific courses or faculty. 

Questions to consider

  • What aspects of engineering are you passionate about?
  • If you had a dream engineering project you could work on, what would it be?
  • When you were younger, what did you always find yourself trying to create?

Essay #2 (choose either Question A or Question B)

Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem. (250 word limit)
  • Consider the basic transportation infrastructure of your local community. How are the roads, bridges, and tunnels? Traffic?
  • Engineers help people directly through things such as prosthesis design. How might you help people at the most basic human level though engineering?
  • How will solving the problem make things better for all who live in the community?
“Diversity in all definitional forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?” (250 words) 
  • What makes you unique? 
  • What is your background and how has it shaped you? 
  • What can you contribute to the engineering community at Cornell that others cannot? 

Also see: Top engineering scholarships

“How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.” (650 words) 

Explain your future goals and how your current experiences have affected your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology. 

Relate back to your outside of school experiences that have pushed you to want to pursue a degree in your selected major. 

Then, be sure to emphasize how your choice in major will impact your future. Be as specific as possible and try to avoid generalizations such as “it will prepare me for this job industry.” 

Rather, focus on particular classes or clubs that will give you a leg up on your competition in the job market and talk about those experiences. 

  • Why the College of Human Ecology? 
  • What do you want to major in? Why? 
  • What are you doing now that relates to this interest in your major? 
“Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.” (650 words) 

Take your experiences outside of the classroom and use them to answer this question. Make sure to choose something that you are passionate about. 

Research more about the ILR school to ensure your response aligns with their values and programs. 

Choose an ILR specific program that you are excited about to explain why the school is the perfect fit for you. 

  • What are you passionate about? 

Also see: How to write a 500 word essay

Next steps after applying to Cornell

So that’s what you should know about the Cornell supplemental essays. Now that the hard part is over, and your application is flawless and submitted – take a deep breath. Congratulations, you did it–the hard part is now over! 

Continue to show interest in Cornell so they know you are committed and prioritizing their school (even if you have a few other top choices.) 

This can be done by:

  • following their social media accounts
  • reaching out to admissions officers
  • scheduling an in-person or virtual tour
  • reading up on what you want to get involved in on campus 

Essentially, showing interest and staying connected will allow you to get that extra foot in the door and make your name known. Exploring your interest in Cornell will also help solidify if it is the best university for you. 

Don’t miss: An insider’s view of what goes on in a college admissions office

Other colleges to consider

  • Columbia University (New York, NY)
  • University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
  • Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)

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How to write the cornell supplemental essays.

Two students writing supplemental essays

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 8/3/23

You’ll want to present your best self through the Cornell supplemental essays to make a lasting impression on the admissions committee, and this guide will tell you exactly how to do so!

Cornell requires all of its students to answer supplemental essays specific to their program. These essays offer a unique opportunity to showcase your passion, goals, and alignment with Cornell's values, so it’s essential you dedicate an adequate amount of time and effort to them!

The hardest part is starting! Knowing what values and experiences to highlight and how to prove your candidacy can seem overwhelming, especially when Cornell is a highly competitive Ivy League school ! 

Rest assured; this guide will ease some of your worries by providing you with in-depth tips on how to write each of the Cornell University supplemental essays !

Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts

A man writing an essay

Depending on the program you apply to, you’ll be required to write one or two essays and may be given the option to answer additional short answers.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Students applying to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be required to answer the following prompt:

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals?

Your response should not exceed 650 words. You may also answer the following optional short-answer questions:

1. At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you (200-word limit).
2. Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An "agricultural entity" for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.). 
Select all that apply:
  • A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity.
  • My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity.
  • I have experience working in an agricultural entity.
  • I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.                                           
Please feel free to share additional details (100-word limit).

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

Applicants hoping to join Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning are only required to answer one essay question and aren’t given any optional short answers:

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

College of Arts & Sciences

Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences is one of its largest undergraduate colleges . Thousands of applicants apply each year, and each of them must answer the following prompt:

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what majors or areas excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences.

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Applicants that chose a major at Cornell’s School of Public Policy will be expected to answer the following supplemental essay prompt:

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

To all business enthusiasts hoping to join Cornell’s renowned business school, the admissions committee wants to know what’s important to you and the kind of student you hope to be. To evaluate these factors, you’ll be asked to answer this prompt:

What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

College of Engineering

Engineering is often cited as one of the most challenging majors at Cornell. Considering this, it should come as no surprise that Engineering majors have to write two Cornell supplemental essays:

How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about (250-word limit).

Applicants are given the option to choose between two topics for the second essay:

  • Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem. 
  • Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community? 

You are given a 250-word limit for this essay as well.

College of Human Ecology

Students applying to the College of Human Ecology will need to answer one essay question:

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Last but not least, applicants hoping to join Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations are required to respond to the following essay prompt:

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

Now that we’ve gone over all of the Cornell supplemental essays, we’ll provide you with tips on how to ace each one to help you confidently navigate your essay(s) and show the committee just how extraordinary you are! 

A field of grass

Let’s begin with how to approach the essay:

  • Research your major and CALS : Thoroughly research the major you're interested in and the specific offerings of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell. Identify unique programs, faculty members, research opportunities, or campus resources that align with your interests and goals. 
  • Make it highly personal : Share personal anecdotes and experiences that led you to choose the major you've selected. Avoid generalizations; provide specific examples of how certain events, classes, or interactions influenced your interest in the field.
  • Show passion and enthusiasm : Demonstrate enthusiasm for the major you've chosen. Admissions officers want to see that you are genuinely excited about your academic pursuits. Share what excites you about the subject and how it aligns with your long-term goals.
  • Be specific about CALS' impact : When discussing how CALS will support your learning, growth, and goals, be specific. Don't just list the general benefits of attending Cornell; instead, focus on how the college's resources and opportunities will directly contribute to your academic and personal development.

Above all, be true to yourself. Write an essay that reflects your genuine interests, motivations, and aspirations! Where do you hope your major will take you? What will it help you accomplish?

Short Answers

If you choose to answer the short answers, the second one is rather straightforward. If any of the options apply to you, provide a brief explanation of how. Stick to the facts and keep it concise. 

The first short answer is a little trickier, so here are some features to incorporate into your response to ensure it meets the admissions committee’s expectations: 

  • Choose the right experience : Do not worry about picking an experience you think will impress the admissions committee. Choose one that stands out in your memory and is most meaningful to you. Ensure you can also connect it back to CALS’ mission of making a positive impact.
  • Set the scene : Begin your essay by providing context for the experience. Describe the people, community, or environment involved and explain its significance to you. Help the reader understand why this particular experience was important and why it had a lasting impact on you.
  • Use vivid language : Make your essay engaging by using descriptive language and vivid storytelling. Show the reader the impact of your actions through specific examples and anecdotes rather than simply stating it.
  • Emphasize the impact : Focus on the positive outcomes and the impact your actions had on the people, community, or environment involved. Use evidence and examples to demonstrate the tangible changes or improvements that occurred as a result of your efforts.
  • Reflect on the lessons learned : Share your personal reflections and insights gained from this experience. Discuss how it shaped your understanding of the world, your values, and your commitment to serving the public good. Admissions officers are interested in your self-awareness and growth.
  • Connect to your future aspirations : Explain how this experience has influenced your future aspirations and how it fits with your academic and career goals. Show the admissions committee that you have a clear vision of how you want to continue making a positive impact in the future.

Remember, you’ll only have 200 words to implement all of these tips, so keep your ideas succinct and to the point!

Three people looking at architectural designs

Don’t feel overwhelmed by the length of this essay question! While it may seem complex, at its core, you’re being asked to explain your motivation behind pursuing your major. Let’s break it down further:

B. Arch Applicants

Tell a compelling story that shares a specific anecdote that showcases how a creative project or passion ignited your interest in architecture. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box! The project doesn’t have to be directly related to architecture.

Describe the project, its context, and how it impacted your desire to pursue a 5-year professional degree. Emphasize your acknowledgment of the difficulty of this extended program and your motivation to join it nonetheless. 

Ensure you also highlight your vision and discuss how the creative project aligns with your career aspirations.

BFA Applicants 

For your essay, you’ll want to demonstrate adaptability. Show how you can integrate multiple interests and utilize the diverse resources at Cornell to develop a cohesive and unique art practice. Do your research to mention specific resources and elaborate on how these resources will enrich your artistic exploration.

It would also be wise to mention your interest in working with peers, particular faculty members, and other artists to expand your horizons, as collaboration is a major part of the BFA program! 

URS Applicants 

URS applicants need to not only express their passion and enthusiasm for studying urban and regional issues but should demonstrate their wealth of knowledge on the topic. 

Think about specific issues you hope to address throughout your career. Take a forward-looking approach by discussing how the URS program can aid you in working towards resolving these issues and making a positive impact on the world. 

You should also discuss any relevant experiences, coursework, or extracurricular activities that have fueled your interest in this field. 

A woman in a lab

Follow these tips to craft a compelling Cornell supplemental essay for the College of Arts and Sciences:

  • Mention the key traits : The admissions committee will expect you to pick up on the key traits emphasized in this prompt: curiosity, passion, and intent. Ensure you highlight all of these qualities in your essay.
  • Avoid vagueness : Be specific about the majors or areas that excite you. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that sparked your interest in these subjects. Show the admissions committee that your enthusiasm for these fields is authentic and deeply rooted.
  • Provide evidence of your initiative : If you have already pursued academic opportunities outside of your regular coursework, such as research projects, independent studies, or attending seminars, mention them. This demonstrates your proactive approach to learning and your commitment to intellectual growth.
  • Make connections to your past experiences : Draw connections between your current academic interests and any related experiences you've had in the past. This could include research projects, extracurricular activities, internships, or even personal experiences that shaped your intellectual curiosity.
  • Tie your interests to the college's resources : Explain how the College of Arts and Sciences' resources, such as state-of-the-art laboratories, research funding, or study abroad opportunities, will support your academic pursuits and enhance your learning experience.
  • Reflect on your potential contributions : Share how you envision making a positive impact within the Cornell community and beyond. Discuss how your unique perspective and interests can contribute to the intellectual and cultural diversity at Cornell.
  • Show your long-term vision : Discuss your long-term goals and how studying at Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences will position you to achieve them. Explain how the academic opportunities, faculty mentorship, and networking connections will be instrumental in your success.

Fortunately, all you need to do to write a successful response to this question is follow the instructions! Of course, you’ll need to add in some of your personality, an interesting anecdote or two, and some engaging descriptions, but the core elements you need to include are right in the prompt! 

Two woman speaking

Unlike the lengthier Cornell supplemental essays, this prompt is concise and straightforward. Its purpose is to simply gauge your interests and motivations. To make your response stand out, consider the following tips:

  • Start with a strong hook : Begin your essay with a captivating hook that immediately grabs the reader's attention. Consider using a thought-provoking question, an engaging anecdote, or a powerful personal quote, not an overused, impersonal one.
  • Showcase your passion for public policy : Clearly convey your passion for public policy and why it resonates with you. Share personal experiences, events, or real-world issues that sparked your interest in this field.
  • Connect your experiences to your chosen major : Draw connections between your past experiences and your chosen major in public policy. Explain how these experiences have shaped your understanding and influenced your decision to pursue this field of study.
  • Highlight the school's distinctiveness : Not many universities have a public policy school, so you should highlight its uniqueness. Research your program and mention specific aspects that set it apart from other institutions. Talk about unique courses, research opportunities, or other features that excite you.
  • Emphasize practical applications : Discuss how the Brooks School's approach to public policy education will prepare you with practical skills and knowledge to make an impact on society. Mention any hands-on experiences, internships, or case studies offered at the school.
  • Use concrete examples : Support your claims with specific examples and evidence. Share instances where your passion for public policy has led to meaningful contributions or actions.

By following these tips, you can create an essay that showcases your genuine passion for public policy, your alignment with the Brooks School's values, and your vision for achieving your life goals through this educational journey!

A business meeting

As an aspiring business major, you’ll be expected to have impeccable communication skills. To ensure you start on the right foot by submitting a stellar supplemental essay, keep these suggestions in mind:

  • Start with introspection : Before you begin writing your first word, reflect on your personal, academic, and volunteer/work experiences related to business. Think about what you’re passionate about and what interests you. Ask yourself who you are as a person, a student, and a larger member of society.
  • Narrate a personal experience : Begin your essay by recounting a specific personal experience that sparked your interest in business and sustainability. Maybe it was a moment of realization during an event, a class, or a project that ignited your passion for these topics.
  • Focus on a core theme : Choose a central theme or aspect of business and sustainability that you are deeply interested in. It could be circular economy initiatives, ethical sourcing, community-based tourism, or any other niche area that excites you.
  • Highlight your experiences : Relate your chosen topics or issues to real-life experiences you've had. Provide examples of projects, academic courses, or extracurricular activities where you actively engaged with these subjects.
  • Demonstrate your commitment : Showcase how you've pursued your interests beyond just academics. Describe any initiatives you've taken, such as joining business-related clubs, participating in relevant competitions, or undertaking personal projects.
  • Showcase your uniqueness : Share what sets you apart from other business students because Cornell has thousands. Maybe you have a multicultural background that gives you a unique perspective on sustainable business practices or a specific skill set that can contribute to the field.

If you implement these tips into your essay, you should be able to create a powerful response that showcases exactly what kind of business student you are and how you will contribute to and benefit from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business!

A propeller

Crafting thoughtful responses to the Cornell supplemental essays is crucial for Engineer majors aiming to make a strong impression on the admissions committee. Here are some tips to help you in your writing journey:

Your answer to essay one should be concise and focused. Clearly articulate your interests in Engineering and your future aspirations. Consider these tips to elevate your essay:

  • Relate your interests to real-world impact : Demonstrate how your interests in engineering have practical applications and potential real-world impact. Discuss how your passion for a particular engineering discipline can contribute to solving pressing global challenges or advancing technology.
  • Draw on specific faculty research : Research the work of faculty members within Cornell Engineering who are conducting research in your areas of interest. Discuss how their research inspires you and how you hope to collaborate with them in the future.
  • Discuss future goals : Outline your long-term goals in engineering and show how Cornell's engineering program is the ideal stepping stone to achieve them. Whether it's pursuing graduate studies, launching a startup, or working on groundbreaking projects, convey how Cornell will prepare you for success.
  • Connect your past experiences : Describe how your past experiences, whether through coursework, projects, internships, or extracurricular activities, have influenced your interest in engineering. Highlight moments that sparked your curiosity and ignited your desire to pursue engineering at Cornell.

Despite having a 250-word limit, you can still include a brief anecdote to open your essay. This will make it more personal and engaging!

If you choose to answer prompt A, here are some suggestions to follow:

  • Provide concrete and relevant details : Use specific examples, data, or personal experiences to illustrate the issue's significance. Whether it's a lack of clean drinking water, traffic congestion, or inadequate waste management, ensure the reader understands the problem's real impact on people's lives.
  • Propose innovative engineering solutions : Demonstrate your creativity and problem-solving skills by outlining one to three actionable engineering solutions. These solutions should be feasible, innovative, and tailored to address the specific problem you've identified. 
  • Discuss community impact : Highlight the importance of community engagement in your proposed solutions. Describe how you would collaborate with others to ensure your engineering initiatives align with the community's needs. Discuss the potential long-term impact of your solutions as well. 

If you choose to answer prompt B, keep these tips in mind:

  • Highlight your diverse perspective : Share specific aspects of your background, identity, or lived experiences that make your perspective unique. Discuss how these elements have shaped your worldview and problem-solving.
  • Discuss past contributions : Describe instances where you have actively contributed to promoting diversity and inclusion in your previous academic or extracurricular settings. Demonstrate your dedication to fostering an inclusive environment.
  • Prove your strengths in collaboration : Showcase how you excel in collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Discuss how your open-mindedness, empathy, and respect for others' perspectives enable you to work effectively in diverse teams.
  • Showcase your passion for impact : Convey your genuine enthusiasm for making a positive impact within the Cornell Engineering community. Discuss how your unique voice and contributions can lead to greater creativity, collaboration, and, ultimately, excellence in solving complex engineering challenges.

Remember, there are various ways to show your diversity! Get creative and dig deep. Think about what makes you unique and what you can offer the Cornell community! 

To create a unique and compelling response to the Cornell supplemental essay for the College of Human Ecology (CHE), consider the following tips: 

  • Get to know the college : Spend some time researching the CHE to better understand how your interests fit with its offerings and learning environment. Demonstrate a genuine understanding of what the CHE stands for and how your aspirations align with their values.
  • Illustrate your problem-solving abilities : Emphasize your problem-solving mindset and how it fits with CHE's emphasis on finding innovative solutions to human-related issues. Provide examples of situations where you've demonstrated creativity and adaptability in solving problems.
  • Demonstrate a holistic view : The CHE takes a holistic approach to its education. Discuss the importance of this and how it will allow you to approach complex issues more efficiently. Explain how this specialization aligns with your broader goals and plans for the future.
  • Prove your potential : Share specific areas within your major where you see opportunities for research, innovation, or community engagement. Show how your contributions will further CHE's mission and make a difference in the world.

Use your essay to demonstrate your knowledge of human ecology and how you will be a valuable member of the Cornell community!

People in a factory

Lastly, for students applying to the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, here’s how to tackle your supplemental essay:

  • Research the ILR School : Begin by thoroughly researching the ILR School's programs, values, and offerings. Understand its unique focus on labor, employment, workplace issues, and commitment to social justice. Identify specific courses, professors, and extracurricular opportunities that interest you. 
  • Identify your key topics or issues : Reflect on your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences and identify the topics or issues that have profoundly impacted you.
  • Tell your story : Share engaging anecdotes that showcase your connection to the topics or issues you care about. Draw the reader into your experiences, illustrating why these matters are important to you on a deep and personal level. Use storytelling techniques to evoke emotions and make your essay memorable.
  • Explain your passion : Clearly convey why these topics or issues matter to you. Discuss the values and beliefs that underpin your passion for addressing them. Describe how your interests have grown and evolved over time and how they have influenced your career aspirations.
  • Link to ILR's values : Connect your interests to the ILR School's values and mission. Explain how ILR's focus on labor relations, social justice, and making a positive impact aligns with your own passion for addressing workplace and societal challenges.
  • Highlight relevant skills and experiences : If you have engaged in relevant research, internships, or projects related to your interests, highlight them in your essay. Showcase any leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving skills that are relevant to ILR's focus.
  • Address your long-term goals : Discuss how pursuing a degree at the ILR School will help you achieve your long-term career goals. Explain how the education and opportunities provided by ILR will enable you to make a meaningful impact in your chosen field.

You’ll notice none of the Cornell supplemental essays except for the CALS-specific and Engineering ones have word counts. However, you should keep your answers concise, so we suggest you aim for your essays to be around 500-600 words. 

Cornell University Supplemental Essay Examples

Now that you know how to write the Cornell supplemental essays, let’s solidify these tips and tricks with a sample essay! Considering a large percentage of applicants apply to the College of Arts & Sciences, here’s an essay that responds to this school’s prompt. 

"World's best big sister" was splayed across a bright pink shirt that my parents handed to me with gleaming eyes and hearts full of anticipation. It was a shirt I proudly wore until I had to play tug-of-war with its seams. Now, the shirt sits framed above the mantle in our living room, right between the dozens of collages of the same few pictures of my sister and her tiny urn. There are only so many pictures you can have of someone that barely lived till their second birthday. 
The shirt serves as a poignant reminder of the precious moments we shared and the profound impact her battle with brain cancer had on shaping my path towards becoming an oncologist. 
But, it wasn’t an immediate revelation. Losing my sister at just seven years old, he thought of being anything other than a firefighter was lost to me in my innocence. I dreamt of donning a firefighter's uniform, bravely saving lives, and heroically extinguishing blazing flames. Little did I know that life had a different calling for me, a calling that would emerge years later and fuel my unwavering determination to confront cancer head-on.
It was during a seemingly ordinary day, years after my sister's passing, when the return of fear to my mother's eyes brought memories flooding back. On that fateful day, my mother had a panic attack and sat shaking on the bathroom floor after feeling what she thought was a lump in her breast. My heart raced, and I found myself reliving the fear that had relentlessly shadowed us when my sister battled cancer. In that moment, I knew I had to transform my grief into purpose.
Fueling my passion for science and discovery, I sought out STEM internships during every summer break of high school, eager to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of biomedical advancements. As a testament to my commitment to the cause, I have been gratefully selected to partake in the esteemed University of Pennsylvania's Biomedical Research Academy this upcoming summer, a prestigious opportunity that will undoubtedly enrich my understanding and propel my aspirations even further.
As I look to my future at the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be my guide. I yearn to delve into the intricacies of biology, genetics, and medical advancements, seeking the knowledge and expertise needed to combat cancer on both a cellular and systemic level. I am excited about exploring the intersection of science and empathy, understanding that treating cancer requires not only medical expertise but also compassion and understanding for the patients and families facing this harrowing journey.
The opportunity to major in Biology at the College of Arts and Sciences excites me profoundly. I envision utilizing this foundation to unravel the complexities of cancer biology, with the ultimate goal of contributing to groundbreaking research that can revolutionize cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Additionally, I am drawn to the college's commitment to interdisciplinary studies. As an aspiring oncologist, I recognize that addressing cancer's multifaceted challenges requires collaboration across disciplines. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with faculty and fellow students from diverse backgrounds, exchanging ideas, and approaching cancer research from different perspectives.
Beyond academics, I am eager to take advantage of the college's robust extracurricular offerings. By participating in research opportunities and internships at renowned medical institutions, I hope to gain hands-on experience in oncology and further hone my skills.
Armed with curiosity, empathy, the unwavering love of a sisterless big sister, and a fervent desire to make a difference, I am ready to embrace the opportunities at Cornell and spend my life contributing to the fight against cancer.

We also provide more Cornell sample supplemental essays if you’re interested.

FAQs: Cornell Essays

For any remaining questions about the Cornell supplemental essays, read on to find your answers.

1. Does the Cornell Essay Have to Be 650 Words?

The CALS supplemental essay has a limit of 650 words, but it does not have to reach this maximum. Do not try to fill in your essay with unnecessary words, as it will reduce the efficacy of your writing! Focus on quality and ensure your essay stays focused. 

The other essays, aside from the Engineering ones, do not have word counts, but 500-600 words should suffice. 

2. How Many Essays Does Cornell Require?

Every program, except for Engineering, requires one supplemental essay. Engineering majors are required to write two short essays.

3. How Much Does Cornell Care About Essays?

While your essays won’t be the most important admission factor, they can play a crucial role in the admissions committee's decision. Your supplemental essay is the only part of your application that will humanize and differentiate you!

Final Thoughts

Overall, to excel in your Cornell supplemental essays, you’ll need to go beyond merely stating facts. Elevate your responses to new heights by infusing them with captivating anecdotes and employing the art of storytelling. Draw the reader into your world, where your experiences come alive, and your journey unfolds before their eyes!

Your essays are a reflection of your personality, so let your true self shine through with each word! Good luck!

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An Analysis of the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

Padya Paramita

July 20, 2022

how to write cornell essays

After working on multiple essays for each of your applications, you might be surprised to learn that you only have to write one supplemental essay for Cornell University. But it’s a big one! Your response must be as long as your personal statement. Cornell receives thousands of applications from students all over the world who all have unique stories to tell and has become even more competitive over the pandemic, so this part of the application is very important. Standing out isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either, especially if you can impress the admissions officers through the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 .

In reading your response, admissions officers want to learn about your extracurriculars, character traits, intellectual pursuits, and reasons behind choosing Cornell. The school within Cornell you decide to apply to could end up being the deciding factor behind which supplemental essay question you write about. So don’t rush to write your response—plan your essay carefully. To guide you through the prompts for the eight Cornell schools, I’ve outlined them, included the do’s and don’ts for your responses, and added more tips to help you tackle the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 .

Prompts for the Cornell University Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

When you add Cornell as one of your schools in the Common Application, you have to pick one of the eight colleges within Cornell, instead of applying to the university as a whole. These are: 

  • The newly opened Brooks School of Public Policy

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

College of architecture, art, and planning, college of arts and sciences.

  • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  • School of Hotel Administration

College of Engineering

College of human ecology.

  • School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)

Each college asks you to answer one 650-word supplemental essay question. When writing the other essays, your response should be tailored to the school you’ve chosen and demonstrate an unquestionable passion for the field and knowledge of a particular program at Cornell. Without further ado, let’s look at the prompts for each school and the approaches you should—and shouldn’t—take when it comes to your essay.

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 650 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

NEW! Brooks School of Public Policy

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals.

According to the Inaugural Dean, “The Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy brings together scholars across disciplines to tackle the biggest public policy challenges we face as a society, both in the U.S. and globally. Our mission is to make positive change in the world.” If you’re a student who is interested in having a say in how policy gets passed and implemented, you might want to check out the newly opened Brooks School at Cornell. The supplemental essay prompt specifically asks that you elaborate on three things:

  • Your experience with policy/your chosen major
  • Why you’ve chosen the specific major
  • How Brooks will help you reach your goals.

Answering this long essay question will take a significant amount of research. Go through the major offerings at the Brooks School, and consider whether you wish to concentrate in one of the two major offerings: Policy Analysis and Management or Health Care Policy. Depending on which you choose, write about the way you’ve showcased your potential as a future policy maker in the field. For example, if you wish to pursue Health Care Policy, discuss how you may have impacted the way healthcare services are distributed in your community, or if you volunteered at a hospital and want to see change—or even if you helped out your local medical facility during COVID. Next, talk about why you wish to pursue the topic at Brooks specifically. Read about the new school, learn about the professors, and connect them to your goals. Make sure your aspirations in the policy you wish to contribute to are clear! 

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals?

Since CALS is an undergraduate institution unique to Cornell, there are many Cornell-specific programs and opportunities you can draw from to portray your interest in CALS. You can choose from its 20 program offerings in the life sciences—from Animal Science to International Agriculture and Rural Development—and dive straight into studying the discipline of your choice on day one. These majors are more niche, so the reader must take away a demonstrated fit for the particular program through your writing. 

The key to your answer lies in showing that you have done thorough research on the major that you’ve chosen, and convincing admissions officers that CALS is the perfect school for you. Why are you certain that the CALS Food Science or Landscape Architecture program is what you want over what other schools have to offer? You could highlight your commitment by making a clear connection between the work you’ve done in the particular field and your choice of CALS major. Why is CALS the place to explore your passion for life sciences rather than the Biology or Environmental & Sustainability departments at the College of Arts and Sciences?

Avoid general statements about how exceptional CALS is—admissions officers already know that—and instead reflect instead on ways your interest has grown, what your goals are, and how CALS fits into it all. The more specifically tailored your essay, the better the reader can understand your perspective.

What is your “thing”? What energizes you or engages you so deeply that you lose track of time? Everyone has different passions, obsessions, quirks, inspirations. What are yours?”

This prompt diverts from what the majority of Cornell prompts look for by asking you to elaborate on a topic of interest that engages you like no other. Think about what gets you out of bed in the morning, or a topic that you could give a five-minute presentation on at any moment with zero preparation. If you’re out of ideas, ask your friends or family members what they see as your obsessions. Don’t choose broad issues that you can’t cover in 650 words. You shouldn’t go for common topics that many of your peers might choose either. Think about a topic you’re passionate about which might be more nuanced than others realize. Let the admissions officers know that you’re a perceptive and curious candidate. 

Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st century terms Ezra Cornell’s “any person…any study” founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College.

In writing this essay, you must display your knowledge regarding the liberal arts approach taken by the College of Arts and Sciences. The school prides itself on encouraging openness, course diversity, and allowing students to design their own curriculum. Focus your essay on how being able to explore your options and have more freedom over your course selection is ideally suited to your learning style. Your anecdotes should focus less on the origin of your interests, and more on how you might respond to a relatively open curriculum. For example, outlining a situation where you took advantage of having agency in course selection can be an effective way to drive your point home.

While you might be excited by the extracurricular opportunities that complement your major selection, the prompt strictly asks you to focus on the curriculum. How can you benefit from two majors in completely different areas? How can your goals be inspired by the courses, lectures, and facilities that the College of Arts and Sciences offers? Remember that many schools take a liberal arts approach. Admissions officers want to know why you’re applying specifically to Cornell’s School of Arts and Sciences over other colleges, so be as specific in talking about your goals and interests as possible.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business:

What kind of a business student are you? The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business offers two distinct business programs, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the School of Hotel Administration. Please describe how your interests and ambitions can be met through one or both of the Schools within the College.

Like any other “why this school” essay, the Johnson School prompt wants to know why you’ve chosen Johnson over other undergraduate business schools , and how you would be an asset to the incoming class. In other words, you have to elaborate on what makes the Dyson model ideally suited to your learning style, or the School of Hotel Administration perfect for your future career, and explain the reasons why you will be a valuable addition. 

If you’re applying to Dyson:

If you’re applying to Dyson, you have to show that you’ve done your research on facilities and opportunities exclusive to Dyson. One of the key ways of doing so is to demonstrate your understanding of the unique Economics and Management B.S or ask yourself how you’d benefit from this degree over a B.S. in economics from another school, for example. What features will prepare you for a career as an entrepreneur or financial analyst?

Don’t forget to leave space for how your experiences have prepared you to contribute to Dyson. If you’re planning to apply to this school, you should already have ventured into the world of business. Talk about any entrepreneurial initiatives you’ve taken, any business-related summer programs you’ve attended, and mention if you have any unusual goals that can distinguish you from other prospective business students. Expand on the skills and values you picked up on the way. Dyson students are allowed to double major with a major at CALS so if your passion for business has a life sciences aspect to it, you should include that in your essay!

If you’re applying to the School of Hotel Administration:

The School of Hotel Administration is the most prestigious hotel school in the world. Conduct your research and think about the main reasons behind your application to this exceptional college—look at the faculty listing, research opportunities, electives, and concentrations. What have been some key factors in your curiosity about the intersection of business and hospitality? How does a certain program—such as the minor in Real Estate—fit in with your ten-year plan? Don’t just name SHA resources—talk about how they would be beneficial to your goals. You have to be as specific as possible. Due to the school’s higher acceptance rate compared to other Cornell colleges, many students apply through SHA to try and receive a Cornell acceptance. This makes it critical that your essays demonstrate your authentic and specific interest in hospitality and the related fields. 

While you should mention how your academics and extracurriculars have contributed to your career goals in the hotel business, you must also consider the more human side of the occupation. Do you have the qualities it takes to work in hotel administration, such as empathy, ability to communicate, cultural awareness, and teamwork skills? Provide examples and add any anecdotes that will help admissions officers both understand your interest in the hospitality industry and showcase your potential to thrive after you leave Cornell. 

Tell us about what excites you most about Cornell Engineering and/or studying engineering at Cornell University. How do you see yourself becoming a part of the Cornell Engineering community?

Like the other prompts, this question asks you to think about why you have specifically chosen Cornell Engineering as the place to pursue your engineering education. However, this time they want to see what you will add to the community, rather than only focus on what you get out of the school. Since the prompt emphasizes your excitement towards studying engineering, your essay should too. Think about how your interest in the field originated, what issues matter most to you, and how you can make an impact at the Cornell School of Engineering.  

Narrow your focus by thinking about the major within Cornell Engineering that you wish to pursue. How would a degree in Material Science and Engineering or Biological Engineering from Cornell help you build on what you’ve worked on so far? If you’ve prepared through a rigorous STEM-heavy course load or an extracurricular initiative you’ve implemented to specialize in the area, this is the place to talk about it. Upon reading your response, admissions officers should be confident that you are not only a strong candidate for an engineering degree, but also that you’re specifically geared for success as a future Cornell-educated engineer. The university wants your answer to the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 to reflect your strongest personal attributes , and this essay is an effective way of showing what you care about while demonstrating knowledge of Cornell’s engineering offerings. 

How has your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology been influenced by your related experiences? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future?

The College of Human Ecology prompt asks to see connections between the development of your interests and your choice of major and career aspirations. The tricky thing about this prompt is that the College of Human Ecology happens to cover quite a few different fields that don’t necessarily have obvious relationships to each other. It’s probably a good idea that you know what “human ecology” actually means and are fully informed about programs such as Nutritional Sciences or Apparel Design before sitting down to write your essay. 

You need to focus more on your commitment to the specialized department you’re interested in rather than human ecology as a whole since that is too broad of a topic. How have your courses and extracurricular efforts prepared you for undergraduate study in Fashion Design or Design and Environmental Analysis? From reading your response to the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 , admissions officers must understand that you are applying because you’re actually passionate about the field instead of deciding on a whim because you suddenly like the sound of designing clothing.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

Just like with other prompts for Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 , you need to build a narrative showing how your interests overlap with Cornell’s offerings. Since you have plenty of space in this essay, you should draw on anecdotes that affirm your interest in people and policy in the workplace. Conduct research and think about how your goals can benefit from taking certain electives or working with a distinguished professor. 

Highlight what sparked your interest in the industry—was there one particular incident or did your concern for topics related to workforce policies develop over time? Was there a high school club or internship that contributed to expanding your knowledge of employment policies? Moreover, think about why you want to attend a school that specializes in Industrial and Labor Relations rather than major in economics at the College of Arts and Sciences. By narrating a unique story that shows why this is the perfect college for you, you can help admissions officers gain a clearer picture of your passion for exploring work, employment, and labor policy issues over the next four years.

Additional Tips for the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

  • Keep the Specific School in Mind - It’s not unheard of for students to apply to a less competitive Cornell school such as the College of Arts and Sciences in hopes of later transferring to Dyson or Cornell Engineering. Make sure your essays don’t leave admissions officers doubting whether your interest in the school that you’ve applied to is authentic. Don’t write about your love for life sciences or chemical engineering if you’re applying for an English major at the College of Arts and Sciences! Make sure your essay reflects your particular school choice and its unique offerings.
  • Don’t Repeat Your Personal Statement - Your answers to the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 are supposed to provide admissions officers with more context on your background and passions. That might be difficult to execute if your supplemental essay covers the same topic as your personal statement. It could be tricky to find a new angle—especially when the prompt for the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning is very similar to one of the Common Application personal statement prompts —“Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.” If you’re applying to the AAP school and you’ve picked this prompt for your Common App, you have to come up with something completely different. Cornell will not appreciate two 650-word essays that overlap in content.
  • Avoid Generic Statements At All Costs - Cornell received the most applications out of the Ivy League schools this year. And the number isn’t getting any smaller. In order to excel in your Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023, you have to connect all the factors that make a Cornell education appealing to you. Specifics will allow admissions officers to understand what makes you unique. Stating general facts about the facilities won’t help your case since admissions officers already know that great resources exist at their university!

Your answers to the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023 should convey how you would benefit from a degree from one of its specialized undergraduate schools and the ways in which your experiences thus far have prepared you to contribute to the university’s academic environment. No matter which college within Cornell you’re applying to, make sure that your essays reflect an understanding of the curriculum and highlight any relevant experience so that admissions officers know you’re not just applying for the sake of attending an Ivy League school!

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August 9, 2023

2023-2024 Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts

An aerial view of Cornell University's campus, featuring red-bricked buildings and greenery.

Cornell University has released its 2023-2024 supplemental admissions essays for applicants to the Class of 2028 . For years, Cornell asked applicants to respond to an essay of up to 650 words in length that essentially asked, “ Why Cornell ?” But this year, the Ivy League institution has changed things up, creating essays specific to the individual school to which a student is applying within Cornell. So what supplemental admissions essays will applicants to Cornell’s Class of 2028 be asked to write? Let’s dive in!

2023-2024 Cornell Essay Topics and Questions

Essay for all applicants .

In 350-words or less, all applicants to Cornell University are asked to answer the following prompt:

In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “…any person…any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective.

It’s difficult not to view this new essay prompt as Cornell’s direct response to the SCOTUS ruling outlawing Affirmative Action . While colleges can no longer directly consider race as a factor in the highly selective college admissions process, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote a legal loophole in the majority opinion .

Chief Justice Roberts wrote, “Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

While Cornell’s admissions committee explicitly cited family, school, and neighborhood or global communities in the question, students can write about their race, faith, gender, sexuality, or just about anything else in response to this prompt. After all, Cornell’s admissions committee seeks to build a diverse incoming class, and no Supreme Court decision will get in their way. While the Ivy League school wasn’t nearly as bold as Johns Hopkins University in citing race in its supplemental essay prompt, it’s very much implied that race is on the table.

School-Specific Essays

College of agriculture and life sciences.

CALS asks applicants to respond to a required essay of up to 650 words in length followed by optional essays of up to 200 words and 100 words. Of course, no optional essay should ever be considered optional in Cornell’s admissions process. Write it!

Required Essay Prompt

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (650-word limit)

This is a hybrid prompt: Why Major and Why School at Cornell? More so than any Ivy League school, Cornell cares about  school fit . Cornell’s admissions committee not only wants to know why you wish to attend Cornell but why you wish to attend the school within the school at Cornell.

After all, Cornell’s admissions committee wasn’t born yesterday. They, too, know that getting into certain schools at Cornell is easier than others. So if a student is genuinely interested in computer science yet is applying to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, simply writing they enjoy farming won’t pass the sniff test.

In this essay, applicants should avoid name-dropping professors at CALS who may or may not even be there next year or classes that may or may not even be offered next year and instead focus on the enduring aspects of the school within a school. Cornell’s admissions committee wants to see how applicants hope to leave a mark in agriculture and life sciences during their lifetime.

By thoroughly examining specific programs, institutes, culture, traditions, and activities at CALS, applicants can show rather than tell why they wish to attend.

Optional Essay Prompts

CALS applicants have up to 200 words and 100 words, respectively, to answer the following two optional essay prompts:

Instructions: The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission. The content of any responses submitted will be included in the holistic review of your application (which is also the case for any optional additional information submitted as part of your Common Application or uploaded through your Cornell Application Portal once you’ve applied).

1. At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you.

CALS applicants would be wise to choose an experience that relates to agriculture or life sciences for this prompt. Ideally, the experience the student writes about will also be reflected in their extracurricular pursuits listed on The Common Application. Applicants should tell a small story. Too often, applicants try to accomplish too much by telling grandiose stories. And applicants should be sure to leave out the self-congratulatory sentences. There’s no need to brag in elite college admissions — ever! 

2. Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.). 

Select all that apply:

  • A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity.
  •   My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity.
  •   I have experience working in an agricultural entity.
  •   I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.                      

Please feel free to share additional details.

This prompt allows applicants to write a more detailed portrait of their family’s farm or their experience working as, say, a farmhand. It’s another chance for students to show rather than tell why they hope to contribute to the field of agriculture.

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

Students have up to 650 words to respond to the below essay prompt:

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

It’s a hybrid essay prompt as Cornell’s admissions committee not only wants to know why applicants want to study architecture, art, and planning, but they want to hear a specific example of an instance that inspires their interest in the field. Of course, we always encourage our students at Ivy Coach to share such anecdotes when asked why they’re interested in a discipline — whether they’re asked to cite an example or not — since showing rather than telling is always the way to go.

And then the third component of this hybrid essay prompt is a Why College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. This component of an applicant’s answer should be filled with genuine specifics about the school within a school. And, no, name-dropping professors and regurgitating classes listed in a course catalog do not count. Applicants should aim to capture enduring aspects of the school within a school at Cornell.

College of Arts & Sciences

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences.

It’s a hybrid essay prompt: Why Major and Why School within a School. Cornell wants to understand the origin story of your interest in studying your intended major through a specific narrative — always as a high schooler rather than a child. And they also want to know why Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences. The second part of this essay’s answer should be filled with specifics that only apply to Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences. If a sentence can apply to another university, delete it.

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals.

It’s a straight-up-the-middle hybrid essay prompt: Why Major and Why Brooks? Cornell wants to hear a narrative about a student’s interest in studying public policy. It could be through their coursework, their activities, or even their reading for pleasure. And then Cornell wants to hear that an applicant has done their homework on the Brooks School of Public Policy. As such, applicants should cite specifics about the school within a school at Cornell that do not apply to any other school at Cornell or any other university.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

It’s a hybrid essay prompt: Why Business and Why SC Johnson? Applicants should share a story or stories about their interest in business — ideally as evidenced in their extracurricular pursuits listed in the activities section of their Common Applications.

And then, applicants should transition to demonstrating how they can best pursue their interests at SC Johnson. To do so, applicants should cite specifics about the school within a school at Cornell that don’t apply to any other undergraduate business school. And, no, name-dropping professors and listing classes do not count as genuine specifics. Instead, applicants should cite enduring specifics about the school within a school to show rather than tell why they wish to attend.

College of Engineering

College of Engineering applicants must write two supplemental essays, each of up to 250 words in length. The first essay is required of all College of Engineering applicants. For the second essay, applicants have the choice of responding to the first or second essay prompt option.

How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.

Cornell’s College of Engineering wants applicants to narrow their engineering focus. If a student is interested in mechanical engineering, their essay response should focus on mechanical engineering. Likewise, if it’s environmental engineering, the student should get specific on their interest in environmental engineering.

To do so, applicants should focus on the curriculum design and the programs and institutes Cornell boasts that tackle research in these areas. And they’d be wise to avoid writing about classes. It’s a Why College essay and Why College essays should not be approached like a game of Mad Libs where a student can insert a class name for one university and change it to another name for another university. It’s all about capturing the enduring specifics of the College of Engineering, and the specific engineering track a student intends to pursue.

Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.

This prompt presents a fantastic opportunity for engineering applicants to showcase how they think and want to change the world in a specific way. Applicants should be sure to pick a small problem in their local community that they encounter — and it need not be a sexy problem. Maybe it’s potholes. Whatever it is, applicants should showcase how they’ll leverage the power of engineering to make the problem better for locals.

Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

While the Supreme Court outlawed Affirmative Action, Cornell’s admissions committee still wishes to admit a diverse class. And diversity doesn’t only mean racial diversity. It also means diversity of faiths, geography, gender, sexual orientation, and thought. So the question is wide open for an applicant to showcase what life experience or perspective they’ll bring to the College of Engineering.

College of Human Ecology

Students have up to 650 words to respond to the below essay prompt. Students are also asked to check out these essay application tips  before beginning.

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.

It’s a three-part question. Cornell’s admissions committee wants to know why students are interested in studying a discipline within the College of Human Ecology, how they hope to influence this field during their lifetime, and why the College of Human Ecology is the right fit for them. As such, students should share a narrative that demonstrates the origin of their interest in the field — always as a high schooler instead of as a child — before transitioning to their hopes and dreams for shaping the field in their own small but meaningful way during their lifetimes, and then citing specifics about CHE that only apply to this school within a school at Cornell.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

It’s a hybrid essay prompt: Why Labor Relations and Why ILR? Students should thus begin by writing a narrative that details their interest in studying labor relations — always as a high schooler rather than as a child — which is ideally evidenced in their activities listed in The Common Application.

Applicants should then transition to the Why ILR component of the prompt. And, no, citing that ILR is the most prestigious school to study labor relations sure doesn’t count. Students need to detail specific after specific about ILR — without stooping to naming professors or listing classes — that do not apply to another other university.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Cornell Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to Cornell University by submitting powerful admissions essays, fill out Ivy Coach ‘s consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to outline our college counseling services for seniors .

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How to write the Cornell essays

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Last week, we covered everything you need to know to optimize your application for Cornell University. If you’re planning to apply, you’ll need the inside scoop on the essays, too.

Join Moriah, a recent Cornell graduate, as she goes through the Cornell supplement. Don’t miss out on this chance to craft the perfect personal touch that will make your application stand out.

how to write cornell essays

Undergrad College: Cornell University '21

Major: Policy Analysis & Management

Work Experience: Outside of mentoring students on CollegeVine, I’m interested in finance and it’s intersection with the fashion industry. I currently work in finance for an international consumer packaged goods company.

My Admissions Story: Throughout high school I was especially interested in math and science and focused my college applications on schools with good science and pre-med programs. When I got to college I took my first introductory chemistry class with an incredibly difficult professor (he is one of the AP Chemistry test writers every year). After that, I decided to switch gears and focus on public policy as another way that I could help people.

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Cornell Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Search cornell admissions, writing your college of agriculture and life sciences (cals) interest essay.

how to write cornell essays

In navigating the college admissions process, you will hear a great deal about holistic application reviews and the concept of “fit.” Fit for rigorous academics and a diverse, engaged community may certainly be demonstrated throughout your application materials — including your transcript, school report, involvement outside of the classroom and letters of recommendation. The College Interest essay (located on the Cornell Writing Supplement), however, is the space where you directly communicate the fit you have found that has led you to apply to Cornell. This makes it a truly meaningful component of your application. Your Cornell Writing Supplement essay topic will be specific to the undergraduate College/School that you have selected, and further, because CALS applicants apply and are admitted into one of our 20+ majors, speaking to your desired major is an essential part of the CALS essay.

The question that the CALS Admissions Committee has chosen to ask is:

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals?

Essentially, we want to hear directly from you: Why this major, at CALS, at Cornell? To answer the question effectively, you must consider all aspects of the experience and layers of community that you are seeking to be a part of. First, check in with yourself about why you are applying to Cornell CALS. By making a simple list attributing these elements to the major or CALS or Cornell (or some combination), you can clarify your initial focus and also learn where you need to dig in and explore further. After all — how can you communicate fit in an impactful way without first wrapping your own head around it?

Starting with the subject matter — where have your interests stemmed from? Is your major choice informed by classes you took in high school combined with projects, research, volunteer work, or hobbies you pursued? What are your current long-term educational or career goals? Beyond this, why does the Cornell CALS major stand out to you? Are you excited about the concentrations offered within the major? Specific classes you have read about? Faculty who you want to learn from? A supportive network within the major?

Are you drawn to being grounded in a major from the beginning, but having ample flexibility for academic exploration and evolution? Are you excited about cutting-edge intersections being pursued within the life, agricultural, environmental and social science disciplines at CALS — such as digital agriculture, computational sustainability, science communication or food justice? Does CALS’ mission to engage in purpose-driven science that tackles real-world challenges inspire you? Do you want hands-on learning to be an essential part of your college education?

Cornell is an institution where any person can find instruction in any study. Are you seeking to be part of a student body with a plethora of different backgrounds and perspectives? Do you want to have access to over 1,000 student organizations? Does the academic breadth of Cornell call out to you? The research focus? How about our commitment to sustainability? Or our unique position as an Ivy League institution, but also New York State’s Federal Land Grant University, with a deep-rooted culture of public service? Perhaps you are drawn to our beautiful campus in the thriving college town of Ithaca, NY.

This is certainly not a comprehensive list of topics to take into account as you build understanding of what makes your desired major, CALS and Cornell a great fit for you. There is no checklist or formula to follow as you approach this essay. Rather, it is up to you to gather information and insight, then reflect on what resonates. What drives your belief that you have found a match between the academic opportunities and student experience that Cornell CALS offers, what you seek in your future undergraduate career, and what you have to offer your college community? Tell this story in your own way.

So, why this major, at CALS, at Cornell? We can’t wait to read your essay to learn about how you fit here.

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Cornell University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

Cornell University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 school-specific essay of 650 words or 2 essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to both the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

In the aftermath of the u.s. civil war, ezra cornell wrote, “i would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” for over 150 years, cornell university has remained deeply committed to ezra’s vision. explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “… any person … any study.” we encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350 word limit).

Admissions wants to know what has made you into the person you are today and how those experiences will affect the way you engage with and contribute to the Cornell community. Start by thinking about the kinds of experiences you’ve had in the communities you’ve been a part of thus far. Then, think about how those meaningful encounters will affect your time at Cornell. Maybe you had to fill in as head camp counselor when your team lead was sick—did that teach you the importance of stepping up when unexpected opportunities arise? Remember: admissions wants to invite students to campus who are excited about the chance to meet people from all walks of life and won’t shy away from newness and difference. So, tell a story about an experience that has shaped you and connect the lessons you learned to the ways in which you will contribute to inclusivity on campus next fall. (And though it’s tempting to mention how excited you are to join the a capella group “Here Comes Treble,” let’s leave The Office references in the drafts folder.)

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 650 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

Brooks school of public policy:  why are you drawn to studying public policy drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the brooks school will help you achieve your life goals..

This prompt is very simple: Why do you want to study Public Policy and how will the Brooks School help you to realize your dreams? If you’re pursuing a degree in Health Care Policy or Policy Analysis and Management as an undergraduate, it’s likely that you have a very personal tie to social issues and other systemic problems that impact the public domain. This is your opportunity to share your story with admissions. Maybe you are passionate about using your persuasive writing and critical thinking skills to implement policies that will benefit the earth (and all its inhabitants). Perhaps you’re eager to take action to close the gender wage gap or reimagine the U.S. healthcare system. Whatever your reasoning may be, show admissions that you have thought carefully about your decision to not only pursue public policy, but pursue it at Cornell.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences : Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (Required)

With such a specific professional focus, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is asking for an equally specific commitment from you. Make sure you have concrete reasons and practical experiences to back up your chosen course of study. Why couldn’t you pursue your interests in a more general liberal arts environment? Be specific.

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good.  Please elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you. (200-word limit)

Cornell wants to hear about an experience you engaged in that made a positive impact on a community close to your heart. Your answer doesn’t have to be connected to Agriculture and Life Sciences in any way, so let your mind wander. Maybe you bring your therapy dog to your local hospital once a month and you love watching everyone’s eyes light up the moment Spunky enters the room. Perhaps you challenged your fear of public speaking to deliver an address at a town hall to advocate for greener public transportation options. When have you gotten involved for the greater good? This essay is optional, but why would you pass up the opportunity to provide admissions with more information about yourself and your motivations? 

Optional: Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An “agricultural entity” for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (ex. farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.).

Select all that apply:, a primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity., my extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity., i have experience working in an agricultural entity., i have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity., please feel free to share additional details (optional)..

If there’s any information that you didn’t include in the two previous optional short essays, this is the place for you to expand as you wish.

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning : How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

This is a simple Why Essay , even if the prompt is verbose. Applicants need to write an essay explaining why they want to study their major, specifically, at AAP. Admissions is looking for evidence of previous interest/experience in your major of choice, confirmation that you’ve taken the time to explore Cornell’s resources and programs thoroughly, and (if you’re hoping to pursue a 5-year professional degree program) an indication that you’ve already started putting your passions into practice with a project. You’d be wise to write an essay that weaves together your interest in architecture, art, and/or urban planning with your vision for the future, hopefully one that includes graduating from AAP.

College of Arts and Sciences : At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences.

You’re never going to guess what we’re about to recommend! (Okay, maybe you will). Before you even put pen to paper, do some research. Spend a little time on the school website, campus, or at local Cornell events to learn everything you can about the academic offerings, opportunities, and curriculum. Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences is the most generalized of Cornell’s colleges, so take this opportunity to show your well-rounded worth. Why have you chosen not to pursue a more specific or vocation-oriented pathway at this point? What will you gain from having access to a diverse array of academic departments? Is there departmental cross-pollination that excites you? What about an Arts and Sciences education at Cornell compels you, specifically? Finally, don’t forget to weave your “passion for learning” into your response in order to address both questions.

College of Business : What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

Business College hopefuls have also been tasked with writing a why essay , but in this case, it’s more about your fit than the schools’ offerings. Show how your own goals and interests align with the school’s programs and opportunities. But more importantly, demonstrate how your background and pathway to business school sets you apart from your peers. You’ll need to learn how to write a good value proposition eventually, so consider this essay your first foray into marketing—what issues do you care about when it comes to business, why are they important to you, and which Cornell program will help you both address them and achieve your goals?

College of Engineering

Instructions: all applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. each has a limit of 250 words. essay 1 is required of all applicants. for essay 2, you must choose between question a and question b., essay 1:  how do your interests directly connect with cornell engineering if you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at cornell engineering  if you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with cornell engineering. it may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. .

You can get an Engineering degree at thousands of schools across the country, so why are you so keen to study at Cornell, specifically? Remember that your choices here aren’t set in stone, so don’t stress over your vision; just show that you’ve done your research. Maybe Cornell’s Environmental Engineering program will propel you toward your dream career in city planning and hazardous waste management. Maybe there’s an alum who is doing what you aspire to do, and you want to follow in their footsteps! Whatever it is that draws you to Cornell (besides Andy’s school spirit in The Office ), admissions wants you to describe that interest and then connect it to your aspirations. 

Essay 2: Choose either Question A and Question B. (250 word limit) 

Question a: describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. this could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem..

This is your opportunity to not only show admissions that you’re paying attention to the world around you, but also demonstrate your creativity and vision. Start by brainstorming a few problems or challenges—big and small—that bother you or impact your life in some capacity. Maybe it’s rampant wildfires or accessibility issues in your community. Although the scope and scale of your problem can vary, remember that Cornell is looking to accept applicants who want to be a part of the solution. Show that you’re not only informed and concerned, but also actively engaged in addressing the problem head on (in one to three innovative ways).

Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

This is a classic community essay, through and through. Admissions officers want to know not only that you value diversity, but which diverse perspectives you, specifically, will bring to the Cornell community. Where do you come from? What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What you address can be reflective of larger cultural constructs or a trait specific to you and only you. Consider why your particular background or experience will be useful in an academic setting. How will it help inspire and/or inform others? Were you raised in an indigenous community? Do you identify as nonbinary? Have you lived on three different continents? What has influenced your identity? What do you believe and how will your worldview bring something of value to the engineering community at Cornell?

College of Human Ecology: How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.

Admissions wants you to build a bridge between your past experiences and your decision to apply to CHE. Then they want you to kick it up a notch and build a (more theoretical) bridge from CHE to your future aspirations. Unlike many of Cornell’s specific schools, this one doesn’t necessarily flow directly into a particular career path, so it’s important for you to demonstrate that you have a plan before committing to such a focused course of study. The more you can demonstrate a deep familiarity with CHE and your vision for your future, the better!

College of Industrial and Labor Relations: Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

What subject could you talk about for hours on end with your friends, family, or even a complete stranger? Maybe it’s the need for legislation on regulating toxic chemicals in everything from our cosmetics to our food and water sources. Perhaps it’s the impending water crisis, and the public policy that you believe would change the way Americans use and think about water. With this prompt, it’s a good idea that you touch on when or where your passion first began, how it developed over time, and how you are planning to pursue this issue or interest at Cornell. This prompt gives you a wonderful opportunity to reveal something new about yourself through discussing your enthusiastic engagement with a given issue; in the process, you will showcase your curious, well-rounded nature to admissions — and huzzah for that!

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Career Services

Writing essays.

Any essay or personal statement for an application must, of course, be your own work. If you are applying for a research degree, you will probably be asked to write a "statement of purpose." Admissions committees will be interested in how focused your research interests and ultimate career goals are, and how your undergraduate studies, work experience, and other background relate to the proposed graduate field of concentration.

If you are asked to write a "personal statement," in applying to law school for example, you have almost unlimited possibilities open to you. You might choose to write about some work you have done or someone you have known and relate that to what you plan to do over the next few years. Whether or not you write something autobiographical, remember that there is no set form and if you do write an autobiographical piece, it does not have to be arranged chronologically. Before writing anything, stop and consider what your readers might be looking for; the application or general directions may convey this. Often, a good personal statement will positively differentiate you from other applicants.

Your essay will serve as an indicator of your writing abilities, but keep in mind that in most cases clarity and development of your ideas are the main considerations. If highly imaginative or eloquent writing does not come easily for you—and there are few people for whom it does—don't worry. Try to stick to a style you are comfortable with and don't try to sound like someone else. Your main aim will be to write a clear, succinct statement showing your self-determination and enthusiasm for the field of study.

Organizing Your Essay There are two main approaches to organizing an essay. One is to make an outline of the points you want to cover and then to expand upon them. If you are comfortable with this method, it will probably yield a well-organized essay. The other approach is to put your ideas down on paper as they come to you and then to go over them, possibly eliminating a great many sentences and pushing others around ruthlessly until you have achieved a clear, logical sequence. This approach is difficult, but may produce a more inspired piece of writing than the outline method.

Writing Style After you have gotten your first draft down on paper, go over it for style. One of the most common pitfalls applicants encounter is the habit of making "I" the subject and first word of nearly every sentence. Many people also use the simple declarative sentence almost exclusively, which tends to result in monotonous reading and often to obscure the development of ideas. For instance, cause and effect relationships are often lost in a series of simple sentences. Look carefully through what you have written for ideas or statements that have a cause and effect relationship.

Another weak point of many essays is the tendency to oversell through the use of adjectives and adverbs. If, when reading over your essay, you find yourself saying that certain experiences or ideas are "interesting," "educational," or "rewarding," or if you find the words "very" and "extremely" appearing frequently, you need to do some editing. Ask yourself not how interesting your summer job was, but what was interesting about it and what you learned from it. Rather than using vague adjectives, either be specific or simply let your experience and qualifications stand on their own merit.

Seek Second (and Third) Opinions It will be important to ask others to review and provide feedback on your essay. You may want one of your recommenders, especially if he or she is in the discipline you are planning to pursue, to read your essay. The graduate school application advisor in Career Services in 103 Barnes is available to review your essay and offer advice on the application process; visit the main page of the Cornell Career Services website and use the Bookings link to schedule an appointment. The Knight Institute Writing Centers can be also be helpful since it employs highly skilled students to assist writers. Don't be surprised if you get differing opinions from different sources; in the end, only you can decide the best way to present yourself.

ENGL 1140: Writing Medicine, Stories of Illness & Healing (Spring 2024): Home

Activity time.

Step 1:  Think about the content you have been reading and discussing in class. Consider themes related to illness, health and healing you've read about, or subjects that come up in the material you're learning. What are some words or phrases that come to mind?

Step 2: Around the room, you'll find several library books on related themes. Take a few minutes to look through these books. What terms might you use to describe these sources? 

Enter your responses in the Padlet below: 

Made with Padlet

Getting Oriented with Background Literature!

Tertiary sources are a useful place to begin your search and familiarize yourself with a research topic. These include encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other compilations or indexes of existing sources.

  • Oxford Bibliographies Online Developed cooperatively with scholars and librarians worldwide, Oxford Bibliographies offers exclusive, authoritative research guides.

Cover Art

  • Women and Gender in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia Routledge, 2006. Print version: Olin Reference HQ 1147 .E85 W66 2006. "[L]ess about medieval women and more about gender issues than the title suggests or readers might initially anticipate.""[Choice, May 2007] "Female patronage of the arts and the church, female mysticism and devotional practices, women's medicine and understandings of the female body, and women's roles in politics and diplomacy are among the activities discussed in the 563 signed articles, each with cross-references to other articles and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources." [Reference & Research Book News, Feb. 2007]
  • Medieval England : An encyclopedia Publication Date: 2017

how to write cornell essays

Subject Headings!

Below are links to some subject headings from the library catalogue that may lead you to additional relevant literature.

Medicine, Medieval

Human Body>Social Aspects>History

Civilization, Medieval

Women healers, Medieval

Using the Library Catalogue

How do I locate a book or other resource through the library catalogue? 

Library website:  https://www.library.cornell.edu/

how to write cornell essays

Here is a more detailed guide on using the catalogue and reading call numbers.

Classifications to know: 

B-Psychology, Philosophy, Religion

P-Literatures & Language

D-History, General & Old World

Secondary Sources: Databases & Guides!

What are secondary sources? Secondary sources are documents or recordings of information originally presented elsewhere. Below are some broader humanities and social science databases, and some more discipline-specific sources for medieval studies.

how to write cornell essays

  • Feminae: Medieval women and gender index An index to journal articles, book reviews, and essays in books about women, sexuality, and gender during the Middle Ages. Books written by a single author are not indexed. The time period covered is 450 C.E. to 1500 C.E. and the geographic area is Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Subject coverage for gender and sexuality means that articles on masculinity and male homosexuality are included.
  • History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Provides citations and some brief abstracts to journal articles, conference proceedings, books, book reviews, and dissertations in the history of science, technology and medicine and allied historical fields from prehistory to the present.
  • International Medieval Bibliography Online (IMB) The International Medieval Bibliography (IMB) is the world's leading interdisciplinary bibliography of the European Middle Ages, covering Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in the period 400-1500. The IMB was founded in 1967 with the support of the Medieval Academy of America. Its editorial staff is based at the International Medieval Institute at the University of Leeds, and the project is supported by over 50 teams of contributors in Europe, North America, Australia and Japan. The database comprises over 300,000 articles derived from regular coverage of some 4500 periodicals and 5000 miscellany volume (conference proceedings, essay collections, Festschriften and exhibition catalogues). All articles are classified with full bibliographical details and subject classifications and indexing familiar to medievalists.
  • Iter : gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance A bibliographic database of interdisciplinary journal literature pertaining to the Middle Ages and Renaissance, 400-1700. Includes articles, reviews, bibliographies, catalogs, editions, abstracts, discographies, and notes.

Citation Matters!

It's important to cite others' work ethically. As literary scholars, writers, and appreciators of literature, who you cite and how you give credit to other creators has the power to amplify their work and literary voice. Below are some useful concepts, tools, and resources to help you practice inclusive and ethical research!

ZoteroBib is a useful tool for generating bibliographies in your preferred citation style. You can enter information manually, or enter a URL to the resource to generate a citation.

how to write cornell essays

Excelsior Online Writing Lab is an excellent resource to refer to for questions regarding citation style, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, or any formatting questions you may have. You can also explore the APA style guide here . 

Cornell Libraries offer citation management resources and workshops.

Remember to consider citation justice as you create a reference list throughout your research. Citation justice is defined as: " The act of citing authors/sources based on identity to uplift marginalized voices with the knowledge that citation is used as a form of power in a patriarchal society based on white supremacy" (Coalter 2022).

In reviewing the references, artwork, and other sources you've compiled in your research, ask yourself:

Whose voices are represented?

Whose voices are missing? 

how to write cornell essays

Hannah Toombs (she/her/hers)

Engaged Learning Librarian

Co-Liaison to Latin American Studies

[email protected]

Digital Collections & Primary Sources

Digital collections and online guides to understanding primary sources can be a useful tool for accessing material to use in your research, and for getting more context for the resources you find in research!

History of Medicine Digital Exhibits (McMaster University)

"What a Piece of Work is Man": Reading the Body in Medieval Manuscripts (St. Louis University)

Historical Anatomies on the Web

What Else Can I do at the Library?

Can't find the book or resource you're looking for? Get it through Borrow Direct, InterLibrary Loan , or recommend a purchase !

Looking for study space for a group or yourself? Find one here !

Need personalized research support? Meet with a librarian one-on-one , get to know your department's liaison librarian , or c heck out our 24/7 chat !

Need to rent a laptop, audio and video equipment, camera, or other tech? Rent it here !

Looking to learn a new skill like citation management, QGIS, or collections research? Check out our calendar of workshops!

Interested in checking out cool exhibitions, meeting authors, seeing new films, and more? Check out the CUL events calendar !

Do you like to read for fun? We have a guide for that!

Stay in the loop about what's happening at the library by following us on social media!

Cornell University Library Instagram

how to write cornell essays

Additional Reading

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Land Acknowledgement

Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (the Cayuga Nation). The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' people, past and present, to these lands and waters.

This land acknowledgment has been reviewed and approved by the traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' leadership.

  • Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 1:58 PM
  • URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/medicine

Cornell Financial Aid

Search cornell financial aid, first-year and transfer students — international, let's get started.

Starting your financial aid application early is a small step that can make a big difference. 

How to Apply

All first-year and transfer undergraduate international applicants* seeking Cornell grant or scholarship aid at any point during their undergraduate course of study must complete the CSS Profile when they apply for admission.

  • Cornell’s undergraduate admission process for international students* is "need-aware", meaning interest in or need for financial aid is one factor amongst many considered when making admission decisions.
  • Cornell meets 100 percent of admitted international undergraduates’ demonstrated financial need with annual aid offers that include Cornell grants, an annual work-study award, and reasonable student loans depending on total family income.

*U.S. citizens with dual citizenship, eligible non-citizens such as refugees or asylees, or undocumented students who attended and graduated from a U.S. high school, with or without DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) should follow the instructions for first-year or transfer U.S. students .

1. Complete the CSS Profile

Submit the CSS Profile

Search for "Cornell University" or use code 2098, when prompted.

Application Priority Date(s):

  • Early Decision:  November 1, 2023
  • Regular Decision:  January 2, 2024
  • Transfer:  March 15, 2024

Additional resources:

CSS Profile Frequently Asked Questions

  • You may request a fee waiver if the CSS Profile application fee is a significant financial burden – to request a waiver, email [email protected] and include “CSS Profile Fee Waiver Request” in the subject line.
  • If you are unable to submit a CSS Profile, please contact us at [email protected] at least two weeks prior to your application deadline.
  • If your parents are divorced or separated, both of your biological/adoptive parents – your custodial parent and your noncustodial parent – are required to complete separate CSS Profile Applications. Learn more about completing the CSS Profile for noncustodial parents .

2. Submit Documents

After receiving your CSS Profile application, Cornell may request additional forms or documentation. Requests are initiated by Cornell, via the College Board's Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC).

If you receive an IDOC request:

  • Upload signed  copies   of requested documents via your IDOC Student Dashboard .
  • Avoid uploading documents that have not been requested - unnecessary submissions slow application review.
  • Have questions? We're here to help!   Contact us via email at  [email protected] to expedite your inquiry (include your name and Cornell admissions ID number).

3. Preview Aid Estimate

All admitted first-year and transfer undergraduates will receive an estimate of your expected family contribution, cost of attendance, and the financial aid you may be eligible for in the upcoming academic year.

  • Your personalized Cornell Aid Estimate is prepared using the information you submitted on your CSS Profile and current year cost of attendance information.
  • Cornell Aid Estimates are available to admitted students only, shortly after admission decisions are released.
  • If your family financial circumstances have recently changed significantly, please use the appropriate  appeal process .

4. Cornell Review

After receiving your CSS Profile application and requested documentation, we will review your information carefully to confirm your expected family contribution, demonstrated need, and eligibility for financial aid.

  • Monitor your email carefully – we may request additional information or ask for clarification.
  • Respond promptly to all requests and continue to monitor your email carefully.
  • To learn more about how Cornell determines eligibility for financial aid, please see  Financial Aid Eligibility .

5. View Aid Offer

Official Cornell Aid Offers will be released as soon as possible in the Spring (tentatively, early-April), after 2024-25 tuition, fees, housing and dining rates are confirmed.

  • Your official Cornell Aid Offer includes your confirmed expected family contribution, updated cost of attendance, and the financial aid you are eligible for in the upcoming academic year.
  • Have questions? We're here to help! - Please contact us via email at  [email protected] to expedite your inquiry (include your name and Cornell admissions ID number), or to request an appointment with a Cornell Financial Aid Counselor.

Financial Aid Application Deadlines

Complete your financial aid application no later than applicable deadline and respond to all requests for documentation promptly to ensure your preliminary Cornell Aid Estimate and official Cornell Aid Offers are available prior to your admissions deposit deadline.

For applicants starting Fall 2024:

Complete the 2024-25 CSS Profile  as soon as possible, but no later than:

U.S. Tax Information for International Students

Grant and scholarship aid that exceeds “qualified education expenses” (tuition and mandatory fees) is considered taxable income by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Cornell is required to withhold 14 percent of any grant or scholarship aid greater than tuition and mandatory fees to pay U.S. tax, if you do not qualify for exemption under a tax treaty . Cornell cannot provide individual tax advice; please contact your personal tax advisor with any questions or concerns.

Top Financial Aid Resources

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Welcoming AI into the classroom

Classroom innovation

By | Kathy Hovis , A&S Communications

This semester, rather than banning the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for his assignments, three of Franklin Zheng ’25’s five professors actually required him to use it. It’s a trend happening in universities around the country, as AI becomes another research tool rather than something to be feared.

For Zheng, AI helped him analyze 70,000 court records to find themes, topics, keywords and general sentiment arcs. It came up with a list of best practices within the field of cyber security. And it responded to half of his weekly essays and assignments for a government class.

student in front of a white screen of text

“When I ask it technical or coding questions, it can come up with simple algorithms and the code will run perfectly fine. It’s a game changer if you’re having it do this kind of busy work,” said Zheng, who’s majoring in information science and minoring in international relations and German studies in the College of Arts & Sciences. 

“But when you’re writing an essay and try to incorporate ChatGPT, the amount of setup and prompting it takes to effectively use it nullifies the efficiency of using it,” he said. “In order for it to produce substantive and in-depth writing, you need to provide it with substantive and in-depth prompts. That takes more time than actually writing the essay.”

When ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms first became widely available, professors on many college campuses responded with understandable concern: How will students use this to cheat? How well can the tech write an essay? Can it come up with computer code or solve problem sets and show the steps? And how on Earth can we police this?

But with the arrival of easy-to-use generative AI tools last year, the questions have changed.

“I look at AI as another technology that has extended human capabilities in ways that eliminate a lot of drudgery,” said Matthew Wilkens , associate professor of information science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, who teaches one of Zheng’s classes this semester, “Text Mining for History and Literature.” “Just as workers were understandably concerned about steam power or electronic factory robots, in the end mostly what that created was a situation in which workers get to do more interesting things and things that are more significant.”

Cornell has issued preliminary guidelines for using AI, “which seek to balance the exciting new possibilities offered by these tools with awareness of their limitations and the need for rigorous attention to accuracy, intellectual property, security, privacy, and ethical issues.”

And a report issued September offers guidance for faculty. That report, a Cornell Chronicle story explains, addresses the ways in which these tools can customize learning for individual students – but may also circumvent learning, hide biases and have problems with being inaccurate.

Weighing the new research possibilities vs. AI’s drawbacks

For professors like Wilkens, the potential of AI is exciting.

“You used to need to be able to write some code to interact with a machine learning model, but now you can use a natural language prompt and expect to get a meaningful answer,” said Wilkens, who has a diverse background in chemistry, philosophy and comparative literature. “That’s super cool and promising to allow more people without a lot of tech training, but with interesting humanities questions, to be able to answer those questions.”

professor and students at a table in a classroom

For Sabrina Karim , the Hardis Family Assistant Professor in the government department (A&S), it was important for students in her seminar on gender and politics  to begin the semester reading about gender and racial biases embedded in generative AI before experimenting with it in their essays. Over the course of the semester, the class has experimented with different prompts, especially as they relate to research papers versus personal essays.

“There will be big changes in the world – we’re already seeing that in many industries,” Karim said. “My goal is to instill how we can use this ethically and responsibly in a way that will help students in their careers.”

Kannah Greer ’24, a government major in Karim’s class, said she’s learned a great deal about the importance of using creative and specific prompts when working with AI.

“While I do not trust AI enough to depend on it for fact-based answers, I often use it and plan to continue using it to brainstorm ideas and concepts that I may have otherwise overlooked or not even known about,” she said. “You are only limited to what you know, and often, students looking to expand their ideas are limited to the knowledge of their professors, but AI has virtually no limits to what can be known and built from.

“As someone who is always looking for equitable solutions to pertinent social problems, it is exciting to have a tool to bridge my analytical analyses with creative solutions.”

In classes taught this semester by Peter Katzenstein , the Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies (A&S), students are experimenting with ChatGPT as a research tool, asking it questions about international relations theory and determining its possibilities and limitations. They’re also using ChatGPT as an interlocutor, someone you might ask to read and respond to your work. And they compose arguments and counterarguments on world political issues, ask AI to do the same and then compare their work.

In each case, students include an appendix to the assignment, explaining their interactions with ChatGPT, what they thought it did well and where it fell short, all backed up with transcriptions of their chats.

“We have conversations about what these large language models tend to be really good at, and where students need to be more careful,” said Amelia C. Arsenault,  a graduate student in the field of government who is a teaching assistant in Katzenstein’s classes.

“We’re giving them a toolkit so that they can determine whether what they’re being offered by ChatGPT is actually good enough for their work,” said Musckaan Chauhan, another grad student and teaching assistant in Katzenstein’s classes.

Focusing on the 'gorgeous sentences'

In Cornell first-year writing seminars, Tracy Carrick , director of the Writing Workshop in the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines, works with students to experiment with ChatGPT in class and during individual conferences.

By comparing their work with AI-generated text, students are able to see some of AI’s shortcomings: clunky transitions, generic text, no citations, lack of sentence length variation, awkward flow, inherent biases, hallucinations (coming up with false information) and poor paragraph development, among other problems.

“It ignores a lot of the lessons we go through in class, including those about crafting your own voice and building your ideas alongside of and with those of others,” Carrick said.

An AI bot also can’t address your audience with the same care and intention you would, Carrick said, nor can it incorporate material from class discussions, not without considerably adept and attentive prompt engineering.

Many students, Carrick found, noted that generating prompts for their writing assignments was considerably less pleasurable and a lot more work than writing the assignment from the ground up themselves.

But Carrick does find it useful for conducting research. When brainstorming a way to frame a topic, refining search terms, and even locating sources, ChatGPT can uncover more interesting and unique information than a normal Google Search, she said, especially when using the premier (paid) version.

It cannot replace traditional strategies, she’s discovered with students, but it can be a good way to access information about new topics.

When it comes to their drafts, ChatGPT can craft boilerplate text or sentences that aren’t terribly essential or important to the flow or meaning of your work, she said.

“This is one of many tools for students and they can use it ethically and strategically in ways that are supportive of their ideas and their voice without feeling that they aren’t good enough to do this writing on their own,” she said. “It’s similar to the predictive text that comes up when you’re typing a text message or using GoogleDocs. If that one sentence isn’t important, but it allows you to spend time crafting 5-6 really gorgeous sentences, then I’m more than OK with that.”

Carrick’s worries about ChatGPT focus less on policing and more on access to the platform (there’s a free version but the $20/month version is better) and on its impact on students’ ability to work through their original “messy ideas” when creating first drafts.

 The future of AI for classrooms, careers

Tracy Mitrano , senior lecturer in information science, said her classes will continue to integrate more and more AI discussions. This semester, students in her “Law, Policy and Politics of Cybersecurity” class used AI for research into cybersecurity issues related to AI, and also compared and debated the effectiveness of AI regulation in the U.S. and the European Union. Next semester, she’ll be teaching “Law, Policy and Politics of AI in the World,” completely focused on AI’s impacts in those spheres.

“This is a quantum level change, not unlike the invention of the printing press and then the internet,” she said.

The impacts for the future of work and the labor market are also massive, she said, comparing the introduction of AI to the free trade agreements that allowed many companies to outsource work to other countries 30 years ago.

“This is not a problem of technology or AI,” she said, “the real problem is government and deciding what ways we may or may not think the government should be involved in regulating it.”

For Zheng, though he’s impressed with AI’s abilities, he thinks his actual human skill set will still be needed in the field he’s considering.

“I don’t want to do software engineering or web development. I’m more interested in working in data analysis or foreign policy,” he said. “That work involves acquiring data from a number of outside sources (like diplomatic documents, economic reports and real-time data) and ChatGPT is constrained by the mediums it can take in for information.

“But when they breach that gap, then …”

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how to write cornell essays

Faculty Workshop | Generative A.I. in a Writing Classroom

2/20/2024 By | Tracy Hamler Carrick

Generative A.I. in a Writing Classroom

The Center for Teaching Innovation and the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines invite writing instructors across disciplines to come together as a community to discuss strategies for teaching writing in the age of A.I. These workshops are an opportunity to learn more about generative A.I. as it applies to writing courses; hear what other instructors have tried; ask questions and share ideas; and participate in the co-creation of a generative A.I. toolkit for writing courses. We encourage you to sign up for and attend both sessions, as they build upon each other, but you can also attend just one. Please bring your laptop to both sessions.

  • Register here:  Thursday, February 15, 2024, 2:00 - 3:15 p.m., in person.
  • Description: In Part 1, we will discuss what generative A.I. can do and how writing instructors and students have been using these tools. Short presentations showcasing generative A.I.-related strategies will kick off a group working session, followed by a larger discussion that will set the stage for the second session. 
  • Register here:  Thursday, February 22, 2024, 2:00 - 3:15 p.m., in person.  
  • Description: In Part 2, we will focus on brainstorming and co-creating a generative A.I. Toolkit for writing courses, so that everyone can leave with ideas to implement in future class sessions. 

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how to write cornell essays

How to Write Cornell’s Essay for The College of Business

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Vinay Bhaskara and Mariana Godlust in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Understand what the prompt is asking, how to approach the prompt for the dyson school for applied economics and management.

  • How to Approach the Prompt for the Nolan School of Hotel Administration

If you are applying to Cornell , you first need to determine which specific college fits your interests best. If you decide to apply to the SC Johnson College of Business, the supplemental prompt asks:

What kind of business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words)

If you’re interested in studying business at Cornell, there are two schools within the SC Johnson College of Business. The Dyson School for Applied Economics and Management is the broader option within the College of Business, whereas the Nolan School focuses on Hotel Administration. It is important to understand the differences between the schools and the resources they offer, but you can choose to write about both in your response.

Cornell’s supplemental essay can seem deceptively broad at first. The first phrase of the prompt asks “What kind of business student are you?” The question is clever in that Cornell can easily spot and eliminate students with inauthentic interest in the school who are potentially applying simply for prestige or in hopes of making a lot of money. 

Of course, one of the great reasons to pursue business is because it’s a great way to position yourself for a successful long term career. However, that is not what Cornell wants to hear. This is one of those essays where the deeper you can dive into and speak about your interests, the more effective your essay is going to be. 

Writing an essay for business school can be tricky because a lot of students tend to focus on their career goals and the future they’re building toward rather than the value of the program and the college as a whole. Of course this could be said of any pre-professional program.

While it’s totally acceptable to discuss your future career goals as part of your application, many students do not spend enough time tying that end goal back to who they are and the interests they have today. Ultimately, you’re applying to enroll at Cornell today, not thirty years from now when you’re already on a successful career path. 

That said, it’s not enough to prove a genuine interest in economics or business management as a broad notion. As you write, highlight experiences and activities that support your interest in applying to business school as well as what you hope to accomplish during your time at Dyson. Focusing on how potential opportunities at Dyson will lead to personal growth, deepen your existing interests and help you to achieve future goals will help you stand out as an applicant with a demonstrated interest in the program. 

How to Approach the Prompt for the Nolan School of Hotel Administration 

Applicants to the Nolan School of Hotel Administration are actually required to answer the same prompt; however applicants typically approach the prompt from an entirely different perspective.

The Nolan School is a very unique program to Cornell as hotel administration programs don’t exist at very many schools in the United States. As a result, applicants to this program will need to demonstrate a very clear interest and experiences in hospitality in order to successfully respond to this prompt.

As with any essay, it’s important to highlight interpersonal qualities and traits. However, as an applicant to the Nolan school, showcasing qualities like attention to detail and critical thinking specifically in a customer service setting can help you effectively speak to this prompt. This is unique from other supplemental essays because as a career path, Hotel Administration calls for a particular set of skills and an attitude toward customer service that is unique to hospitality.

Consequently, the stories and the anecdotes you use to drive your narrative are crucial to your response. Think of a time where you really went above and beyond in a customer service or hospitality context and reflect on those experiences deeply to set yourself apart as you’re responding to the prompt. 

As an aside, you don’t necessarily have to dream of opening your own hotel one day to apply to the Nolan School. Many students and alumni of the program have applied their education in hospitality to other disciplines and industries. So if you’re interested in hospitality but not sure if Nolan is the right fit, look into the school further to see how you may be able to apply your skills in a field that interests you such as real estate or finance or business. 

Looking to learn more about undergraduate business programs across the states? Check out this post for a list of the top business programs in the country and their acceptance rates.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

how to write cornell essays

IMAGES

  1. How to Write the Cornell Essays 2020-21: College of Arts and Sciences

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  2. How to Write the College Essay Tips and Tricks Article and Cornell Notes

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  3. Teach101: How I use Cornell Notes Effectively in my Laguage Arts

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  4. Cornell Notes Template and Explaination

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  5. How to Write Cornell Notes Lesson by Kathleen Hodges

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  6. The Ultimate Guide To Taking & Studying Cornell Notes

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VIDEO

  1. What did Cornell students write their college application essays about?

  2. College Essays: Basics

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write the Cornell University Essays 2023-2024

    Below are the supplemental essay prompts for Cornell's colleges (click to jump to the right section): All applicants Brooks School of Public Policy College of Agriculture and Life Sciences College of Arts and Sciences College of Engineering Cornell SC Johnson College of Business College of Human Ecology School of Industrial and Labor Relations

  2. How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essay

    Answer in 150 characters. That's what a lot of supplemental essay prompts can feel like: Too much content to fit in a tiny amount of space. The Cornell essays are a bit different. Sure, on the Cornell essays, you're still going to find a lot of the same themes you see from other schools.

  3. 3 Top Tips for a Stand-Out Cornell Essay

    Here are the essays and instructions as shown on the Cornell University admissions website: College Interest Essays The primary focus of your college interest essay should be what you intend to study at Cornell.

  4. 2023-24 Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

    How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-24 In addition to the personal statement in the Common Application, you are also required to respond to the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt (s) for the undergraduate school or college to which you are applying.

  5. Cornell First-Year Writing Supplement Prompts

    How to Apply First-Year Applicants Cornell First-Year Writing Supplement Prompts In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to both the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying. Cornell University Essay Question

  6. How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

    Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program.

  7. 3 Great Cornell Essay Examples

    Essay Example #1 Prompt: Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st-century terms Ezra Cornell's "any person…any study" founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College. (650 words)

  8. Cornell essays: examples and writing tips

    Cornell essay example #1 Prompt (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences): Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice.

  9. 5 Tips for Writing Cornell's Supplemental Essays

    Let's explore some specific tips for writing Cornell's admissions essays. 1. Understand the Prompts As you begin writing your essays, take a look at the shorter prompts and try to identify the most important parts of them. What is the core of the question being asked?

  10. Cornell Supplemental Essays & Cornell Essay

    Sarah Kaminski Cornell University Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024 Cornell University is one of the most competitive schools in both New York and the nation. In recent years, the Cornell acceptance rate has only gotten lower. When considering how to get into Cornell, there's no room to slack off on any part of your Cornell application.

  11. How to Write the Cornell University Essays

    Command Education Guide Back to All Supplements How to Write the Cornell University Essays Updated for 2023-2024 For the 2023-2024 application cycle, Cornell University asks each student to answer at minimum two supplemental questions.

  12. How to Complete the 2023/2024 Cornell Supplemental Essays

    Applicants must write responses for two of three essay options (Essay #1 is required, but you can choose between two prompts for Essay #2). Each response is limited to a maximum of 250 words, which is significantly less than the usual 650 word limit. This means you should focus on being concise with your responses.

  13. How to Write the Cornell University Essays 2020-2021

    Learn how to write the college-specific Cornell University essays and distinguish yourself as an applicant that is the right fit for Cornell. Hale Jaeger will provide an in-depth breakdown of each college's essay prompts, discussing how to optimize and tailor a response to each one by breaking down the purpose of the prompts.

  14. How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays

    How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays Updated: September 5, 2023 Mary Banks 10 min read Contents Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays Cornell University Supplemental Essay Example FAQs: Cornell Essays

  15. An Analysis of the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

    So don't rush to write your response—plan your essay carefully. To guide you through the prompts for the eight Cornell schools, I've outlined them, included the do's and don'ts for your responses, and added more tips to help you tackle the Cornell supplemental essays 2022-2023. Prompts for the Cornell University Supplemental Essays ...

  16. 2023-2024 Cornell University Supplemental Essays

    Essay for All Applicants In 350-words or less, all applicants to Cornell University are asked to answer the following prompt: In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study."

  17. How to write the Cornell essays

    Description. Last week, we covered everything you need to know to optimize your application for Cornell University. If you're planning to apply, you'll need the inside scoop on the essays, too. Join Moriah, a recent Cornell graduate, as she goes through the Cornell supplement. Don't miss out on this chance to craft the perfect personal ...

  18. How to Write the Cornell University Essays 2020-2021

    College of Art, Architecture and Planning College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice.

  19. Writing Your College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Interest

    The College Interest essay (located on the Cornell Writing Supplement), however, is the space where you directly communicate the fit you have found that has led you to apply to Cornell. This makes it a truly meaningful component of your application. Your Cornell Writing Supplement essay topic will be specific to the undergraduate College/School ...

  20. Cornell University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

    The Requirements: 1 school-specific essay of 650 words or 2 essays of 250 words each Supplemental Essay Type (s): Why, Community In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to both the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

  21. Writing Essays

    Your main aim will be to write a clear, succinct statement showing your self-determination and enthusiasm for the field of study. Organizing Your Essay There are two main approaches to organizing an essay. One is to make an outline of the points you want to cover and then to expand upon them.

  22. This document is part of the John S. Knight Writing in the Disciplines

    engaging them in preparatory writing exercises, including informal writing designed to help students understand the material on which they subsequently write formal essays. Reflections on what worked well, and why, and what you would change another time, are welcome. The winner will be announced to the Cornell community.

  23. PDF Strategies for Essay Writing

    understand why it's worth writing that essay. A strong thesis will be arguable rather than descriptive, and it will be the right scope for the essay you are writing. If your thesis is descriptive, then you will not need to convince your readers of anything—you will be naming or summarizing something your readers can already see for themselves.

  24. Home

    Excelsior Online Writing Lab is an excellent resource to refer to for questions regarding citation style, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, or any formatting questions you may have. You can also explore the APA style guide here. Cornell Libraries offer citation management resources and workshops.

  25. How to Write Cornell's Essay for The Arts and Science College

    Choosing a Topic When responding to this essay prompt, applicants should think about connecting a diverse set of their own interests to a more singular, overarching goal. Furthermore, this goal should be something that they are interested in working towards while at Cornell.

  26. First-Year and Transfer Students

    How to Apply. All first-year and transfer undergraduate international applicants* seeking Cornell grant or scholarship aid at any point during their undergraduate course of study must complete the CSS Profile when they apply for admission. Cornell's undergraduate admission process for international students* is "need-aware", meaning interest ...

  27. Welcoming AI into the classroom

    For Sabrina Karim, the Hardis Family Assistant Professor in the government department (A&S), it was important for students in her seminar on gender and politics to begin the semester reading about gender and racial biases embedded in generative AI before experimenting with it in their essays.Over the course of the semester, the class has experimented with different prompts, especially as they ...

  28. Faculty Workshop

    Generative A.I. in a Writing Classroom. The Center for Teaching Innovation and the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines invite writing instructors across disciplines to come together as a community to discuss strategies for teaching writing in the age of A.I.

  29. How to Write Cornell's Essay for The College of Business

    As a result, applicants to this program will need to demonstrate a very clear interest and experiences in hospitality in order to successfully respond to this prompt. As with any essay, it's important to highlight interpersonal qualities and traits. However, as an applicant to the Nolan school, showcasing qualities like attention to detail ...