cornell admission essay prompts

Cornell Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Search cornell admissions, 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

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)

College- and School-Specific Essay Questions

College of agriculture and life sciences.

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-word limit)  

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-word limit)

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)

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. (650 word limit)

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 word limit)

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)

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). (650 word limit)

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: 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.

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.

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.) (650 word limit)

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)

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College Essays

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ."

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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Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

September 6, 2023

The 7.3% acceptance rate for Cornell’s Class of 2027 was just a touch higher than last year’s 6.9%; as late as 2003, the school still had as high as a 31% acceptance rate. Clearly, getting into Cornell in 2023-24 is a vastly different enterprise than earlier in the millennium. Even if you earned a 1450+ on the SAT and maintained straight A’s throughout a high school career littered with AP and honors courses, you still need to find a way to distinguish yourself from other high school superstars. Fortunately, Cornell’s supplemental essays present applicants with just the opportunity they need to showcase their unique personality, writing ability, passions, and talents.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Cornell University? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Cornell: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In addition to the required supplemental response for all applicants (new this year), each college within Cornell has its own essay requirement(s). Below, we examine the Cornell supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle.

Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Required for all 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)

Cornell is inviting you to share more about your background/identity/community through the lens of how that will impact your experience at the university. Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement and activities list. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

You’ll then need to discuss how your background/identity/experiences will best allow you to contribute to Cornell’s “any person…any study” vision. Firstly, what does “any person…any study” mean to you? Defining that for yourself will enable you to more fully discuss how your background and life experiences will contribute to the University’s mission.

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 words)

There are 22 undergraduate majors and more than 40 minors within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Obviously, the content of this essay is going to be quite different for a prospective American Indian Indigenous Studies major versus someone looking to study Biomedical Engineering. Firstly, you’ll need to discuss your motivations and past experiences related to your major of choice—how have you engaged with the subject, formally and/or informally? What drives you to pursue this course of study in college? Moreover, you’ll need to clearly lay out your academic and career goals, providing explicit evidence of why CALS is the ideal place to help you achieve them. For instance, this may involve researching the professors, courses , study abroad programs , undergraduate research opportunities , and student-run organizations relevant to your major of choice.

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

What three words best describe you? (30 characters each)

No tricks here—you truly only need to choose three words for this response. As such, make sure those three words are pulling their weight. For example, “interesting, hard-working, dedicated” could likely describe any number of Cornell applicants. Instead, try to think of descriptive or evocative words that capture what makes you unique or what you most value—perhaps it’s your wit, your bibliophile tendencies, or your generosity, to name a few.

Cornell Supplemental Essays (Continued)

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 five departments within the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning : Architecture. Art, City and Regional Planning, Real Estate, and Design Tech. Firstly, you’ll need to discuss your motivations and past experiences related to your major of choice—how have you engaged with the subject, formally and/or informally? What drives you to pursue this course of study in college? Moreover, you’ll need to clearly lay out your academic and career goals, providing explicit evidence of why Cornell AAP is the ideal place to help you achieve them. For instance, this may involve researching the professors , courses, study abroad programs , undergraduate research opportunities , and student-run organizations relevant to your major of choice. Note that the prompt provides specific guidance on what exactly should be addressed in the response depending on prospective major, so be sure to integrate that guidance into your essay.

College of Arts and Sciences – Cornell Supplemental Essays 

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)

With 78 different majors and minors , the College of Arts and Sciences offers myriad opportunities for any student. As such, Cornell wants to see evidence of your drive, passion, and intellectual ambition as well as your specific plans for continuing to be academically engaged while in college. What are your current interests? How have you explored them inside and outside the classroom? How do you hope to continue pursuing them as an undergraduate? Great things to highlight here include:

• Departmental offerings , curriculum attributes , and/or specific courses offered in your discipline(s) of interest at Cornell.
• Undergraduate research opportunities  in the summer or during the school year as well as independent research you would like to conduct under faculty supervision.
• Cornell professors whose work/research/writings you find fascinating and how you might want to connect with them as an undergraduate.
• Last, explore academically focused  student organizations  at Cornell.

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 (the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words)

To stand out as an applicant to Dyson or the School of Hotel Administration , applicants need to show that they have availed themselves of every opportunity to dive into the business world during their high school years. Of course, not everyone has parents who hand them money to invest in the stock market or hook them up with a Goldman Sachs internship in ninth grade. Relevant experiences can include high school investing clubs, participation in activities like FBLA, summer programs/courses in business/finance/economics, running your own local small business or e-business (Etsy, landscaping, etc.), or just a regular old retail job. From there, and as a result of your experiences, what topics or issues are you interested in? How do you plan to explore said issues or topics at Cornell? You might consider citing departmental/curricular attributes , specific courses, research opportunities , and/or experiential learning opportunities, among others.

College of Engineering – Cornell Supplemental Essays 

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 Required for all engineering applicants

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)

For the “Why Cornell Engineering?” prompt, refer to our recommendation above for the College of Arts & Sciences essay. Do your homework. Tell Cornell about the departments , courses , professors , facilities , research opportunities , and unique programs that make their College of Engineering your top choice. In addition, be sure to follow their advice and focus on one or two things that you are most excited about vs. trying to squeeze in a laundry list of offerings.

Essay 2 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?

Question A is, in many ways, a quintessential engineering prompt. It is truly as simple as identifying a problem and proposing a solution. However, you’ll want to follow Cornell’s guidance and focus on a problem that manifests in your local community. For example, this could involve something in the realm of:

• Climate change
• Energy efficiency
• Pandemic management/data tracking
• Infrastructure
• Sustainability
• Rethinking how cities and towns look and work
• Safeguarding personal data

Question B choice may be challenging to answer in a deeply meaningful way if you are not a member of an underrepresented group with respect to ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual identity. If this one doesn’t “sing” to you, it’s best to stick with Question A. If you do select Option B, you’ll also want to be sure that it does not overlap with the required essay for all Cornell applicants, which also has to do with your background and life experiences.

Engineering Short Answer Questions (Required)

See advice under the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.

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

Before attempting to answer this question, make sure to do your research. Read through the School’s mission statement as well as the departmental websites, diversity goals, research initiatives, and student life offerings. What stands out to you most about Cornell’s program as a whole? Then, do your best to capture that in three words.

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)

The direction of your essay will be guided by your choice of major within the College of Human Ecology . For example, the content will look substantively different for a Fashion Design and Management major versus a Nutritional Sciences applicant. Regardless of your area of study, the prompt seeks to get the heart of why you’re interested in your particular field and where you see your education/career moving forward. In summary, speak honestly about your goals for the future and how your major will help you achieve them. Along the way, be sure to cite specific CHE offerings like courses , professors , research initiatives , student organizations , and/or special programs.

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)

Labor relations is not exactly the most common topic for a 17-year-old to fall in love with. Therefore, there is probably a pretty interesting story behind your desire to pursue the ILR path. Given that this major is an intersection of areas like business, economics, government, history, law, and public policy, among others—your interest in Cornell’s ILR program may have been sparked by traditional classroom learning. Or, on the other hand, perhaps the spark was the experience of a friend or relative. Perhaps it was even something you have been following in the news (e.g., Starbucks workers trying to unionize). Above all, let your passion and commitment for this field shine through in your composition, and be sure to cite ILR offerings that will allow you to pursue your interests even more deeply, such as the curriculum structure , research opportunities , internships , or student organizations , among others.

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)

At Brooks, you can pursue one of two majors: Public Policy or Healthcare Policy . As such, in this essay, you’ll want to be sure to communicate why you’re interested in your major of choice. What related experiences have you had? How have you explored your interests and curiosities inside and outside the classroom? Most importantly, how do you hope to continue pursuing them as an undergraduate? Great things to highlight here include departmental offerings , specific courses, research opportunities , faculty members , student life , and/or experiential learning opportunities of interest.

Want Personalized Coaching with your Cornell Supplemental Essays?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Cornell supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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October 4, 2022

An Overview of the 2022-2023 Cornell University Essay Prompts

If you’re applying to Cornell University’s Class of 2027, beyond the Common Application’s Personal Statement and optional Covid essay , students are asked a Cornell-specific essay prompt (or prompts depending on the specific school within the broader Cornell University to which you’re applying).

That’s right. Each of Cornell’s undergraduate schools — be it 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, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, or the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy — has its own admissions essay prompts.

For each of these schools within Cornell, the essays are required for admission — with the exception of the College of Agriculture and Life Science. For CALS, two of the three essays are optional. Of course, applicants to elite universities like Cornell should never consider an optional essay actually optional . Rather, it’s a chance for students to make their case for admission. To not write an optional essay would be a missed opportunity to tell your story . So what exactly are the 2022-2023 Cornell admissions essays?

Cornell Essay Requirements at a Glance

For the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay. There are also 2 x 300-word optional essays.

For the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay.

For the College of Arts and Sciences, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay.

For the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay.

For the College of Engineering, there are 2 x 250 word required essays. For the second essay, applicants have the option of answering one of the two prompts.

For the College of Human Ecology, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay.

For the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay.

For the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, there’s 1 x 650-word required essay.

College of Architecture, Art and PlanningEssay 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. 1 x 650 words (required)This is a hybrid: Why Major and Why College. For the first part, share your origin story as an adult for your interest in the field (don’t write about playing LEGOs as a kid!). And then cut to the specifics — programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities, etc. — that are enduring about the school. If you read aloud one of your sentences and can replace Cornell with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete the sentence!College of Arts and SciencesStudents 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.1 x 650 words (required)This is a hybrid: Why Major and Why College. For the first part, share your origin story as an adult for your interest in the field. And then cut to the specifics — programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities, etc. — that are enduring about the school. If you read aloud one of your sentences and can replace Cornell with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete the sentence! This is your chance to write a love letter to Cornell.Cornell SC Johnson College of BusinessWhat 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).1 x 650 words (required)Tell the story of a business you founded. If it’s socks, write about socks. How did you try to change the sock game? And then cut to the Why College specifics — programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities, etc. — that are enduring about the business school. If you read aloud one of your sentences and can replace Cornell with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete the sentence! This is your chance to write a love letter to Cornell and to demonstrate how you wish to change the field of business in a super specific way. And, no, don’t write about the stock market as that will only make you seem privileged. Entrepreneurship generally beats stocks, private equity, and venture capital in elite college admissions.College of EngineeringAll Engineering applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. 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.  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. (250 words). 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?2 x 250 words (required)For the required essay, treat it as an Arnold Palmer: half why major, half Why College. Offer a fun origin story into your interest in engineering — as a high schooler rather than as a child. Maybe a high school activity sparked this interest. Then transition to the Why College component, which should be filled with specific after specific that apply only to Cornell Engineering. That means no professor name drops. And no class name drops either. Rather, focus on programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities — things that are enduring about an institution. Professors leave. Classes change. For the second essay’s first option, pick something within your community that showcases your ingenuity and creativity. It can absolutely be something mundane — as long as you apply your fun thinking to the issue. How are you going to address potholes? Or protect cyclists on the roads? For the second essay’s section option, keep in mind that colleges value all sorts of diversity — from sexual orientation to gender identity to geographic and so much more. Are you from a farming town? If so, how do you hope to use engineering to address the problems for your rural community? Are you from a major city? How has this shaped your interested in building smart, sustainable cities of the future? College of Human EcologyHow 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?1 x 650 words (required)This is a hybrid: Why Major and Why College. For the first part, share your origin story as an adult for your interest in influences on human health and well-being. And then cut to the specifics — programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities, etc. — that are enduring about the school. If you read aloud one of your sentences and can replace Cornell with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete the sentence! Finally, demonstrate how you will use all that you learn at the College of Human Ecology to change the world in a super focused, singular way.School of Industrial and Labor RelationsUsing 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.1 x 650 words (required)This is a hybrid: Why Major and Why College. For the first part, share your origin story as an adult for your interest in labor relations. Do you feel employers shouldn’t be able to text their employees at all hours? Has work from home gone too far? And then cut to the specifics — programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities, etc. — that are enduring about the school. If you read aloud one of your sentences and can replace Cornell with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete the sentence!Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public PolicyWhy 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.1 x 650 words (required)This is a hybrid: Why Major and Why College. For the first part, share your origin story as an adult for your interest in the field. And then cut to the specifics — programs, institutes, culture, traditions, activities, etc. — that are enduring about the school. If you read aloud one of your sentences and can replace Cornell with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete the sentence!

The Governing Rule of Approaching Cornell University Essays

Before we do a deep dive into the specific prompt or prompts for each school within Cornell University, we have one key piece of advice to share that applies to your answer for any of the respective schools within the university: make sure your academics, your extracurricular activities, and your storytelling in all of your essays fit the specific school to which you’re applying. Yes, if there is one guiding principle at Cornell above all other principles, it’s that the student is applying to the right school within the university. At Cornell, school fit matters to its admissions officers.

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 (650 words or fewer).

This is, of course, a hybrid of a “Why Major” and a “ Why College ” essay. Some schools’ “Why College” essays might be two words (e.g., “ Why Tufts? “). Others might be long-winded, like the second part of CALS’ essay prompt. But make no mistake: the schools are all essentially asking why a student wishes to attend. And they want genuine specifics. No professor name drops. No class names that students can cut and paste from one college to the next. Seriously. If a sentence in the “Why College” portion of the essay works for more than one school, it should be deleted from the record (so do play that game to check!). Of course, this particular essay prompt is a two-hander: (1) half should be devoted to the origin story of a student’s central academic interest (although as an adult rather than as a child!) and (2) half should be devoted to capturing specific after specific about the school within Cornell. And, yes, students should use all of the real estate available to them by penning close to — if not exactly — 650 words.

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. Any responses submitted will be included in the holistic review of your application. Electing not to respond will not impact your application.

Of course, our readers aren’t fooled by Cornell’s directions for CALS applicants. You see, highly selective universities like Cornell don’t want to discourage students from applying since the more students who apply, invariably the lower the school’s admission rate will be, and the higher the school will likely be ranked by US News & World Report . So when applicants read “electing not to respond will not impact your application,” they should take this guidance with many grains of salt and roll up their sleeves to begin on these two “optional” essays, which are as follows:

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 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 words or fewer)

While students can technically write about any sort of community service they’ve performed in high school, savvy applicants to the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will ideally be writing about ways in which they’ve served their community that fit with the school’s overarching mission. Did an applicant work with farmers in high school? Did an applicant do environmental work related to solar panels or windmills? You get the drill. Except you’re against drilling — because you’re an environmentalist. This is a chance to tell that small story. Focus on the anecdotes rather than the achievements. After all, an applicant’s objective should be to be likable. Who likes a braggart? No one.

2. 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 words or fewer)

__ my family owns or operates a farm., __ i have experience working in agriculture., __ i have interest in pursuing a career in agriculture..

While CALS surely loves young people seeking to continue their family farming tradition, a student need not have ever worked on a farm to have an interest in agriculture. Of course, it’s not extremely hard to get work — even volunteer work — as a farmhand so if a student really was interested in agriculture, we would have recommended that student do so earlier on in high school. This is your chance to tell the story of the corn you husked, the tractor you drove, and why working the land was so existentially meaningful to you. But if you really didn’t have the opportunity to work on a farm but do love agriculture, let’s at least hear about how you hope to change the field — both literally and figuratively — in the course of your lifetime. How are you going to make farms more sustainable? How are you going to keep the farmer as a lynchpin of America’s economy? Or, if you’re an international student, how are you going to apply the lessons you learn in college here in the United States to your own country’s agricultural future?

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, inspirations. what are yours (650 words).

Pick one so you can tell a small story rather than appear all over the place. Make sure, no matter what “thing” you choose, that it’s intellectual. And make sure it’s not Legos! Do you know how many architecture applicants write about building Legos as children? Don’t do it! It’s a red flag in admissions . If it’s reading that you’re so passionate about, tell us about your book collection. If it’s designing smart cities of the future, tell us about your drawings in your leather-bound journal that you keep in your desk drawer. And, remember, don’t make yourself quirky for the sake of being quirky; you’ve got to showcase intellectual curiosity at every turn. That’s the whole point of the exercise.

College of Arts and Sciences

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).

This is — you guessed it — a “Why College” essay that should be filled with specific after specific within the College of Arts and Sciences. Now, it’s ok to include activities and traditions within the broader Cornell community. But do make sure you include a thorough account of precisely how you hope to contribute your singular hook — rather than well-roundedness — to the College of Arts and Sciences. And don’t write about the beauty of studying the liberal arts because you can do that at every highly selective university in America. Even though it’s ok to venture out from your singular hook ever so slightly, do stay focused on how you’re specifically going to contribute to the school within a school at Cornell. You don’t want to present as the applicant who wants to study the Classics, astrophysics, psychology, history, and a little bit of anthropology on the side. It doesn’t mean some of these fields aren’t influenced by one another, but zero in on your passion area or you’ll risk coming across as someone who doesn’t know how they wish to change the world in a specific way.

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).

If you’re interested in business, hopefully you’ve got some real business experience as a high schooler. Did you start a socks business? Maybe you manufactured pet toys? Whatever it is, the start of this essay should be devoted to telling that small story. And, no, don’t talk about your lemonade stand as a child and how you then segued to buying stocks (that only flaunts wealth and renders you unlikable!) before starting a socks business. Just write about those socks! And then transition to the “Why College” portion of the essay in which you’re to write specific after specific on how you hope to contribute to the programs, institutes, culture, activities, traditions, etc. at either Dyson or Nolan (Dyson if socks…or other businesses of course, Nolan if hospitality).

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).

Since this is a short essay compared to Cornell’s other schools’ 650-word essay, you’ve got to cut straight to it. You don’t have the real estate to share a long origin story about your interest as a high schooler in the field of engineering. Instead, you’ve got a sentence or two before you transition to the meat of the essay — which is the “Why College” component. Since it’s a short essay, it is indeed ok to focus on two specifics within Cornell Engineering but don’t write fewer. And three is ok, too! They’re never going to not like you showcasing that you’ve done your homework on the school within the school. Just make sure you don’t list these specifics and move on. You’ve got to demonstrate how you’re going to contribute to these pursuits at Cornell — be it a research program, an activity, or a tradition.

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. (250 words)..

William Kamkwamba, the co-author and subject of the  New York Times  bestseller  The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind , built a windmill made of spare bicycle parts, blue gum trees, and stuff he and his friends found in a scrapyard to power his village in Malawi. It’s why we at Ivy Coach consider him the greatest college applicant ever . While you don’t have to have written a book that’s been adapted into a major motion picture or built a windmill to provide electricity to your neighbors, think about what your version of a windmill is and how you hope it would help your community. You don’t have to have built something. You don’t have to have done any research. This is a thought experiment. Admissions officers want to see how you  think . They want to gauge your analytical skills as well as your creativity.

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)

You don’t have to be an underrepresented minority to answer this question just because the prompt is asking about the kind of diversity that you hope to bring to Cornell Engineering. Diversity runs the gamut — from diversity of thought to diversity of faith, sexuality, gender identity, geographic origin…you name it. Maybe you’re from a small farming town and you want to become an engineer to help local farmers in your community. Maybe you’re from a big city and you want to build safer tunnels. Zero in on what can make you interesting here with respect to diversity and only then should you start outlining your answer.

College of Human Ecology

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 (650 words).

The College of Human Ecology wants your origin story — as a high schooler rather than as a child — for your interest in influences on human health and well-being. Is it an interest in psychology? Nutrition? Wherever your specific interest lies, tell that small story. Once you’ve written that origin story, it’s time to dive into specific after specific — programs, institutes, the culture, activities, etc. — about the College of Human Ecology at Cornell to not only show you’ve done your homework on the school but to paint a portrait of you on Cornell’s campus so admissions officers can envision you there in their own minds.

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).

While the prompt says “topics” in the plural form, really zero in on one topic so you can tell one small story. In one paragraph, you can — in short-form — expand to show other areas of interest that intersect with your initial interest, but the crux of the essay should focus on one issue that matters most to you. And, yes, this issue  must  fit perfectly with ILR. Does remote work lead employers to demand too much of their employees because they can call and email them at all hours of the day and night? What have you done to advocate for finite hours of the workday? Or for labor unions? Have you marched with your teachers in a strike for fairer pay? Tell us the small story that shines a lantern on your passion to be a change-maker in this field.

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 words).

Hopefully you’ve got an activity or two to draw from when penning this essay as it’s an essay that must showcase your interest in public policy. If you’re from North Dakota, did you fight to reduce fracking? Or maybe you fought for fracking (that’s ok, too, from a college admissions standpoint since admissions officers at our nation’s elite universities like Cornell value a diversity of opinions so long as they always show respect for our fellow humankind). Or if you’re from New York City, maybe you advocated to make the subway trains run faster. Wherever you’re from, showcase the origin story of your interest in public policy — always as an adult rather than as a child. And once you’ve zeroed in on that origin story, it’s time to cut to the “Why College” component of the question. This section must, of course, be filled with genuine specific after specific about how you’re going to take advantage of the School of Public Policy’s resources to cultivate that passion to change fracking…or the subways.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Your Cornell Essays

If you need help with your applications, including your Cornell supplemental essays, reach out to Ivy Coach today to learn about our  college counseling  services. Don’t come to us  after  the essays are all already written as we’ll likely just want to scrap them as they are unlikely on the topics we’d want them to focus on in your storytelling. Instead, come to us  before  they’re written so we can brainstorm paragraph by paragraph direction and then revise these essays sentence by sentence.

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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. 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).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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?

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!

This Cornell supplemental essay guide was written by Sarah Kaminski .  Looking for more admissions support? Click  here  to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how  CollegeAdvisor.com  can support you in the college application process.

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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 .

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)

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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The Ultimate Guide to Cornell Admissions Essays

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October 3, 2022

Tips for Answering the Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts [2022 – 2023]

While Ivy League schools require the Common Application or Coalition Application essay, they also require supplemental essay responses. These help you to convey in greater detail how the specific school and program of study to which you are applying are a good fit for you and how you can contribute to the collegiate environment. This, in turn, helps elite schools glean a better understanding of you as a potential student. To respond well, think about your future goals and how attending Cornell will help you achieve them!

It is important to familiarize yourself with the specific character of the school before sitting down to write your essays. You can begin by visiting the school website. Whenever possible, a virtual campus visit is also helpful to get a feel for the school and gain a sense of how it supports your interests. Take a remote campus tour, call the admissions office to learn more, and speak with current students. 

Cornell’s curriculum focuses on the collaborative nature of a liberal arts education with fundamental knowledge. In addition, its practical approach to education is intentionally designed to impact societal and world problems. As you respond to each prompt, think about your personal objectives, the mission of the school, and why Cornell is the best place for you.

Cornell boasts 14 undergraduate colleges and schools with over 80 majors. Through the broad scope of majors and the individual course of study options, it prides itself on being “a place where any person can find instruction in any study.” It fosters creative collaborations with a bottom-up approach. If you are unsure which major is right for you, the Courses of Study catalog provides degree requirements for each college.

Get a free consultation: Click here to schedule a call to find out how our admissions experts can help YOU get accepted to Cornell!

The Cornell Writing Supplement varies among the undergraduate college(s) or school(s) to which you are applying. Each essay response should be a maximum of 650 words. These questions are fairly straightforward and the content is somewhat similar between colleges/schools. Your goal is to do your research and convincingly explain why your selected school and desired course of study at Cornell are the best fit for you and vice versa .

Note: If you are utilizing the Primary/Alternate admission option, you must complete an essay for both colleges/schools that correspond to your primary and alternate selections.

Cornell University writing supplement essay prompts (by college/school)

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 Agriculture and Life Sciences

Required: 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? Optional (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 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) Optional (2) : 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 interest in pursuing a career in agriculture

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?

College of Arts and Sciences

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.

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 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. 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. 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 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?

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.*

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(s) 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 ) .

No matter which essay prompts you are addressing, you should discuss your past, present, and future , both in terms of your academics, your passions, and your interests and goals. Is there a story you can share that helps illustrate your passion for cooking? A particular set of ideas or subject from school that you can’t stop thinking about–something that you simply feel driven to pursue on the college level? What sparked your interest in a particular field? By tapping into the topics that excite you and the goals that feel like your truest ambitions, you’ll be sure to present the adcom with an authentic picture of who YOU are. In addition to your impressive credentials and your unstoppable passion for a certain subject or academic path, demonstrating a strong sense of self-knowledge and self-articulation will be crucial to your admission.

But, in addition to revealing who YOU really are, you have an additional job to accomplish in these essays. And that is to show a thorough knowledge of Cornell and its offerings. These should include specific courses of interest and extracurricular opportunities and communities you would like to join. When thinking about how Cornell appeals to you, consider the whole package of academics, campus atmosphere, location in Ithaca, and your long-term objectives. This is your opportunity to convey your ardent enthusiasm for Cornell!

Putting all this together, you must reflect on how you will enrich the collegiate environment at the school. Based on all the thinking and writing you have done for your essays, what skills and character traits do you know you will bring with you? Which particular communities or clubs (sports teams, debate club, Catholic student union) do you have experience with already and would love to join on campus? Explain how your attending Cornell can play a part in helping Cornell achieve its goals as a university.

Final thoughts on applying to Cornell

Cornell has a highly competitive applicant pool. It received 67,380 undergraduate applications for the class of 2025. Only 5,852 were offered admission. The best way to distinguish yourself from the accomplished applicant group is through your essays.

Applying to an Ivy League school can be a daunting process. Take heart: these supplemental essays are a chance for you to share your personal stories and real-life experiences and boost your candidacy. Pay attention to details. Deadlines and word limits matter–make sure you honor them. Start early to allow time for reflection and revision. Following this advice, you can demonstrate that Cornell is the right school for you and that you are the right student for Cornell.

If you’re applying to Cornell University, you already know you’re up against tight competition. Don’t be overwhelmed. Get the guidance of an experienced admissions specialist who will help you stand out from the highly competitive applicant pool so you can apply with confidence, and get accepted! Click here to get started!

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your College Application Essays , a free guide
• The Essay Whisperer: How to Write a College Application Essay
• Mining Identity for College Essays, Personal Statements

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How to Write the Cornell University Application Essays 2017-2018

Cornell University, both the youngest and largest member of the prestigious Ivy League, is home to seven undergraduate colleges and nearly 80 majors. Established in 1865 by Ezra Cornell, the Ithaca, New York institution has certainly lived up to its founder’s motto: “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.”

The wide range of opportunities at Cornell drew a record-breaking number of applicants this past admission cycle. 47,038 students applied for entry into the class of 2021, with an acceptance rate of only 12.5%, the lowest in the university’s history. The increasingly difficult nature of the admissions game requires increasingly stronger essays — with nearly 50,000 applications to review, having a supplement that stands out from the pack is essential.

Before submitting the Common Application or the Universal College Application, both of which are accepted by Cornell, students are required to select which of the seven undergraduate colleges they wish to be accepted into. In addition to a personal statement, a supplemental essay (maximum of 650 words) is required for each college. Below, we’ll go in depth into each of the prompts and help you craft an essay that’s sure to impress the Cornell admissions committee!

Want to learn what Cornell University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Cornell University needs to know.

Cornell University Application Essay Prompts

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.

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.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is the second largest undergraduate college at Cornell University. While the initial mission of the school when it was founded in 1874 was to educate students in the areas of agriculture and life sciences, the offer of majors at CALS has since become very diverse. Students can choose to study traditional CALS topics like agricultural sciences, plant sciences, and biology & society, or they can venture into areas such as information science, communication, and landscape architecture, just to name a few.

The three most important things to make sure you have in a supplement for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) are answers to the three questions posed by the prompt:

• Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected?
• How did your interests and related experiences influence your choice in major?
• How will an education from CALS and Cornell help you achieve your academic goals?

In the first two questions, Cornell wants to see that you can connect your major with your experiences throughout high school (and ideally the rest of your life).

If you want to major in biology, you can explain how your AP Biology class was transformative because it taught you how complex life is and inspired a research project into the origins of, say, neurological diseases. You could be applying as a communications major and write about how you were always afraid of public speaking until you came out of your shell on your school’s debate team. At the same time, you don’t have to write about school-related experiences if you became enamored with the subject matter of your major through some other way.

Try to put your desired major at the forefront of the essay — it’s totally okay if you aren’t interested in agriculture or life sciences, as long as your passion for your particular major shows through. Don’t make the mistake of applying as an information sciences major and writing about the summer you spent on a farm; even though working on a farm has everything to do with agriculture, it has almost nothing to do with information sciences.

To tackle to final component of the prompt, you also need to explain how the resources and opportunities at CALS will allow you to pursue your passion (the major which you just finished writing about). Do some research on Cornell’s website. Find a minor, concentration, club, or course that you can tie back to your major. Instead of simply name dropping an organization, try to find something that excites you and write about it such that it becomes evident to the reader. After all, the admissions staff wants to see that you’ve put in the time to learn more about CALS — they don’t want to accept someone that won’t bother to understand the ins and outs of the programs they offer!

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

Describe two or three of your intellectual interests and why you are excited to pursue them within your chosen major in aap. what personal experiences, background, or future goals will you bring to your scholarly and artistic pursuits at cornell.

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) contains three distinct departments: Architecture, Art, and City & Regional Planning. In this supplement, the admissions office is looking for you to explain both your passion for your chosen department/major, as well as what you believe Cornell has to gain by admitting you as a student. As the smallest college at Cornell, AAP is particularly interested in how you can serve to enrich the school, in addition to how the school can serve to enrich you.

Since the programs at AAP are incredibly specialized, you should have some previous experience in your chosen department, exhibited through extracurriculars, internships, and portfolios. These are the “intellectual interests” that you should be writing about in the supplement — be sure to use as much detail as possible in describing your experiences.

At the same time, use those details to further your argument of why Cornell will benefit from your admission. Also, don’t write about the two departments that you aren’t applying to. Even though it might seem like this would show your well-roundedness, AAP is looking for applicants that have clear interest for their selected field.

One strategy to show passion is to select one or two pieces from your portfolio that are especially meaningful to you and elaborate on their importance. Maybe you have a blueprint of your bedroom, which you used to personally plot out the changes that were made in a recent home renovation. It could be a series of photos, taken at the same place and time every day for a year, showing the natural change in seasons.

All competitive applicants will have excellent portfolios, but the students that are able to best explain the personal significance of their portfolio components have the best chance at acceptance.

College of Arts and Sciences

Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. why will cornell’s college of arts and sciences be the right environment in which to pursue your interests.

The College of Arts and Sciences (AS) is the largest of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges, and also contains the widest range of majors, from Africana Studies to Statistical Science to Philosophy to Astronomy. Unlike the other colleges at Cornell, there’s no common thread running through AS. For that reason, it’s especially important that your supplement be as detailed and specific as possible to the field of study you wish to pursue. Bring in examples of how your experiences throughout high school led you to your desired major.

For example, if you want to major in computer science, try writing the essay about the apps you’ve developed or the meticulous manner in which you organize sections of code. When explaining your interest in government, don’t try to connect your experiences in model congress to something completely unrelated, like art history — maximize your message by focusing specifically on what’s relevant to the field of study. If you aren’t yet positive about a major, take advantage of the opportunity to explain what you’re considering through your “intellectual interests.”

In transitioning between the two parts of the prompt, illustrate why specifically you chose the major you did. This provides a logical pathway from your interests to why you wish to study at Cornell. Try to isolate a specific moment in your life, or a series of moments, that made you absolutely certain that you wanted to devote your education and career to this particular course of study.

An uncommon example could be: You went on a trip to the Middle East, participated in an archeological dig, and discovered a piece of ancient Roman pottery that was determined to have been used by Constantine in the fourth century. Ever since, you’ve strived to pursue a career in archaeology, so you can continue making connections with lost civilizations. Don’t feel intimidated if you haven’t done anything “crazy,” either. As long as the experience is important to you — that’s all that matters. The ultimate goal is to humanize yourself in the eyes of the admissions staff.

The second part of the prompt asks, “Why Arts and Sciences?” Make sure to provide concrete examples of courses, concentrations, clubs, and/or research opportunities that have drawn you to AS. That being said, be careful not to appear as though you’re just quoting the website: elaborate on how each of the examples you provide will be meaningful to you and help you advance your academic interests and goals! Also, try to avoid dropping names of professors, unless you’ve had personal contact with them. Instead, refer to the course they teach or the research they’re doing.

Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business – Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

How have your interests and experiences influenced your decision to study applied economics and management describe how you would take advantage of the dyson school’s unique opportunities, for example, its affiliation with both the cornell sc johnson college of business and the college of agriculture and life sciences..

The Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management (Dyson/AEM) is a member of both the S.C. Johnson College of Business and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. This is the first year that Dyson has its own essay prompt—previously, it resided solely in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The new prompt affords AEM applicants the unique opportunity of writing about two different colleges at Cornell, in addition to the Applied Economics and Management major.

The first part of the prompt is asking students to elaborate on specific high school and life experiences (that were most likely briefly mentioned in their application) and connect them to economics and management. If you participated in any sort of business organization or held leadership in any organization, you should explain how those experiences led you to apply to Dyson.

You can even write about a job that you may have held, and show what you learned by working for a firm. Regardless of whether or not you dealt with the financial aspects of the firm, you can take a management approach—maybe you had a boss that was a great leader (or an awful one). Always make sure to tie back and intertwine the idea with specific aspects of AEM.

The second part of the prompt could be a bit more difficult. While there are many resources online about CALS, there’s very little regarding the S.C. Johnson College of Business. Focus more on how you can take advantage of the opportunities available in CALS by relating them back to applied economics and management. Maybe you’re interested in pursuing a research project about the economics of family farming vs. factory farming, or taking on a minor in environmental and sustainability sciences and examining the ways to make renewable energy more profitable. For this example, you would explain that by applying the business principles you learn in Dyson, you can better analyze market trends and in turn increase sales of home solar panels. Whatever you choose, make sure you bring in topics from outside of Dyson.

Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business – School of Hotel Administration

The global hospitality industry includes hotel and food service management, real estate, finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, technology, and law. describe what has influenced your decision to study business through the lens of hospitality. what personal qualities make you a good fit for sha.

The School of Hotel Administration (SHA) is widely considered one of the best hotel management programs in the world. Typically, more than 80% of enrolling freshmen in the Hotel School have work experience in the hospitality industry prior to applying. For those that do, this essay shouldn’t be too difficult. Provided that you’ve had some professional exposure to the hospitality industry (be it through a paid job, internships, or shadowing), the focus of your essay should be on what you learned about the industry through your exposure. Make sure to explain not only why you are passionate about hospitality, but also about business.

For those that don’t have any professional exposure to the hospitality industry, try to pull as much as possible from your high school extracurriculars and think outside the box. Even if something may not seem like it connects to hospitality, find a way of connecting it in your essay. Volunteering at the local soup kitchen and interning at a regional hospital may seem to have little to do with a massive field that connects hotels, restaurants, and transportation, but a soup kitchen can just as easily be compared to a restaurant as a hospital can be compared to a hotel — by being creative, you’ll be able to find more than enough to write about.

In addition to the work experience, many applicants to SHA have a passion for hospitality that has been a core component of their life for many years. This passion typically manifests itself through strong leadership skills, undying compassion and empathy, and a love for travel. Find a way of showing your passion in your essay (personal anecdotes are usually the best way to go). Since the Hotel School has such a specific program, it’s incredibly important that your supplement provide the admissions committee with a full understanding of why you belong in the field of hospitality.

College of Engineering

Cornell engineering celebrates innovative problem-solving that helps people, communities… the world. consider your ideas and aspirations and describe how a cornell engineering education would allow you to leverage technological problem-solving to improve the world we live in..

The prompt for the College of Engineering (EN) provides you with a wide range of acceptable topics, provided that they’re in some way related to engineering. The first step in crafting this essay would be to find out what you’re specifically interested in studying. In a way, this prompt is somewhat easier than most, as it asks you to look towards your future, and not explain your past (through extracurriculars and life experiences). Even if you’ve had minimal experience with engineering throughout high school, you can still craft an excellent response to the prompt.

The best way to tackle this essay, once you’ve decided what you wish to study at Cornell, is by finding a problem in the world. The problem could be anything that interests you and relates to engineering. Brainstorm a list of problems that you would be interested in solving, and reformat all of them into questions, like this:

• How do we make highways cheaper and easier to build in remote locations?
• What’s the best way to provide renewable energy for the whole planet?
• How can we use genetic engineering to solve the hunger crisis?

From your list, decide which problem fits best into your selected major. Now, you’ll just need to explain how being a student at Cornell University will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to go out and fix your problem. Look into what previous graduates have accomplished, the courses that are offered, and the opportunities for research. You should try to come up with a plan of action to solve your problem (which cites the research you’ve done about the school). Demonstrating what you would actually do to problem-solve can be impressive to readers.

For example, in order to build a lightweight sustainable vehicle, it would be crucial to describe the steps you would take to: design crash tests, research into fuel availability, draft blueprints of the physical model, recruit drivers, and consult engineering professors about the feasibility of manufacturing. By displaying this high level of analytical thinking about how you would solve a real problem, the admissions team will be sure to recognize your interest in and fit for the College of Engineering.

College of Human Ecology

How have your experiences influenced you to apply to the college of human ecology how will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future.

The prompt for the College of Human Ecology (Humec/HE) has two distinct components: the past and the future. It first asks you to explain what in your past led you to apply to Humec, and then asks you to elaborate on what your life plans are after you graduate from Humec. In tackling the first half of the essay, you’ll need to decide which of the seven HE majors you are applying for.

If you’re interested in Fiber Science and Apparel Design, you should write about your background in fashion, not about your interest in microbiology. Likewise, if you plan on majoring in Nutritional Sciences, you could explain how you changed your family’s eating habits by creating a weekly menu plan. This isn’t necessarily the place or time to write about a trip to Africa in which you experienced firsthand the devastating effects of malaria — even though that’s really interesting, it’s far more suited to an essay for the Global and Public Health Sciences major.

Make sure to be as specific as possible to your desired major, and let your excitement about the subject shine through to the admissions committee.

The second part of the prompt shouldn’t be too difficult, provided that you’re able to link in your future goals and aspirations to your previous experiences (that you wrote about in the first part of the essay). Once again, make sure that your passion for your selected major is evident, and don’t just write in the general sense. If you’re hoping to go to medical school after college, definitely mention that — explain how what you study at Humec will influence your life in the medical world and guide you through your career.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Tell us about your intellectual interests, how they sprung from your course, service, work or life experiences, and what makes them exciting to you. describe how ilr is the right school for you to pursue these interests..

The School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) is all about people. Your essay, similarly, should be all about people. Students in ILR learn about the relationships between employees and employers in the workplace — including the history of labor, labor law, organizational behavior and leadership, and economics. An interest in these fields can typically be shown through strong public speaking and communication skills, a passion for debate, and an ability to settle almost any dispute amicably. In your essay, you could explain how you’ve mastered those personality traits throughout your life, citing experiences that emphasize your strengths.

Just as much as this prompt is asking about you, it’s also asking, “Why ILR?” Make sure to insert some information about the school, be it courses you find interesting, a minor/concentration you wish to pursue, or research being done by professors. Find a way of linking your past experiences to the new ones you hope to have at Cornell.

Hopefully the analysis of each supplemental essay prompt has helped you to fine-tune your plans for your Cornell University supplement!

Best of luck with your application, and GO BIG RED!

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Cornell University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 1

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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Beating the Odds: Crimson Education’s Class of 2028 Acceptance Rates

Success by the Numbers

Crimson Ivy League Admit Rates

Excelling Beyond the Ivies

Success Year After Year

Last year marked a significant milestone for Crimson Education — our ten-year anniversary.

While we celebrated this milestone with readers at the end of 2023, the true highlights came from our students and the dedicated team behind them, who experienced remarkable success at the Ivies, at the top 20 US schools (non-Ivies), and even at Cambridge and Oxford.

Now after digesting all the results for the Class of 2028, we’ve got more great news to share, with a spotlight on Crimson student acceptance rates, compared to other students.

Class of 2028 Admissions Success: By the Numbers

In March and April the final admission offers for the Class of 2028 were mailed, opened, and in case after case celebrated by our students.

With our students’ successes now tallied and independently verified by auditors, it’s clear the combined efforts and steadfast dedication of our team members and the students they advise have culminated in extraordinary success.

Below, we’re going to show you exactly how Crimson student acceptance rates for the Class of 2028 stack up compared to general admission rates at some of the best schools in the US.   We think you’ll be amazed at the difference Crimson’s expert advisor network and personalized advising model make in our students’ lives.

For example, Crimson students applying to the Ivy League beat the odds by 6.75x overall, compared to general acceptance rates for the same schools.

We stand by our numbers too. The results we're sharing today come with an impeccable level of assurance, having been independently verified by one of the big four auditing firms.

So keep reading and check out this year's numbers… And, remember, we get results like these for young scholars from more than 100 countries around the globe. That means, in addition to professionalism and transparency, our specialists have valuable knowledge and insights to offer, making Crimson Education the best choice to get tangible results for your own college journey.

Crimson supported me in making every part of my application as good as it could be. It was their engagement that made those acceptances all that more special.

- abby (verified crimson trustpilot review), interested in learning more attend one of our free events, build your application strategy with the latest 2023-24 admissions trends & analysis.

Friday, May 31, 2024 12:00 AM CUT

Join this exclusive webinar to learn about the latest trends in college admissions and discover the key to getting accepted to top universities in upcoming application cycles!

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Crimson’s Class of 2028 Ivy League Admit Rates

Crimson students performed exceptionally well this year, securing hundreds of offers from top-tier schools during early and regular round application cycles for the Class of 2028.

Offers gained from Ivy League schools were no exception. What’s truly remarkable is the measure by which Crimson students beat the odds overall despite today’s super competitive admissions landscape:

• The number of Crimson students admitted to the Ivy League increased by 33%, compared to last year’s admission statistics.
• The overall Ivy League acceptance rate for Crimson students was around 31%, compared to an average 4.2% Ivy League general admission rate.
• Crimson students applying to the Ivy League for the Class of 2028 beat the odds by 6.75x overall, compared to general acceptance rates for the same schools.

Crimson's USA Class of 2028 Ivy League Admit Rates

While Ivy League schools are often the highlight, our students also excel at top non-Ivy institutions, including schools as selective as Stanford and MIT.

Our network of experienced strategists and Former Admissions Officers can provide expert insights that are also personalized. This ensures every application a student submits, across any number of prestigious universities, both public and private, is tailored to get the best results possible.

Crimson's USA Class of 2028 Top Non-Ivy Admit Rates

Across these eight outstanding universities, Crimson students experienced a 37% acceptance rate compared to the average 6.5% acceptance rate, beating the odds at these highly selective US schools by about 6x.

Crimson's Legacy of Success: Exceptional Results Year After Year

At Crimson Education, our commitment to meeting and beating expectations isn't just a yearly goal — it's a consistent promise upheld across all our years of operation.

That said, we've also raised the bar each year, striving to make every new class surpass the accomplishments of the last. This legacy of success is a testament to our effective strategies, our comprehensive model, and the hard work of our students and their committed advisors, strategists, mentors, and tutors.

Crimson's All-Time Acceptances

Unmatched acceptance rates with unparalleled professionalism and trust.

Crimson Education has an exceptional track record. No other college admissions consultancy can match the outcomes our students experience ; proof that the expertise of our Advisor network, our personalized and holistic approach to application prep, and our students’ high levels of motivation are an unbeatable combination.

Today, our successes and claims are more than just promises; they’re backed by real results and high levels of client satisfaction.

Unparalleled Customer Satisfaction: Across more than 118,000 reviews, Crimson Education has earned an impressive 4.74 out of 5 stars on average. This exceptional score is a testament to the passion we have for helping students around the world overcome impressive odds in pursuit of transformative educational opportunities.

Impeccable Transparency: : We’re immensely proud of the results we get for our students, but in our commitment to transparency,  we’ve gone the extra mile to provide the highest level of assurance possible.

The acceptance rates experienced by our students, like those we've just shared, are now independently verified by one of the big four auditing firms. This makes Crimson Education the only leading college admissions consultancy with independently verified results, ensuring our track record is one you can count on.

Next Steps…

If you’re already part of the Crimson network, you know about our professionalism, comprehensive approach, and personalized strategies.

If not, you may be wondering if partnering with Crimson is right for you. In which case, we want to encourage you to find out more.

Explore Crimson’s Unique Approach

Typically students who get connected with Crimson earlier on their college journey enjoy better outcomes. Start with a free consultation with one of our application specialists. It’s the perfect opportunity to discuss your goals and understand how our tiered and personalized programs and services can work for you .

Consider the Value of Your Future

When evaluating the cost of college planning services, consider it in terms of return on investment . Attending a prestigious university can significantly influence your career and personal growth opportunities. Investing in Crimson’s admissions counseling is not just about gaining admission — it’s about educational opportunity and setting a foundation for other lifetime successes and experiences.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

When aiming for excellence, the importance of strategic preparation is hard to overemphasize. By partnering with Crimson, you benefit from our expertise right from the outset — whether you’re beginning to shape your school list, honing your application profile and materials, or refining your application essays as deadlines approach.

Final Thoughts

Our Class of 2028 students are now poised to turn their dreams into reality, as a result of their hard work and our support. Thanks for celebrating with us!

We hope this glimpse into their success inspires you to consider how Crimson can elevate your college journey.

Whether you're in middle school, starting high school, or soon to be starting your own college applications, we look forward to being a partner on your journey to excellence!

And… Don’t worry. As remarkable as our team members are, they’re easy to talk to and happy to walk you through our many services and resources. So schedule your call today and together let’s put your college journey on a track to success.

What Makes Crimson Different

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About the Contributor

Arkesh Patel

Arkesh Patel is the Chief Operating Officer of Crimson Education, the world's largest and most successful university admissions consulting firm. Crimson Education has helped thousands of students gain admission into the Ivy League and top universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, MIT, and many others. Arkesh graduated from the University of Cambridge with a B.A in Chemistry (First Class Honors) and received his M.B.A with Distinction from Harvard Business School.

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Cornell university admits 5,139 students to class of 2028.

Princeton Withholds Admissions Stats For Class Of 2028

Historical Low: Boston College Accepts 14.6% of Students to the Class of 2028

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Crimson students are 7x more likely to gain acceptance to their dream college, remember, you don't have to navigate this journey alone. crimson provides a comprehensive suite of services, from academic mentoring and test prep to essay assistance, extracurricular guidance, and career mentoring, ensuring a holistic approach to your college preparation journey..

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May 8, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

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Using AI to predict grade point average from college application essays

by PNAS Nexus

Jonah Berger and Olivier Toubia used natural language processing to understand what drives academic success. The authors analyzed over 20,000 college application essays from a large public university that attracts students from a range of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds and found that the semantic volume of the writing, or how much ground an application essay covered predicted college performance, as measured by grade point average.

They published their findings in PNAS Nexus .

Essays that covered more semantic ground predicted higher grades. Similarly, essays with smaller conceptual jumps between successive parts of its discourse predicted higher grades.

These trends held even when researchers controlled for factors including SAT score, parents' education, gender, ethnicity, college major, essay topics, and essay length. Some of these factors, such as parents' education and the student's SAT scores, encode information about family background , suggesting that the linguistic features of semantic volume and speed are not determined solely by socioeconomic status.

According to the authors, the results demonstrate that the topography of thought, or the way people express and organize their ideas, can provide insight into their likely future success.

Journal information: PNAS Nexus

Provided by PNAS Nexus

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