how many supplemental essays does cornell require

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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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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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 top tips for a stand-out cornell essay.

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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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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August 9, 2023

2023-2024 Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts

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

2023-2024 Cornell Essay Topics and Questions

Essay for all applicants .

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

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

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

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

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

School-Specific Essays

College of agriculture and life sciences.

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

Required Essay Prompt

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

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

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

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

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

Optional Essay Prompts

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

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

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

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

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

Select all that apply:

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

Please feel free to share additional details.

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

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

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

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

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

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

College of Arts & Sciences

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

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

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

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

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

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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

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

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

College of Engineering

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

College of Human Ecology

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

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

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

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

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

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

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

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Cornell Essays

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

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How to Complete the 2023/2024 Cornell Supplemental Essays

Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

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

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

Cornell University Essay Question

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

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

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

Questions to consider:

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

Different schools at Cornell

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

The schools found at Cornell are:

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

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

College of arts and sciences.

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

College of Engineering

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

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

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

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

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

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

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

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

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

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

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 

Required essay response.

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

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

Talk about:

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

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

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

Questions to consider: 

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

Optional Essay #1:

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

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

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

Optional Essay #2:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Why do you want to study this topic? 
• What made you interested in Cornell specifically? 
• How will you take advantage of resources to help you achieve your goals? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don’t miss: Top business scholarships

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

• Do not drag on
• Be purposeful with your responses

Essay #1 (required)

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

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

Questions to consider

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

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

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

• Consider the basic transportation infrastructure of your local community. How are the roads, bridges, and tunnels? Traffic?
• Engineers help people directly through things such as prosthesis design. How might you help people at the most basic human level though engineering?
• How will solving the problem make things better for all who live in the community?

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

• What makes you unique? 
• What is your background and how has it shaped you? 
• What can you contribute to the engineering community at Cornell that others cannot? 

Also see: Top engineering scholarships

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

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

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

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

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

• Why the College of Human Ecology? 
• What do you want to major in? Why? 
• What are you doing now that relates to this interest in your major? 

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

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

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

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

• What are you passionate about? 

Also see: How to write a 500 word essay

Next steps after applying to Cornell

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

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

This can be done by:

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

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

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

Other colleges to consider

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

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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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First-Year Applicants

We hope you will consider applying to the College of Engineering at Cornell University. Each year approximately 800 first-year students from the U.S. and abroad join our world-renowned program. We encourage you to review the information here on the requirements for applying to Cornell Engineering.

Virtual Visit of Cornell Engineering

Information for First-Year Undergraduate Applicants

Individuals with a high school diploma or GED who have earned fewer than 12 college credits may apply as a first-year applicant. If you have earned 12 or more credits at another accredited college or university since graduating from high school, you must apply to Cornell Engineering as a transfer student .

Dates and Deadlines

Early decision.

Early decision (ED) is an option for applicants who have a clear preference for one institution. You apply to only one institution as an ED applicant. When applying ED, the applicant is making a binding commitment to that institution and, if admitted, must enroll at that school unless the financial aid package is not considered adequate by the family. While pursuing ED admission at Cornell, you may apply to other non-binding institutions but not to those with a binding ED process. If you are accepted to Cornell through ED, you must promptly withdraw any application(s) you have submitted to other schools and cannot submit additional applications to any other institution. For a student who has a definite first-choice college, applying ED has many benefits:

• a higher rate of admission relative to the regular decision pool;
• reduced stress by cutting the time spent waiting for a decision;
• saved time and expense of submitting multiple applications;
• once accepted, more time to prepare for college.

Students and parents can use the College Board's Pros and Cons of Applying to College Early to weigh their options.

• ED application deadline: November 1
• ED financial aid application for international students deadline: November 1
• ED financial aid application for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens deadline: November 21
• ED quarter-year report due (recommended): Thanksgiving
• ED admissions decisions released: Mid-December

Regular Decision

• Application deadline: January 2
• Financial aid application for international students deadline: January 2
• Financial aid application for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens deadline: February 15
• Mid-year report due: Mid-February
• Admissions decisions released: Early April

Curriculum Requirements

Cornell Engineering requires the completion of the following math and sciences classes prior to high school graduation . A unit is equivalent to one academic year of study.

•     4 units of mathematics, including 1 of calculus
•     1 unit of physics (Taking physics in the latter part of your high school career is beneficial as you will be required to take one semester of physics in your first year at Cornell.)
•     1 unit of chemistry

The following courses are recommended but not required:

•     computer science
•     1 unit of biology

Application Requirements

• A Completed Application through the Common Application .
• $80 Application Fee or Fee Waiver. To request a fee waiver, follow the instructions on the application. 
• 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.
• 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?
• Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. We require at least one recommendation be from a math, science or computer science teacher. The second recommendation may be from a teacher instructing a subject of your choice. If you are an international or ESL student, we strongly encourage that the second recommendation be from a teacher who can directly address your English proficiency. We suggest giving your teachers at least one month to write the letters, and be sure they know you and your work well.
• Secondary School Reports. This includes your guidance counselor recommendation, school profile, and official transcript. These items are submitted by your guidance counselor.
• Mid-Year Report. We strongly recommend that students provide a current senior-year grade report. For early decision, this is a quarter-year report. For regular decision, this is a mid-year report. If you are admitted to Cornell Engineering, you will need to submit your final grade report.

Standardized Testing Requirements

Cornell University has extended its suspension of SAT/ACT requirements to 2025 first-year applicants .  SAT Subject Tests are not required or expected for admission to Cornell University.

English Language Proficiency Testing Requirements

Our international applicants follow the same application process as our  first-year applicants  and  transfer applicants . All Cornell students must have a strong command of the English language to be successful in their engagement in their university studies. If English is not your native language or if you have not attended high school in a country where English is an official language for the four years prior to your planned enrollment at Cornell, you may be asked to submit results from an English language proficiency examination. 

Please note that Cornell does NOT waive the English language proficiency requirement for students who have attended an English-speaking school in a non-English speaking country. We will consider and accept dozens of examinations and other qualifications from around the world to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement .

Have more questions?

See the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below.

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I am a Cornell Engineer

There is nothing more powerful than getting a group of people to tackle a problem. "Two heads are better than one" is a vast understatement of the power of collaborating in a group.

~Nathan (Ashland, MA), mechanical engineering

As more diverse individuals enter engineering fields, the way we make decisions about infrastructures and systems will change. I hope to inspire the next generation of black, female computer scientists.

~Destiny (East Orange, NJ), computer science

I break the rules by challenging traditional solutions, thinking critically, and charting my own unique course. My generation is ready to face challenges and solve problems in innovative ways!

~Joshua (Oakton, VA), operations research and engineering

Sofia '20

Sofia (Aurora, CO) is a computer science major, a Meinig Scholar, and an intern in the B.A.B.Y lab. Hear how she breaks the rules by applying theories to immediate problems.

I will break the rules to create what doesn't exist. Always ask what "you can do", not what people what you to do.

~Tse Tse (Manassas, VA), electrical and computer engineering

Jamey '18

Jamey (Bethesda, MD) is a mechanical engineering major with a passion for aerospace. Hear how his defining moment at Cornell helped shape his time as an undergraduate student and his plans for the future as an M.Eng. student here at Cornell.

Cornell Engineering Admissions Statistics*

Class of 2025.

Applications Submitted: 17,284 Class Size: 890 Early Decision Enrollment: 56.2% First-Generation College Students: 20.8%  

*Data taken from PeopleSoft Frozen File on July 19, 2021

Testimonial by

My time at Cornell has been essential to my growth as an academic and a person. In classes, I've both learned theory and applied it through the numerous projects I've completed in my computer science classes. These experiences gave me the qualifications to work at amazing research institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. In terms of personal growth, I've become more aware and understanding of opinions and experiences different than my own. Cornell is home to people from many walks of life, and hearing various life stories always inspires me to adjust the way I act to become a little bit of a better person everyday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Application process.

Can I apply to more than one college at Cornell University?

Do I have to apply to a particular major?  If so, what if I change my mind later?

How important are my SAT/ACT scores for my application?

How can I check on the status of my application?

If I need to mail application materials to Cornell, where do I send them?

If I already have an undergraduate degree, may I apply as a first-year student to obtain a second bachelor's degree?

Are admissions interviews required?

How do you evaluate applicants who are home-schooled?

Early Decision (ED)

What happens if I'm not admitted during early decision?

Can I apply early decision if I am applying for financial aid? What happens if I'm admitted and my family can't afford to pay for my Cornell education?

High School Coursework and Credit

What is the minimum high school GPA required to be admitted to the College of Engineering as a freshman?

If calculus is not offered at my high school, will this hurt my chances of being admitted?

Is AP level coursework in the fields of math and science needed in order to apply?

Which is more important, AP Physics 1 & 2 or AP Physics C?

Does the College of Engineering offer credit for AP, IB, and A-level scores?

Will the College of Engineering offer transfer credit for college classes taken during high school?

• Cornell University only allows applicants to apply to one of the seven undergraduate colleges and schools.
• No, you do not apply to a particular major; you apply to the college. When you apply to the College of Engineering, you can indicate an intended major if you wish. You do not officially select your major until the second semester of your sophomore year. It is not uncommon for students to change their minds about what area of engineering they'd like to specialize in.

Cornell University has  extended its suspension of SAT/ACT requirements to 2025 first-year applicants .

SAT Subject Tests are not required or expected for admission to Cornell University.

• When we receive your application and application fee (or fee waiver request), we will email you with the information you need to establish an online application status account. This may take up to two weeks at peak processing times. Receiving your Applicant ID and PIN via email is your confirmation that we have received your application. Using this secure site, you will be able to track your application materials and update your email address as necessary.

If I need to mail application materials to Cornell, where do I send them? 

• Students are required to submit their Common Application electronically. We strongly encourage you to upload supplemental materials using your application status portal. If your supplemental material cannot be uploaded electronically, items can be mailed to the below address if necessary.

Cornell University Application Processing Center 410 Thurston Rd Ithaca, NY 14850

• No, Cornell Engineering does not enroll students for a second bachelor's degree. Individuals who already hold an undergraduate degree need to apply for a graduate degree program.
• No, interviews are not required nor are they offered for Engineering. However, an applicant may be offered an opportunity to meet with a Cornell alum once his/her application has been submitted. Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) members may contact prospective students in their local area to see if they would like to meet. The meetings are purely optional, but provide candidates with a chance to learn more about Cornell from an alum's perspective. If you are unable to meet with a CAAAN member or there is no one available in your area it will not adversely impact your chance of admission.
• In order to understand and appreciate the depth and variety of the homeschool experience, the admissions selection committee requires the following information for all four years prior to entering college:
• English : list of books (including all textbooks and other anthologies) you have read each year; how many papers and how long (indicate which are creative and which are expository writing); any research papers (list titles and length of each).
• Social Studies : list of textbooks and books you have read each year; how many papers (topics listed) and how long; independent research projects (titles and lengths).
• Foreign Language : list of textbooks you have read each year; list of projects and/or papers; descriptions and dates of visits to other countries.
• Science : textbooks you have used each year (description of topics covered if you did not use a textbook or only used part of the book); list of experiments and/or field trips; any projects or research done (titles and time spent).
• Mathematics : textbooks (covering which topics) you have used each year; any independent projects (titles and time spent).
• We ask that applicants provide an official high school transcript if available, as well as transcripts from any college courses you may have taken. You should also send information on independent projects, laboratory experiences, research projects, etc. In addition, you may submit scores from any standardized examinations (state, SATs, ACTs, APs).

What happens if I'm not admitted during Early Decision?

• Students who are not admitted during the Early Decision period may be deferred to Regular Decision or denied admission altogether. Deferrals to Regular Decision are only granted to a small number of students who are in serious contention for a spot in the class. Unfortunately, if a student is denied in Early Decision, he/she cannot re-apply to any of the seven undergraduate colleges/schools at Cornell University.

Can I apply Early Decision if I am applying for financial aid? What happens if I'm admitted and my family can't afford to pay for my Cornell education?

• You can still apply Early Decision if you are applying for financial aid. Make sure to follow the financial aid application deadlines and submit all the required forms as outlined on the Cornell University Financial Aid website. When you receive your financial aid package, we expect you to work with the Financial Aid Office to make any necessary adjustments to your package. If both sides have done as much as possible and your family is still unable to afford Cornell, we will release you from your Early Decision agreement.
• Admitted students are usually those who have excelled in their studies, particularly in math and sciences, and who have grades that are generally in the A range. Most of the students admitted into the College fall within the top 10% of their high school graduating class. When considering a student's GPA, we look at the rigor of the high school curriculum, whether the GPA is weighted or un-weighted, and whether the student has taken challenging courses if they are offered at their school.
• Calculus is extremely important given the engineering common curriculum, which includes several calculus courses during the first two years at Cornell. Cornell Engineering requires one year (or one high school unit) of calculus as a component of the engineering application because our engineering curriculum is fundamentally driven by facility in calculus. Any applicant choosing to apply to Cornell Engineering without meeting this requirement would be placed at a substantial disadvantage relative to the engineering applicant pool. This is important to factor in during the college search process. Rare exceptions can be made, but may require the admitted student to come to Cornell during the summer before his/her freshman fall semester to take a college-level calculus class. If it is possible for you to gain calculus experience during your senior year at a local or community college, it will be in your best interest to do so.
• AP level coursework is not required as long as candidates receive one full unit of the required subjects (calculus, chemistry and physics) during their high school years. AP level courses are rigorous and having access to this level of coursework can strengthen candidates' opportunities for admission and potential to succeed academically in the engineering curriculum.
• No appreciable distinction is made between AP Physics 1 & 2 and AP Physics C other than AP credit is only awarded for a score of 5 on the AP Physics C test. More important is that students have exposure to at least one high level physics class in high school, and students are challenging themselves in the curricular environment that is available to them. Because physics is critically important to many fields of engineering, we prefer that students' most recent exposure to physics occur in their junior and/or senior year.

Does the College of Engineering offer credit for AP, IB, and A-level scores? 

• The College of Engineering routinely offers credit for appropriately high scores on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IB), and General Certificate of Education (A-level) examinations. We will award credit for certain AP and IB classes based on your exam results. You can also earn credit by taking a Cornell Advanced Standing Exam (CASE) during the fall orientation period.

Will the College of Engineering offer transfer credit for college classes taken during high school? 

• Transfer credit for college courses taken before high school graduation may be awarded if the following criteria are met:
• Students must have received at least a grade of C (not C–) in the course, and the subject matter must be applicable to the Engineering curriculum at Cornell.
• The Engineering Registrar’s office must receive a signed statement from the high school guidance office certifying that the course was not used to fulfill high school graduation credit.
• The course must have been taught on a college campus, by college faculty and attended by college students.
• An official transcript must be received by the Engineering Registrar.

Students may also earn credit by taking Cornell Advanced Standing Exam(s) during the fall orientation period. CASE exam performance will demonstrate understanding of key subject areas (i.e. calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology) within the framework of the Cornell Engineering curriculum. While these exams are voluntary, they help place students in the appropriate coursework level.

How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 8/3/23

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

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

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

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

Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts

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

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

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

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

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

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

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

Select all that apply:

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

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

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

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

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

College of Arts & Sciences

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

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

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

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

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

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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

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

College of Engineering

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

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

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

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

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

College of Human Ecology

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

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

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

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

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

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

Let’s begin with how to approach the essay:

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

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

Short Answers

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

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

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

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

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

B. Arch Applicants

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

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

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

BFA Applicants 

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

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

URS Applicants 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cornell University Supplemental Essay Examples

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

"World's best big sister" was splayed across a bright pink shirt that my parents handed to me with gleaming eyes and hearts full of anticipation. It was a shirt I proudly wore until I had to play tug-of-war with its seams. Now, the shirt sits framed above the mantle in our living room, right between the dozens of collages of the same few pictures of my sister and her tiny urn. There are only so many pictures you can have of someone that barely lived till their second birthday. 

The shirt serves as a poignant reminder of the precious moments we shared and the profound impact her battle with brain cancer had on shaping my path towards becoming an oncologist. 

But, it wasn’t an immediate revelation. Losing my sister at just seven years old, he thought of being anything other than a firefighter was lost to me in my innocence. I dreamt of donning a firefighter's uniform, bravely saving lives, and heroically extinguishing blazing flames. Little did I know that life had a different calling for me, a calling that would emerge years later and fuel my unwavering determination to confront cancer head-on.

It was during a seemingly ordinary day, years after my sister's passing, when the return of fear to my mother's eyes brought memories flooding back. On that fateful day, my mother had a panic attack and sat shaking on the bathroom floor after feeling what she thought was a lump in her breast. My heart raced, and I found myself reliving the fear that had relentlessly shadowed us when my sister battled cancer. In that moment, I knew I had to transform my grief into purpose.

Fueling my passion for science and discovery, I sought out STEM internships during every summer break of high school, eager to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of biomedical advancements. As a testament to my commitment to the cause, I have been gratefully selected to partake in the esteemed University of Pennsylvania's Biomedical Research Academy this upcoming summer, a prestigious opportunity that will undoubtedly enrich my understanding and propel my aspirations even further.

As I look to my future at the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be my guide. I yearn to delve into the intricacies of biology, genetics, and medical advancements, seeking the knowledge and expertise needed to combat cancer on both a cellular and systemic level. I am excited about exploring the intersection of science and empathy, understanding that treating cancer requires not only medical expertise but also compassion and understanding for the patients and families facing this harrowing journey.

The opportunity to major in Biology at the College of Arts and Sciences excites me profoundly. I envision utilizing this foundation to unravel the complexities of cancer biology, with the ultimate goal of contributing to groundbreaking research that can revolutionize cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Additionally, I am drawn to the college's commitment to interdisciplinary studies. As an aspiring oncologist, I recognize that addressing cancer's multifaceted challenges requires collaboration across disciplines. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with faculty and fellow students from diverse backgrounds, exchanging ideas, and approaching cancer research from different perspectives.

Beyond academics, I am eager to take advantage of the college's robust extracurricular offerings. By participating in research opportunities and internships at renowned medical institutions, I hope to gain hands-on experience in oncology and further hone my skills.

Armed with curiosity, empathy, the unwavering love of a sisterless big sister, and a fervent desire to make a difference, I am ready to embrace the opportunities at Cornell and spend my life contributing to the fight against cancer.

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

FAQs: Cornell Essays

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

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

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

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

2. How Many Essays Does Cornell Require?

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

3. How Much Does Cornell Care About Essays?

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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Hey peeps, so I'm applying to Cornell and I wanted to know if anyone has some advice or sample Cornell essays they could share to help me brainstorm ideas. What are some key things I should include to create a strong essay?

Hey there! The Cornell supplemental essays are an important part of your application, so it's a good idea to give them the attention they deserve. Here are some tips and ideas for crafting strong essays:

1. Answer the specific prompt: Make sure you understand and address the specific question(s) asked in the prompt. Each college within Cornell has its own essay requirements, so ensure you're responding to the one for the program you're applying to.

2. Do your research: Learn about the college and program you're applying to and mention specific details about them in your essay. This shows genuine interest and demonstrates that you've taken the time to research Cornell beyond just what's on their website. Mention professors, research projects, or clubs within the school that interest you.

3. Connect your experiences and goals: Explain how your background, experiences, and interests make you a great fit for the program. Discuss how Cornell's resources and opportunities will help you achieve your academic and professional goals. Be as specific and concrete as possible.

4. Show your personality: Don't be afraid to let your personality shine throughout your essay. Share personal anecdotes and unique perspectives to help Cornell's admissions team get a better sense of who you are as an individual.

5. Focus on quality not quantity: Instead of trying to mention every single detail about Cornell or your background, hone in on the most significant points that demonstrate your fit and enthusiasm for the program.

6. Proofread and revise: After you've written your essay, take some time away from it and then come back with fresh eyes. Proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and revise for clarity and coherence.

For more information click here: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-cornell-university-essays/

Remember, the supplemental essays are a chance for you to showcase your passion for Cornell and your fit for their program. Focus on making a strong connection between your goals, experiences, and the opportunities that Cornell offers. Good luck with your application!

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An Analysis of the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

October 9, 2023

After devoting extensive time and effort to crafting multiple essays for your college applications, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that Cornell University only requires two supplemental essays – one general response and one school-specific response. It is important to note that the specific Cornell school you apply to ultimately determines the supplemental essay question you must address. Therefore, it is essential to approach your response with careful planning and consideration. To assist you in navigating the prompts for each of the eight Cornell schools, I have provided an outline, along with helpful do's and don'ts for crafting your responses. Additionally, I have included valuable tips to aid you in effectively tackling the Cornell supplemental essays for the 2023-2024 application cycle.

Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Use these supplemental essay prompts as an opportunity to introduce yourself, what you’re passionate about, and your ambitions and goals. InGenius Prep counselor Reba McCutcheon, who worked as the Associate Director for Undergraduate Admissions at Cornell, recommends that you focus on the deeper why as a general rule of thumb. Avoid simply stating that "X happened and now I want to do Y.” Instead, consider what initially drew you to that experience and why it was important to you. What obstacles did you face and overcome? What kept you going? 

For example, if you rescued an injured animal and now want to be a veterinarian, don't explain it in just a couple of sentences. Dive deeper into the story. Share what motivated you to help the injured animal in the first place. Discuss why it was important to you and how it impacted your perspective. Talk about the challenges you encountered and how you persevered. By going beyond surface-level explanations, you can provide a more meaningful and authentic narrative.

Similarly, if you volunteered in a developing country and claim to understand poverty, avoid making such a shallow statement. Instead, explore your experience in depth. Share how it opened your eyes to the disparities between the haves and the have-nots. Reflect on your privilege and how it intersects with the issue of poverty. Discuss why it's important to you to have this newfound understanding and how you plan to use it to make a difference. Acknowledge that there is still more for you to learn and grow from. By following these guidelines, you can enhance the quality and impact of your essays for Cornell University's supplemental application. Having said that, let's now dive into the specific prompts.

Cornell University Essay Question (350 word limit)

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..

For this prompt, Reba notes, "There's no need to quote Ezra back to us. We know it." Instead, reflect on your own life experiences and how they have shaped your perspectives. It's not about having your life figured out yet, but rather about how you have reflected on your experiences and what you have learned from them.

Start by considering the various communities you have been a part of, both local and global. How have these communities influenced your outlook on life and your understanding of the world? Reflect on the values and beliefs that have been instilled in you through these experiences. Think about how your interactions with different people and cultures have broadened your horizons and given you a unique perspective.

The admissions officers are not looking for a list of achievements or a comprehensive plan for your future. Instead, they want to see your ability to reflect on your experiences and articulate how they have shaped your character and values. Show them that you are open-minded, curious, and willing to learn from diverse perspectives. Discuss how your experiences have challenged your preconceived notions and pushed you to grow as an individual.

Remember, the admissions officers are not expecting you to have all the answers. They are more interested in your ability to critically think and learn from your experiences. Share how you have continued to learn and grow, even after facing setbacks or obstacles. Discuss how your experiences have influenced your academic and career goals, and how they will inform your contributions to the Cornell learning community.

In summary, the essay prompt is asking for your personal reflections on your life experiences and how they have shaped your perspective. Show the admissions officers that you are thoughtful, introspective, and open to new ideas. Use this essay as an opportunity to showcase your ability to learn from your experiences and contribute meaningfully to the Cornell community.

School-Specific Essay Questions (650 word limit)

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

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

College of architecture, art, and planning, college of arts and sciences, brooks school of public policy.

• Cornell SC Johnson College of Business ( Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management & School of Hotel Administration)

College of Engineering

College of human ecology.

• School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)

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

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?

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

When considering your choice of major and the college community at CALS, it is important to recognize the significance of both. Take the time to thoroughly research what CALS has to offer and identify what aspects you are genuinely excited about. Reflect on how these interests and related experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a particular major. Highlight your commitment by making a clear connection between the work you’ve done in the particular field and your choice of CALS major. Why is CALS the place to explore your passion for life sciences rather than the Biology or Environmental & Sustainability departments at the College of Arts and Sciences?

In your essay, it is crucial to focus not only on the experiences you have had thus far, but also on how you have reflected on them and continued to learn from them. Admissions officers are interested in seeing your growth and development as an individual. Discuss how your experiences have shaped your perspective and influenced your goals. Highlight the lessons you have learned, the skills you have acquired, and the knowledge you have gained.

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.

As high school students, it is understandable that you may not have extensive experience in your intended major. However, what truly matters is your passion and desire to learn. The admissions officers at Cornell University are looking for students who are enthusiastic about their chosen field of study and who are eager to explore and expand their knowledge.

When writing your essay, it is important to showcase your genuine interest in your intended major. Talk about what specifically draws you to the field and why you are excited to study it at Cornell. Discuss any experiences or encounters that have sparked your curiosity and motivated you to pursue this particular area of study. Whether it's a class you took, a book you read, or a project you worked on, explain how it ignited your passion and made you want to delve deeper into the subject matter. Demonstrate your commitment to learning by highlighting any steps you have taken to explore your chosen field. This could include attending workshops or seminars, participating in related extracurricular activities, or conducting independent research. Show that you are proactive and resourceful in seeking out opportunities to further your understanding and skills in your intended major.

Additionally, emphasize your willingness to learn and grow. Discuss how you plan to take advantage of the resources and opportunities available at Cornell to enhance your knowledge and expertise. Whether it's through internships, research projects, or collaborations with faculty and peers, show that you are excited about the prospect of continuous learning and development.

Ultimately, the admissions officers want to see your genuine passion and enthusiasm for your intended major. Even if you don't have extensive experience, your desire to learn and explore the field will make a strong impression. So, don't be afraid to showcase your curiosity, eagerness, and dedication to your chosen area of study in your 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.

For this prompt, Reba says, "Be curious! It’s not just about the specific major you choose, but rather about the opportunities, curriculum, and campus community within the College of Arts and Sciences and the university as a whole." Take the time to reflect on your passions and interests, and think deeply about why certain subjects excite you. What is it about a particular field of study that captures your curiosity? What drives your desire to learn more? Spend time reflecting on these questions and exploring the reasons behind your interests. Is it the potential for discovery and exploration? The chance to make a positive impact on the world? Or perhaps the opportunity to challenge established ideas and contribute to the advancement of knowledge?

In your response, demonstrate your genuine passion for learning and how it is shaping your academic journey. Discuss the specific areas of study or majors that excite you and explain why they align with your interests and goals. Highlight the unique opportunities and resources available within the College of Arts and Sciences and how they would support your intellectual growth and development. Don't be afraid to delve into the details and provide specific examples that illustrate your enthusiasm. Share anecdotes or experiences that have sparked your curiosity and motivated you to explore further. Whether it's a thought-provoking book, a captivating lecture, or a meaningful conversation with a professor or peer, explain how these encounters have influenced your passion for learning and your desire to pursue a particular field of study.

Remember, by focusing on your "why" and sharing your genuine enthusiasm for learning, you will demonstrate to the admissions officers that you are a curious and engaged learner who will make valuable contributions to the intellectual community at Cornell University. So, take the time to reflect on your passions, explore your interests, and let your curiosity guide you in shaping your academic journey.

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

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

Reba recommends that you start by asking yourself: "What do you want to change, improve, or create? And why?" To write a successful response, it is essential to delve deep into your motivations and aspirations. Take the time to reflect on the issues that resonate with you and the impact you want to make in the world. This reflection will not only help you clarify your goals but also provide valuable insight into your dedication and passion for public policy.

Think about the societal challenges that you find most pressing and the areas where you believe change is necessary. Is it the lack of access to quality education? The need for healthcare reform? The urgency to address climate change? Or perhaps the importance of promoting social justice and equity? Identify the issues that ignite a fire within you and inspire you to take action. Once you have identified the areas you want to address, consider why these issues matter to you on a personal level. Reflect on your own experiences, observations, or encounters that have shaped your perspective and fueled your desire to make a difference.

As you reflect on your why, consider the long-term impact you hope to achieve. How will your chosen major in public policy enable you to create meaningful change? Think about the knowledge, skills, and resources that the Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University can offer you to support your goals. Whether it's through rigorous coursework, experiential learning opportunities, or access to influential networks, highlight how attending the Brooks School will equip you with the tools to make a tangible impact in your chosen field.

Remember, the admissions officers want to see your genuine passion and commitment to public policy. By spending time reflecting on your why, you will be able to articulate your motivations with clarity and conviction. So, take the time to dig deep, explore your personal connections to the issues, and let your passion shine through in your essay.

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)..

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

Reba also cautions, "Writing that you intend to make millions and become a hedge fund manager isn’t really in the spirit of Cornell (Ezra was a humble man). " Instead, ask yourself: Are there aspects of business that you would like to change, improve upon, or totally remove?  

If you're applying to Dyson, you have to show that you’ve done your research on facilities and opportunities exclusive to Dyson. One of the key ways of doing so is to demonstrate your understanding of the unique Economics and Management B.S or ask yourself how you’d benefit from this degree over a B.S. in economics from another school, for example. What features will prepare you for a career as an entrepreneur or financial analyst? If you’re planning to apply to this school, you should already have ventured into the world of business. Talk about any entrepreneurial initiatives you’ve taken, any business-related summer programs you’ve attended, and mention if you have any unusual goals that can distinguish you from other prospective business students. Expand on the skills and values you picked up on the way. Dyson students are allowed to double major with a major at CALS so if your passion for business has a life sciences aspect to it, you should include that in your essay!

Additionally, Hotel School majors are expected to have some service experience. Draw upon your service mindset. Why is service important to you? For example, for many Hotel School students, service is not just about the act of serving others, but about the opportunity to make a positive difference in people's lives. It is about going above and beyond to exceed expectations and create memorable experiences. Service is a way to show empathy, compassion, and a genuine desire to meet the needs and desires of others. Reflect on your experiences that align with this service mindset.

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. (Max: 250 words)

When writing your essay for the College of Engineering, Reba advises, "Don't regurgitate your transcript or resume. We've already seen that." Instead,  focus on highlighting one or two specific things that excite you. Think about the areas of engineering that genuinely spark your interest. Is it the potential to design innovative solutions to real-world problems? Or maybe it's the opportunity to contribute to advancements in technology and improve the lives of others. Whatever it may be, delve into these passions and explain why they draw you to the field of engineering.

Furthermore, consider how engineering principles impact your daily life. Engineering is everywhere, from the bridges you cross to the smartphones you use. Reflect on the ways in which engineering principles have influenced your experiences and shaped your perspective. For example, you could discuss how the principles of structural engineering contribute to the safety and stability of the buildings you encounter, or how electrical engineering plays a role in the functionality of the devices you rely on.

By demonstrating your understanding of the transfer of knowledge between engineering principles and everyday life, you will showcase your ability to connect theory to practice. This not only highlights your knowledge and passion for engineering but also emphasizes your potential to make a meaningful impact in the field.

Essay 2: Choose either Question A or Question B.

A. D escribe 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.

While you’re not expected to write a report and solve the problem fully, your solutions will need to be feasible. If not feasible, explain that you understand it’s not currently feasible and how you intend to study to discover how it might one day become feasible. Imagine what you still have to learn.

Consider outlining the steps you would take to study the problem and identify potential solutions. This could include conducting research, consulting with experts in the field, and engaging with the affected community to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and challenges. By outlining your proposed approach, you demonstrate your ability to think critically and problem-solve effectively. Furthermore, emphasize the importance of continuous learning and growth. Acknowledge that there may be gaps in your knowledge and understanding of the problem, but express your commitment to filling those gaps through further education and experiences. Highlight specific resources or opportunities at Cornell Engineering that would support your learning and development in addressing the problem.

By demonstrating your humility, curiosity, and proactive mindset, you showcase your potential as an engineer who is not only capable of solving problems but also dedicated to making a lasting impact on your local community.

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?

For option B, Reba notes, "One of the best contributions to bring is being open to others and their perspectives. You’re entering college to learn about academics, people, social aspects, and about yourself. Focus on what you can receive as well as what you can give." Upon reading your response, admissions officers should be confident that you are not only a strong candidate for an engineering degree, but also that you’re specifically geared for success as a future Cornell-educated engineer. The university wants your answer to the Cornell supplemental essays 2023-2024 to reflect your strongest personal attributes , and this essay is an effective way of showing what you care about while demonstrating knowledge of Cornell’s engineering offerings. 

How 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.

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

Again, it’s not just about listing your experiences, but rather, it's important to reflect on how those experiences have shaped you and what you have learned from them. Take the time to delve into the impact your chosen major will have on your goals and plans for the future. You need to focus more on your commitment to the specialized department you’re interested in rather than human ecology as a whole since that is too broad of a topic.

By focusing on your why, you will be able to articulate your motivations with clarity and conviction. Emphasize the importance of your major not only to your personal growth and development but also to the betterment of society. Highlight the ways in which your major can address the pressing issues of our time and create a more just, equitable, and sustainable 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..

ILR, affectionately known as ‘I Love Reading’, is more than just reading. ILR students need to be passionate about the topics, ready to dive into the curriculum. ILR is not solely focused on the theoretical aspects of business; it takes a unique approach by examining the dynamics of the workplace and the intersection of labor and management. As a result, ILR students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify and address the changes and improvements necessary in the workplace.

Just like with other prompts for Cornell supplemental essays 2023-2024 , you need to build a narrative showing how your interests overlap with Cornell’s offerings. Since you have plenty of space in this essay, you should draw on anecdotes that affirm your interest in people and policy in the workplace. Conduct research and think about how your goals can benefit from taking certain electives or working with a distinguished professor. 

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

Additional Tips for Writing the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the Cornell supplemental essays , here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process: 

• Keep the specific school in mind: It’s not unheard of for students to apply to a less competitive Cornell school such as the College of Arts and Sciences in hopes of later transferring to Dyson or Cornell Engineering. Make sure your essays don’t leave admissions officers doubting whether your interest in the school that you’ve applied to is authentic. Don’t write about your love for life sciences or chemical engineering if you’re applying for an English major at the College of Arts and Sciences! Make sure your essay reflects your particular school choice and its unique offerings.
• Don’t repeat your personal statement: Your answers to the Cornell supplemental essays 2023-2024 are supposed to provide admissions officers with more context on your background and passions. That might be difficult to execute if your supplemental essay covers the same topic as your personal statement. It could be tricky to find a new angle—especially when the prompt for the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning is very similar to one of the Common Application personal statement prompts —“Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.” If you’re applying to the AAP school and you’ve picked this prompt for your Common App, you have to come up with something completely different. Cornell will not appreciate two 650-word essays that overlap in content.
• Avoid generic statements at all costs: Cornell received the most applications out of the Ivy League schools this year. And the number isn’t getting any smaller. In order to excel in your Cornell supplemental essays 2023-2024, you have to connect all the factors that make a Cornell education appealing to you. Specifics will allow admissions officers to understand what makes you unique. Stating general facts about the facilities won’t help your case since admissions officers already know that great resources exist at their university!

When crafting your responses to the Cornell supplemental essays 2023-2024, it is crucial to showcase how obtaining a degree from one of Cornell's specialized undergraduate schools will benefit you. Regardless of which college within Cornell you are applying to, it is important that your essays display a deep understanding of the curriculum and highlight any relevant experiences. This will ensure that the admissions officers recognize your genuine interest in the university and that you are not simply applying for the prestige of attending an Ivy League institution.

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream schools. 

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How to Write the Cornell University Essays 2020-2021

Cornell University is the largest of the eight Ivy League schools. The university’s seven undergraduate colleges and 80 majors allow students to pursue many fields of interest.

Cornell University accepted only 10.6% of applicants for the 2018-2019 applications cycle. It opted not to report its acceptance rate for the 2019-2020 cycle. It’s no secret that Cornell is selective though, so you will need more than stellar grades and high test scores to stand out to the admissions committee. Well-written essays allow you to showcase passions or interests that may not come through in traditional application materials. 

Cornell requires all applicants to submit a supplemental essay in addition to their Common Application piece. The student’s selected college determines the prompt they will complete. All of the supplemental prompts have a 650 word limit. Let’s break these supplements down! Want to know your chances at Cornell? Calculate your chances for free right now.

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.

Jump to the Different College Prompts

College of agriculture and life sciences, college of arts and sciences, college of engineering, cornell sc johnson college of business, college of human ecology, college of industrial and labor relations, college of art, architecture and planning, 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).

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is the second-largest school at Cornell with majors ranging from communication to entomology. Even if you decide to apply as an undeclared major, you need to have potential areas of interest in mind to fully address the essay prompt.

The first half of this prompt follows the “ Why This Major ” format that will become familiar as you apply to more colleges. You should use your current experiences to explain why you want to study the major you selected. A longitudinal approach lends itself well to this portion of the essay. 

For example, if you want to study animal science, you could begin by explaining how you always loved going to the zoo growing up. You can then transition into describing how this love of animals led you to volunteer at the local animal hospital, and conclude your essay by explaining that your time at the animal hospital inspired your desire to become a veterinarian. 

The second half of this prompt asks you to explain why you want to study your intended major through CALS and Cornell. You need to provide college-specific examples that directly relate to your interest in major. Find courses, clubs, or research opportunities that would be difficult to find at another university. 

For example, a prospective Viticulture and Enology major could discuss the field practicum course that allows students to gain hands-on vineyard management experience. A prospective Development Sociology major could talk about the international trips that would allow them to see socioeconomic development firsthand. Don’t be afraid to discuss relevant programs in colleges outside of CALS as well, as CALS is interdisciplinary. 

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)

Arts and Sciences (A&S) is by far the most interdisciplinary college at Cornell. Students can study topics ranging from information science to Africana studies, and the College houses multiple programs that allow students to design their own major. A&S looks for students with clear passions and goals that can find their place within a broad community. 

Try to connect any diverse interests into a singular goal. Cornell’s motto “any person, any student” fully reiterates the university’s desire to provide students with a platform to explore novel connections between seemingly unrelated subjects. For example, if your interests are math and Asian studies, you could discuss how you plan to use statistics or other mathematical models to gain social insight into the Asian-American experience. 

Establish your interests by linking them to your present experiences. If you are a government major, write about your time on Model UN. If you are a biology major, write about your success in Science League. Use your present experiences to illustrate the depth and range of your personal interests. 

You also need to explain how A&S specifically would provide you learning opportunities. Cornell has an open course catalog, so you can research interesting courses. Do not select common courses such as General Chemistry. Instead, focus on classes that are unique to the university. For example, Cornell offers a class called the Death Penalty in America that is taught by top capital punishment scholars. This connection point would enrich the essay of a government or policy analysis major. 

Tell us about what excites you most about Cornell Engineering and/or studying engineering at Cornell University. How do you see yourself becoming a part of the Cornell Engineering community? (650 words)

Due to the breadth of the College of Engineering, your essay should clearly convey what area of engineering you want to study. Are you interested in biomedical engineering or computer science? Do you want to design your own major that allows your to integrate various engineering elements into one cohesive piece?

Connect your intended area of study to your current activities in high school. For example, if you want to study computer science, you could discuss your AP coursework or a recent programming project. Providing a brief personal history allows your interests to come across as more genuine. 

You also need to clearly explain how Cornell Engineering will provide you with the tools to succeed within your given field of study. Cornell’s semester-long externship program and project teams are cornerstones of the college that are not found as easily at other schools. Discussing these programs makes your interest in Cornell feel more school-specific. 

Your reasons for attendance should be directly connected to your goals. If you want to study aerospace engineering, you could talk about the Cornell Mars Rover Program. You could then connect your desire to work on this project team to your ultimate goal of eventually working at NASA.

The prompt also specifically asks how you see yourself becoming part of the Cornell engineering community. You should point out specific opportunities that allow you to collaborate with other engineering students, such as Cornell University Sustainable Design. Through this group, you’ll be able to contribute to projects impacting the Cornell community and beyond. One current project is “Solarize,” which aims to help Cornell become carbon-neutral by transitioning to solar energy.

What kind of a business student are you? The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business offers two distinct business programs, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the School of Hotel Administration. Please describe how your interests and ambitions can be met through one or both of the Schools within the College. (650 words)

The SC Johnson College of Business is made up of two schools: The Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, and the School of Hotel Administration. Our breakdown will focus on these two schools separately, but keep in mind that you can write about both in your essay, especially if your interests and goals are best served by both schools.

Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

The Dyson School is known as one of the most competitive at Cornell. In order to stand out among the tough competition, you will need to clearly explain why your goals and interests align with Dyson’s unique program. 

Your choice to apply to Dyson should extend beyond a basic interest in economics or management. Dyson’s program is interdisciplinary in nature, and the school encourages its students to study various disciplines outside of AEM. Having a distinct interdisciplinary focus such as agro-economics is a great way to stand out in your supplemental essay. 

Your reasons for applying to Dyson should be supported by your present interests and activities. For example, a student discussing agricultural economics could discuss leadership roles in a local 4H club, or efforts to learn more about agricultural economics through recent journals and news pieces. 

Aim to be as detailed as possible when discussing your future goals and clearly connect them to Dyson’s offerings. The agricultural economics student could talk about how Dyson’s flexible curriculum would also allow them to take agriculture classes.

Be sure to include your post-college goals and how the College of Business would help you achieve them. For example, our hypothetical agro-economics student might be interested in starting an organization to eliminate food deserts, by diverting food that would’ve otherwise gone to waste. They could mention the course HADM 4315: Nonprofit Social Enterprise and Food Justice  in the School of Hotel Administration (remember that you can talk about both schools in the College of Business!). This would allow the student to learn “management best practices for leading nonprofit food service organizations.”

School of Hotel Administration

SHA consistently ranks as the best hotel school in the United States, and applicants should have a clear, demonstrated interest in hospitality-related careers. In addition to relevant experience, SHA looks for the interpersonal skills required to be successful in the hospitality industry.

Your hospitality experiences should directly show why you chose to apply to SHA and why you are interested in hospitality management. For example, instead of simply listing your duties as a bellhop at a local hotel, describe how the integration of many fast-paced movements at a hotel invigorates you.

Connect these experiences to your long-term plans and aspirations, and explain how the Hotel School will provide you with the tools you need to achieve these goals. If you want to manage a hotel one day, explain how SHA will provide the hands-on experiences and practical skills you will need to run an establishment.

SHA is the only college at Cornell that requires an admissions interview, which focuses on the applicant’s interpersonal skills. While describing your experiences within hospitality, make sure to highlight personal attributes such as your empathy or adaptability, especially through anecdotes. Perhaps a hotel client once lost his dog, and you went above and beyond to help them make missing dog signs, even putting them up across the city. Maybe the hotel’s fitness center yoga instructor called in sick last-minute once, and you stepped in with your knowledge of yoga, leading the class instead. These details allow an admissions counselor to see that you would thrive at SHA. 

How have your 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? (650 words)

The College of Human Ecology (HE) centers around exploration of human connection and the human experience. HE is interdisciplinary by nature with strong roots in research and public engagement. Your supplemental essay should reflect these themes while also explaining your interest in your intended major.

Use your high school classes and extracurriculars to explain why you applied to HE. If you would like to study nutritional sciences, you could discuss your role in the Health Club at your high school. Make sure to explain why your intended career path interests you. Maybe you are a runner and are fascinated by how diet impacts physical performance. Connecting these experiences to a broader desire to improve the human experience — and potentially adding interdisciplinary elements — will help deepen your connection to the College of Human Ecology. 

The next aspect of this prompt asks how your major specifically will contribute to your plans for the future. Be as specific as possible. For example, instead of broadly stating that studying fashion design and management will help prepare you for the fashion industry, discuss how the studio-based classes will provide you with both a strong physical skill set and a portfolio of work for job applications. Or, if you want to start your own sustainable fashion brand, mention how the courses in Fiber Science will allow you to learn about innovative ways to create eco-friendly fibers and dyes.

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

The College of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) studies the world of work, and the intellectual interests you write about should also involve labor and human capital. The ILR community has a strong drive for public service, so making social service the focus of your essay will help explain your choice in ILR.

Given the specificity of the prompt, it is imperative that you provide concrete examples of how experiences relate to your intellectual interests. For example, you can discuss how studying disability rights in your American History class made you want to become an advocate, or how volunteering in a local lawyer’s office helped you find your passion for labor law. 

Your essay should also explain why you are interested in your chosen subject matter to fully address what makes it exciting to you. Does the ability to advocate for others inspire your passion for disability rights in the workplace? Your reasons can be more personal, too; maybe you have a friend or relative with a disability, and have witnessed how many workers with disabilities are underpaid and taken advantage of. Or, perhaps you’re interested in labor law because you want to defend workers from minority groups facing discrimination.

Choose ILR-specific programs to explain why the school is the right fit for you. For example, a future law student could mention ILR’s intensive legal writing seminars. They could also discuss the Labor & Employment Law Program in NYC, which focuses on managing repositories for documents related to work discrimination acts. 

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?

Art, Architecture, and Planning (AAP) is the smallest college at Cornell. Most AAP classes are studio-intensive and involve hands-on projects. As a result, your essay should demonstrate that you are secure in your major decision and ready to engage with a nontraditional learning experience. 

The “thing” you suggest should relate to your intended major. Choosing a particular sub-discipline will also help to show your familiarity and passion for the subject matter. For example, if you are applying to the art school, your “thing” should not be microbiology unless you have a particularly compelling way to integrate the two subjects. However, writing your essay about your love of fifties pop art would demonstrate your knowledge and love of art. 

There are two ways to structure this essay: a longitudinal method or a moment-in-time method. To organize the information in a longitudinal way, describe how your passion unfolded over time. For example, discuss the first time you encountered photography and how you grew more passionate about it. You could discuss crucial memories like getting your first high-quality camera, or your first interaction with your favorite photographer. 

Alternatively, you emphasize one key moment. You could discuss your first time walking through a gallery of your favorite artist’s works or the moment you took your favorite photograph. Use this key point to fully illustrate what you love about your “thing.”

Make sure to elaborate on how your “thing” inspires what you do currently, and how it might impact your future goals. Maybe your “thing” is living a zero-waste lifestyle, and you’re a prospective Architecture major. Your love for sustainability might inspire you to study and develop eco-friendly buildings that interact with nature and the surrounding ecosystems, such as apartment buildings with green roofs. 

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Cornell Engineering: A Virtual Visit

Learn More About Cornell Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions

We realize you probably have lots of questions and we have lots of answers. Please take some time to see if we have the answer to your question below!

Topics include:

High School Coursework and Credit

Application process, early decision, international students, what classes should i take in high school.

Cornell Engineering requires the completion of the following math and sciences classes prior to high school graduation . A unit is equivalent to one academic year of study.

• 4 units of mathematics, including 1 of calculus
• 1 unit of physics
• 1 unit of chemistry

The following courses are recommended but not required:

• computer science
• 1 unit of biology

What is the minimum high school GPA required to be admitted to the College of Engineering as a freshman?

Admitted students are usually those who have excelled in their studies, particularly in math and sciences, and who have grades that are generally in the A range. Most of the students admitted into the College fall within the top 10% of their high school graduating class. When considering a student’s GPA, we look at the rigor of the high school curriculum, whether the GPA is weighted or un-weighted, and whether the student has taken challenging courses if they are offered at their school.

If calculus is not offered at my high school, will this hurt my chances of being admitted?

Calculus is extremely important given the engineering common curriculum, which includes several calculus courses during the first two years at Cornell. Cornell Engineering requires one year (or one high school unit) of calculus as a component of the engineering application because our engineering curriculum is fundamentally driven by facility in calculus. Any applicant choosing to apply to Cornell Engineering without meeting this requirement would be placed at a substantial disadvantage relative to the engineering applicant pool. This is important to factor in during the college search process. Rare exceptions can be made, but may require the admitted student to come to Cornell during the summer before his/her freshman fall semester to take a college-level calculus class. If it is possible for you to gain calculus experience during your senior year at a local or community college, it will be in your best interest to do so.

Is AP level coursework in the fields of math and science needed in order to apply?

AP level coursework is not required as long as candidates receive one full unit of the required subjects (calculus, chemistry and physics) during their high school years. AP level courses are rigorous and having access to this level of coursework can strengthen candidates’ opportunities for admission and potential to succeed academically in the engineering curriculum.

Does the College of Engineering offer credit for AP, IB, and A-level scores?

Yes. The College of Engineering routinely offers credit for appropriately high scores on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IB), and General Certificate of Education (A-level) examinations.

*Students may also earn credit by taking Cornell Advanced Standing Exam(s) (CASE) during the fall orientation period. CASE exam performance will demonstrate understanding of key subject areas (i.e. calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology) within the framework of the Cornell Engineering curriculum. While these exams are voluntary, they help place students in the appropriate coursework level.

This is an abbreviated list, the comprehensive list of subjects for which advanced placement credit is offered at Cornell University is available online.

The process for this will be explained by the Office of Advising over the summer. Once we have the entire class in place, the Office of Advising will send weekly emails to all matriculating students about next steps.

Will the College of Engineering offer transfer credit for college classes taken during high school?

Transfer credit for college courses taken before high school graduation may be awarded if  the following criteria are met:

• Students must have received at least a grade of C (not C–) in the course, and the subject matter must be applicable to the Engineering curriculum at Cornell.
• The Engineering Registrar’s office must receive a signed statement from the high school guidance office certifying that the course was not used to fulfill high school graduation credit.
• The course must have been taught on a college campus, by college faculty and attended by college students.
• An official transcript must be received by the Engineering Registrar.
• If these criteria are met, Cornell faculty will review the course description and award transfer credit if the course is equal in scope and rigor to a corresponding course in the Engineering curriculum. Students may also earn credit by taking Cornell Advanced Standing Exam(s) during the fall orientation period. CASE exam performance will demonstrate understanding of key subject areas (i.e. calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology) within the framework of the Cornell Engineering curriculum. While these exams are voluntary, they help place students in the appropriate coursework level.

Which is more important, AP Physics 1 & 2 or AP Physics C?

No appreciable distinction is made between AP Physics 1 & 2 and AP Physics C other than AP credit is only awarded for a score of 5 on the AP Physics C test. More important is that students have exposure to at least one high level physics class in high school, and students are challenging themselves in the curricular environment that is available to them. Because physics is critically important to many fields of engineering, we prefer that students’ most recent exposure to physics occur in their junior and/or senior year.

What Are the Application Requirements for the College of Engineering?

• A Completed Application through the Common Application .
• $80 Application Fee or Fee Waiver. To request a fee waiver, follow the instructions on the application.
• 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 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?
• Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. We require at least one recommendation be from a math, science or computer science teacher. The second recommendation may be from a teacher instructing a subject of your choice. If you are an international or ESL student, we strongly encourage that the second recommendation be from a teacher who can directly address your English proficiency. We suggest giving your teachers at least one month to write the letters, and be sure they know you and your work well.
• Secondary School Reports. This includes your guidance counselor recommendation, school profile, and official transcript. These items are submitted by your guidance counselor.
• Mid-Year Report. We strongly recommend that students provide a current senior-year grade report. For early decision, this is a quarter-year report. For regular decision, this is a mid-year report. If you are admitted to Cornell Engineering, you will need to submit your final grade report.

Standardized Testing

Cornell University has extended its suspension of SAT/ACT requirements to 2025 first-year applicants . 

May I apply to more than one college at Cornell University?

Cornell University only allows applicants to apply to one of the seven undergraduate colleges and schools.

Do I have to apply to a particular major? If so, what happens if I change my mind?

No, you do not apply to a particular major; you apply to the college. When you apply to the College of Engineering, you can indicate an intended major if you wish. You do not officially select your major until the second semester of your sophomore year. It is not uncommon for students to change their minds about what area of engineering they’d like to specialize in.

How important are my SAT/ACT scores for my application?

Cornell University has e xtended its suspension of SAT/ACT requirements to 2025 first-year applicants . 

SAT Subject Tests are not required or expected for admission to Cornell University.

How can I check the status of my application?

When we receive your application and application fee (or fee waiver request), we will email you with the information you need to establish an online application status account. This may take up to two weeks at peak processing times. Receiving your ApplicantID and PIN via email is your confirmation that we have received your application. Using this secure site, you will be able to track your application materials and update your email address as necessary.

If I need to mail application materials to Cornell, where do I send them?

Students are required to submit their Common or Universal Application electronically. We strongly encourage you to upload supplemental materials using your application status portal. If your supplemental material cannot be uploaded electronically, items can be mailed to the below address if necessary.

• Please include full name, application ID#, and birthdate on all correspondence. Cornell University Application Processing Center East Hill Plaza 349 Pine Tree Road Ithaca, NY 14850-2899

If I already have an undergraduate degree, may I apply as a first-year student to obtain a second bachelor's degree?

No, Cornell Engineering does not enroll students for a second bachelor’s degree. Individuals who already hold an undergraduate degree need to apply for a graduate degree program.

Are admissions interviews required?

No, interviews are not required nor are they offered for Engineering. However, an applicant may be offered an opportunity to meet with a Cornell alum once his/her application has been submitted. Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) members may contact prospective students in their local area to see if they would like to meet. The meetings are purely optional, but provide candidates with a chance to learn more about Cornell from an alum’s perspective. If you are unable to meet with a CAAAN member or there is no one available in your area it will not adversely impact your chance of admission.

How do you evaluate applicants who are home-schooled?

In order to understand and appreciate the depth and variety of the homeschool experience, the admissions selection committee requires the following information for all four years prior to entering college:

• English : list of books (including all textbooks and other anthologies) you have read each year; how many papers and how long (indicate which are creative and which are expository writing); any research papers (list titles and length of each).
• Social Studies : list of textbooks and books you have read each year; how many papers (topics listed) and how long; independent research projects (titles and lengths).
• Foreign Language : list of textbooks you have read each year; list of projects and/or papers; descriptions and dates of visits to other countries.
• Science : textbooks you have used each year (description of topics covered if you did not use a textbook or only used part of the book); list of experiments and/or field trips; any projects or research done (titles and time spent).
• Mathematics : textbooks (covering which topics) you have used each year; any independent projects (titles and time spent).
• We ask that applicants provide an official high school transcript if available. In addition, you should submit scores from an standardized examinations (state, SATs, ACTs, APs), and any transcripts from any college courses you may have taken. You should also send information on independent projects, laboratory experiences, research projects, etc.

What happens if I'm not admitted during Early Decision?

Students who are not admitted during the Early Decision period may be deferred to Regular Decision or denied admission altogether. Deferrals to Regular Decision are only granted to a small number of students who are in serious contention for a spot in the class. Unfortunately, if a student is denied in Early Decision, he/she cannot re-apply to any of the seven undergraduate colleges/schools at Cornell University.

Can I apply Early Decision if I am applying for financial aid? What happens if I'm admitted and my family can't afford to pay for my Cornell education?

You can still apply Early Decision if you are applying for financial aid. Make sure to follow the financial aid application deadlines and submit all the required forms as outlined on the Financial Aid website. When you receive your financial aid package, we expect you to work with the Financial Aid Office to make any necessary adjustments to your package. If both sides have done as much as possible and your family is still unable to afford Cornell, we will release you from your Early Decision agreement.

Who is Considered an International Student?

We define international applicants as students who are not U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, do not have refugee/asylee status, or who are undocumented residents without DACA status. U.S. undocumented residents with DACA status are considered domestic students. U.S. citizens who are living abroad or applicants who have dual U.S. citizenship are not considered international students.

As an International Applicant, Do I Need to Take an English Language Proficiency test?

Our international applicants follow the same application process as our first-year applicants and transfer applicants . As an international applicant, if English is not your first language, you must take either the TOEFL or IELTS exam.All Cornell students must have a strong command of the English language to be successful in their engagement in their university studies. If English is not your native language or if you have not attended high school in a country where English is an official language for the four years prior to your planned enrollment at Cornell, you may be asked to submit results from one of the following English language proficiency examinations listed below. We will consider and accept dozens of examinations and other qualifications from around the world in meeting the English Language Proficiency requirement.

How do I know if I need to take an English language proficiency (ELP) test?

You do not need to take an ELP test if:

• English is your native language; or
• You received a score of at least 35 on the SAT Reading Test OR a score of 30 or higher on both the ACT Reading and English sections.
• You have studied your most recent four years in a high school, college of university in the U.S. or other nations where English is the official language.

Please note that Cornell does not waive the ELP test requirement for students who have attended an English-speaking school in a non-English speaking country.

The following submissions and examinations that meet this requirement include, but are not limited to, the following:

• TOEFL iBT ** (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test)
• TOEFL iTEP (International Test of English Proficiency)
• TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition
• IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)
• Duolingo English Test
• PTE Academic (Pearsons Test of English Academic)
• C1 Advanced  or C2 Proficiency  (Cambridge English: Advanced or Proficiency)
• Initial View (IV) Assessment
• Vericant Assessment

May I apply as an international student during early decision?

Yes, an increasing portion of the College of Engineering’s early decision pool are international applicants.

May I apply for financial aid as an international applicant?

Yes, but it is limited. Cornell University provides need-based financial aid on a limited basis to a selected number of admitted international students who have applied for financial aid. For international applicants and undocumented applicants without DACA status, we are need-aware for admissions.

We do not offer merit, athletic or talent-based aid to students. Students who are admitted and demonstrate financial need will receive a financial aid package that meets 100% of their demonstrated need (Cornell University does not provide partial financial aid awards). For further information on applying for aid as an international student, please visit the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment .

I want to enroll at Cornell but I am still waiting to hear from my scholarship committee. What should I do?

Please email the Engineering Admissions Office at e [email protected]  to let us know of your special circumstance. Include your full name, address, and when you expect to hear from the scholarship committee. Deposit extensions are granted on a case-by-case basis.

I have been admitted to Cornell Engineering but my country requires military service, what should I do?

Admitted first-year students who are required to complete military service can apply for a 1 or 2 year deferral of their enrollment. Please note that a deferral is not formally granted until the Cornell Bursar’s Office has received the enrollment deposit of $400 for a 1-year deferral or $800 for a 2-year deferral.

When will I receive my I-20 Form?

In order to receive an I-20, students must: be accepted to Cornell, submit their $400 required acceptance deposit, and document their ability to meet the cost of attendance by submitting the Declaration of Finances form. Visa documentation and approval will take time so please submit your Declaration of Finances form when you send your acceptance deposit. For more information, see the United States Government’s Visa website and Cornell’s International Services .