How to Write the Cornell University Essays 2025-2026

The largest of the eight Ivy League universities, Cornell University is made up of eight undergraduate schools that applicants apply directly to. Because of this, you will be required to submit a school-specific supplemental essay (or essays) in addition to one campus-wide essay.

 

Cornell is an incredibly prestigious school with tens of thousands of applicants each year. In order to be one of the chosen few to attend, your essays will need to be thoughtful, well-written, and uniquely you. In this post, we’ll explain how to write the Cornell essays so you can maximize your chances of acceptance.

 

Read these Cornell essay examples written by real students to inspire your writing!

 

Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts

 

Below are the supplemental essay prompts for Cornell’s colleges (click to jump to the right section):

 

 

 

This is a diversity essay, which asks you to reflect on a community that has significantly shaped you. Your goal is to showcase how your identity, values, and experiences are connected to a particular group, or, in other words, how this group has influenced your personal growth. Basically, while most of your Cornell application is focused on you alone, here the admissions committee is looking for insight into how you see yourself within the context of a broader group.

 

Understanding the Prompt

 

This essay asks you to do three main things:

 

• Define your community: Choose a community that is truly meaningful to you. This could be anything from a cultural group, to a club, to a group of friends who share a common interest. The definition is up to you, so think deeply about where you feel the deepest sense of belonging.

 

• Reflect on your experience: Consider how being a part of this community has shaped you. How have your beliefs, values, and goals evolved due to your membership in it? What experiences within this community have been most impactful?

 

• Focus on you: While the community is the lens through which you tell your story, the overall focus should still be on your personal growth and development. The admissions officers want to understand how your community has contributed to who you are today, so make sure the essay is about you, not the overall community.

 

Brainstorming Questions

 

To help you get started, consider the following questions:

 

• What community do you feel most connected to, and why?
• What values or beliefs have you developed because of this community?
• How has your community supported you during challenging times or celebrated your successes?
• Can you recall a specific event or moment that encapsulates your relationship with this community?
• In what ways have you contributed to your community, and how have those contributions shaped your identity?
• How would you be different if you were not part of this community?

 

Remember to consider aspects of your identity like competing on a team or even participation in an internet forum; even if these features may seem silly, our hobbies and personal passions can be just as meaningful as more traditional traditional communities, and can sometimes even do more to set you apart, as other students are less likely to write about them. The only thing that matters is choosing something that has significantly impacted your development.

 

Then, consider the emotions you feel about being part of that community, or claiming that identity, and any personality traits you might have developed as a result. Alternatively, do you have any distinctive skills or talents because of your background? Brainstorm two to three formative or otherwise significant experiences you’ve had because of your membership in this community to help you get inspired.

 

One quick note here: if you are part of a community that is related to your racial identity, and you feel your race is an important part of who you are, focusing on that group could be a good idea. In June 2023, the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action, which means college admissions officers are no longer allowed to directly consider a student’s race or ethnicity. They can, however, consider race as part of a student’s broader story, in particular through the essay.

 

While you definitely don’t have to write about your race in response to this prompt, do be aware that if you don’t, and also don’t discuss it in any of your other essays, Cornell will be legally forbidden from factoring this aspect of your identity into their decision.

 

Tips for Writing Your Essay

 

Once you’ve identified a community to focus on, and you have a specific example to ground your essay, it’s time to start writing. 

 

Remember, you always want to show (not tell!) your readers what your community is and why it’s meaningful to you. This can be accomplished through detailed descriptions, vivid imagery, and a narrative writing style. For example, consider the difference in how this student describes their dance team community:

 

 

 

The second example incorporates dancing imagery to create a visual metaphor, which is far more memorable.

 

You can employ the show, don’t tell philosophy to more than just the hook of your essay. Arguably the most important thing to highlight is how your community has impacted you—whether that’s through personal growth, learning new values, gaining a sense of belonging, developing skills, etc. 

 

Notice how you can place your readers in the moment with you to show them exactly why this community is important to you:

 

 

 

We see the emotions this student experienced through the use of descriptive language, and we fully understand the ways she stepped out of her comfort zone because of the specific examples. Her growth is far more evident in the second example than the first.

 

Remember, the point of this essay isn’t just to tell a nice story about your community: you need to show Cornell how being part of the community made you a better person—the type of person Cornell wants to welcome to their campus. 

 

Good and Bad Examples

 

Good Example

 

 

This example uses vivid imagery to bring the reader into a specific experience within a clearly defined community. The student not only shows a deep personal connection to their cultural heritage, but also reflects on how the culture’s traditions have shaped their identity and values.

 

Bad Example

 

 

This example is too generic and could apply to anyone on a debate team. There are no specific details about the student’s experience, nor deeper insight into how being on the team has shaped them. The reflection is shallow, and focused more on the skills gained than on what this community means to the student as an individual.

 

 

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 is a popular topic for supplemental essays. 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.

 

Think about the following questions we went over before to help you direct your response:

 

1) What are your sincere reasons for choosing this major and/or this particular school?

 

2) What are specific examples of things you enjoy in this field?

 

3) How will completing a degree in this major help you achieve your life and/or career goals?

 

4) What was the best part of your experience in this field, both academically and in your free time?

 

5) Do you experience a certain emotional state or frame of mind every time you explore this field of study? What about this state is appealing to you?

 

Questions 4 and 5 are the ones you will probably be able to probe for personal anecdotes about the field of study. Remember, anecdotes are going to be your biggest asset when answering this prompt.

 

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. This falls into the “Why This College?” essay archetype. You need to provide college-specific examples that directly relate to your prospective major. 

 

Find courses, clubs, professors, special programs, research opportunities, or opportunities for outreach that would be difficult to find at another university. Be very careful not to mention something generic that could apply to many schools, such as an “Animal Biology” class, as this indicates that you have not done sufficient research and aren’t as interested in CALS as you claim to be.

 

Specificity is key. For example, a prospective Viticulture and Enology major could discuss the Stocking Hall teaching winery, which allows students to gain hands-on vineyard harvesting experience. A prospective Global Development major could talk about the course called “FoodCycle,” which thinks of food systems in a circular economy approach. Don’t be afraid to discuss relevant programs in colleges outside of CALS as well, as CALS is interdisciplinary.

 

 

At just three words, this barely qualifies as a prompt. That being said, we are here to help you present your strongest application possible—which means sharing our tips for choosing your three words.

 

Don’t get too bogged down trying to find the three perfect words that perfectly encapsulate your personality while also being unique. At the same time though, don’t choose the first three words that pop into your head like “fun, nice, smart.” These choices can come across as cliché, and they don’t tell the admissions committee anything valuable about you. Try more interesting words like “determined, upbeat, daring,” or even nouns like “brother, athlete, artist.”

Your words don’t have to be directly related to your field of study in CALS, but you want to choose words that at least describe qualities of yourself that could translate to agriculture and life sciences more broadly. If you need help, you can ask your friends and family for ideas.

 

If words are your strong suit, you can try to be more creative with your choices. You might even want to pick a word from another language if that language or its culture is an important part of your identity. Maybe you’re a hard worker, a lighthearted person, and you help your father fix cars in your predominantly Hispanic community; you may choose to write “indefatigable, whimsical, mecánico.”

 

 

Since the prompt asks for different things depending on whether you are applying as an architecture, art, or planning student, we will break down the responses accordingly. However, like most other “Why This Major?” essays, all three types of applicants should still describe their interest in the topic, explain their goals, and describe how the AAP resources will be beneficial to them.

 

Architecture

 

The prompt tells Architecture students to “provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program.” The major focus for your essay should be on a project you worked on that led to your love for architecture.

 

Try and pick a project from high school, that way it’s more recent, and pick something longer-term that you worked on to highlight its impressiveness. An essay about a year-long model bridge you built out of toothpicks for your design class will have a lot more to delve into than one about a lego structure you built with your younger brother in a weekend. 

 

That being said, if you think you can write a passionate, deeply emotional essay about a moment you shared with your brother that also opened your eyes to the wonders of architecture through tiny plastic blocks, go ahead!

 

Make sure to describe the project in detail—highlight what the development process looked like, explain your thought process (were you stressed about each detail or did you lose track of all time as you worked for hours on end?), and provide imagery to show your actions and the final product—that way the admissions officers get a feel for the heart and soul you put into your work. Remember, you are trying to prove to them you love architecture enough to spend the next five years studying it, so don’t hold back on showing us your passion.

 

Also remember to save space in your essay to address how you will further your passion for architecture at Cornell. Hone in on three or four highly-specific and unique opportunities you want to take advantage of while at Cornell. Make sure to include both what excites you about the given resource and how it will prepare you for your future goals.

 

Art

 

Art students within AAP are told they “may want to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice.” While this prompt is more geared towards the Cornell resources and opportunities you will utilize as a student than the other two, that doesn’t mean you can completely forgo discussing your passion for art.

 

Like any other essay, you’ll want to make yourself the focus. Through detailed examples, show the admissions committee how you first got into art or what draws you to the subject each day. The prompt specifically mentions “integrating a range of interests,” so it would be a great idea to demonstrate how you combine interdisciplinary topics through your art.

 

For example, a student interested in climate activism might describe how she started a business to paint other people’s campaign posters and then donate the proceeds to environmental justice campaigns. Another student might highlight how they used their passion for graphic design to mimic other art mediums like sculpting and photography.

 

It’s also important to include your goals for your art in your response. Obviously, you don’t have to have your whole life figured out at 17, but in order to explain how you plan to use Cornell resources to develop a “coherent art practice” you should be able to articulate what you want in a general sense. Whether you want to bring back the era of rococo paintings or you think it would be cool to open your own gallery one day, share your dreams with the admissions committee in the essay.

 

Finally, you’ll need to provide both depth and breadth when discussing the Cornell offerings you want to take advantage of. Try and discuss resources across a variety of areas—classes, professors, extracurricular organizations, special centers, etc. Cornell even has its own museum on campus you could get involved with! 

 

Aim to include three to five resources you want to engage with, depending on how much space you have. The key is to tie each resource back to yourself, either by mentioning how you are excited by an aspect of it because it connects to your interest or previous experience in a particular way or by explaining how participating in the opportunity will help you achieve your goals.

 

Urban and Regional Studies

 

The prompt is fairly generic for urban and regional studies majors: “URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.” Luckily, the lack of specificity means you have the freedom to write about anything you want.

 

You might want to talk about your personal experiences and how aspects of where you grew up affected you. Another approach could be to discuss a regional or global issue in the field of urban studies and discuss why you are drawn to that problem and how you would go about fixing it. You might focus on extracurricular involvement related to the subject that was particularly meaningful to you. Or, perhaps you want to express your enthusiasm through highlighting the ways you think about the world around you as an urban planner.

 

The moral of the story is there is no wrong way to structure your answer to this question.

 

Similar to Architecture and Art applicants, once you establish your passion for the topic and explain what you love about it, the next step is to put your interests in the context of Cornell. Again, quality over quantity—we are looking for a few well-developed descriptions of why you are drawn to each resource and what you hope to get out of them.

 

Also make sure to weave your career goals into the essay. You can smoothly transition from talking about your established interest and current events to how you want to use an urban and regional studies degree in the future, or you can discuss how certain opportunities will give you the skills and tools to go down a certain path one day.

 

 

This prompt is a pretty standard “Why This Major?” archetype. Unless you are undecided, you should narrow down the broad statement of your “passion for learning” into a more manageable focus on a specific topic you are interested in pursuing. In order to write a successful essay, you need to accomplish three main things:

 

1. Explain how your interest developed
2. Detail your goals and aspirations
3. Describe how you will use school resources to your benefit

 

Beginning with explaining how your interest developed, the best way to do this is through examples. Whether you include a few examples of you deep in research or you share an anecdote about your first encounter with the subject, make sure to paint a picture for the reader. Show us what about the topic excites you, how it makes you feel, and why you fell in love with it. Here are a few examples of successful ways to accomplish this:

 

 

 

Once you’ve established what your interest is, where it came from, and why you are passionate about it, it’s time to be more forward-looking. Cornell wants to admit students who are ambitious and driven, with a passion for changing the world. Now’s the time to share your aspirations with the admissions committee.

 

Tell the reader what you hope to accomplish one day in regards to your field of study. You might know exactly what you want, for example a student who is going into Information Science might want to create a social media platform that actively promotes diversity of ideas rather than echo chambers as part of its mission. On the other hand, another student might know they want to major in psychology, but they don’t know how they want to apply it yet.

 

In the event you don’t have a clearly defined goal, it’s okay to admit you don’t know where your studies will take you—after all, the whole point of college is to explore new ideas and figure out what you are passionate about. Don’t completely write off this portion of the essay though. Still talk about what you hope to bring to the world in a broader sense. Rather than describing the specific contribution you will make to the world of medicine, describe how you are studying biology to learn about the inner workings of the human body so you are equipped to handle any organ or system.

 

Finally, you’ll want to dedicate a good portion (around 200-300 words) on the Cornell-specific opportunities you will utilize during your four years to both deepen your passion and work towards your goals.

 

There are two key things to keep in mind. First, quality over quantity is everything here. Name dropping four classes and three professors without expanding on why you are drawn to them won’t add much to your essay. Instead, pick three or four resources that closely align with you specific interests and explain why you are excited about this opportunity and how it will help you achieve your goals.

 

Secondly, the offerings you discuss have to be unique to Cornell. Nearly every school you apply to will offer Chemistry 101 or have a finance club. You need to spend some time poking around Cornell’s website to find distinctive opportunities you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else to prove to the admissions committee you genuinely want to go to the school. Below are some ideas of things to look for as you research the school:

 

• Look at the course roster and find classes in your major (don’t just pick Biology 101; the more specific, the better!)
• Find professors in your department and the research they conduct
• Explore unique clubs and extracurriculars that align with your interests 
• Look into special programs or centers (ie. Milstein Program in Technology and Humanity or College Scholar Program)
• Research Cornell-specific study abroad programs and hubs

 

For example, the student who loves books and reading may want to one day become a fantasy writer to help others immerse themselves in new worlds. They could mention wanting to take the Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Witchcraft First-Year Writing Seminar at Cornell in their essay.

 

At the end of the day, you want your essay to clearly convey the idea that you have always been intellectually curious and you will continue to do so when you get to Ithaca.

 

 

This prompt is a combination of two classic essay questions: “Why This Major?” and “Why This School?”. Luckily, with 650 words, you should have more than enough space to effectively address both of these questions in your response.

 

In order to write a successful essay, you need to accomplish three main things:

 

1. Explain your interest in either Public Policy or Health Care Policy
2. Detail your goals and aspirations
3. Describe how you will use school resources to reach your goals

 

Let’s break it down piece by piece.

 

Explain your interest in policy

 

The first critical step is to share with the admissions committee why you are interested in studying policy. There are multiple ways you could approach this.

 

Maybe you choose to highlight an experience that first opened your eyes to the world of public policy:

 

 

You could describe an experience you had standing up for a cause you believe in:

 

 

A popular option is to choose a meaningful experience from a club like Modul UN, Model, Congress, or student government:

 

 

Or perhaps you approach the world through the eyes of a policy maker already and want to share your perspective:

 

 

However you decide to frame your interest in policy, the key is to follow the style of these examples by being detailed and using specific anecdotes that draw the reader in. None of these examples need to include a generic statement like “I’m interested in policy so I can make the world a better place” because they show that sentiment through details.

 

Remember, you have a good amount of space in this essay, so you can really delve into the specifics of policy that entice you in order to flesh out the motivations behind your interest. If you are drawn to the niche of pharmaceutical management within the broader field of health care policy, incorporate multiple anecdotes that show how your interest in that specific area grew. 

 

Maybe you start by mentioning your general interest in health care policy began when you admired the efficiencies of a hospital when you went to the ER in middle school, then you talk about the excitement you felt during a debate on the opioid epidemic in your English class, then move on to discuss an independent research project to catalogue the federal policies related to pharmaceutical management that you pulled all nighters for because you were too invested to pull yourself away. 

 

Details your goals and aspirations

 

Once it’s clear why you are interested in studying policy, now you can discuss what you want to do with a policy degree in the future. 

 

While it’s important you incorporate this clearly into your essay, it doesn’t have to be so overt as a new paragraph that begins with: “I one day hope to…” Strong essays will weave the student’s aspirations for the impact they will make into their reflection on their interest in the first place.

 

Imagine a student interested in education policy who’s already shared an anecdote about tutoring a student who had access to outdated textbooks because of the lack of funding her school receives. The student can incorporate their future goals in education policy like this:

 

 

Describe how you will use Brooks School resources

 

Finally, the last part of your essay requires connecting your interests to the opportunities available to you at the Brooks School. You should save a decent amount of space for this—we recommend around 200-300 words.

 

As before, you should strive for specificity here. Browse your desired major’s website to get a feel for how this major at Brooks is different from equivalent majors elsewhere. Consider classes, research opportunities, professors, Brooks-specific clubs, etc.

 

You’re trying to convince Cornell that Brooks is the best place for you to study policy, so you don’t want to include something available at most schools. Saying that you appreciate Brooks’s interdisciplinary approach to health care policy is inadequate because almost every college offering a Health Care Policy (or similar) major has a multidisciplinary approach. It simply isn’t possible to study this field without tackling multiple fields of study such as economics, political science, and health.

 

Instead, find something particular to focus on that piques your interest. For example, let’s say an Asian student is applying to Brooks to major in Health Care Policy, and her racial and gender identity serve as career motivations (which, incidentally, can be a strong personal angle to use when writing why she is interested in this major). She might notice that of all the HCP programs she’s looked at, only Brooks has a focus on the effects of demography on health care policy. Since she wants to pursue a career in helping to ensure that Asian women get proper representation in healthcare policy making, Brooks’s concentration on demographics is a unique feature that will contribute to her professional goals.

 

Remember to be well-intentioned in your motivations, honest and specific about your interests, and sincere in your entire response, and you will have a strongly crafted essay that is sure to catch Cornell’s attention.

 

 

Applicants to the Brooks School have the opportunity to spend their first semester of college in Washington, D.C. getting hands-on experience in policymaking. If this is something you are interested in, you will need to share your interest with the admissions officers through this essay.

 

The key thing to keep in mind is that the admissions committee just read your essay on why you are interested in studying policy in general, so you don’t want to repeat yourself in this essay. Instead, the main focus should be on the opportunities and insight you will gain from being in D.C., especially at the beginning of your college education.

 

We recommend you do specific research into unique opportunities and resources available to you through the DC Start Program. Then, explain how they connect back to your larger interest in policy and your goals. 

 

For example, a student who is interested in policy surrounding the media might be thrilled at the opportunity to take the “Journalism and Public Policy” class with a New York Times journalist in D.C. She has always wanted to know the inner workings of how reporters access and share information about the government’s actions, especially in a time when free speech is facing more threats. She thinks jumping into her college career with the practical lessons from her time in D.C. will better equip her to devise more effective media policy when she gets to Ithaca.

 

Another student might choose to focus on the community he’s looking forward to joining. Since Cornell doesn’t have any living-learning communities dedicated to policy, the DC Start Program provides the opportunity to immediately connect with a group of like-minded students that he hopes to learn from for the next four years.

 

However, don’t fall into the trap of just writing about what you want to get out of the experience—don’t forget to also include what you will bring to the program. Whether that’s experience working as a journalist writing political op-eds in your local newspaper or an open-mind and a rolodex of thought-provoking political scenarios to ask your new friends.

 

 

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 Michelin star restaurant one day, explain how SHA will provide the hands-on experiences and practical skills you will need to run an establishment.

 

Keep in mind that interpersonal skills are a huge asset in the hospitality industry. 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 him make missing dog signs, even putting them up across the city. Maybe the hotel’s fitness center yoga instructor once called in sick at the last minute, and you stepped in with your knowledge of yoga, leading the class in her stead. These details allow an admissions counselor to see that you would thrive at SHA.

 

 

This is an archetypal “Why This Major?” prompt, focused on engineering in particular. Your goals are to convey your passion for engineering, and to show how your past experiences have prepared you to succeed in the field. The admissions committee wants to understand what drives your interest in engineering, how you’ve explored this interest, what your future goals in the field are, and how you see yourself achieving them.

 

Note: Typically, in a “Why Major” essay you would also want to incorporate details about why you want to study this field at the school in question, but since there is a separate “Why Cornell Engineering” supplement here, your response to this prompt doesn’t need to include that element.

 

Brainstorming Questions

 

To answer this prompt effectively, you need to reflect on why you were initially drawn to engineering, and which experiences you’ve had that have refined your interest in the field. Think about specific moments, projects, or topics that sparked your fascination. Then, consider what excites you most about studying engineering and how you envision applying what you learn to solve real-world problems.

 

• What was the first experience that made you interested in engineering? A class, a specific project, an extracurricular activity, a self-driven passion project? Something else entirely?
• How have you explored engineering outside the classroom? Have you participated in clubs or internships, or pursued personal projects, that furthered your interest?
• What specific problems or challenges in the world do you want to address through engineering?
• Which areas of engineering (mechanical, electrical, civil, etc.) particularly interest you, and why?
• How do you see engineering shaping your future? What impact do you hope to make in the field, or in society as a whole by using engineering principles?

 

Tips for writing your essay

 

Your essay should include specific experiences that ignited, and sustain, your interest in engineering. Avoid vague statements about the field as a whole like “I enjoy problem solving and engineering is a discipline with endless problems to solve.” Instead, a more powerful essay will be one that hones in on a specific sub-sect or topic within the broader field of engineering. For example:

 

 

The excerpt above both provides a vivid image of an experience this student had, while also highlighting the specific area of hydraulic engineering they are interested in.

 

It’s important that you provide examples of how you’ve fostered your interest in engineering throughout high school. Be careful not to turn your essay into a rehashing of the activities section of your Common App; use anecdotes to show us how your robotics club participation sparked an interest in electrical engineering rather than telling us you joined the robotics club.

 

You can also discuss independent projects you’ve worked on or coursework that you’ve found particularly impactful—don’t feel like you are limited to only discussing extracurriculars in this essay.

 

Finally, don’t just want your essay to be a retelling of your past experience—you want to look towards the future too. Just as you’ve shown the reader what got you into engineering and how you’ve engaged with it previously, show them what you want to get out of it, whether that’s making the world more sustainable, developing a new technology, or exploring outer space.

 

Example essays

 

Good Example:

 

 

Why it’s good: This example is specific, personal, and shows a clear connection between the student’s past experiences and future goals. The student demonstrates a deep understanding of and clear excitement about a particular topic within engineering, and we can easily imagine what they’d bring to the field as a Cornell engineering student and after graduation.

 

Bad Example:

 

 

Why it’s bad: This student comes across as earnest, but their interest in engineering stays way too broad. Sure, they identify environmental engineering as the field they’re most interested in, but they fail to pick out one specific topic that especially fascinates them, or incorporate anecdotes that show where their fascination comes from in the first place.

 

 

This is basically a classic “Why This College?” prompt, but focused on Cornell Engineering, rather than the whole institution of Cornell. Your goal is to demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for the program by connecting your academic interests and future goals with specific resources, opportunities, and aspects of Cornell’s engineering program.

 

To answer this prompt effectively, you need to do thorough research on Cornell Engineering and identify the unique aspects of the program that align with your interests. Avoid generalities that could apply to any school, like “Cornell has one of the top-ranked engineering programs,” and instead focus on what specifically draws you to their engineering program–classes, labs, professors, internship or study abroad opportunities, and so on. Your response should highlight things that can only be found at Cornell, and explain how they will help you achieve your specific goals.

 

Tips for writing your essay

 

As with any good “Why This College” essay, the key is to get specific with opportunities and resources that are available through Cornell Engineering that will allow you to explore your passions and fulfill your future goals. These should be unique opportunities that other colleges don’t offer so it’s clear to the Cornell admissions officers that you genuinely see Cornell Engineering as the perfect place for you.

 

For example, imagine a student passionate about renewable energy and sustainability, especially solar power. They could talk about their interest in Cornell’s Atkinson Center for Sustainability, particularly research that’s been done there on using lower-quality agricultural land for solar farming instead of food farming, and how that research would connect to their theoretical work in classes like “Analysis of Sustainable Energy Systems”

 

Another student is passionate about robotics, who has built several robots in high school and is interested in designing space exploration rovers. They could discuss how they’re eager to work with Professor Hadas Kress-Gazit, to refine their understanding of the language robots use, and develop more sophisticated ways for humans on earth to communicate with rovers millions of miles away. They might also mention a desire to join the Cornell University Unmanned Air Systems team to connect with peers who share their interests.

 

Not only do you want to incorporate this level of specificity in your essay, but you also want to explain how each resource will help you accomplish your larger goals. Adding the “why” behind your Cornell-specific opportunities shows the admissions officers that you’ve thought through where you’ll fit into the Cornell Engineering community.

 

Mistakes to avoid

 

One thing we would caution you against is going beyond the engineering bubble in this essay. Although it might be tempting to talk about all Cornell has to offer you, since this question is specifically asking about Cornell Engineering, you want to keep your essay focused on opportunities you can find within the College of Engineering.

 

Example essays

 

Good Example: 

 

 

Why it’s good: This response is specific, personal, and shows a clear connection between the student’s past experiences, their engineering goals, and the unique opportunities available at Cornell. The student demonstrates deep knowledge of Cornell’s resources and explains how they will help them achieve their aspirations.

 

Bad Example: 

 

 

Why it’s bad: This response is generic and could apply to almost any engineering school. There is no detail about Cornell, nor description of the student’s personal goals and how Cornell will help them reach them. The student doesn’t seem to have done any research on Cornell or why the school is right for them.

 

 

This prompt asks you to reflect on what truly makes you happy. While the other engineering prompts are more technical in nature, and want to concretely evaluate your fit for this rigorous course of study, here the admissions committee wants to get a broader sense of your personality, interests, and values. Don’t worry about being stereotypically impressive—just be honest.

 

Brainstorming questions

 

• What are the activities, experiences, or moments in your life that make you feel most fulfilled?
• Are there particular people, places, or hobbies that bring you joy?
• How do you feel when you engage in these joyful activities or moments?
• Why does this bring you joy, and what does it say about you?

 

Tips for writing your essay

 

Since you only have 100 words, it’s best to only pick one thing that brings you joy and elaborate on why it makes you happy. The sky is the limit to what you pick. So long as you reveal why that thing is joyful for you, anything could make a good essay.

 

That being said, we recommend you get specific. A broad statement like “hiking brings me joy” isn’t as impactful as this: “Breathing in the crisp early fall air, listening to the summer cicadas perform their summer encore, as I reach the peak of Bear Mountain brings me a sense of peace and serenity I can’t find anywhere else.”

 

Another student could write about eating khinkali, a traditional Georgian dumpling, bringing them joy. But rather than focusing on the food itself as the source of joy, a stronger essay would explain the joy comes from connecting with their parents and hearing stories of their childhood while they eat.

 

Don’t get bogged down thinking there’s something the admissions committee “wants” to hear. They would much rather read an essay about playing video games with your older brother because it’s a time when you two get to genuinely connect than an essay where you pretend researching thermodynamics brings you joy.

 

This isn’t an essay that demands you to be academic. Let loose and share what’s really important to you!

 

Example Essays

 

Good Example: 

 

 

Why it’s good: This example is specific, evokes strong imagery, and shows a deep emotional connection to family and cultural traditions.

 

Bad Example: 

 

 

Why it’s bad: This example is too vague, lacks specific details, and doesn’t convey a deep emotional connection to these moments or personal insight into why they’re meaningful to the student.

 

 

The goal of this type of essay is to find out how your values and background influence your personal views and goals. Admissions committees look to build diverse classes, so you’ll want your response for this to be individualized and authentic. To learn more about this kind of prompt, check out our tips for writing a diversity essay.

 

What to Consider Before You Write

 

Coming up with a good topic for a diversity essay can be tricky. This is what you’ll want to keep in mind as you think of how to approach the question:

 

• Think about your various identities and what makes you unique. This could be your community, racial identity, religion, hobbies, disability status, gender, language, hometown, country of origin, etc. You may want to make a list and write about the one you are most familiar with and feel most comfortable talking about.
• Consider how you relate to this identity and how you feel about being a part of this group. Have you developed any personality traits through this background? If so, how have they changed over time?
• Have any major formative events occurred in your life because of this background? What were they and how did they shape you into the person you are today?
• Have you learned any skills through one of these identities? What are they?
• How can you connect this with Cornell Engineering?

 

It is important to consider how your emotions tie in with one of your identities and what personal stories demonstrate this emotional connection. This way, you can write an essay that shows an aspect of your background and how it has shaped you.

 

You’ll want about 25% of the essay to summarize the part of your background that you are describing and the remaining 75% to talk about how you have been impacted by it. As you wrap up your response, write about how your background will make you a good addition to the Cornell Engineering community.

 

Mistakes To Avoid

 

Don’t list all your identities. This essay isn’t the time to talk about how you are a Korean American, you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community, you are an avid golf player, and you are part of your student government. Instead, focus on just one of these identities and dive deeper into what it is and why it’s important to you.

 

Don’t focus solely on negative experiences. It’s fine to mention negative experiences related to your identity, and you should absolutely make sure that the experiences you write about are authentic to you. However, admissions committees often look for stories with positive or optimistic endings. Not everything has a happy ending, but it’s harder to write a successful and compelling negative essay.

 

Don’t pick a cliché topic. There are topics such as immigration stories that have been used time and time again in supplementary essays. Think about an identity you have that may be unique or more nuanced.

 

Example Essay

 

 

This example starts by describing how jazz, an important part of the student’s background, is perceived, then connects the skills and lessons that the student learned through improvisation to engineering. In other words, the student shows that their identity as a jazz pianist goes beyond when they’re actually playing the piano, and that this identity can help them in other areas of their life as well, including engineering.

 

Finally, the concrete example of how they’ve already applied their improvisation abilities to a project in their own home proves to Cornell admissions officers that they aren’t just speaking in hypotheticals—they’re truly ready to hit the ground running the second they arrive on Cornell’s campus.

 

 

This is a classic example of an Extracurricular essay. Cornell wants to hear more about something outside of academics that is important to you. Note that while this prompt is exclusive to the Engineering school, you aren’t required to choose an extracurricular that is engineering-related. In fact, this is a good way to break up the rest of your application to share a different side with the admissions committee.

 

For example, maybe you are part of your church’s youth choir and have found that experience to be exceptionally meaningful because, as someone who’s musically inclined, it’s helped you appreciate your faith more. 

 

Or perhaps you volunteer at the library every Sunday afternoon. You used to love attending the storytimes, but now as a volunteer you get to lead them. Trying out different voices and bringing picture books to life for little kids fulfills a dream of being a role model you used to look up to.

 

Another avenue could be writing about a role you hold in your family, for example, maybe you are in charge of cooking dinner on weeknights when your mom has a late shift. Holding this role has taught you responsibility, resourcefulness, and allowed you to get creative trying new recipes your family enjoys.

 

You should focus on one specific experience, and briefly explain what you did and why it was meaningful to you. Since this is a short answer, focus on the most important details and avoid unnecessary elaboration.

 

 

Your approach for this short response should be similar to the previous one. You want to make sure your readers understand not just what the award is and what you had to do to earn it, but also the skills you developed along the way, and/or how the experience shaped your future goals. Again, be concise, and don’t brag: stay focused on just the most important details so that you don’t run out of space.

 

For example, you could describe the time you won a regional science fair, even after faulty data forced you to completely change your project halfway through, and how this experience taught you to always keep the bigger picture of your research in mind, rather than allowing relatively minor snags to throw you off course.

 

Or, you might talk about the mural you designed for your Spanish classroom, which included images from a wide range of Spanish-speaking cultures, not just Spain and Mexico like the previous classroom decorations, and how your motivation was to show that even within something we typically treat as monolithic, like a language, there is always diversity of experience beneath the surface, and that diversity should be celebrated.

 

Whatever the activity, responsibility, or award is, make sure you touch on its broader relevance to your personality and development. Even in a short response, you always want to make sure admissions officers understand why this thing matters for imagining what kind of college student you’ll be.

 

 

At just three words, this barely qualifies as a prompt. That being said, we are here to help you present your strongest application possible—which means sharing our tips for choosing your three words.

 

Don’t get too bogged down trying to find the three perfect words that perfectly encapsulate your personality while also being unique. At the same time though, don’t choose the first three words that pop into your head like “fun, nice, smart.” These choices can come across as cliché, and they don’t tell the admissions committee anything valuable about you. Try more interesting words like “determined, upbeat, daring,” or even nouns like “brother, athlete, artist.”

Your words don’t have to be directly related to engineering, but you want to choose words that at least describe qualities of yourself that could translate to agriculture and life sciences more broadly. If you need help, you can ask your friends and family for ideas.

 

If words are your strong suit, you can try to be more creative with your choices. You might even want to pick a word from another language if that language or its culture is an important part of your identity. Maybe you’re a hard worker, a lighthearted person, and you help your father fix cars in your predominantly Hispanic community; you may choose to write “indefatigable, whimsical, mecánico.”

 

Note that you should strive to only choose words you know/use regularly. Don’t just use a thesaurus to try to find big words, because you may accidentally use a word with a nuanced meaning that isn’t what you’re looking for. Additionally, if you use flowery language in this section but not in your writing supplement, this will come off as contradictory and insincere.

 

 

The same advice from the previous prompt applies to this one, however, now you’re turning your focus away from yourself and towards Cornell Engineering. 

 

You should do plenty of research on Cornell Engineering before even attempting to choose three words. Determine what is important to their program, reach out to friends you may know in the program, or look through their website and social media to figure out what their program is all about.

 

You should not attempt to randomly select words about engineering in general. In fact, you could write an inspiring answer by picking some that seemingly have nothing to do with engineering! Avoid picking generic, simple words as well as words of empty praise, such as “unique,” “competitive,” “prestigious,” and “innovative.” Anyone can tell Cornell that it’s a good university—doing so here would sound hollow and plain. Try to think of more nuanced and descriptive words that wouldn’t apply broadly to every engineering college.

 

For example, you might choose “eclectic,” “defiant,” and “virtuous.” These are creative choices, but more importantly, they are words you could defend in an interview. If asked about “eclectic,” you can mention the diversity of the fields which Cornell has facilities for — the university has centers in subjects ranging from data science to nanomedical technology to waste management. You can defend “defiant” by discussing how a certain lab you researched never settles for the status quo, but instead seeks to always go beyond what is deemed possible. Finally, you might defend “virtuous” by mentioning Cornell Engineering’s mission to “advance the quality of life on our planet.”

 

 

This essay is only for Engineering applicants who indicate an interest in participating in the Global Start Cantabria program in Santander, Spain. You will spend your first semester of college studying at the Universidad de Cantabria. Cornell wants to know why you are motivated to study abroad at the beginning of your college career.

 

It’s important to note off the bat that there are a couple of things you want to avoid in this essay. First, you don’t want to spend the entire time talking about your interest in traveling. While you should obviously touch on your desire to immerse yourself in a new culture, maybe strengthen your Spanish skills, or put yourself out of your comfort zone, you don’t want to give the impression you are using this semester to slack off and indulge in Spanish wine and tapas. 

 

Instead, create balance in your essay by addressing your desire to study at the Universidad de Cantabria. Just as you researched Cornell, look into the unique offerings and opportunities that you can engage with during your semester abroad. Dedicating a good portion of your essay to the academic draw of this program will show Cornell you are serious about the program, not just traveling to Spain.

 

Another thing to avoid is listing a slew of experiences that have prepared you. The admissions committee would rather hear about two or three specific experiences that you go into detail with than a laundry list of reasons you want to go abroad. Honing in on a few anecdotes allows you to show what these experiences taught you about yourself that either inspired you to embrace other cultures or prepared you for challenges you might face abroad.

 

Finally, although the primary focus of this essay should be on studying abroad, the generous word count should give you the space to connect your essay back to Cornell. Studying abroad makes students more curious, empathetic, worldly, etc., and especially since you will be going to Spain before you even step foot in Ithaca, you want to convince the admissions officers that the Cornell community will be better off because you had the opportunity to study abroad.

 

Now, you don’t want to come off as conceited thinking your four months in Spain will make you superior to your classmates, but do some self-reflection on what you hope to take out of the experience and bring back to Cornell. 

 

 

The College of Human Ecology embraces interdisciplinarity, combining seemingly unrelated fields like fashion design, nutritional sciences, and human health, so it’s no surprise this essay is a combination of multiple essay archetypes:

 

1. Global Issues
2. Why This Major
3. Why This School

 

Let’s break down each aspect of the question and then we will review an essay that successfully answers each part.

 

Identifying a challenge

 

The first step is to pick an issue that you are passionate about fixing either in your community or in the larger field you are interested in. This might seem like a tall order, but asking yourself the following questions can help you narrow it down:

 

• Is there a cause or issue you find yourself gravitating towards when you read the news?
• Have you fought or advocated for addressing any challenges or injustices you’ve noticed in your community?
• Was there something you learned about in class or a club that stuck with you that you wanted to address?
• What issues have stirred up an emotional response in you?

 

You could pick something as local as noticing your classmate rewear the same sweater all winter because it’s all she can afford or something as global as gender bias in medical diagnoses. All that matters is you pick something you care deeply about and that connects to your major.

 

For example, the sweater example would be a perfect issue for a Fiber Science major, but wouldn’t make sense for the Human Biology, Health, and Society major.

 

Remember, this essay should show how the interdisciplinary nature of CHE will help you address the issue you’ve identified. For that reason, you want to make sure you choose a problem that is nuanced and complex that would require approaching it from multiple angles/fields to fully address.

 

How your major will help

 

Now you enter the “Why This Major” portion of the essay. Here, it’s important that you clearly show the admissions officers why this issue is pertinent to you and why you want to dedicate the next four years—and your career beyond that—to a field that would solve this challenge. 

 

Just as you would for any other “Why This Major” essay, you’ll want to set the scene by providing a vivid personal connection to your chosen field. You can accomplish this by demonstrating your passion for the topic your challenge falls into. 

 

For example, say your intended major is Global and Public Health. The challenge you’ve picked is the lack of culturally competent diabetes education in rural immigrant communities. You begin your essay by sharing a story of your uncle who lived two hours away from the nearest diabetes specialist and the general doctors who were available didn’t know enough about his condition to provide sound medical advice. 

 

Sharing a story like this, and going into detail about how it affected you, serves as great motivation for why you want to study Public Health, but also for why you see this as a major challenge you hope to address.

 

After sharing what got you into your field, you’ll want to highlight specific major-related resources that excite you. If you haven’t already researched the courses, professors, research opportunities, and more related to your major, now’s the time to do so. 

 

Don’t just name drop them and move on! Make sure you explain how each opportunity will be beneficial towards helping you achieve your goal of addressing your challenge.

 

How HumEc will help

 

The last piece of this essay wants to know how your Human Ecology education, and the breadth of majors within the College of Human Ecology, will help you address your issue. This is more unique than just a “Why This School” question because you need to get very specific about the interdisciplinary nature of CHE.

 

A good way to ensure you cover this portion of the prompt is to discuss the interdisciplinary nature of your challenge. For example, you cannot eliminate fash fashion through the fashion design industry alone; fiber scientists need to research and develop more plant-based textiles while public health officials can fight against the toxic chemicals factory workers and consumers are exposed to from cheap dyes and fabrics.

 

You aren’t required to connect every other CHE major to your issue, however, it only shows your maturity and understanding of the issue if you discuss the nuances.

 

Example Essay

 

 

This essay begins with a deeply personal connection to the issue the student wants to address, helping the admissions officers appreciate their motivation off the bat. It then provides detailed examples of how this student has taken actions to address this challenge in their life through their volunteer work.

 

The essay does a good job of explaining why the Human Development major is a good choice for them by highlighting the specific classes and the research institute.

 

Finally, the way the student weaves in other majors that will help them address their issue shows a deep understanding of CHE and the nature of an interdisciplinary school. While you don’t have to specifically name other majors as this essay has, you can see how it’s important to address the nuances of addressing your issue.

 

 

The School 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. This isn’t exactly a community service prompt, but you might want to mention any service experience you have, how you feel about that experience, and how that experience has motivated your interest in ILR.

 

Given the specificity of the prompt, it’s imperative that you provide concrete examples of how your 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 discover a deep interest in 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 exploited. Or, perhaps you’re interested in labor law because you want to defend workers in minority groups from discrimination.

 

Once you’ve established your experiences and motivations, you need to draw connections to ILR. This is where research will be extremely helpful. Look into ILR’s departments and courses, faculty, areas of expertise, and research opportunities to inspire your writing. Keep in mind that all undergraduate students at ILR have the same major—Industrial and Labor Relations. Nevertheless, you can distinguish yourself through focusing your studies on one of the related disciplines, conducting unique research, or getting involved with a particular group or campus initiative, so be sure to write to your strengths and interests.

 

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. The prospective student could also discuss the Labor & Employment Law Program in NYC, which focuses on managing repositories for documents related to acts of workplace discrimination.

 

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