Cornell University provides rich academic and extracurricular offerings to its students, not to mention a gorgeous campus located in upstate New York. Uniquely, you may only apply to one specific college at Cornell, with little flexibility for changes down the line. Each of Cornell’s colleges sets unique prompts. So, as you embark on your application, this breakdown of the Cornell supplemental essays can help you elevate your application. Let’s dive in.
General Tips
Once you’ve chosen which school you wish to apply to, you’ll need to extensively research its courses, professors, areas of research, and history. This exercise will help you not only understand where you’ll belong, but also what makes Cornell unique.
In your Cornell supplemental essays, you should strive to communicate 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. Moreover, provide specific details about Cornell to the reader. Doing so won’t just evidence your thorough research. A specific, concrete essay will also help the reader visualize how you will fit in at Cornell.
Cornell’s 2024-2025 Prompts
The first prompt listed below is required for all applicants to Cornell University. The rest of the Cornell supplemental essays are only applicable to applicants to particular colleges. Some of the colleges have just one longer prompt, while others have a series of shorter prompts. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is unique in that it has one required essay prompt and two optional essay prompts. The rest of the colleges require applicants to respond to all of their prompts.
General Essay Prompt
- We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you’ve been shaped by one of the communities you belong to. Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience. Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of community you might choose from are: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural. (350 words or fewer)
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Essays
- Required: By applying to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), you are also applying for direct entry into one of our 20+ majors. From here, you would be part of a community dedicated to purpose-driven science; working within your major and across disciplines to tackle the complex challenges of our time. Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected and specifically, why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell CALS? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals influenced your choice. (500 words or fewer)
- Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are passionate about serving the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you were able to have a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (100 words or fewer)
- Optional: 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 or fewer)
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 or fewer)
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 or fewer)
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 or fewer)
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 Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words or fewer)
College of Engineering Essays
- Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering? (200 words or fewer)
- Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering? (200 words or fewer)
- What brings you joy? (100 words or fewer)
- What do you believe you will contribute to the Cornell Engineering community beyond what you’ve already detailed in your application? What unique voice will you bring? (100 words or fewer)
- What is one activity, club, team, organization, work/volunteer experience or family responsibility that is especially meaningful to you? Please briefly tell us about its significance for you. (100 words or fewer)
- What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you. (100 words or fewer)
College of Human Ecology Essay
- How has your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE) been shaped and informed by your related experiences? How will what you learn through CHE and your chosen major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should demonstrate how your interests and aspirations align with CHE’s programs and mission. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.) (650 words or fewer)
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 or fewer)
General Essay Prompt
We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you’ve been shaped by one of the communities you belong to. Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience. Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of community you might choose from are: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural. (350 words or fewer)
This essay isn’t easy, because it requires a level of vulnerability. The admissions team poses this question in order to understand who you are as a person, your values, and where you come from. When answering this prompt, identify one community that you’d like to focus on. Then, describe how this community has changed you and helped you grow.
When composing this essay, it can be helpful to think of the arc you’d like your essay to achieve. You may want to bring your reader through your journey of becoming more compassionate as a result of your community. Alternatively, you could discuss a lesson your community has taught you. Similarly, you could describe a value or multiple values that you hold dear and which were promoted by your community. Whatever angle you take in this essay, focus on showing your growth and/or evolution as a person as a result of your community. Let this personal journey guide your narrative.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Required: By applying to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), you are also applying for direct entry into one of our 20+ majors. From here, you would be part of a community dedicated to purpose-driven science; working within your major and across disciplines to tackle the complex challenges of our time. Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected and specifically, why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell CALS? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals influenced your choice. (500 words or fewer)
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. You can describe academic goals or personal goals more broadly. You can also write about a person or situation that influenced you to pursue your interests. Be sure to define your specific academic interests in this essay regardless of how you decide to elaborate on them.
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. Explain how CALS has unique programs, courses, and/or opportunities that will bring you closer to achieving those goals. In sum, you should 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 passionate about serving the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you were able to have a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (100 words or fewer)
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. Instead, describe the results of your service. List the number of people you helped, the amount of money you raised, and other quantities as applicable.
Optional: 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 or fewer)
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. Then, offer as many as 100 words of clarifying details if you did select any of the options.
The clarifying details about your agricultural background are a completely optional portion of this completely optional question. Still, it’s advisable to provide some additional information if you did select one or more of the provided options.
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)? 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 or fewer)
This question asks you to describe how your past experiences drive your goals. That said, 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.
Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)?
This question asks you to briefly draw the connections between your interests, the aspects of AAP you just listed, the specific degree you want to pursue, and your future plans. In other words, you should express how this degree will help you toward your interest-driven goals.
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.
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. Then, 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 politics, 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 words or fewer)
The College of Arts and Sciences offers the broadest liberal arts education of Cornell’s various colleges. 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. You should also clarify how they’re all related and important to you.
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 these 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.
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 or fewer)
Public policy is rooted in a desire to improve our conditions. 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 on an initiative you’ve taken for your community, a political campaign or volunteer center you’ve worked for. You can even discuss 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 typically easier to sound compelling when writing what you know.
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 Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words or fewer)
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. 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
Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering? (200 words or fewer)
You may have a great story underpinning your interest in engineering, and if so, here’s your opportunity to tell it. If not, you may want to think back on the cumulative experiences you’ve had in your life that have progressively pushed you toward engineering. In other words, this essay can consist of a single anecdote or many smaller anecdotes that build upon each other. Both types of structure will help your reader understand the nuances behind your interest in engineering.
In addition, you may want to consider the past, present, and future of your interest in engineering. To break that down, what past experience(s) have pushed you toward engineering? Why and how do you passionately and thoughtfully pursue engineering today? And how do you hope your interest in engineering guides your future? Regardless of how you answer these questions, make sure you clarify what specific field(s) in engineering interest you. You may also want to specify the engineering specialties you hope to study further in college.
Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering? (200 words or fewer)
As you only have 200 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. Consider name-dropping classes, professors, or areas of research you would ideally pursue should you be admitted. Although you can write about why you want to study engineering more generally, your essay may be more compelling if you connect that excitement for engineering directly to the engineering opportunities at Cornell.
A great exercise to get you started is to visualize yourself as a student at Cornell. What classes would you be taking? What major would you eventually choose? Which professors would you elect to work with? Imagine yourself as a future engineer 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.
What brings you joy? (100 words or fewer)
Unlike most of the Cornell supplemental essays, this prompt doesn’t directly relate to Cornell or academics. In other words, you can feel free to discuss whatever comes to mind. You should not feel pressure to describe an aspect of engineering. If that’s the most authentic response for you, though, then go for it!
Note that this prompt doesn’t require a single answer. You can provide a list of things, people, topics, places, etc. that bring you joy. Alternatively, you could focus on one thing with as much nuance as 100 words can hold. Either route requires specificity. If the details you choose to include in this essay are genuinely personal and unique to you, then they’ll also be more memorable and striking for the reader.
What do you believe you will contribute to the Cornell Engineering community beyond what you’ve already detailed in your application? What unique voice will you bring? (100 words or fewer)
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. This essay is an occasion for you to use that voice.
Consider the traditional and/or stereotypical voices in engineering. You may also want to research the Cornell engineering community for more specificity. This research may reveal to you the ways in which you’re different from the average engineer. Your unique voice could be related to your life experiences or background. It might also relate to your worldviews and penchant for out-of-the-box ideas.
You may also want to brainstorm about the times when you’ve added a new perspective to a conversation, changed the direction of a project, or positively impacted others by raising your unique voice. Any of these past experiences could provide the basis of your essay by signifying how you might contribute in the future.
What is one activity, club, team, organization, work/volunteer experience or family responsibility that is especially meaningful to you? Please briefly tell us about its significance for you. (100 words or fewer)
This prompt, like most of the Cornell supplemental essays, seeks to understand your values and what drives you as a person. Two key words in this prompt are “one” and “meaningful.” The reader is looking for a focused essay that discusses one way you have participated in community (broadly defined) and the meaning behind that experience. What made the experience special for you? How did it stand out? How has it changed you?
You can think about your personal growth as you brainstorm for this essay. As you’ve matured and become more self-aware, thoughtful, and capable, you’ve likely been supported along the way by certain groups of people. Those people could be teammates, friends, colleagues, family members, or any other group of people. Whoever those people are, tell the reader about them here in this essay. Additionally, share how they have impacted you through your shared experiences.
What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you. (100 words or fewer)
This essay gives you the opportunity, albeit briefly, to pat yourself on the back. Like the last prompt, though, this essay should be driven by what is personally meaningfully to you. Instead of describing your accomplishment itself in great detail, you should focus on why the recognition of your accomplishment was particularly important to you. How did this recognition impact you? Did it boost your self-confidence or open the door for new opportunities?
While working on this essay, consider sharing your drafts with people who don’t know you very well. Because this essay will involve you discussing your successes, it risks sounding immodest or arrogant. In order to avoid this issue, you can seek additional opinions from unbiased readers.
College of Human Ecology
How has your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE) been shaped and informed by your related experiences? How will what you learn through CHE and your chosen major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should demonstrate how your interests and aspirations align with CHE’s programs and mission. (650 words or fewer)
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. This is evidenced by its multidisciplinary approach, which you should research before embarking on this essay.
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 words or fewer)
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. So 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. You should definitely write about how the school and its programs will help you accomplish your goals in labor relations. That said, don’t hesitate to get personal about the motivations behind your decision to apply to this college.
If you need help polishing up your Cornell supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
