In the online Common Application Writing Supplement for those applying for Fall 2025 entry, please respond to both the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

Cornell University Essay Question:

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 word limit)

In the school-specific essays, you get to dig into why you think Cornell is the right school for you. Here, the school is wondering if YOU are the right fit for Cornell! Remember, while Cornell has a relatively large undergraduate (and grad) student body, Ithaca is a small college town in a pretty remote area of upstate New York. It is, as the t-shirts say, ‘gorges'—but it’s also really cold in the winter and decidedly not for the big-city-or-bust applicant. 

Cornell students are not just intelligent, they’re intellectually curious. And Cornell boasts some of the most diverse degree and course offerings of any top school. Any time you hear about an academic program that seems obscure (Enology? Hotel administration? Master beekeeping? Union leadership?) you can often safely assume Cornell has the biggest and best program in that obscure field. But this smart and curious student body also has a ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. Freshmen and sophomores nearly all live on campus, creating a strong and lively community on campus. So in asking about how you live in community, Cornell trying to discern if you’re ready to jump in and be an active member of their community. 

Time for a writing exercise… make a list of all the communities you’ve been a part of in your life. Take them at their word when they say, ‘define community in the way that is most meaningful to you.’ DO flex this term so that you can get the meatiest, most meaningful example you can.

Now that you’ve made a list, pick one, two or three that really stand out to you in terms of how they’ve shaped you as a person. The best examples will be likely communities you’ve been a part of during high school (and possibly long before as well, but you want to keep it current). For each example, write ‘how it shaped me’ and ‘what I contributed’. 

Your strongest example will likely be a community for which all are true:

1. Your involvement caused some sort of growth of character
2. You gave back in a meaningful way, perhaps through some sort of leadership within the community, or maybe by paying it forward and passing on those learnings & resources in another subsequent context
3. There’s something unique or memorable about the group, or what you did as a group (e.g., most of your peers can probably tell a meaningful story about their covid pod in 2020… if you do choose an experience that’s shared by a lot of people, highlight any unique and salient aspects of your particular group or experience)

Once you’ve found your best example and you get to drafting, come back again and again to this key sentence from the prompt: ‘Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience.’ They want to learn about what you’ve seen and done and how you’ve grown in life… this is not an opportunity to muse about the meaning of community. 

And never, ever undersell your the importance of your contribution or leadership within your community! Modesty works elsewhere in life; this is your moment to flex.

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 word limit)

For this one, imagine getting accepted to Cornell, but in the WRONG COLLEGE. If you’re an Agriculture and Life Sciences person and end up in Hotel Administration, think through all the ways that would upset you to your core. “Wait, but if I’m in College X, I won’t be able to …” Won’t be able to WHAT? The first step is to capture whatever finishes that sentence.

Now, zoom out a bit to consider your life, and your background. What led to this trajectory? What experiences made you realize you DIDN’T like Field A, and preferred Field B instead? There are likely several experiences along the way. Don’t just include the obvious ones that we could have predicted. It’s neat to see a complete picture. Was there ever a time you dabbled in anything else? Have you truly HATED some stuff? What is it that really inspires you about Agriculture and Life Sciences? We want to see where the momentum comes from, and we want to believe that your commitment to this field of study is real and exciting.

One thing to remember. What if you get rejected from Cornell and this particular school, and, oh well, you end up getting into Harvard and Stanford instead? Will you not go because you have no ability to succeed at a “normal liberal arts school”? Of course not (we hope). The best way to mentally frame this question is to imagine multiple paths to a future ambition of yours. One of those might pass through Cornell, others will not. The question you need to really ask is… why does the version that passes through Cornell—and this particular college WITHIN Cornell—excite you in specific ways? Which experiences have led you to conclude that? See how that’s different from “this is my destiny and nothing else will work!”?

500 words is a lot of words. Most supplementals are in the 250-word range, so this is a proper essay. As such, you’ll want to develop your arguments well. Here’s an outline to get you going:

1. Establish a quick vision of where it’s all headed. What’s a VERSION of your ultimate vision? What inspires you? What kinds of things do you wanna be doing/achieving? Be quick, be straightforward, but give us a sense of your passion. [50 words]
2. Now take us through some highlights of your life so far that have played a significant role in steering you in that direction. Two or three examples should be good enough, but even one great one can suffice. It should be clear here not just WHAT intrigues you, but WHY (through these examples). [150 words, one to two paragraphs]
3. Explain briefly, what it is you hope to achieve in college, and then perhaps a few years out of college. And therefore what it is that would make for an ideal education IN GENERAL (forget Cornell, for now, just talk generally). What things in a college experience will bring out the BEST in you? [150 words]
4. Now, talk about specific aspects of Cornell and THIS SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR that tie to specific aspects of YOUR SKILL SET and AMBITIONS. Make it clear that THIS ENVIRONMENT might just deliver a better version of success for you than another program at another school. [150 words]

These are rough wording guidelines that’ll at least get you a serviceable first draft. From there, lots can happen (and WILL, in our experience). You’ll probably end up expanding the essay beyond the word limit, and then paring back down later – that’s a healthy part of the writing process.

Optional Short-Answer Responses:

The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission.

Optional Question #1: 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 word limit)

This question is officially optional, but we HIGHLY recommend providing an answer. The mission of CALS is not just science per se but science that can make the world a better place for the people and species that live on it. Demonstrate your passion for serving the public good through describing a time where you did just that. If your best example happens to be in the sciences/ag/climate space, cool; if not, don’t sacrifice a more impactful story in favor of a less impactful one that’s science-y. You’ve already demonstrated your commitment to/deep interest in your proposed field of study in a way that shows up on your activities list, transcript and essay above, so you can use this space to show your impact in other spheres, and perhaps tie it back to your drive to join CALS, if it's not too forced to do so. 

Optional Question #2: Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An "agricultural entity" for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.)

Select all that apply:

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

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

If this applies to you, seize the opportunity! CALS has an ag focus, and having some experience with an agricultural entity shows that you know what that work entails. You’ve got on more than just a romanticized picture of a farmer in a fresh flannel near a tractor with a piece of hay hanging out of your mouth on a crisp fall morning.

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning:

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

[See above, and substitute in Architecture, Art, and Planning.] But also add in an argument about why the offerings at Cornell are likely to propel you forward somehow BETTER than another school that offers the same stuff. What makes this program unique, given your specific interest within the AAP umbrella?

Since AAP doesn’t have a separate question to discuss social impact and purpose, if you have a purpose / impact story that dovetails well with this essay, do include it in the ‘what it is you hope to achieve in college, and then perhaps a few years out of college’ piece, or right after.

College of Arts and Sciences:

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

Same basic idea here as with the first two, except this addresses a broader crop of applicants, and there’s less of an expectation that candidates will come in with a clear idea of the exact career (or major) they ultimately want. “What interests you and why Cornell specifically?” The key here is to explain what fuels you, and what you need to succeed optimally. And then MAP that to SPECIFIC aspects of Cornell to demonstrate that the combination of you + Cornell ultimately leads to a better result than you + Another School.

Cornell Jed E. Brooks School of Public Policy:

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

Follow the prompt for the CALS essay above, including an impact angle (desire to work for the public good, in some way). As in the CALS and AAP applications, you will want to highlight SPECIFIC experiences and goals that make THIS the right school WITHIN Cornell for you. You’re applying directly to a major, so you’ll want to convince them through credible evidence (activities you’ve done, courses you’ve taken, etc.) that you really want to go to THIS school—rather than going in through Arts & Sciences and majoring in Government—in order to fulfill your goals. 

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business:

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

Same basic idea here as with the others, except you now have to grapple with this relatively new program and demonstrate that you’ve researched it thoroughly. Here’s one cool way to go about it: Whatever your business/econ goals are, imagine SUCCEEDING at them AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL (pick a school, any school). Spoiler Alert: You’ll be able to succeed (we hope) at many schools OTHER than Cornell. (Right?)

Cool, now imagine one more version of success, this time, the one that passes THROUGH this program at Cornell. What’s different about THIS version of success for you? Why? What is it about this program, and YOUR GOALS SPECIFICALLY, that makes the collision of YOU + THIS PROGRAM a particularly dangerous combination? 

For the Dyson School, if you can’t make a compelling argument here for why THIS combo is necessarily better than You + UPenn (Wharton) or You + (any other Ivy), it’s not gonna land. There’s gotta be a compelling set of arguments. Find em. Approaching it THIS way is a great way to get unstuck if you’re having trouble developing momentum.

For the Nolan School, there needs to be some magnetic force between you and this specific college at Cornell. Walk us through the events and experiences that led to your decision to pursue this field. Then, convince us that among all the folks out there who share equally compelling reasons to pursue hospitality degrees, YOU deserve a seat in particular. What about YOU should convince the gatekeeper that your future is brighter and more impactful in this arena than someone else?

College of Engineering:

Instructions: All engineering applicants are required to write two long essays and four short essays.

Long Essay Responses (200 word limit)

Question 1: Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering?

This is your opportunity to defy the stereotype that engineering students have chosen that course of study at their parents’ behest, or just because they believe it equals success. SHOW them your passion for the field… don’t just rehash your transcript and activities list. 

Sketch out where it’s all headed. What’s one version of your ultimate life/career? What really inspires you? What kinds of things do you want to achieve within engineering? What do you love about the process? You can pull in any experiences that have played an important role in steering you in that direction. Don’t just tell us WHAT you love about engineering, but also WHY. 

Question 2: Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering?

Cornell Engineering is pretty unique: they’re the largest top engineering program, with 14 majors and 21 minors. You don’t need to answer this question as if you know EXACTLY which courses you’re going to take each semester, but you DO need to convince them that you’re SPECIFICALLY interested in THEIR engineering program, beyond just its ranking. Think collaboration, student-led projects, the ability to go deep on a very broad range on subjects within engineering, proximity of other top programs, etc. We’ll say it once again… be specific!

Short Answer Responses (100 word limit)

The key to these short answers is that they must be complementary, not redundant with one another or with your transcript or activities list. The cool thing about this short answer format is that you can show different sides of yourself without needing to tie them all together with one big bow. 

Before you decide on how to answer each question specifically, make a list of things that are really cool, great or impressive about you that HAVEN’T been exhausted elsewhere in your application: qualities of your character, activities, passions, challenges you’ve gone through, etc. Some of these miscellaneous, unallocated 'greatest hits’ stories might find their way into your short answers. 

Question 1: What brings you joy?

This is not a trick question! Show them a new side of yourself. Make a list of all the things that really bring you joy. Now review them and see which ones include the following: (1) working closely with others – especially others who are different from you, (2) exploration and curiosity, and (3) a novelty/salience/wow factor. It doesn’t have to have all three, but try to pick something that at least satisfies either #1 or #2. Oh, and it should actually, literally bring you joy!

Question 2: 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?

Your general Cornell essay was about community, so find a NEW angle on community here. Think about times you’ve worked on a team… what was your superpower? The brainstormer? The excellent listener and synthesizer? The person who breaks the ice finds similarities across differences? You only have 100 words, use them to give the admissions committee a new, clear and concise angle on who you are when in relationship to teammates. 

Question 3: 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.

Don’t mistake this question for, ‘tell us again about the most impressive thing you’ve done’. This is about personal significance. Make a list of the most meaningful involvements in your life. Whittle the list down by focusing on longer commitments (nothing you started this year) where you’ve really invested yourself. Of those, pick the one that’s most meaningful to you, and follow the prompt to tell them about its significance for you. 

Question 4: 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. 

Once again, pay attention to the language here: they want to hear about the achievement that has meant the most to you, and they want to understand its importance to you. Make a list of achievements or awards that you haven’t already exhausted elsewhere in the application – totally fine if something is in your activities list, but if you’ve written about it in an essay, try to find new examples that highlight your values, your tenacity, your emotional intelligence in a new way). Again, this is not a standalone ‘tell me your greatest achievement’ question – it’s an opportunity to add NEW information about yourself in the context of a WHOLE application. If you want to touch on a big 'win' but there's something with greater personal significance, you could say, 'you might think I'd answer X, but it's actually Y, because of personal significance [ABC]!'

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. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.) (650 word limit)

Same general idea as the others. Walk us through your specific inspiration for this field, and why pursuing a college at Cornell that focuses on this is preferable to a broader education framework elsewhere. Given that the departments within this college are quite broad, ensure that you’re digging deep and getting detailed about your fit for the specific program you’re applying to. Refer to CHE's first-year applicant tips here.

School of Industrial and Labor Relations:

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

Same general idea as the others. Walk us through your specific inspiration for this field, and why pursuing a college at Cornell that focuses on this is preferable to a broader education framework elsewhere. ILR is really the top program on labor and employment, but that status can’t be your ‘why’ – the admissions committee needs to know that YOU KNOW why you’re committing to this field of study.

Learn more and explore each step of Cornell’s undergraduate application process here.