Let’s take a closer look at this Cornell essay prompt.


has released its 2024-2025 . For years, Cornell asked applicants to respond to an essay of up to 650 words in length that essentially asked, “?” But this year, the Ivy League institution has changed things up, creating essays specific to the individual school to which a student is applying within Cornell. So what supplemental admissions essays will applicants to Cornell’s Class of 2029 be asked to write? Let’s dive in!


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.

I collaborated with the counselor and the library to organize several events every month. We had weekly meditation, stretching, and doodle sessions, “safe space” days where students could simply come and openly share their concerns and worries, and we even hosted therapy dogs once every term. We asked students to rate their mood before and after each session, and 92% of the students said that their stress level had decreased significantly.

The Why Cornell “Why this College” Essay Example

. Applicants interested in the engineering program at Cornell will have to write two Cornell supplemental essays. Students accepted to the program will have 14 majors and 22 minors to choose from.

Before reading all about the college-specific Cornell supplemental essays, take a look at an example of a why school essay for some tips. Of course, your Cornell University essay will be quite different. However, every Cornell supplemental essay should share the same goal: convincing admissions that you belong on campus.

The 7.3% acceptance rate for Cornell’s Class of 2027 was just a touch higher than last year’s 6.9%. However, as late as 2003, the school still had as high as a 31% acceptance rate. Clearly, getting into Cornell in 2024-25 is a vastly different enterprise than earlier in the millennium. Even if you earned a 1450+ on the SAT and maintained straight A’s throughout a high school career littered with AP and honors courses, you still need to find a way to distinguish yourself from other high school superstars. Fortunately, Cornell’s supplemental essays present applicants with just the opportunity they need to showcase their unique personality, writing ability, passions, and talents.

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.


How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essay

I am elated to say that the Mental Health Club is now a formal program of our school that offers weekly sessions and makes it a point to raise awareness about wellness and balance. I plan to use the knowledge I will gain at Cornell to create and introduce programs of this nature in other high-stress environments and learn how to ensure that students are learning in the best conditions possible.

18 Essays that Worked at Cornell

If someone was keeping track of the number of times students cried or broke down in school from freshman to Junior year, they would have noticed that the number was rising exponentially. For context, I went to a boarding school that prides itself on teaching the brightest students and preparing them for the academically rigorous programs of the top colleges in the country. While I loved a lot of things about my high school, I can admit that the environment in which we studied was very pressure-inducing.

Cornell U. College of Arts and Sciences suppl. essay.

When writing a “why this college” essay, it is important to write passionately. If you’re waiting to take a tour of campus until after you’ve received your , then why not ? Envisioning yourself on campus will help you find motivation and inspiration for the Cornell supplemental essays. So, no matter which of the Cornell supplemental essays you choose, admissions officers should be able to envision you enriching the college community.

Cornell University Supplemental Essay Examples

Students who are undecided on their major will likely write a Cornell supplemental essay to this college—unless, of course, a major within a different discipline has captured their interest. The College of Arts and Sciences focuses on an education. This college is “curiosity-driven” and the perfect place for academic “exploration and discovery.”

How to Write the Cornell University Essays 2024-2025

You’ll notice that this is a somewhat typical and essentially a why major essay as well. So, you’ll need to choose an area of academic interest in order to complete this Cornell University essay prompt. However, as the prompt states, you can mention multiple Cornell majors. You’ll have 650 words in which you can respond to this Cornell supplemental essay prompt.