Cornell University 2026-27 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Cornell University 2026-27 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: One essay of 550 or 650 words; two essays of 350 words; or two essays of 200 words and four short answers of 100 words, depending on major selection

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

How to Write Cornell Supplemental Essays

If you’re worried about writing Cornell supplemental essays that get you noticed (and accepted), fear not. College Essay Advisors is here to help. Read on to access our expert advice for writing the Cornell supplement and fill out a contact form at the bottom of the page to learn about our one-on-one advising services!

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement for those applying for Fall 2027 entry, please respond to the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

Cornell University Essay Question

There will be no university essay question for Fall 2027 applicants.

COLLEGE- AND SCHOOL-SPECIFIC ESSAY QUESTIONS

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

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. 

What interests you about the major you selected? Tell us about experiences (both in and outside of the classroom), questions, and goals that influenced your choice. (350-word limit)

With such a specific professional focus, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is asking for an equally specific commitment from you. Make sure you have concrete reasons and practical experiences to back up your chosen course of study. The admissions officer reviewing your application will likely expect you to connect your intended major to some prior experience and/or passion as well, so tell a story. The essays that stick with us are the ones that jump off the page with concrete descriptions from real life. What interests you and why? How have you gone about learning more about your subject of interest? What will this degree empower you to do? How have you already explored your inclination? Try to focus on one significant experience; your story should showcase your unique connection to your chosen course of study. Remember to include any future goals you may have! 

What draws you to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)? Reflect on the learning, community, or impact opportunities that matter most to you, and share how they align with Cornell CALS as you currently understand it. (350-word limit)

While the prior question asked about your specific major, this one asks about your interest in CALS as a whole. Here, admissions wants to know that you have researched all the resources that CALS has to offer to determine that it’s the best fit for you. What aspects of the CALS program will propel you further into your area of interest? What will your future degree empower you to do? Why couldn’t you pursue your interests in a more general liberal arts environment? To ace your answer, you’ll need to tie in the current activities and opportunities that matter to you with their specific resources: What excites you about their coursework, research opportunities, or communities? How do those offerings align with your personal goals and values? How will CALS allow you to work across disciplines to achieve your goals? Remember, you don’t study your major in a vacuum, so be sure to—say it with us—do your research on the entire college. 

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)?

– 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. (650 words max)

– BFA applicants, you may want to consider how you could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice.

– URS students, you may want to emphasize your enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

This is a simple Why Essay, even if the prompt is verbose. Applicants need to write an essay explaining why they want to study their major, specifically, at AAP. Admissions is looking for evidence of previous interest/experience in your major of choice, confirmation that you’ve taken the time to explore Cornell’s resources and programs thoroughly, and (if you’re hoping to pursue a 5-year professional degree program) an indication that you’ve already started putting your passions into practice with a project. Because the word count is so high, you have plenty of space to delve into the details of your own enthusiasm and incorporate all your research into Cornell’s offerings. You’d be wise to write an essay that weaves together your interest in architecture, art, and/or urban planning with your vision for the future, hopefully one that includes graduating from AAP.

College of Arts & Sciences

At the College of Arts & Sciences, your education is yours to shape. Describe an intellectual passion, question, or idea that has captured your attention – whether it emerges from your studies or extends beyond your coursework. What specific aspects of our liberal arts curriculum would you draw on to explore and connect your varied interests? (650 word limit)

Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences is the most generalized of Cornell’s colleges, so admissions is offering you the opportunity here to gush about your passions, unanswered questions, and obsessions. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you extremely motivated to solve a problem or create something new? What was the last fact or skill you learned outside of school that truly captured your imagination? Which book or poem altered the way you think about your place in the world? Then, you’re never going to guess what we’re about to recommend! (Okay, maybe you will.) Do some research. Spend a little time (or a lot!) on the school’s website, campus, or at local Cornell events to learn everything you can about the academic offerings, opportunities, and curriculum. Take this opportunity to show how the College of Arts and Sciences will allow you to explore your “varied interests.” Why have you chosen not to pursue a more specific or vocation-oriented pathway at this point? What will you gain from having access to a diverse array of academic departments? Is there departmental cross-pollination that excites you? What about an Arts and Sciences education at Cornell compels you, specifically? With 650 words, there is plenty of space to discuss all the ways you hope to engage as a student at Cornell.

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Discuss your interest in pursuing a major in policy at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and what draws you to this field of study. You are encouraged to consider including details related to your personal experiences, values, academic influences, or extracurricular activities that have shaped your perspective and future goals. (650 word limit).

This prompt is very simple: why do you want to study Public Policy and how will the Brooks School help you to realize your dreams? If you’re pursuing a degree in Health Care Policy or Policy Analysis and Management as an undergraduate, it’s likely that you have a very personal tie to social issues and other systemic problems that impact the public domain. This is your opportunity to share your story with admissions. Maybe you are passionate about using your persuasive writing and critical thinking skills to implement policies that will benefit Earth (and all its inhabitants). Perhaps you’re eager to take action to close the gender wage gap or reimagine the U.S. healthcare system. Cornell is asking you to dig into the experiences, influences, and activities that inspired you to apply, so don’t be shy when it comes to connecting your lived experiences with their offerings! Then, spend some time on Cornell’s website or speaking with current students and faculty so you can identify exactly which courses, professors, research opportunities, and/or internships will help you achieve your goals. Whatever your reasoning may be, show admissions that you have thought carefully about your decision to not only pursue public policy, but pursue it at Cornell.  

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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

Business College hopefuls have also been tasked with writing a Why Essay, but in this case, it’s more about your fit than the schools’ offerings. Show how your own goals and interests align with your chosen school’s programs and opportunities. But more importantly, demonstrate how your background and pathway to business school sets you apart from your peers. You’ll need to learn how to write a good value proposition eventually, so consider this essay your first foray into marketing—what issues do you care about when it comes to business, why are they important to you, and which Cornell program will help you both address them and achieve your goals? Remember, research is key here to underscore your strong fit with your chosen school’s courses, internships, and other offerings.   

Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering

All engineering applicants are required to write two long essays and four short essays. The first two essays have a 200 word limit each while the remaining four have a 100 word limit each.

Question 1:
Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering? (200 Words)

Cornell is asking you to get philosophical and share what draws you to the field of engineering. Spend some time considering their definition of engineering and your personal relationship to math, science, technology, and problem-solving. Maybe you have always been fascinated by the tech behind your household appliances and computers, which drew you to electrical engineering. Perhaps you love civil engineering because you spent much of your adolescence pestering your teachers for real-world applications of the math you loved. Maybe you dream of solving major societal issues like sustainable power generation and engineering is the key to reconfiguring our grid. Whatever your intended major, share what excites you about engineering and what you hope to do with your degree, citing specific examples from your life that have led you to this application. This question leads directly into Question 2 below:   

Question 2:
Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering? (200 words)

You can get an Engineering degree at thousands of schools across the country, so why are you so keen to study at Cornell, specifically? This is a perfect opportunity to show off your (wait for it) research! Cornell is obviously a prestigious university, so rather than talk about the school’s storied reputation, use your 200 words to discuss why the program is perfect for you (and vice versa). Dive into the curriculum, extracurricular opportunities, and impressive 14 majors and 21 minors and tell admissions what excites you about Cornell. Maybe their Environmental Engineering program will propel you toward your dream career in city planning and hazardous waste management. Perhaps you’re excited by the student-led projects and can’t wait to collaborate with your peers on hands-on research. Whatever it is that draws you to Cornell (besides Andy’s unhinged school spirit in The Office), admissions wants you to describe that interest and then connect it to your aspirations.   

Short Answer Responses (100 word limit)

Question 1: What brings you joy?

Try not to overthink this and go with your gut. Your response doesn’t have to be related to engineering at all. Maybe you love watching the sunset on your grandmother’s porch over a pitcher of lemonade and a game of checkers. Or perhaps you want to tell admissions about the look on your sister’s face every time you agree to a custom makeover (neon eyeshadows only). If you want to write about something bigger, maybe it’s the app you’re building to help people find volunteer opportunities in their community or the scientific discovery you made last spring. Whatever it may be, be true to yourself and you’ll ace this response by letting your unique self shine through.  

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?

This is a classic Community Essay, through and through. Admissions officers want to know which diverse perspectives you, specifically, will bring to the Cornell community. Where do you come from? What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What you address can be reflective of your larger cultural background or a trait specific to you and only you. Consider why your particular background or experience will be useful in an academic setting. How will it help inspire and/or inform others? Were you raised in an indigenous community? Do you identify as nonbinary? Do you come from a farming town and spend your summers working with heavy machinery? What has influenced your identity? How will your worldview and experiences bring something of value to the engineering community at Cornell?  

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.

What would your life be mundane without? Elaborate on an activity, responsibility, or passion that is meaningful to you. Unlike an activities resume entry, this should be expanded to reflect your priorities, worldview, and sense of purpose. Use your experiences to tell admissions something about you they wouldn’t already know from your list of extracurriculars. What gives your life meaning? Why do you wake up in the morning? What are you working toward? Perhaps you babysit your cousins when your aunt gets called into work and have a unique relationship with the phrase, “it takes a village.” Maybe you inherited your love of animals from your veterinarian dad and now you foster rescue cats until they find their forever homes. Perhaps you were diagnosed with a degenerative disease as a kid, so playing on your school’s baseball team takes on a particular significance for you. Whatever you choose to talk about, make sure you highlight its significance in your life.   

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.

This question could refer to an external award or a personal achievement for which you received no formal recognition. What you choose to write about should be something that means a lot to you regardless of how others might perceive it. Maybe your school spelling bee win represented a triumph over your learning disability. Perhaps running in Race for the Cure was not just an athletic accomplishment, but also a tribute to your mom, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Maybe you were always told you were tone deaf but after working hard with your high school choir director, you sang a solo at the spring concert. Whether you choose to write about national, state, or other awards or something more personal, make sure you focus on its importance in your own eyes.  

College of Human Ecology

The College of Human Ecology prepares students to respond to human needs through an education organized around the interconnected issues that profoundly affect individuals, communities, and the institutions that shape our lives.

Think about an extracurricular/community engagement/work experience that most closely connects you to the CHE mission and your intended choice of major. Tell us what that experience taught you about your broader community and its needs, and the impact you can make. How will your intended CHE major help you make that impact? (Refer to our essay application tips as you write your essay.) (550 word limit)

CHE wants to know what you care about and how studying at CHE will prepare you to take on this challenge. What experiences led you to your major of choice? What have you learned about your community’s needs and where you can be helpful? Maybe your work in retail opened your eyes to the proliferation of fast fashion, and you hope to study Fiber Science to develop sustainable, affordable fabrics. Perhaps babysitting your neighbors’ kids alerted you to the dangers of smartphones, and you want to study Human Development to fully understand—and combat—their effects of social media on teenagers’ emotional development. Following CHE’s essay application tips is key here: focus on how their holistic education and perspectives appeal to you and how CHE can help you make an impact after graduation. With 550 words to work with, there is plenty of space to dive into the experiences that inspired your interest in your chosen issue while also showcasing the research you’ve done to prove that CHE’s interdisciplinary curriculum will help you achieve your goals. 

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) 

What subject could you talk about for hours on end with your friends, family, or even a complete stranger? Maybe it’s the need for more stringent legislation to regulate toxic chemicals in everything from our cosmetics to our food and water sources. Perhaps it’s the impending water crisis and the public policy that you believe would change the way Americans use and think about water. With this prompt, it’s a good idea to touch on when or where your passion first began, how it developed over time, and how you are planning to pursue this issue or interest at Cornell. Make sure you weave in your personal, school, and extracurricular experiences with your chosen topic. This prompt gives you a valuable opportunity to reveal something new about yourself by discussing your enthusiastic engagement with a given issue; in the process, you will showcase your curious, well-rounded nature to admissions—and huzzah for that!  

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Cornell Essays

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the Cornell supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these essays, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves on helping students to write successful Cornell supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances.