An Analysis of the Cornell Supplemental Essays 2020-2021
After working on multiple essays for each of your applications, you might be surprised to learn that you only have to write one supplemental essay for Cornell University. But it’s a big one! Your response must be as long as your personal statement. Cornell receives thousands of applications from students all over the world who all have unique stories to tell, so this part of the application is very important. Standing out isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either, especially if you can impress the admissions officers through the Cornell supplemental essays 2020-2021.
In reading your response, admissions officers want to learn about your extracurriculars, character traits, intellectual pursuits, and reasons behind choosing Cornell. The school within Cornell you decide to apply to could end up being the deciding factor behind which supplemental essay question you write about. . So don’t rush to write your response – plan your essay carefully. To guide you through the prompts for the seven Cornell schools, I’ve outlined them, included the do’s and don’ts for your responses, and added more tips to help you tackle the Cornell supplemental essays 2020-2021.
Prompts for the Cornell University Supplemental Essays 2020-2021
When you add Cornell as one of your schools in the Common Application, you have to pick one of the seven colleges within Cornell, instead of applying to the university as a whole. These are:
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Architecture, Art and Planning
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
- School of Hotel Administration
- College of Engineering
- College of Human Ecology
- School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)
Each college asks you to answer one 650-word supplemental essay question. When writing the other essays, your response should be tailored to the school you’ve chosen, and demonstrate unquestionable passion for the field and knowledge of a particular program at Cornell. Without further ado, let’s look at the prompts for each school and the approaches you should – and shouldn’t – take when it comes to your essay.
In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 650 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals?
Since CALS is an undergraduate institution unique to Cornell, there are many Cornell-specific programs and opportunities you can draw from in order to portray your interest in CALS. You can choose from its 20 program offerings in the life sciences – from Animal Science to International Agriculture and Rural Development – and dive straight into studying the discipline of your choice on day one. These majors are more niche, so the reader must take away a demonstrated fit for the particular program through your writing.
The key to your answer lies in showing that you have done thorough research on the major that you’ve chosen, and convincing admissions officers that CALS is the perfect school for you. Why are you certain that the CALS Food Science or Landscape Architecture program is what you want over what other schools have to offer? You could highlight your commitment by making a clear connection between work you’ve done in the particular field and your choice of CALS major. Why is CALS the place to explore your passion for life sciences rather than the Biology or Environmental & Sustainability departments at the College of Arts and Sciences?
Avoid general statements about how exceptional CALS is – admissions officers already know that – and instead reflect instead on ways your interest has grown, what your goals are, and how CALS fits into it all. The more specifically tailored your essay, the better the reader can understand your perspective.
