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Cornell essay prompts for 2025-26
Copy the prompt you are answering into the prompt field above, then paste your draft, so the readers grade the answer against the question it has to answer.
These are the most recent Cornell prompts Kolly has verified, checked . Cornell may have updated them since, so check Cornell University admissions before you submit.
SC Johnson College of Business — Why 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 max · Required
Engineering — Why Engineering (Long Essay 1)
Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering?
Required
Brooks School of Public Policy — Why Policy
Why are you interested in studying policy, and why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals have influenced your choice of policy major.
650 words max · Required
Engineering — Why Cornell Engineering (Long Essay 2)
Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering?
Required
Engineering — Contribution (Short Essay 1)
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?
Required
AAP — Why This Major
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, 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.
650 words max · Required
Engineering — Achievement (Short Essay 3)
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.
Required
Arts & Sciences — Intellectual Curiosity
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 max · Required
Human Ecology — Challenge + Why CHE
Identify a challenge in your greater community or in the career/industry in which you are interested. Share how the CHE education, your CHE major of choice, as well as the breadth of CHE majors, will help you address that challenge.
600 words max · Required
CALS — Why This Major
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.
Required
Engineering — Meaningful Activity (Short Essay 2)
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.
Required
ILR — Why ILR / Issues That Matter
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.
600 words max · Required
Any Person, Any Study
In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, 'I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.' Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to 'any person, any study.'
350 words max · Required
Major and College Fit
How have your interests and related experiences influenced your selection of major and college (or school) at Cornell?
650 words max · Required
All Cornell supplemental essays, with word limits and the published source.
How Kolly grades a Cornell essay
The grade covers the same six dimensions as every Kolly read: hook, theme, detail, authenticity, reflection, and writing, each scored from 0 to 5. The big number is a percentile that shows where your draft lands among accepted essays of the same type from top US schools. Cornell readers, like their counterparts at peer schools, read fast and form an impression in the first paragraph. The verdict quotes the line that lands and names the weakest moment, so you know what to fix first.
Why Kolly instead of a ChatGPT read
ChatGPT and other general models grade against writing in general, which is not what Cornell readers do. Kolly grades against essays that got in, and four readers argue over the draft before they vote, so a polished answer that says nothing specific gets called out instead of praised. The quick read is free without an account. A free Kolly account adds the full review: a stronger scoring model, notes on each paragraph, and a fix-it plan.
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