cornell transfer essay questions

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Transfer Option Frequently Asked Questions

Transfer option logistics.

You must respond to the Transfer Option offer by using the Transfer Option Response Form. The TO Response Form must be submitted by the expressed deadline. No deposit is required.

Saying "yes" to the Transfer Option is not binding and you can decide not to pursue the Transfer Option at any time by communicating with the CALS Admissions Office ( cals_admissions [at] cornell.edu (cals_admissions[at]cornell[dot]edu) ).

The Transfer Option and Waitlist are separate decisions made by the Selection Committee.  All decisions are final and there is no appeal process. 

A Transfer Option Candidate may request a major change.  Please provide a one page statement explaining why you would like to change your major in CALS and please share your future goals related to this major.   Candidates requesting a change of major during the academic year should also include an unofficial transcript and a copy of your spring course schedule, if available.   

Major change requests should be sent to cals_admissions [at] cornell.edu (cals_admissions[at]cornell[dot]edu)  by December 1.

You cannot request a change of major to Applied Economics and Management, Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Global and Public Health Sciences, or Information Science. The Selection Committee reserves the right to deny any change of major request.

Your Transfer Option is only valid for fall of the following year.  If you are planning on taking a gap year, you would need forgo the TO and apply to Cornell as a traditional external transfer applicant.  During the review process, the Selection Committee would see that you were awarded a TO previously and give your application every consideration.

The transfer option is only valid for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).  If you are interested in transferring to another college at Cornell you should apply as an external transfer applicant.

Please keep in mind that as a CALS student you will have the opportunity to either double major or minor in CALS or minor in any of the other 6 colleges at Cornell.  You can view a list of all of the minors available to Cornell students here .

While there are no specific GPA requirements or course requirements for you final semester of HS, we encourage you to work hard and get the best possible grades.  A successful end of your senior year will only make your transition to college (and later to Cornell) easier.  We will request a final transcript (showing your final senior grades) at the time of application however, the Selection Committee will put the most weight on your college transcripts and if you have met the TO requirements.

You will need to complete the Transfer Option application (no fee) and submit it along with a final official high school transcript, an official college transcript, a mid-term grade report (for your spring semester courses) and a college report to be considered for admission.

A new requirement for the Transfer Option application is a short essay. The essay is an opportunity for you to express your continued interest in CALS and your major, and for us to learn more about you and your new perspective after a year at another institution.  Your essay should highlight experiences during your first year of college (internships, research, coursework, etc).   While there is no official word limit, please plan not to exceed 500 words.  You'll upload your essay as a PDF on the TO application.

Yes, you will need to resubmit your application for financial aid at the time of application.  Please use the financial aid calculator to receive an estimated financial aid package or visit finaid.cornell.edu.

Whether you enter as a freshman or transfer, all students who are interested in studying abroad are encouraged to do so.  We have amazing programs through Cornell Abroad but also through CALS Exchange, which is a program specifically for CALS Students. 

• Learn more about the various international opportunities CALS offers

Your First-Year Institution

Cornell does not have a preference for which school you attend next year.  You may attend any 2- or 4-year accredited institution, preferably in the U.S.  It is extremely important that you choose a school where

• You can see yourself being happy for the remainder of your college career.
• You will be able to complete the course requirements for your transfer option.

We have found that students who attend institutions outside the US often have a difficult time fulfilling course requirements because the content may vary greatly from what is offered at US institutions.  Please attend an institution in the US or your country of residence.  You will have an opportunity to study abroad upon arrival at Cornell.

Attending a school that is on the quarter system is OK.  CALS semester system awards transfer credit for quarter system credits by calculating .67 credits per credit of study at an institution on the quarter system. A 5-credit quarter system course is equivalent to a 3 credit semester course. If your major requires 2 semesters of a course (ex: Biology), plan on taking two 5-credit quarters of Biology. 

Pass/Fail grading or written evaluations will not satisfy the Transfer Option requirements - you will be required to submit grades to the CALS Admissions committee in order to demonstrate your academic performance in the courses you are taking.  Pass/Fail grades will not count for credit; to be considered a transfer student you must complete 12 or more college credits (post-high school graduation).

Meeting Course Requirements

Your major has a list of required coursework that you will need to complete in order to transfer.  Find your major on the "Course Requirements by Major" tab on the Transfer Option home page , click the "Transfer" tab, and follow the Sophomore requirements. 

AP/IB credit may be used to fulfill required coursework for transfer. Please use the AP/IB Chart and the CALS Transfer Credit Policy to see which scores will count for credit. The following restrictions apply:  

• AP/IB credit can only be used to fulfill ONE of writing requirements; the other must be taken during your freshman year.
• AP Literature may not be used to fulfill the writing requirement for Communication.
• AP Biology credit cannot be used to fulfill the requirement for the Biological Sciences, Biology and Society, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, or Food Science majors.
• AP Chemistry may not be used to fulfill the requirement for Food Science.
• Information Science will not accept AP Statistics.

Please report any scores that you plan on using towards requirements on your TO application and have any new scores (since your freshman application) be sent to Cornell next spring.

NOTE: Requirements for a specific course will not automatically be fulfilled if your first-year institution accepts AP/IB credit for that course. Please refer to the AP/IB Chart to see our score requirements. If you do not receive the minimum score for Cornell or if you are applying to a major that does not accept AP/IB credit for specific courses, you will need to take the class your freshman year.

Cornell University does not accept credit for courses sponsored by colleges or universities but taught in the high school to high school students, even if the college provides a transcript of such work. CALS does not accept credit from College Now, SUPA, University in High School, NOLS and other comparable programs. CALS does not accept credit for programs offered to students for completion of high school degree in a college setting such as, but not limited to, Bard, TAMS, etc.

Students that have not completed the Transfer Option requirements will still be evaluated as a Transfer Option applicant. While our most successful applicants have completed all requirements, our admissions process is holistic, which means we consider all parts of an application. During our review, we consider whether candidates have the academic backgrounds (rigor, coursework and grades) to be successful at Cornell CALS; whether the personal attributes and extracurricular experiences shared demonstrate a solid connection with the CALS approach and mission; and that thoughtful fit is expressed for the candidate’s desired major, within Cornell CALS.

No.  You must receive a grade in the course for it to count towards transfer requirements and to transfer for credit to Cornell. In the eyes of Cornell, a P/F course is like not taking the course at all. If your institution has a policy that all grades are taken P/F, you must ask to have your grades uncovered to receive credit.

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Help with Cornell Transfer Essay

Question: I am applying for a junior level transfer to Cornell University. There is a particular essay question required by it: "Tell us what you'd like to major in at Cornell and why or how your past academic and work experience influenced your decision, and how transferring to Cornell would further your academic interests". How should I answer it? Should I write about the negative experiences I had in my current university or would that not be seen in a good light. As regards Cornell helping me in my academic interests, should I write about the curriculum of Cornell and its advantages?

Be as specific as possible when you explain why Cornell would be a good academic fit for you. For most students, this isn't an easy question to answer without offering a rather generic response. But, if you merely say, "Cornell has a strong psychology program (or anthropology, English, engineering ... .etc.)" you could really be writing about hundreds of other institutions, too. That sort of essay won’t make you stand out in a crowd or provide compelling evidence that you are well suited for Cornell. So hone in on classes, programs, or other opportunities that are unique to Cornell or that, at the very least, you won't find pretty much everywhere. Explain why these are right for you. Tie them to reading, research, paid or volunteer, work, travel or internships that you have already done and enjoyed, explaining why the Cornell classes provide a logical next step in your education.

And when it comes to pointing out why you want to transfer, put a positive spin on your negativity. Sure, that may sound like an oxymoron, but here’s an example of what I mean:

Instead of saying, “My current college isn’t very competitive and the class discussions are a real snooze,” try instead, “I’ve realized from my time at my current college that I am ready to face a more challenging academic environment. I'm the guy with the constantly raised hand in the classroom who can't wait to continue the discussion over lattes in the snack bar. I long to be in a community where other students share this passion."

Cornell admission officials really do pay attention to these essays and use them to help determine if the applicant has carefully researched Cornell and is applying for the right reasons. So do try to personalize the essay and make sure it connects Cornell to YOU. If you merely say, “Cornell’s Human Ecology program integrates academics, research and outreach into a distinct education ...,” you won’t be telling admission folks anything about you or anything they don’t already know. Instead, you’ll sound like you’re just parroting prose from the Web site … and, in fact, you will be! ;-)

(posted 12/29/2012)

Sally Rubenstone

Sally Rubenstone knows the competitive and often convoluted college admission process inside out: From the first time the topic of college comes up at the dinner table until the last duffel bag is unloaded on a dorm room floor. She is the co-author of Panicked Parents' Guide to College Admissions; The Transfer Student's Guide to Changing Colleges and The International Student's Guide to Going to College in America. Sally has appeared on NBC's Today program and has been quoted in countless publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Weekend, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, People and Seventeen. Sally has viewed the admissions world from many angles: As a Smith College admission counselor for 15 years, an independent college counselor serving students from a wide range of backgrounds and the author of College Confidential's "Ask the Dean" column. She also taught language arts, social studies, study skills and test preparation in 10 schools, including American international schools in London, Paris, Geneva, Athens and Tel Aviv. As senior advisor to College Confidential since 2002, Sally has helped hundreds of students and parents navigate the college admissions maze. In 2008, she co-founded College Karma, a private college consulting firm, with her College Confidential colleague Dave Berry, and she continues to serve as a College Confidential advisor. Sally and her husband, Chris Petrides, became first-time parents in 1997 at the ripe-old age of 45. So Sally was nearly an official senior citizen when her son Jack began the college selection process, and when she was finally able to practice what she had preached for more than three decades.

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College Essays

For the 2022–2023 admission cycle, Cornell admitted less than 8% of their total applicant pool. To be one of the students who gets accepted, you need to write amazing essays as part of your Cornell University application.

In this article, we'll outline the different types of essays you need to write for your Cornell University application and teach you how to write a Cornell supplemental essay that will help you stand out from the thousands of other applicants.

What Are the Cornell Essay Prompts?

Most students applying to Cornell only need to answer one Cornell supplemental essay prompt as part of their application (engineering students are the exception).

Don't get too excited though, because this one essay carries a lot of weight. The word limit is on the longer side (usually around 650 words), and the topic depends on which school within the university that you're applying to.

Cornell University consists of many smaller colleges, each with their own required Cornell writing supplement.

Your Cornell essay prompt will correspond to the school that you plan to study at, so give your future as a Cornell student some thought before you start writing. Be sure to write about the subject or area of study that you are currently interested in, even if that may change when you get to college. As with all college admissions essays, authenticity is key. You may have myriad scholastic interests, but for this essay, stick with what you know best and are most passionate about. Your potential topic must correspond with the areas of study at the college too.

The Cornell essay prompts give ample space for you to express yourself and reveal a more complete portrait of who you are as a student and human simply because of the word limit. You can say a lot in 650 words, so take advantage of it!

2023–2024 Cornell Supplement Essay Questions

Here are the essays and instructions as shown on the Cornell University admissions website :

College Interest Essays

The primary focus of your college interest essay should be what you intend to study at Cornell. 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. Note that the College of Engineering is the only college that requires multiple shorter essays, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences lists one required and two optional essays.

Here are this year's prompts: 

• 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.
• Required: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals?
• Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful mpact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you (200-word limit).
• 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).

• 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.
• 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. .
• 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 Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).
• Essay 1 (Required response): How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.
• Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.
• Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?
• College of Human Ecology: How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.)
• 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.

Cornell Supplement Essays Analyzed

In this section, we'll take a look at each Cornell supplemental essay prompt in depth.

Remember, you may only answer one prompt for your application.

We'll also give tips for how to best approach answering the individual essay questions. Some tips will apply to all of the questions, but we will highlight the important differences for each program.

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.

To apply to the Brooks School of Public Policy, you'll need to select a specific major . Be specific about what you want to study and why, and make sure that you clearly state why the Brooks School in particular is the best option for you.

Don't panic if you don't have a lot of experience with your chosen major yet! Instead, think about why you're interested in this field and what experiences led you to it . Maybe you're inspired by something you personally experienced, by research you conducted, or by a documentary or article you read.

You should also research the history of the Brooks School and its different programs. Choose the one that best aligns with your goals , and look to see whether any notable faculty or alumni might further inspire you.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Applicants must answer one required essay, but also have the option to answer two optional essays. We'll break down your options below.

Required: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals ?

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences asks you to have an idea of your major as you apply. In your essay, you should commit to one major and be specific about why it's important to you. Choose a topic of genuine interest to you and that you have a personal connection with, even if that personal connection consists solely of articles you've read and documentaries you've seen.

Do your research about the topic and the school. Dedicate some time to reading about CALS—its history, its current faculty, and its notable alumni. Is there anyone from your research who you can relate to or who you think of as inspiring? Are there professors whom you are looking forward to working with?

Lean into the school's reputation, and choose something specific to write about that has a personal connection to you. For example, instead of writing about homesteading trends across the country, write about a local farm in your area that you visited as a child or how you got interested in food science.

You could also write about your personal connection to a specific project of a professor who teaches in the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you.  (200-word limit)

This is a great opportunity for you to show how you want to use your passion for the greater good . Because the prompt tells you to define your impact "on people, a community" broadly, you have a lot of leeway here. Think about your local neighborhood, your family and friends, any trips you may have taken through school or service organizations—anything that shows your commitment to serving others.

Optional:  Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. 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)

This isn't an essay prompt so much as a way for you to self-identify . If any of these options apply to you, make sure to check them!

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 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.

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning wants to know how you connect your creative passions with your scholastic interests here. Think about what you learn about or engage with of your own volition, not just because you're required to. In other words, when you fall down an Internet rabbit hole, what are you often researching?

For example, what design trends fascinate you? Which artists, photographers, or architects do you gravitate toward? What sort of urban planning projects would you be inspired to pursue? What transportation, housing, or infrastructure issues in your community or region do you want to work toward solving? Keep in mind that you'll want to not just describe who or what motivates you but also  why .

Note also that the question asks you to describe either a "passion" or a "creative project," so if you've already had the opportunity to work on an art installation or design project that has inspired you to pursue your degree at Cornell, then describe that project and explain why it motivates you. Remember, the prompt asks about passions, as well as quirks. Don't feel embarrassed! Share something personal about yourself. Maybe you love watching old cinema or make your own pop-up cards for your family. Maybe you watch hundreds of hours of videos from YouTube photographers. Maybe you visit the City Hall of whatever new town you visit.

Whatever you choose, make sure you elaborate on why you're interested in it and how it's affected your life.

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 .

The College of Arts and Sciences is the most generalized school of study at Cornell University, and the admissions essay reflects that. If you know that you love to learn but aren't sure what your career will look like after college, it's likely you'll be applying here.

Don't be fooled! Just because the question is broad, you don't have to write a broad essay in response. Don't feel like you have to demonstrate an interest in both Russian literature and molecular biology. Rather, describe your real intellectual pursuits with honesty and sincerity .

You don't have to have huge aspirations or a fancy reason for your intellectual pursuits. Stay true to yourself. If you're interested in Tudor history because of some historical fiction novels you read as a child, that's fine! You can say that. Just be sure to always tie it back to how Cornell's academics will let you study your passion.

If you have multiple areas of study that you are passionate about, you may write about them—but don't write about more than two or three at the most. Otherwise, your essay will feel more like a list rather than an in-depth exploration of your actual interests.

If you do choose to write about multiple interests, be sure to connect them back to you and your individual experience as a Cornell student and community member.

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 Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

For the Johnson College of Business, the first part of the essay question asks you to think about the business-related topics or issues you are interested in; how they're connected with your life, academic, volunteer, or work experiences; and why. The next part of the prompt invites you to discuss your interests in terms of what's on offer at the business school.

Your best approach, then, is to r esearch the programs so that you know exactly what their approach to business, management, economics, and hospitality is.   What topics do they offer classes on? What specific research areas do their professors study? Then, think about what you most often find yourself thinking, reading, or talking about that relates to two or three of these topics. Those connections should be the core of your essay.

For example, did a history class inspire you to research the evolution of print advertising to digital marketing? Did moving from abroad get you interested in international development? Did you grow up in a family of entrepreneurs and want to further explore how to build your own business?

As you build your response, keep in mind that your essay should also indicate why you want to attend Cornell's College of Business rather than any other and how you'll take advantage of the resources it offers. So do some research on what makes the college stand out from others. You can list specific classes you'd like to take or professors you'd like to study with. Doing so will show that you're interested in Cornell, not just any old business school.

If you're specifically interested in the School of Hotel Adminitration and you're having trouble coming up with a topic, use the list of global hospitality industry topics as a jumping-off point. Which are you interested in? How did you become interested in them? Why do you care so much about these topics? What type of career do you want in this industry?

When writing about the experiences that define you and your passions as a future business major, don't generalize. Instead, use stories, anecdotes, and details  that actually happened and that show your personality traits and motivations. Follow that old grade-school writing rule: show; don't tell.

College of Engineering

All applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B.

Essay 1 (Required): How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.

Essay 2 (Required):

And now for something a little different. Instead of writing one long essay, College of Engineering applicants have to write two shorter essays, and they get to choose from three prompts.

Each of the prompts seeks to understand why you want to study engineering and why you believe you'd excel at engineering. For all prompts, be sure to go beyond the surface level with your answers. Don't just say that you want a steady job after graduation. Cornell's College of Engineering wants to see that you have both ambition and interesting ideas.

The first prompt is required  and is the most similar to the prompts for the other colleges. It's a basic "why us?" prompt, in which you explain to Cornell what it is about their College of Engineering that made you want to apply. Again, the more specific you can be here, the better. Mention things such as specific professors, classes, or internship opportunities to strengthen your essay.

The second prompt is a chance for you to put your thinking cap on! This is a great place for you to shine. Your job here is to choose a problem that is important to you —and say a little about why before diving into the prompt itself. If you know what type of engineering you want to study, make sure the problem you're addressing can be solved through that subfield. If you're not decided, you have a little more leeway.

For the third prompt, you're focusing on diversity and how you'll add to it. This doesn't just need to be racial diversity; think about what your unique life experiences can bring to Cornell's College of Engineering and how that would contribute to its diversity.

College of Human Ecology

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.)

This essay prompt gives you lots of room for creativity. That being said, heed this caveat: don't get carried away in stating your grandiose mission for solving the world's problems. As with the other essay prompts, specificity is key.

For the first question, choose an example from your life to illustrate your answer.  Pick something that has truly been formative in your educational and professional goals , dive in deep, and write from the heart.

For example, if you're interested in studying policy analysis and management, you could talk about how your experience with social welfare programs has affected your life. Or if you're looking to be part of the fiber science and apparel design program, you could talk about why clothing has played such an important part in your life and your passion for fashion design.

Be sure to include your future goals in your answer. The College of Human Ecology has a very specific focus—you'll want to reflect that as you discuss your career and life aspirations.

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.

This essay is a great opportunity to show off your academic side. You get to write about your topics of study and describe how you will continue to make it a part of your life in your college career and beyond.

You don't have to limit your answer to school experiences. Academic pursuits can grow from hobbies, travels, or personal experiences. Do you take on leadership roles in your religious community? Have you had a particularly influential summer job? As long as you relate the experience back to academics, you are golden.

You should also specify why ILR is the right college at Cornell for you to pursue these interests. What can you study at ILR that you can't study in Cornell's other colleges, such as the College of Arts and Sciences? It can be helpful to list specific courses or tracks of study at ILR that reflect your intellectual interests. Remember, the prompt specifically asks why ILR is your Cornell college of choice.

How to Write a Great Cornell Essay

Regardless of which Cornell essay prompt you're responding to, you should keep in mind the following tips for how to write a great Cornell essay.

#1: Use Your Own Voice

The point of a college essay is to give the admissions committee a chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors.

Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed-out person.

You should, then, make sure that the person you're presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don't try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you're not.

If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Cornell wants you to be.

#2: Avoid Clichés and Overused Phrases

When writing your Cornell essay, try to avoid using clichés or overused quotes or phrases.

These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are overused in daily life. The college admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays from students who have grand plans to change the world. Only talk about changing the world if you have legitimate interests to back it up.

Strive for originality and avoid using clichés, which take away from the strength and sincerity of your work.

#3: Check Your Work

It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure your Cornell essay is the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your Cornell application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays.

Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit.

It's a good idea to have someone else read your Cornell essay too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check to make sure you haven't missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be.

Recap: Writing a Stellar Cornell Essay

The Cornell essay prompts give you a chance to really show the admissions committee who you are. Regardless of the question you're answering, remember to follow these basic dos and don'ts as you're writing:

• Be authentic and honest.
• Be specific when citing people, places, and things.
• Strive for brevity and clarity; less is more!
• Be yourself, and do your research—both will shine through in your essays!
• Base your essays on what you think the Cornell application committee wants to hear.
• Use clichés or broad sweeping statements.
• Try too hard to be funny and original. Be genuine and your positive attributes will be visible to the committee.

What's Next?

Are you working on the Common App essay as part of your application? Read our breakdown of the Common App prompts and our guide to picking the best prompt for you .

If you're planning to take the SAT or ACT as part of your application , try out some of our famous test prep guides, like " How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT " and " 15 Key ACT Test Day Tips ."

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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3 Great Cornell Essay Examples

Cornell is one of the top schools in the nation, and a member of the esteemed Ivy League. With an extremely low general acceptance rate, admissions is highly-selective, though keep in mind that acceptance rates vary by schools within the university.

Cornell requires a single supplement for all applicants, but the prompt will vary based on the college you’re applying to. In this post, we’ll be going over two prompts for the College of Arts and Sciences and one prompt for the SC Johnson College of Business (which includes the infamous Hotel School!). We’ll outline what admissions officers are looking for, and we’ll analyze a sample essay written by a real applicant!

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized.  

Read our Cornell University essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

Essay Example #1

Prompt: Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st-century terms Ezra Cornell’s “any person…any study” founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College. (650 words)

“Give me liberty or give me death!” When I first read this quote, I got shivers. As a fourth-grader, I remember thinking: “How could one love liberty so much that they would give up their own life?” To me, American revolutionaries were too passionate about paying taxes and I shrugged off their fervor for liberty. But five years later, I found myself asking the same question.

During my freshman year of high school, I became completely engrossed in learning about the Atlantic Revolutions. From studying the Storming of the Bastille to Haitain independence, I noticed that people sacrificed everything for freedom. It was soon that I learned about Enlightenment philosophers and the role they played in spurring revolutions by inspiring others to challenge social and political norms. I was amazed that philosophy had the power to mobilize entire populations and positively reform nations. But as I reflected on the circumstances of social inequality and political corruption that led to these revolutions, I realized that philosophy is not just a powerful practice of the past; it is just as relevant today.

The United States is a country of contradictions. We boast values of equality and justice, yet our prison, immigration, and education systems are rife with inequity and corruption. I seek a philosophy education to lend me an understanding of existing power structures and how to create a more equitable society. There is no better place to further my educational career than at the Sage School of Philosophy, the birthplace of the first philosophical review in our country. Cornell’s long-standing commitment to approaching philosophy in a holistic manner is evident in its wide range of courses offered. Specifically, I am drawn to the Discussion of Justice course that focuses on current political controversies such as immigration and racial inequality, both issues I care deeply about. After witnessing the cycle of poverty that plagues my community, I see that our society is facing a moral dilemma. This course will enable me to question the values held collectively by our society and recognize the impact such values have on minority groups.

With a greater understanding of morality and social inequality, I hope to pursue a career in civil law rights, helping underrepresented groups in our country receive the justice they deserve. It would be a privilege to begin my career in law by learning the Philosophy of Law from Professor Julia Markovitz. Professor Markovitz’s expertise in moral reasoning will push me to consider the ethical problems that lawyers face and how to fairly represent those in need. I am energized by this course’s goal to not only learn the law, but also challenge it. Building a fairer future relies on changing current institutions based on the government’s moral obligation to its people. I am eager to study philosophy through a career-oriented lens that enables me to apply my learned knowledge to the field of law.

Among the many political issues our country is facing, I am motivated to learn more about global migration. Just miles from my home in South Texas, the humanitarian crisis at the southern border has shown me the complexity of migration. This year, my experiences volunteering with Loaves and Fishes, an organization that shelters and aids undocumented immigrants, have given me insight into the poverty and violence that many are trying to escape from. To those arriving from the southern border, migration is not a choice; it is a matter of survival. On a larger scale, with rising global temperatures creating climate change refugees and international wars rendering thousands of people homeless, I crave a more extensive understanding of the factors that prompt migration. I plan to pursue a minor in Migration Studies in order to learn how populations can be sustained and thrive in a constantly moving world. Taking classes at the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies will allow me to interact with students and faculty from other colleges on campus. I believe there are a myriad of factors that drive international migration; thus, working with students from all disciplines will expose me to a diversity in research that can shape future immigration policies. As a daughter of immigrants, I am moved by Cornell’s dedication to supporting education on migration, namely through launching ‘Migrations’ as the theme for Cornell’s first Global Grand Challenge. By researching, teaching, and engaging with communities to tackle the challenges of migration, I am excited to be part of a generation of activists that assist and empower migrants.

Today, the passion American revolutionaries had for change is no longer perplexing to me. I, too, am ready to enact change in our country and society. With Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences’ broad curriculum that encourages me to explore my many interests, I am confident that I will have the resources to improve our world in a truly revolutionary way.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay effectively accomplished the most important part of a “ Why This Major? ” essay: walking us through the past, present, and future of their interests. The essay starts by explaining how an interest in history spurred this student to care about philosophy and social justice, then they describe how they hope to further their academic passions at Cornell, and then the student tells us how they will make an impact after graduation.

Beyond the structure, this essay does a nice job of integrating the student’s multi-dimensional passions into the college’s offerings. From the beginning where they describe their research on revolutions to concrete examples of current social inequalities, they present their interests in a very real manner that makes it clear exactly what they care about. Because of this elaboration, the reader can clearly see how the student’s passion for philosophy, immigration, and social justice easily fit into Cornell’s curriculum.

The connection between their interests and Cornell was strengthened by the context this student provided about themselves. For example, when they mention the Discussion of Justice class, the student explains that they have witnessed the effects of poverty first-hand and need this class to better understand and address those issues one day. 

Providing detailed, personal context for school-specific opportunities, as this essay does, highlights your genuine interest and connection to the topics you are talking about. The true strength of this essay lies in the ability to connect the Cornell major to this student, with ample background information, at every stage of their academic career.

What Could Be Improved

While this essay starts strong with an anecdote that places the reader in the middle of the action, the rest of the essay falls a bit short on the action and excitement. The essay is a well-written account of this student’s passions, where they originated from, and where they hope to take them, but we are also looking for an energizing story that keeps us reading.

One easy way to bring more energy to the essay is to simply have shorter paragraphs. Long blocks of text are overwhelming and easier to get lost in, but shorter, more direct paragraphs help move the reader effortlessly from one paragraph to the next. Finding natural breaks in a paragraph is an easy way to make the essay flow more smoothly and maintain the reader’s engagement.

Another way to liven up the essay would be to interject more of the student’s personal thoughts and quotes. In the first paragraph, the student provides a quote to show the reader their inner monologue, which is an excellent way to show us what you think or feel rather than telling us. If more thoughts were interjected throughout the essay, we could get a better sense of how this student feels about certain topics, as well as see their personal voice shine through.

Essay Example #2

Throughout middle school and high school, I continuously took advanced science and technology classes. It wasn’t until four years ago when my eyes caught a glance of a flier posted next to my biology classroom: “Academy of Biotechnology! Meeting in room 307 today for freshmen interested in biotechnology,” that I realized my two favorite classes were intertwined in a field of their own: biotechnology. 

I’ve been in Room 307 every Thursday this year listening to guest speakers talk about various topics from sleep to drug development, exploring new advances in biotech, and planning the annual career fair.

Last summer, my internship at Holy Cross furthered my interest in biotechnology. When I was introduced to the da Vinci Xi surgical system – a robot that utilizes high-tech guided targeting and auxiliary technology to achieve less blood loss and a faster recovery time for patients, I was amazed at the employment of technology and its power to renovate the medical field. Cornell’s world-leading academics in its College of Arts and Science, particularly the interdisciplinary Biology and Society major, makes it a dream place for me to pursue my passion in both health and biotechnology. I’m specifically interested in the course on Ethical Issues in Health and Medicine, and the seminar course on Controversies in Science, Technology, and Medicine. These capstone courses under top professors will enable me to acquire knowledge about the breadth of biology within the dimensions of modern medical and ethical issues. 

I love that biotechnology encompasses a public health side as well as a microbiology side. Wanting to further explore the molecular side of biotechnology, I sought out the opportunity to work as a research intern at Montgomery College. I have been modeling protein and protein dockings of a cyanobacterium Synechococcus species through computational biology. I’m also drawn to Cornell’s Biological Sciences major with a concentration in Molecular and Cell Biology, where I can further explore my interest in biotechnology. Cornell’s wide range of courses in this major reflects its commitment to supporting its students with novel opportunities. Particularly, I am drawn to the Orientation Lectures in Molecular Biology & Genetics course. I’m eager to learn about the variety of research that Cornell’s experienced faculty is conducting. 

It would be an honor to learn from and work with Cornell’s researchers at one of the world’s greatest research institutions, through the myriad of opportunities the college provides. I’m especially interested in the research of Dr. Cohen and his team in the creation of micrometer-scale robots for following biochemical signals and encapsulating a soft tissue analog for new future treatments of disease. 

Outside of the classroom, I hope to combine my passions for public health and advocacy by engaging in the American Red Cross student organization, and perhaps the Cornell Sun. I also excitedly anticipate running Club Cross Country through Cornell’s astounding gorges and gardens. I look forward to contributing to the various student organizations at Cornell with my interests and background. 

Cornell’s unique freedom of course selection offers an uncommon opportunity for career exploration. I’m confident Cornell’s College of Arts and Science’s opportunities, courses, cutting-edge research and researchers, and community will make it my perfect next Room 307: an opening to practically endless exploration and growth that cannot be found elsewhere.

A positive aspect of this essay is how it neatly parallels the student’s interdisciplinary interests in science and technology to the interdisciplinary aspect of the major and the College of Arts and Sciences. The reader gains a full appreciation for the diverse interests this student has and exactly how they align with a Cornell education.

Providing context about the biotechnology club, their internship at Holy Cross, and their experience as a research assistant at Montgomery College are all great ways to show the reader how this student has already expressed intellectual curiosity in this field in the past. Although you don’t need to go into too much detail about things that will be included on your extracurricular profile, it’s always a good idea to tie in your experiences whenever possible.

Additionally, this essay successfully employs an echo back to the opening in the conclusion. The essay starts by introducing illustrious Room 307 as the birthplace of this student’s joint passion in science and technology, so circling back to that room in the conclusion helps bring the essay to a satisfying full-circle moment. It was also clever to use Room 307 as a metaphor for exploring their interest, and thereby comparing Cornell to the next Room 307.

This essay exceeds in covering a breadth of opportunities at Cornell that excite them, but it could use some work on the depth of each opportunity. What do we mean by this? The student mentions nine different aspects of Cornell that excite them, but they provide little meaningful elaboration on why they want to get involved with these particular choices, how they relate to their interests, or what they hope to gain from these experiences.

For instance, instead of just telling the reader they are interested in Dr. Cohen’s research, the essay should delve into what about micro-scale robots following biochemical signals excites them so much. Have they or a loved one been affected by a disease these robots could cure? Did they read an article about this technique a few years back and have been dreaming about implementing it up close? 

Asking these questions to probe deeper than the surface layer of “ I like this topic ” helps bring the essay (and you as an applicant) to life. If the student chose to cut back on the number of offerings they included and instead focused on the depth and context for each one, it would make the essay much stronger.

One more thing this essay does that we’d caution against is the empty flattery of the school. Cornell admissions officers know that it’s one of the greatest research institutions and there are many opportunities for supporting students, so it’s unnecessary for the student to repeat that in their essay. What they don’t know about is you . Try to steer clear of mentioning the college’s accolades and rankings, and maintain attention on you and how you fit in.

Essay Example #3

Prompt: 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 (the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 words)

I rounded third base; dust flew in a whirling cloud of dirt behind me. On my wrist I sported a stained pink wristband with the name of my grandmother, who had recently finished her last chemo treatment. I slid into home plate, narrowly escaping the daunting reach of the catcher. As I got up, I looked around at the field of players, all donning a similar wristband with the name of someone close to them that had battled cancer. I turned to the bleachers and smiled as a sea of pink cheered me on. While cancer can be a dismal matter, it was a merging force that brought a community together for that charity game. Seeing what a unifying tragedy cancer can be, I knew I wanted to help.

At the Dyson School within the Cornell SC Johnson School of Business I aim to gain a strong foundation in business, with a concentration in marketing, to conduct meaningful research as an undergraduate. Taking part in the CALS Honors Research program, I aspire to research marketing strategies for increasing cancer screening rates. Having numerous family members that have battled with cancer has shown me the burdensome effect it can have not only on the individual, but on the family. Through my project, I hope to minimize those effects, as catching the disease early on is vital to a patient’s recovery. With the unique opportunity provided by the program, I know that I will have that chance.

After graduation, I want to continue with a career in marketing for the betterment of society. For me, the importance of marketing is not about convincing consumers to buy the latest product to boost sales, it is about encouraging consumers to make decisions that will benefit themselves and their community. With a focus in healthcare, I will have the ability to positively influence people’s precautionary screening measures, keeping them safe and healthy. Similarly, I aim to apply the same principle in other fields during my career and my time at Cornell.

One of those fields is green energy. Protecting the planet is a sentiment that is also very important to me, and with its beautiful, vast landscape and focus on environmental conservation, Cornell is the perfect place for me to advance that mission. With the state of today’s climate, the need to act swiftly is paramount, and citizen participation is key. As a marketer, I would strive to convince consumers to make the switch to green energy. In the digital age, marketing relies heavily on the internet, and I am excited to take Digital Marketing with Professor Tomaso Bondi to develop my skills in that area.

With Cornell already performing groundbreaking research in sustainable energy, I want to get involved with the initiative from a marketing perspective. An opportunity that intrigues me is the student project Cornell Electric Vehicles. Although it is an engineering project team, I would love to get involved as a student from Dyson working on marketing the effectiveness of the vehicles designed by the team. Switching to electric cars is an efficient way to reduce our carbon footprint and sharing the successes achieved by the team would be a great way to showcase the capabilities of electric vehicles.

As a student looking to make a positive impact on his global community through research and marketing, I know that Cornell can provide me with the opportunities to achieve my goals. Whether it be persuading an unknowing cancer victim to receive a screening or a consumer looking for a new car to switch to green energy, I will make a change through marketing. By gaining a strong understanding of the foundations of business and marketing, I will strive to ensure that everyone after that charity game will be able to return home and hug their loved one and have a healthy and thriving planet to call home.

This student exemplified the prompt by showing us exactly what kind of business student they are. They are a student passionate about having a social and environmental impact through marketing. The fact that the reader can walk away with such a clear impression of who this student is and what they hope to accomplish with a Cornell business degree is a result of the concise and dynamic flow of this essay.

Every new idea they introduced—whether it was pursuing the honors research program or joining the Cornell Electric Vehicle project team—was supported by contextual reasoning and personal connections. Tying everything back to their past or their goals for the future really brought the student front and center and made it very easy for the reader to feel like they know this student.

In addition to connecting everything to the student, the essay also managed to connect interdisciplinary topics that you might not immediately think of when you hear business to marketing. Not being afraid to delve into healthcare and sustainability in an essay for a business school brings a personal and unique perspective to a prompt that admissions officers are sure to appreciate.

Another source of this essay’s strength is how each paragraph is concise and focused. There is a very intentional use of space that makes it extremely easy for the reader to follow along with each new idea and take away the main points from each paragraph. 

Although this essay is quite strong as it is, one weakness was the abrupt switch from cancer and healthcare to sustainability. It’s great that this student has multifaceted interests and that they were able to touch on both, but given that the anecdote at the beginning was solely focused on cancer, it felt somewhat jarring to switch to green energy halfway through the essay.

One way this discontinuity could be addressed is to find a different anecdote to begin the essay, ideally one that combines cancer and sustainability if at all possible. Or, the student could keep the cancer anecdote and add a second one that connects to their interest in green energy more. However, it’s important to not let the anecdote overwhelm the essay and take up too much space, so keeping it concise and providing just enough to spark interest is key.

This essay only includes three Cornell-specific opportunities, and while this allows for more personal connections to be made to each offering, the student’s interest and research on the college could be demonstrated with one or two more details. It might be nice if they found a club that related to marketing and healthcare on campus and a class that relates to business and green energy to show how they plan to address both of their passions in and out of the classroom.

Where to Get Your Cornell Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Cornell essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Cornell University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

Cornell University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 school-specific essay of 650 words or 2 essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, 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.

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.” for over 150 years, cornell university has remained deeply committed to ezra’s vision. explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “… any person … any study.” we encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350 word limit).

Admissions wants to know what has made you into the person you are today and how those experiences will affect the way you engage with and contribute to the Cornell community. Start by thinking about the kinds of experiences you’ve had in the communities you’ve been a part of thus far. Then, think about how those meaningful encounters will affect your time at Cornell. Maybe you had to fill in as head camp counselor when your team lead was sick—did that teach you the importance of stepping up when unexpected opportunities arise? Remember: admissions wants to invite students to campus who are excited about the chance to meet people from all walks of life and won’t shy away from newness and difference. So, tell a story about an experience that has shaped you and connect the lessons you learned to the ways in which you will contribute to inclusivity on campus next fall. (And though it’s tempting to mention how excited you are to join the a capella group “Here Comes Treble,” let’s leave The Office references in the drafts folder.)

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.

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..

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 the 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. 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.

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. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (Required)

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. Why couldn’t you pursue your interests in a more general liberal arts environment? Be specific.

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good.  Please elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you. (200-word limit)

Cornell wants to hear about an experience you engaged in that made a positive impact on a community close to your heart. Your answer doesn’t have to be connected to Agriculture and Life Sciences in any way, so let your mind wander. Maybe you bring your therapy dog to your local hospital once a month and you love watching everyone’s eyes light up the moment Spunky enters the room. Perhaps you challenged your fear of public speaking to deliver an address at a town hall to advocate for greener public transportation options. When have you gotten involved for the greater good? This essay is optional, but why would you pass up the opportunity to provide admissions with more information about yourself and your motivations? 

Optional: Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. 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 (ex. 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)..

If there’s any information that you didn’t include in the two previous optional short essays, this is the place for you to expand as you wish.

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 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.

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. 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 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.

You’re never going to guess what we’re about to recommend! (Okay, maybe you will). Before you even put pen to paper, do some research. Spend a little time on the school website, campus, or at local Cornell events to learn everything you can about the academic offerings, opportunities, and curriculum. Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences is the most generalized of Cornell’s colleges, so take this opportunity to show your well-rounded worth. 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? Finally, don’t forget to weave your “passion for learning” into your response in order to address both questions.

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 Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

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 the 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?

College of Engineering

Instructions: all applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. each has a limit of 250 words. essay 1 is required of all applicants. for essay 2, you must choose between question a and question b., essay 1:  how do your interests directly connect with cornell engineering if you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at cornell engineering  if you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with cornell engineering. it may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about. .

You can get an Engineering degree at thousands of schools across the country, so why are you so keen to study at Cornell, specifically? Remember that your choices here aren’t set in stone, so don’t stress over your vision; just show that you’ve done your research. Maybe Cornell’s Environmental Engineering program will propel you toward your dream career in city planning and hazardous waste management. Maybe there’s an alum who is doing what you aspire to do, and you want to follow in their footsteps! Whatever it is that draws you to Cornell (besides Andy’s school spirit in The Office ), admissions wants you to describe that interest and then connect it to your aspirations. 

Essay 2: Choose either Question A and Question B. (250 word limit) 

Question a: describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. this could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem..

This is your opportunity to not only show admissions that you’re paying attention to the world around you, but also demonstrate your creativity and vision. Start by brainstorming a few problems or challenges—big and small—that bother you or impact your life in some capacity. Maybe it’s rampant wildfires or accessibility issues in your community. Although the scope and scale of your problem can vary, remember that Cornell is looking to accept applicants who want to be a part of the solution. Show that you’re not only informed and concerned, but also actively engaged in addressing the problem head on (in one to three innovative ways).

Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

This is a classic community essay, through and through. Admissions officers want to know not only that you value diversity, but 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 larger cultural constructs 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? Have you lived on three different continents? What has influenced your identity? What do you believe and how will your worldview bring something of value to the engineering community at Cornell?

College of Human Ecology: How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major.

Admissions wants you to build a bridge between your past experiences and your decision to apply to CHE. Then they want you to kick it up a notch and build a (more theoretical) bridge from CHE to your future aspirations. Unlike many of Cornell’s specific schools, this one doesn’t necessarily flow directly into a particular career path, so it’s important for you to demonstrate that you have a plan before committing to such a focused course of study. The more you can demonstrate a deep familiarity with CHE and your vision for your future, the better!

College 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.

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 legislation on regulating 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 that you 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. This prompt gives you a wonderful opportunity to reveal something new about yourself through 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!

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Successful Cornell Transfer Essay Examples

In this article, we’ll cover some of the successful Cornell transfer essay examples for the 2022 application cycle. These were essays we consulted and helped work on with a client of ours. They managed to use these to help get accepted into Cornell.

Before we get to the examples, though, we think it’s important to cover our client’s stats.

Applicant Stats

• Intended School: Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
• Started their own small business
• Online marketing and PPC ads strategy internship at a startup
• Worked at a hardware store
• Language courses and completion program abroad.
• Special Circumstances: Major gap in academic career between high school and college due to personal travel project.

We believe this is important to discuss the applicant’s stats prior to the Cornell transfer essay examples because they serve as a good marker for what it takes to get in.

Note: You do not need to be as competitive or more competitive than the applicant we put above. This is simply an example of what kind of student typically gets accepted if their essays are solid.

It’s also important to note that this student had an unusual circumstance in their transcript. Particularly, the applicant had a major gap of time between high school and the first year of college. This is because they took the time to conduct their own shoestring travel project. It’s a fair reason; however, instances like these need to be clarified to admissions officers.

Students sometimes come to us asking whether their gap years or other unusual circumstances in their transcripts will be disadvantageous. In truth, it can be. However, it can more often than not be explained away in the essays or in an email to the undergraduate office of admissions. In fact, sometimes unusual circumstances can actually be turned around to work in one’s favor. In this instance, the applicant used the gap year from their experience conducting their own travel project as a way of showing emotional and intellectual maturity in their essays.

So, just because you have something weird in your transcript doesn’t mean it’s always bad. And, if you’re smart, you can sometimes leverage your quirks into advantages in application essays.

With that said, let’s get right to the Cornell transfer essay examples. In this guide, we’ll show you what our client wrote to get accepted plus an analysis of what made the essays effective.

Table of Contents

Cornell Why Us Transfer Essay Prompt

Cornell why us transfer example essay that worked, cornell continued education transfer essay prompt, cornell continued education transfer essay example that worked, appealing to cornell’s moral standards, generous spacing between paragraphs, cornell is critical to your definition of success, show humility; admit naivety.

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Tell us what you’d like to major in at Cornell, and why or how your past academic or work experience influenced your decision, and how transferring to Cornell would further your academic interests. Responses should be no longer than 3000 characters.

“ ‘Water for sale! Cheaper here than inside!’  It’s no surprise that, while standing outside of stadiums in the Bay Area hustling water, I am in my happy place. After all, I am doing what I love most: business.  Over the past six years, I’ve fine-tuned this operation and amassed over $53,000, 80% of which is thoughtfully invested in stocks, and the rest in a shoe-string travel budget.  It wasn’t until my internship at Imperfect Foods that my work experience started to expand my perspective on the true influence business can have on bettering the world. I collaborated with their marketing department to help broadcast their mission: to prevent waste by selling “cosmetically quirky” foods which never made it to grocery stores.   Working at Imperfect Foods rewired my perspective on business entirely. It ignited my faith that business done right can truly make a positive impact on the world. This newfound perspective inspired me to pursue Cornell, as its similar philosophy on cultivating business for global change would be the ideal academic cornerstone of my vision to create something truly impactful.  In particular, I’d like to major in Applied Economics and Management with a concentration on International Trade and Development. Courses such as AEM 4450: Toward a Sustainable Global Food System: Food Policy for Developing Countries builds off the vision I was passionate about at Imperfect Foods. I will translate what I will learn at Cornell about sustainable food solutions into my projects to create a positive impact on developing nations. I would also love to learn more from the course instructor, Professor Prabhu Pingali. His vast experience with international affairs in agricultural development is inspirational, and I’d like to learn from him when forging my future global projects.  Furthermore, I’d like to apply for the SMART program to involve myself in international communities with a passion for global development. I would love to use the program to collaborate with the philanthropic Cornell community, learn from multiple perspectives, and prepare for my ambitious aspirations.  Dyson’s unique Grand Challenges curriculum also helps move my academic interests beyond the theoretical through courses such as AEM 3385 Social Entrepreneurship Practicum: Anabel’s Grocery. This hands-on learning experience would prepare me to become a successful social entrepreneur who can make a difference.  Utilizing Cornell’s rigorous education built on tackling societal problems, I would work towards my ultimate dream of catalyzing a worldwide impact. An impact much greater than anything I could do on my own. An impact greater than myself. “ Cornell Why Us Transfer Essay That Worked

Please provide a 1,250-3,250 character statement discussing your educational path (approx. 250 – 650 words). How does continuing your education at a new institution help you achieve your future goals?

“ I rush into the nearest run-down coffee shop, order in Spanish, and fumble to connect to my Zoom class. Me. Grainy audio. Iced coffee. A view of the sleepy, burning Mexican desert. My educational path as a digital nomad was nothing short of unconventional. I signed into classes from medinas in Morocco. My “dorm” was a cave in Turkey, or a host family’s house in Nicaragua. My “clubs” involved scuba diving in Honduras and learning to meditate from monks in Thailand. My “commute” involved camel-riding through the Sahara with Berber nomads and taking public buses through Central America next to livestock. I’m eternally grateful to have supplemented my online education with real-world cultural experiences. Self-funded solo traveling with no external program was a chapter I’ve always cherished.   However, I’m ready for a new chapter. I’m ready to expand my educational path.  As a traveler, student, and business person, I always braved the road less taken. In doing so, I manifested a new mindset.  I embraced failure.  This was the quintessential element of my educational and personal career. What people don’t see from my digital nomad life are the missteps: the conversations lost in translation, the late-night classes accommodating time zones, and the business ventures that failed to meet ROI.  But, failure often preceded success.  With more experience, I’ve become braver when treading unknown waters. I came back from my travels moved by the levels of inequality and poverty; it inspired me to pursue social entrepreneurship as an antidote to global inequity.  This led to Business Without Borders (BWB): a consulting group I created that collaborates with family-run small businesses around the world, like those I’ve engaged with on my travels. BWB provides services to those most overlooked to promote global equity, especially in developing countries. However, I’m no stranger to failure. BWB is an ambitious project and I would be naive to think it wouldn’t come without pitfalls and obstacles.  Thus, I would like to attend Cornell to nurture the proper disposition needed to tackle my ambitious visions. Cornell’s tight-knit community and culture of camaraderie would empower me throughout the struggles. The entrepreneurial, hustle-positive culture creates a space that allows failure in hopes of achieving greater innovations.  In addition, the academic breadth of Cornell’s curriculum ensures I’m not narrow-minded on one business dimension. The exposure to other business principles and academic fields will expand my depth of learning.  On a broader scale, I plan to attend Cornell to learn how to make a positive impact on disadvantaged communities. Cornell’s commitment to teaching positive social change would parallel my aspirations for closing global disparity. If taking my college Zoom classes across 18 countries and 123 cities taught me anything, it’s that being an entrepreneur and a student comes with failures I must accept and learn from. To succeed as both, I will need the worldly curriculum and collaborative companionship at Cornell to spearhead an international initiative with tempered passion and daring humility. “ Cornell Continued Education Transfer Essay That Worked

What Made These Essays Strong?

The Cornell transfer essays aren’t easy to write. In fact, when we worked on them with our client, it took a lot of consulting and editing to finalize these pieces to their completed final draft. More often than not, if you’re applying to Cornell, you probably have a few other highly competitive schools on your list. If so, consider getting expert college admissions consulting and editing services to ensure you submit only your best.

Though, if you want to know what constitutes a strong set of Cornell transfer essays, we’ve also compiled four characteristics of the example essays that we think made them strong. Keep these traits in mind when brainstorming and writing your Cornell essays.

Now, let’s cover four elements found in these essays that made them fantastic Cornell transfer essay examples.

Cornell’s Dyson School takes moral character very seriously. Check out what they have to say about their school and its priorities in the description below.

“Dyson is home to a diverse, distinguished faculty and brilliant students. Their collaborative spirit and drive to make the world a better place fuels this vibrant learning community. It’s a place where ground-breaking research happens, where real-world problems are solved in real-time, and where students gain a solid business foundation and the practical skills to put their knowledge and know-how into immediate action. At Dyson, today’s business students are tomorrow’s global innovators and leaders. The Dyson community demand to leave their world better than they found it. They tackle real global challenges, and they’re ready to make an impact. ” Cornell Dyson Official Webite

Now, not everyone is going to be applying for Dyson. This was just for our client in particular. If you’re not applying to Dyson, you should be appealing to the respective school you’re applying for.

In our client’s case, they needed to appeal to Dyson and its desired class. So, they connected their desire for entrepreneurship and business to make a better world with Cornell’s moral standards. The Dyson school demands to leave the world better than they found it. Our client used this as leverage in their essays.

For instance, take a look at this part of the second essay.

“ Cornell’s commitment to teaching positive social change would parallel my aspirations for closing global disparity “

This is useful because the desire for an equitable future worldwide that minimizes disparity would align well with Dyson’s priorities.

When showing a parallel between your goals and Cornell’s you are showing the admissions officers that you are aiming at a direction that would mutually benefit the both of you.

There are many applicants who are perfectly qualified for Cornell and can academically perform in its hyper-competitive community. However, demonstrating your fit for the school by having similar aspirations is a fantastic way of showing Cornell that you’re a great asset to the school beyond just academic performance.

One of the biggest contributing factors to streamlined reading is proper spacing between paragraphs.

This sounds obvious, but improper spacing happens more than you think. We have many clients and students come to us with their rough drafts and, more often than not, they’re not spaced properly.

Mostly, students come to us with large blocks of text. This is usually not good.

You need to segregate your text into multiple-spaced-out paragraphs to help admissions officers read and analyze your points seamlessly. If they’re not properly spaced, readers may have to deconstruct a large block of text, thus making it harder for them to properly assess you.

You also want to provide enough paragraphs that are short so that the admissions officers can read each individual point you’re making without losing track. It’s easy for the admissions office to lose track or be disorganized with your writing if it’s spaced oddly or if one paragraph has more ideas than it can chew.

We recommend segregating the whole essay into individual short paragraphs, with each one indicating the transition into a new idea. So, take the second essay for example.

“… I’m eternally grateful to have supplemented my online education with real-world cultural experiences. Self-funded solo traveling with no external program was a chapter I’ve always cherished.   However, I’m ready for a new chapter. I’m ready to expand my educational path.  As a traveler, student, and business person, I always braved the road less taken. In doing so, I manifested a new mindset.  I embraced failure. ..” Cornell Transfer essay second paragraph

Notice that the paragraphs here can technically be bonded into one whole paragraph. However, we’ve chosen against that and separated them into individual paragraphs. Moving from recognizing privileges to desiring a new chapter in life, to taking the road less taken, to developing a new mindset is a major jump in topics. Lots of things happen in these paragraphs, even if the word count is small. So, even if you’re using few words, you’ll need to separate your paragraphs by the chances that occur.

Of course, you don’t always have to do this. You only really need to have good spacing that is spaced out enough that the admissions officers can conceptualize what you say in a streamlined manner. It doesn’t need to be perfect, they simply need the ease of access to analyze your text seamlessly. So, don’t use large blocks of text.

When we spoke with our client about what they wanted out of a business education at Cornell, they said they wanted to have the traditional education experience they didn’t have as a traveling online learner. But, they also mentioned that they wanted to pursue the good that can be found in the world of business.

This does not mean the money and fame; but, it means that they looked forward to upholding the moral virtues that came with entrepreneurship. The world of business has the power of providing help to the disadvantaged and underserved in one’s community. That was something that they aspired for and found inspiration in.

Everyone’s definition of success may be different. If you’re also a business major, maybe your inspiration and desire for success mean making a big impact on an industry that you’re passionate about. Or, maybe you want to fulfill the tradition in your family of running a business that grows with every generation. Perhaps you’re not planning on applying to Cornell for business, and instead, you have another major in mind. That’s okay too! You simply need to clarify what success in your own definition is.

To our client, success in their field of business meant contributing something big in the world of social entrepreneurship. They wanted to conduct projects that would use the power of business for good, not greed. Clarify what your own definition of success is in your intended major; then, capitalize on it by writing how Cornell and its resources can help you fulfill that specific definition of success.

Despite Cornell being a T20 school , one of the best things you can do for top-tier schools like these is to demonstrate humility for your achievements.

We’re going to be transparent here. You need to be at the top percentile of academic performance, extracurriculars, test scores, and many more metrics across the board in order to have a strong chance of getting accepted into an elite school. Now, to even be qualified for schools like these, you’re probably already groomed for success wheresoever life takes you.

We’ve seen many students who fit these criteria. Perfect T20 school fit. Perfect performance. Groomed for success. As a result, they’ve garnered a large ego to come with it.

So, it’s quite a surprise when we tell Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs who feel overshadowed by their parents and their achievements that they need to take this time to show humility.

“Really? After all this? I need to show that I don’t really know everything? Wasn’t this supposed to be the time to show off everything that I’ve learned and worked for?”

Yes, it’s true that the college admissions and essays process is a moment for you to shine your greatest traits and attributes. However, you should also consider that most people applying at the undergrad level are anywhere between 18-22 years old (with some exceptions). Most people at this age range are naive and need to show humility, that includes the prodigies groomed for success.

Why is that? Well, that’s because this is Cornell.

Cornell, like many other institutions, is a place of higher learning for those who have the aptitude, grit, and potential to learn. So, what good is someone who already knows everything? If you started your own online SaaS business and generate .5 million ARR, but that’s the extent of your desire to learn and develop, then there’s no point in going to Cornell.

But, if you’re talented and inspired, yet you still feel like you have much to learn to develop both your character and skills for the future, then Cornell is a great fit. You can’t really do this without having the humility to admit to yourself and the admissions officers that you have much to learn from them.

Showing humility and grace in your ability also shows that you have the proper growth mindset Cornell needs in its students to produce conscientious world-changers who can make a significant difference. Cornell will be judging not just the achievements you show in the admissions essays, but your character as well. So, demonstrating your humility and honesty will go a long way in showing admissions officers your maturity.

If you’re not confident about the quality of your Cornell transfer essays, don’t be afraid to contact us for a free 30-minute phone consultation . Cornell receives perfect 4.0 students far too often. So, distinguishing yourself in the college essay section is crucial to competitive schools like Cornell which are vying for unique and special students. Our college admissions essay editors and advisors are experts in helping students do exactly that: write and edit essays that stand out amongst the sea of other perfect students.

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Help with Cornell Transfer Essay

<p>Question: I am applying for a junior level transfer to Cornell University. There is a particular essay question required by it: “Tell us what you’d like to major in at Cornell and why or how your past academic and work experience influenced your decision, and how transferring to Cornell would further your academic interests”. How […]</p>

<p>[View</a> the complete Q&A at CC’s Ask The Dean…](<a href=“ http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/help-with-cornell-transfer-essay.htm]View ”> http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/help-with-cornell-transfer-essay.htm )</p>

Cornell Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Search cornell admissions, college and school transfer admissions requirements, cornell college of agriculture and life sciences (cals).

Landscape architecture: Portfolio required; for details visit the  Landscape Architecture website . Learn more by visiting the CALS website .

Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)

Architecture (B.Arch): Portfolio of 15-20 images submitted via Cornell AAP SlideRoom . Required video interview. Learn more by visiting the  AAP website . Art:  Portfolio of 17 pieces of work; 10 of your choice + 7 AAP prompts, submitted via Cornell AAP SlideRoom .  Learn more by visiting the AAP website .

History of Architecture: Statement of purpose. 15 page writing sample. Learn more by visiting the AAP website . Urban and Regional Studies: Virtual alumni interview (not required). Learn more by visiting the AAP website .

Cornell College of Arts & Sciences

Consult A&S departmental websites to see what coursework is required for admission to your intended major. Learn more by visiting the Arts & Sciences website .

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy 

Learn about required and recommended coursework by visiting the Brooks School website .

Cornell College of Engineering

Please review course requirements prior to application. Transfer applicants that are offered admission must submit the  major-specific course description form upon submission of the Enrollment Response Form. Learn more on the Cornell Engineering website. 

Cornell College of Human Ecology

All Majors: Review the College of Human Ecology’s  required and recommended preparatory courses for transfers  for more information. Your academic preparation and coursework choices for a possible transfer to the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University are critical components of the admissions process.

Design and Environmental Analysis: Design Challenge required; submit via Human Ecology SlideRoom . Fashion Design: Fashion Design Portfolio & Design Index required; submit via Human Ecology SlideRoom . Fashion Design & Management: Fashion Design Management Case Study required; submit via Human Ecology SlideRoom .

Fiber Science: Fiber Science Index required; submit via Human Ecology SlideRoom .

Recommended Additional Preparation: Review our transfer application tips . Learn more by visiting the Human Ecology website . 

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business: Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

Learn more about course requirements and recommendations by visiting the Dyson School website .

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business: Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration 

Learn more about course requirements and recommendations by visiting the Nolan School website .  

Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)

Please review the Transfer Guidelines on our  Admissions  page for more information.

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How difficult is internal transfer between colleges?

Am going into my 2nd year, specifically for biosci (CALS), but thinking about making the switch to CAS for physics, instead.

If anyone's gone thru this sorta process already, how'd it go? Was it doable? Compared to first-year admissions, is the selection process nearly as grueling or is it p chill?

Any input would be appreciated (":