Academic Interest Essay 

All Transfer Applicants are Required to Respond to the Prompt Below in an Essay of Approximately 650 Words Total:

Tell us what you’d like to major in at Cornell, why or how your past academic or work experience influenced your decision, and how transferring to Cornell would further your academic interests.

Some Cornell Undergraduate Colleges/Schools Also Require Additional Items as Indicated Below:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Applicants Only

Required: Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a premier institution of scientific learning, tackling the complex challenges of our time through purpose-driven science. Please discuss how your past academic and/or work experience has influenced your choice of major and how transferring to Cornell CALS would further your academic interests. Responses should be no longer than 3000 characters.

The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission. Any responses submitted will be included in the holistic review of your application. Electing not to respond will not impact your application.

Optional (1): 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. We encourage you to think about community broadly - this could include family, school, or local and global communities. (300-word limit)

Optional (2): The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is dedicated to the exploration 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 in agriculture or are interested in pursuing a career in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. (300-word limit)

Select all that apply:

• My family owns or operates a farm
• I have experience working in agriculture
• I have interest in pursuing a career in agriculture                              

Please feel free to share additional details.

College of Engineering Applicants Only

How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? What draws you to the particular major you are applying to and how would transferring to Cornell Engineering further your academic interests?

Please make sure that complete course descriptions and/or syllabi are submitted by the application deadline and clearly labeled with your name and date of birth. We cannot evaluate your application without them. For submission instructions, please see www.engineering.cornell.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/transfer-applicants.

College of Human Ecology Applicants Only

How has your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology been influenced by your related experiences? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future?

Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy Applicants Only

The Brooks School of Public Policy brings together leading faculty and scholars across disciplines to tackle society's most pressing policy issues.   Please discuss how your past academic and/or work experience has influenced your choice of major and how transferring to Cornell Brooks would further your academic interests.  Responses should be no longer than 3000 characters. Additional information can be found on the Brooks School website for transfer applicants.