Cornell University's wording, checked October 26, 2026“What interests you about the major you selected? Tell us about experiences (both in and outside of the classroom), questions, and goals that influenced your choice.”
How to approach it
- 1Name the major and the problem in it you care about.
- 2Give one or two experiences, in and outside class.
- 3End on the goal, briefly.
A structure that works
One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.
- 1The major and the question in it you care about.
- 2The experiences that led you there.
- 3The goal it points to.
Where the 350 words go
| Part | Words |
|---|---|
| Where the interest comes from | about 120 |
| How you think about the subject | about 110 |
| Your path at this college | about 120 |
Mistakes to avoid
- Talking about CALS here; that is the second question.
- Childhood origins only.
The checklist our grader uses for this question
When you check your Cornell answers, this answer is read against these 5 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 350 words limit they set its readiness verdict.
| Area | What a reader looks for |
|---|---|
| Answers the question | The opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered. |
| Where the interest comes from | A specific, preferably recent experience (a class, project, job, reading, problem) shows the interest is real, not a stated passion. |
| How you think about it | The reader sees the applicant's own thinking: a question they pursue, a connection they made, a view of the field. |
| Your path at this college | It names how this school's curriculum, structure or opportunities fit the plan, specifically enough that it would not fit another school unchanged. |
| Cornell's ask | Says what interests the applicant about the specific major and which experiences, questions and goals led there. |
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Questions
More on Cornell and this kind of question
- Princeton: Academic interests (A.B.) · 250 words
- Princeton: Why engineering at Princeton (B.S.E.) · 250 words
- Columbia: Your preferred areas of study · 150 words
- Penn: College of Arts and Sciences · 50-200 words
- Penn: The Wharton School · 50-200 words
- Penn: Penn Engineering · 50-200 words