<p>I wrote my essay on how I'm interested in so many things, and how Cornell has basically unlimited opportunities to pursue them. I began with art and art history and explained it in detail then went into like 3 shorter interests formatted somewhat as a list that "really doesn't end". Is this okay to do or will they look badly on not following the exact prompt?</p>
<p>This is sort of urgent, if anyone could help?</p>
<p>If it were me, I’d focus on one topic or a few related topics. Having multiple interests is not a bad thing, but many essay editors I’ve worked with emphasize explaining one topic well over many topics briefly. </p>
<p>It may help to imagine yourself as an admissions counselor reading essays. Do the multiple interests make you stand out/look appealing as a student, or does the distract from the focus of the essay?</p>
<p>@julianstanley Basically I wrote about how I pretty much didn’t have any interests until I joined Academic Decathlon, a competition that tests on 10 subjects, and then after that my eyes were open to many interests, with art being the most prevalent. Then I compared joining Academic Decathlon to Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences and said how this next step would shape my personality by exposing me to even more perspectives and interests but in the setting of a university. So in that sense I think it works and doesn’t distract, but I’m really concerned that I’m going off topic too much</p>
<p>I’m not a great resource for essay editing, but there’s a thread of essay editors on CC that may be able to help you. From what you told me, though, it sounds like a really solid essay topic</p>
<p>@julianstanley I see, thanks for the help anyways. I’m a bit stressed for time (deadline is in less than a week) but I’ll look into some of those editors!</p>
<p>I have worked in admissions, so here’s some unsolicited advice.</p>
<p>Write the essay that YOU are comfortable with that answers the prompt. I know it sounds vague, but don’t overthink it too much. My D wrote very eloquently on one specific interest and she was admitted ED. I’m sure the committee of readers probably got a very good sense of who she is. You want your true voice and personality to shine through. The general rule is “show, don’t tell” (which I’m sure most HS kids know when writing college apps). A laundry list of interests is probably not going to be as compelling as a story that you could tell about them. In the end, adcoms are looking for your intellectual curiosity to come through in your essay to see if you would be a good fit for CAS. Remember, they are reading thousands of essays, so make sure yours triggers something in them. Easier said than done, I know, but if you write from your heart, you will write a great essay.</p>