“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.”
I’ve written an essay that approaches the ‘past academic experience’ part a bit differently than most. I didn’t speak of grades, classes, clubs, or any of that, but of a teacher that negatively affected my psychological health and thereby influenced my major (psych).
Do you think this is a fine way to approach the question? I’m a bit anxious about it, but it’s very well-written and it’s a fantastic essay overall. I just don’t know if it’s too risky.
@InfiniteOdds No. It is not at all “a fine way” to introduce yourself. It makes you sound troubled. Anyone who encourages you to submit an essay that basically portrays you as a young adult who could not cope with a vile teacher is insincere. You admit you are “anxious about it” - follow your instincts. Always answer the prompt. Best of luck.
Do you have an English teacher maybe that could give you some feedback? My son asked the toughest english teacher in school as well as his dual enrollment english teacher to read his and critique it.
I think your topic is ok provided you come across as someone who got something positive out of a negative situation. Since I haven’t read the essay it’s hard to say if you should or should not. You should be very careful to not come across as someone who wants to study psychology to fix him/herself. But if in the essay you can somehow relay the message that you want to study psychology because you learned how important it is to help others overcome psychological issues due to your own experience then I think that is ok.
@bahiablue Yes, I’ve had the best English professor in the department look at my paper, but it was in the context of a different prompt.She loved it so I’m not particularly concerned about the writing or any of that, I just wasn’t sure if my interpretation of ‘past academic experience’ was too much of a stretch for them or not
@amy989
It definitely comes across as the latter, helping others is the focus of my essay! Thank you for your insight. I’m applying to the Arts and Sciences.
Something to consider: when they ask “why or how your past academic or work experience influenced your decision,” they may be looking for more than how your interest in psych came about. They may be asking how you pursued and tested this and that’s where you may need more than that first rotten teacher. It seems a safe bet is to include something about what you have done. After all, it’s Cornell.
