ttyl8

So the prompt is this:

Engineers turn ideas (technical, scientific, mathematical) into reality. Tell us about an engineering idea you have or your interest in engineering. Explain how Cornell Engineering can help you further explore this idea or interest

I then went on this blog Cornell Engineering Admissions: I only need to write one essay, right? and found out that the essay was supposed to be an idea.

I am freaking out right now because I wrote my entire essay on my interest in engineering and how Cornell Engineering would be good for me.

Is my essay totally off topic or did I interpret the question correctly?

kdmom

In the comments section of that blog, the author says it's also ok to write about your interest in Engineering. So, you're fine.

ttyl8

Thanks!

And does everything have to be post-marked by Nov. 1?

I just realized that they don't pick the mail until Monday so I'd have to send my recs then.

Alex7592

Did anyone else get the impression that they are preferring an essay that discusses an engineering idea?

ttyl8

^yeah lol That's probably because most applicants write about their interest in Engineering rather than discuss an idea.

MIT even has an essay thing that asks you to write about an idea, so I guess that's just an engineering thing lol

Alex7592

but I have no ideas.....

great.

suzaliscious

First of all, ttyl8, you completely missed the point of the blog post you linked us to. What the guy was trying to say was that you should put some decent effort into your essay and make it unique for each college you apply to rather than having a single draft for every single college.

I don't think Cornell gives any more stock to idea essays than interest ones. Ideas are after all ideas and not practice. A friend of mine wrote his idea essay on dream renewable energy but he hasn't invented anything pertaining to the same. So he will not score any more points than an interest essay.

If anything, an idea just shows your interest as a more tangible manifestation.

ttyl8

W/e

I pressed submit already and I don't want to go anywhere near the common app for awhile.