What can I submit as optional supplemental materials for Cornell?

I've noticed that Cornell allows applicants to submit optional supplemental materials. What sort of things do people usually submit and would you recommend including these materials in my application? Any advice would be great!

Submitting optional supplemental materials can be a great way to provide additional context about your skills and experiences as a Cornell applicant. However, you'll want to make sure that anything you submit adds value to your application and isn't redundant with information provided elsewhere. Admissions officers are busy people, so they won't appreciate re-reading something you've already told them in an essay or your activities list.

Some examples of supplemental materials students might submit include:

1. Art portfolios: If you have a strong background in visual or performing arts, you can submit a portfolio showcasing your best pieces or performances. Your work should polished and demonstrate a high level of skill, otherwise it's unlikely to do much to help you stand out in a competitive applicant pool.

2. Research papers or abstracts: If you've participated in significant academic research, you can submit a research paper or an abstract highlighting your findings and the impact of your work. This can be an excellent way to demonstrate your genuine intellectual curiosity and dedication to a particular field of study.

3. Writing samples: For applicants with strong writing skills, submitting a writing sample such as a short story, poem, or essay can help you demonstrate your ability to craft a compelling narrative, which could complement other aspects of your application, such as your grades in your English classes or your participation in a summer writing workshop.

4. Videos or multimedia presentations: If you have expertise in a specific area (such as public speaking, entrepreneurship, or community organizing) that can't be adequately conveyed through a written application, you might consider submitting a video or multimedia presentation that showcases your skills and achievements.

Before deciding whether or not to include optional supplemental materials, consider if they will enhance your application in a meaningful way and showcase a unique aspect of your background or skill set that isn't captured by any of the required materials. If that's the case, and you think the quality is up to Cornell's standards, then including them could be a good idea.

However, don't feel pressured to submit supplemental materials if you don't have a strong reason to do so. Admissions officers have a limited amount of time to review each application, so submitting unnecessary materials can potentially detract from other aspects of your application, as admissions officers will need to spend time looking at them instead of the more substantive elements. Ensure that anything you submit adds substantial value and helps to create a holistic picture of who you are as an applicant.

Finally, on a separate note, if you're looking for ways to improve the main, required components of your application to Cornell, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which contains detailed guidance on how to tackle Cornell's school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-cornell-university-essays/. Especially at highly selective schools like Cornell, the essays are a great way to distinguish yourself within a talented applicant pool by showing what you have to offer beyond the numbers!

Best of luck with your application!