Welcome, Class of 2028!
The John S. Knight Institute, one of the oldest and most interdisciplinary undergraduate writing programs in the world, invites you to join our community of Big Red Writers.
We look forward to writing with you this year in First-Year Writing Seminars and at the Cornell Writing Centers! Learn more below.
#writelikeabear
First-Year Writing Seminars
The Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines offers First-Year Writing Seminars (FWS) in one of the oldest and most interdisciplinary undergraduate writing programs in the world. Each semester, over 200 sections are taught in more than 30 departments and programs located in the humanities, social sciences, expressive arts, and sciences. More than 3,500 students from across the University enroll each year in classes that are often the most diverse mix of students offered at the University, with small classes no larger than 17 students, from all 8 colleges.
Students should aim to satisfy their First-Year Writing Seminar requirement during their first year. Enrollment in FWSs is open only to freshmen, sophomores, and first-semester transfer students; continuing juniors and seniors are not eligible to enroll in First-Year Writing Seminars.
Important Dates for First-Year Writing Seminar Students
- Electronic Add/Drop for FWS starts Wednesday, August 28th. See directions below.
- First-Year Writing seminars begin Thursday, August 29th.
- The last day to add a FWS is Monday, September 9th.
Electronic Add/Drop for First-Year Writing Seminars
FWS Add/Drop enrollment must be done electronically through Student Center. Neither instructors nor registrars can approve additional enrollment into any First-Year Writing Seminar. Caps on enrollment cannot be lifted. There are no wait-lists or forms to sign; do not ask an instructor about adding a seminar. Instructors will not allow any student not on the roster to sit in on a First-Year Writing Seminar.
To find open First-Year Writing Seminars during the Add/Drop period:
- Go to Student Center.
- At the search screen, click on “Additional Search Criteria.”
- Choose “FWS Session” from the “Session” field. This will show you all open FWS classes.
A First-Year Writing Seminar is open ONLY if it appears in this list. Check frequently, because the list can change.
Learn more about First-Year Writing Seminars
FWS Writing Consultation
Because Cornell’s writing seminars may expect a greater range of writing abilities than many students have exposure to in high school, the Knight Institute offers a FWS Writing Consultation to give students an opportunity to discover how well current writing skills fit into what Cornell expects. Students will submit an essay and meet with a writing specialist to discuss their essay, their writing process, and their previous writing experience.
Learn more about the FWS Writing Consultation
Cornell Writing Centers
The CWC provides support for first-year writers at any stage of the writing process. It is a free resource available to all of Cornell for nearly any kind of writing project: applications, presentations, lab reports, essays, papers, and more. Tutors serve as responsive listeners and readers who can address questions about the writing process or about particular pieces of writing. They will ask questions that foster critical thinking about your writing, and they will also consider questions of confidence, reading, analytic thought, imagination, and research.
