General questions
I’m interested in joining the Review as an editor. How can I do that?
All prospective editors must apply via our online application. We do not accept editors through other means. Our application opens once a semester, and usually some time before ClubFest.
Who can edit for the Review?
Only undergraduate students currently enrolled at Cornell University in an official capacity may join the editorial staff of the Review.
How are applications reviewed?
In the interest of equity and fairness, all applications are received and reviewed in an anonymized manner by multiple members of our editorial board. We do ask that you provide your name and other information so that we can contact you later on, but during the review process, your personal information is hidden from us.
What factors do you consider when reviewing applications?
We only take two components of the application into consideration when reviewing applications: the quality of your writing sample, and the quality of your editing sample. The writing sample is weighted more heavily than the editing sample (approximately 70%/30%). Any additional short-answer questions that you answer in the application are primarily for the purpose of data collection; however, we may choose to follow up on any answer that you give during the interview, so please answer them thoughtfully. Demonstrated interest is not and will never be considered.
Do I need any prior editorial experience before applying?
We firmly believe that past experience and extracurricular activities do not indicate whether a particular individual can edit or write effectively, as often, they are markers of privilege and opportunity that disfavor minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students, rather than objective indicators of skill and expertise. While some of our editors have had extensive editorial or authorial experience before joining, most of our best editors have joined our staff with no experience whatsoever. Once you join the Review, we will teach you all the skills you need to be a successful editor. As such, while we have provided a space for you to indicate any prior experience you may have, we will not consider those answers until we have extended interview offers to all qualified applicants.
writing & Editing samples
What type of writing sample should I submit?
For the writing sample, we recommend that you provide a sample of university-level academic writing, such as a paper or essay. For freshman applicants, we recommend that you submit a paper from an AP, IB, or other college-equivalent course. However, you are not limited to submitting academic papers; successful candidates in the past have submitted many other types of written work, such as short stories, newspaper articles, or opinion pieces. Once you have identified your desired sample, we prefer that you submit the entire work to us, rather than an excerpt.
How long should my writing sample be?
Generally, the majority of applicants submit samples that are approximately 1000-2000 words long. However, there is no word limit or minimum, so we encourage you to choose a writing sample that best highlights your writing skills, rather than worrying about length.
How will my writing sample be evaluated?
When evaluating applicants’ writing samples, we primarily look for clarity of thought and expression, as well as argumentative rigor. Arguments should be well-constructed and well-supported, and should be organized in a way that is both logical and coherent. Mastery of basic and advanced writing mechanics should be evident—sentences should be concise, grammatically correct, and well-structured, while every word should be chosen with precision and meaning.
How should I complete the editing sample?
We ask that you go through the provided excerpt line-by-line, identifying and correcting grammatical, structural, syntactical, and contextual mistakes. You should also point out and suggest improvements for stylistic inadequacies (e.g., awkward phrasing, odd word choice, etc.). At the end of your evaluation, you should write a paragraph (ideally no more than 250 words) detailing general improvements that the author should make, particularly in regard to argumentation and organization.
How will my editing sample be evaluated?
We evaluate your editing sample based on two factors: accuracy and thoroughness. All grammatical and syntactical mistakes should be noticed and corrected, and stylistic improvements should be suggested whenever applicable. However, edits should not be made simply for the sake of editing. Every change made should be a noticeable and meaningful improvement to the original text—when there is no convincing reason to change a particular phrase or sentence, the author’s writing and voice should be preserved.
Interviews & Timeline
What does the application timeline look like?
All applications will be reviewed within a week of the application deadline—this review-by date will be posted along with the application. Once you submit your application, please do not send us any additional materials or information; only contact us via email if you have not received a response by the review-by date. Afterwards, qualified applicants will receive an invitation to interview with us, typically on the first weekend following the deadline. Successful interview candidates will be notified no later than one day after all interviews conclude.
What will the interview process look like?
The interview will primarily be a technical interview that focuses on editing and analyzing an unseen excerpt. You will be given 10 minutes to read the excerpt, and our interviewers will then ask you substantive questions about what you read. We do not take into account “cultural fit,” “enthusiasm,” or other subjective factors insofar as they do not substantially impact the functional ability of the candidate to work as part of our team. The interview is a relatively small part of our evaluation, so don’t stress out about it!
Applicants who receive an invitation to interview with us will receive more information at that time regarding scheduling and location.