Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Cleveland Institute of Art supplemental essays.
All 2 essay questions Cleveland Institute of Art asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against cia.edu and the Common App application on October 17, 2026
What you write: Two optional short answers, up to 250 words each.
Optional: what inspires your art
Question 1 of 2 · Up to 250 words · Optional
In 250 words or less, what inspires you to create art or design?
How to approach it
- Take the question seriously enough to play with it.
- Let your answer show how you think.
- Keep it honest under the fun.
Optional: why CIA
Question 2 of 2 · Up to 250 words · Optional
In 250 words or less, please describe why you have chosen to apply to CIA.
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
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