REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private research university located in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1865 with a revolutionary spirit, “The Big Red” is one of only ten private Land Grant universities in the U.S., boasting a rich history and tight-knit campus culture. Its eight undergraduate schools and nearly 80 majors empower some of the brightest students from across the country to, as founder Ezra Cornell famously envisioned, “find instruction in any study.” With over 16,000 undergraduate students, Cornell has the largest undergraduate population of any Ivy League university. Here’s everything you need to know about Cornell!
REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private research university located in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1865 with a revolutionary spirit, “The Big Red” is one of only ten private Land Grant universities in the U.S., boasting a rich history and tight-knit campus culture. Its eight undergraduate schools and nearly 80 majors empower some of the brightest students from across the country to, as founder Ezra Cornell famously envisioned, “find instruction in any study.” With over 16,000 undergraduate students, Cornell has the largest undergraduate population of any Ivy League university. Here’s everything you need to know about Cornell!
REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private research university located in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1865 with a revolutionary spirit, “The Big Red” is one of only ten private Land Grant universities in the U.S., boasting a rich history and tight-knit campus culture. Its eight undergraduate schools and nearly 80 majors empower some of the brightest students from across the country to, as founder Ezra Cornell famously envisioned, “find instruction in any study.” With over 16,000 undergraduate students, Cornell has the largest undergraduate population of any Ivy League university. Here’s everything you need to know about Cornell!
School Location:
ITHACA, NY
School Type:
PRIVATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
Admissions Rates:
ADMITTED: 7.9%
GENERAL INFO
SAT/ACT Scores:
Test Required for 2024-2025
Admission Cycle
Class of 2027 Test Scores
SAT MATH: 1480-1550
Middle 50% ACT: 33-35
Dates/Deadlines:
Early Decision I (ED I):
November 1
Regular Decision:
January 2
School Information:
Undergraduate population:
15,804
Faculty Ratio:
9:1
Interviews Considered: No
CORNELL TIPS & GUIDE
How difficult is it to get into Cornell?
Cornell is a highly competitive university with an acceptance rate of 7.89%. To join the Crimson community, students in the 50th percentile for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle earned a 1520 for the SAT composite and a 34 for the ACT composite. In the same cycle, 94.5% of accepted students were in the top quarter of their high school’s graduating class, and 99.5% were in the top half.
What is the campus like at Cornell?
Cornell’s main campus is located in Ithaca, New York. Ithaca is a classic college town in New York’s Finger Lakes region, boasting a lively farmers market and nationally-ranked restaurants, as well as a nearby lake and forest trails. If you’re more of a city person, attending Cornell doesn’t mean you’ll be trapped in a woodsy, quiet town for four years—the bustling city of Syracuse is just an hour’s drive away.
The school sits on top of a large hill called Libe slope. Sitting on the top of the slope gives you a breath-taking view of Cayuga Lake, the gorges, and the Commons, a local town down the slope. The campus itself is fairly large, and it takes approximately 20-30 minutes to walk through its entirety. Walking through campus, you’ll notice historical landmarks, including Bailey Hall and Andrew Dickson Whitehouse. Taking courses in the infamous gothic-style buildings or studying for a final at the “Harry Potter” library can make you feel like you’re in a movie set.
Cornell also has satellite campuses all around the world— medical schools in Manhattan and Qatar and an agricultural technology school in Geneva, NY. Through the Cornell in Rome program, students can spend a semester or an entire year studying architecture, visual arts, art history, urban studies, and Italian all while going on field trips throughout Italy. Cornell also offers programs and internships in New York City and Washington DC.
At Cornell, freshmen live on North Campus, which has recently been expanded to house a larger body of students. The first-year residences are also home to Faculty Fellows and residential advisors who help students adjust to life at Cornell. First-year students can live in one of nine residence halls or nine themed program houses.
Since the Fall of 2022, first-years and sophomore students have been required to live on campus. Students may choose to remain on North Campus, move to West Campus, live in a co-op or program house, or in their fraternity or sorority house. After completing their second year, students have the choice to stay on campus in one of the dorms, co-ops and program houses, or Greek life houses, or move off campus. Many find themselves moving into Collegetown apartments, where they have access to authentic restaurants, grocery stores, and other small businesses.
What is Cornell known for?
The most popular majors at Cornell include Engineering, Business, Management, Marketing, Computer and Information Sciences, Agriculture, and Architecture. Ranked the 9th best business school by Forbes in 2019, the SC Johnson School of Business houses three business schools specializing in different aspects of corporate expertise. These schools are famous for their successful alumni (10 current Fortune 500 CEOs, 35 billionaire alumni), a global network, and opportunities for outsourcing student talent. For example, Hotel Administration students (“Hotelies”) are required to intern a certain number of hours at Cornell’s Statler Hotel. Students gain valuable hands-on experience by working alongside world-renowned chefs and full-time staff, as well as interacting with real guests.
Cornell also encourages student businesses and start-ups: in 2020 (during the pandemic!), a group of 9 Hotelies opened a 100% student-run restaurant called 2 Stay 2 Go in Collegetown. Its locally-sourced menu changes on a weekly basis. The restaurant has been beloved by students since its grand opening.
Famous courses at Cornell include Introduction to Wines, where you can learn about the wine fermentation processes and sample selections of exquisite wine. In Human Bonding, you can learn all about why people fall in love. Or if you’ve always wondered whether you could eat a mushroom found on a walk around your neighborhood, you can check out Magical Mushroom, Mischievous Molds, offered by the Plant Pathology department.
How diverse is Cornell?
Cornell is a large, vibrant school filled with a multifaceted community. The undergraduate student body in the 2023-2024 school year was 31% white, 25% Asian, 14% Hispanic/Latino, 10% international, 7% Black, 6% race/ethnicity unknown, 5% two or more races, and 2% Native American/Indigenous American. The undergraduate student body is also 45% male and 55% female.
Does Cornell have a good athletic department?
Big Red athletics are formidable throughout the Ivy League. Cornell is a member of NCAA’s Division I and can name Columbia as a major in-state athletic rival. The school offers 37 varsity sports for men and women and 30 intramural leagues and tournaments for students. Lacrosse, ice hockey and wrestling are major sports on campus.
How do I apply to Cornell?
The Early Decision applications are due November 1, while Regular Decision applications are due January 2.
Applying to Cornell requires submission of the following:
- Common Application
- Your school report and transcripts
- Standardized Testing – Optional for Fall 2024 Applicants*
- * While Cornell is test-optional (though recommended) for students applying to enroll in the Fall of 2025, the testing requirement will be reinstated for the following cycle.. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, the Dyson School of AEM, and the School of Hotel Administration have adopted score-free policies, meaning that they will not look at your SAT/ACT scores at all (frequently called “test blind”). The College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Human Ecology, and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations have adopted test-optional policies.
- Two letters of recommendation
- Counselor Recommendation
- A midyear report
- TOEFL or IELTS (for international students only)
- Cornell Questions and Writing Supplement
- Some colleges and schools require separate interviews, portfolios, and design submissions: Interviews for Architecture within College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; portfolios for Architecture and Art within College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Fashion Design within College of Human Ecology, and Landscape architecture within College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; design submissions are required for the Design and Environmental Analysis and Fashion Design and Management majors within College of Human Ecology.
- $80 application fee
- Interviews are required for students applying to the architecture program and optional for applicants to The School of Hotel Administration. All other applicants do not have the option to interview, although some programs do encourage them. Subject tests are not required by any of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges. The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning requires portfolios that showcase a student’s artistic abilities, but all other colleges discourage the submission of art supplements. Make sure to check whether the school or program you are applying to requires the submission of additional materials!
What are Cornell’s core curriculum and programs?
With its variety of colleges and schools, Cornell stays true to its founding principle: “Any Person, Any Study.” Cornell University is made up of the following schools and colleges:
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science
- College of Architecture, Art and Planning
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science
- Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- Dyson School of Applied Economics
- Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration
- Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management
- College of Engineering
- Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science
- College of Human Ecology
- School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)
- Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy
Cornell students can choose from 80 majors and 122 minors, as well as rigorous dual-degree programs, an independent major, and an interdisciplinary major. Dual-degree programs, also called Concurrent Degrees, usually take 5 years to complete. Students can complete minors offered by other colleges or departments, meaning that students committed to engineering can still pursue their interests in agriculture, art, business, or literature at one of Cornell’s other undergraduate colleges.
Having over 4,000 courses to choose from can be intimidating—but faculty advisors and major advisors help students choose the right combination of stimulating classes relevant to their interests. Introduction courses are usually large lectures, and students participate in weekly discussions with professors or TAs to take a deeper dive into class material. Class sizes decrease as courses cover higher level material—73% of classes have fewer than 30 students.
Can I afford Cornell?
Some of Cornell’s colleges receive funding from New York state in order to ensure the continued economic and social well-being of New York. That means that certain schools at Cornell are more affordable for New York residents. The total estimated cost of attending Cornell for the 2022-2023 school year is $92,150 for the endowed colleges and $69,826 for NY residents attending contract colleges. Both of these prices include tuition, room and board, a health fee, and other expected miscellaneous fees and school-related purchases.
Cornell offers need-based aid, rather than merit-based aid or athletic scholarships. In the class of 2025, 83% of full-time first year students who applied for aid received need based financial aid. The average Cornell grant award for a first-year student in the Class of 2025 was $43,250, and as high as $72,800. The overall price is also reduced through loans and work-study.
