If you’ve thought about applying to the Ivy League schools, chances are Cornell has crossed your mind. Located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell University boasts over 4,000 courses, 100 academic departments, nearly 80 undergraduate majors, and over 120 minors.
With all of these options, you may feel like Cornell is the perfect place for you. If so, you’ll have to start thinking about Cornell admissions. As you consider the Cornell admissions process, you should pay attention to the Cornell University requirements. This will help you understand how to prepare a strong application.
Let’s discuss some key details about the Cornell University admissions rate.
Cornell admissions rate: what you need to know
As the Cornell admissions statistics will tell you, the Cornell admissions rate is low. As an Ivy League school, Cornell can afford to be pretty selective with the Cornell enrollment. The Cornell acceptance rate is quite low, just 8.69% for the class of 2025. As you prepare your Cornell application, keep these statistics in mind. While the Cornell admissions rate is low, this doesn’t mean you have no chance of getting in.
Last year, 67,380 Cornell enrollment hopefuls filled out the Cornell application. Due to the low Cornell acceptance rate, only 5,852 got in. Only 8 out of every 100 applicants were offered a spot in the Cornell enrollment. Clearly, the Cornell University admissions process is a competitive one.
However, don’t let these numbers discourage you as you begin your Cornell admissions journey. There are plenty of ways to stand out to Cornell University admissions officers. Read on as we explore how to get into Cornell, including need to know information like what the Cornell University requirements are, the Cornell GPA requirements, what Cornell admissions officers are looking for, and more.
What is Cornell University known for?
Founded in 1865, Cornell is a privately endowed research university and a partner of the State University of New York. They are a federal land-grant institution in New York State with 50 Nobel Laureates in their alumni pool.
Cornell has 16 colleges and schools, including nine undergraduate divisions. In 2019, Cornell adopted a set of core values.
Cornell’s core values are:
- Purposeful Discovery
- Free and Open Inquiry and Expression
- A Community of Belonging
- Exploration across Boundaries
- Changing Lives through Public Engagement
- Respect for the Natural Environment.
Of course, Cornell University is known for being one of eight Ivy League colleges. However, there’s a lot that sets Cornell apart from its Ivy companions. Cornell is ranked #17 in the U.S. News list of Best National Universities. However, Cornell recently became the #1 school in New York after a scandal rocked Columbia University.
Want to learn more about student life at Cornell? Check out our library of articles to read all about housing and dining, on campus involvement, and Cornell traditions.
Cornell admissions: what are the requirements?
Now that you know a little more about Cornell University, let’s talk more about Cornell admissions. First, you should familiarize yourself with what first-year applicants need for the Cornell application. You should also make sure you understand the Cornell application deadline and the Cornell University requirements.
The Cornell application deadline for Early Decision applicants is November 1. The regular Cornell admissions deadline is January 2. You must have all your materials in the Cornell admissions portal by these dates at the latest if you want the Cornell admissions team to consider your application.
What do you need to upload to the Cornell admissions portal? First of all, you must complete the Common Application. To meet the Cornell University requirements for admission, you must also submit several important things.
Cornell admissions requirements:
- School report
- Counselor recommendation
- Two teacher evaluations
- Midyear report (when your mid-year grades are available)
- Official secondary/high school transcript
- $80 application fee or fee waiver
- Cornell University Questions and Writing Supplement (CA)
- Interviews or portfolio and design submissions (optional depending on your desired school of Cornell enrollment)
As you can see, there are a number of components to the Cornell admissions process. However, most of these are fairly standardized across all colleges, so the Cornell admissions requirements are nothing out of the ordinary.
In order to contend with the low Cornell admissions rate, you should be sure to submit all the necessary materials. You should pay close attention to the Cornell University requirements as you start the Cornell admissions process. There are no Cornell GPA requirements, but you should aim for a high GPA. You should also ensure you meet the Cornell application deadline.
Still have questions for the Cornell admissions office? Reach out to them here. Then, read up on how to ace the Cornell admissions supplemental essay and how to stand out in the Cornell admissions process. You can also watch our Cornell University admissions webinar for even more information.
Is it easier to get into Cornell Early Decision?
You may wonder if applying to Cornell University admissions Early Decision will impact the Cornell admissions rate. To give you an idea of how Early Decision impacts admissions rates, let’s break down some Cornell admissions statistics.
As we mentioned above, the Cornell acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was around 8.6%. However, this Cornell admissions rate applied to both Early and Regular Decision applicants. If we look more closely at the Cornell admissions statistics for Early Decision applicants, we see a slightly different number. Out of 9,017 Cornell admissions hopefuls who applied for the Early Cornell application deadline, 1,930 were admitted. This means the ED acceptance rate was 21.4%.
However, while this number is much higher than the overall Cornell acceptance rate, statistics aren’t everything. The ED pool often includes stronger applicants who would already have a better chance in the Cornell admissions process. Cornell also does not track demonstrated interest. So, don’t think that your Cornell admissions odds are automatically higher if you apply early.
We can also use this statistic to calculate the Regular Decision Cornell acceptance rate. The Cornell admissions rate for applicants who waited until January 2nd to send their application to the Cornell admissions office was only 6.7%.
However, before you speed through that Cornell admissions portal and hit “submit,” you need to consider a few things. Firstly, an Early Decision Cornell application will be binding. This means that if you apply and are offered an Early spot in the Cornell enrollment, you must accept. So, this may not be the best option if you’re not totally sold on Cornell or need to compare financial aid packages from other schools.
Secondly, you don’t want to rush to submit your application by the Early Cornell admissions deadline if it’s not your best work. That higher Early Cornell acceptance rate won’t matter if you submit a rushed, unpolished application to the Cornell admissions portal. You’re better off taking the time you need to make thoughtful edits. Then, you can submit in January under the regular Cornell application deadline.
Cornell admissions process: more information
We’ve gone over the Cornell admission rate, Cornell admissions statistics, Cornell admissions portal, and even how to contact the Cornell admissions office. Now, let’s talk about another part of the Cornell University requirements: the Cornell GPA requirements.
You may believe that there’s a minimum requirement to submit your application to Cornell admissions. However, this is not true. Although the standards for Cornell University admissions are high, there are no minimum Cornell GPA requirements. Cornell admissions officers will evaluate your application based on numerous different factors, and GPA is only one part of the puzzle.
However, referring back to the Cornell admissions statistics, 84.2% of the Cornell enrollment were in the top tenth of their high school graduating class. Furthermore, 96.4% of students were in the top quarter of their high school class. So, although there are no minimum Cornell GPA requirements, you should definitely strive to be in the top of your class.
Still wondering how to get into Cornell? Check out our How to Get into Cornell guide. If you want to learn more about Cornell, visit the Cornell admissions website or complete a virtual visit to see if Cornell is right for you.
Cornell admissions- final thoughts
We hope this breakdown of the Cornell University admissions process helps get you excited about your application. The Cornell admissions process is just like that of any top college. To impress Cornell admissions officers, you want to highlight your strengths by building a compelling candidate profile.
Although there’s lots to think about, like the Cornell admissions statistics and the low Cornell acceptance rate, don’t let any of this discourage you from submitting to the Cornell admissions portal. Cornell admissions officers want to be impressed by you, so make sure you put your best foot forward in the admissions process.
