The pride and joy of Ithaca, NY, is Cornell University. This private Ivy League school educates individuals who are honing skills, talents, and passions to make a positive impact in their areas of study. If you’re determined to attend this prestigious school, you’ll need to learn everything you can about how to get into Cornell.
You’ll need to achieve the very highest grades possible in all of your classes. The rigor of your high school curriculum must be superior, and if you take standardized tests, you’ll need to achieve top scores.
Cornell University admissions are incredibly selective, which means that you will need to hand in the best application possible if you’re to have a chance at being invited to join the next incoming freshman class.
About Cornell University
Founded in 1865, Cornell University has a student enrollment of approximately 15,396 undergraduates and more than 9,000 grad students. There are more than 250,000 alumni.
More than 4,000 courses are available across 100 academic departments, giving students the opportunity to major in any one of the nearly 80 undergrad majors offered (there are also more than 120 minors).
The historic campus spans 2,300 acres and contains more than 260 major buildings within its borders. Cornell has around 30 dining facilities and 20 libraries — it is proud to have one of the ten largest academic research libraries in the country.
Cornell is ranked #17 of the top national universities, and it’s #15 in Forbes’ list of the best research universities. Notable Cornell alumni include:
- Anthony Fauci
- Bill Nye
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Huey Lewis
- Jimmy Smits
- Pearl S. Buck
- Bill Maher
In addition, Kurt Vonnegut, Gillian Anderson, Jane Lynch, Christopher Reeve, and many other well-known people also once walked the campus as students.
What Is Cornell University’s Acceptance Rate?
The acceptance rate for Cornell University is one of the lowest in the nation, averaging about 10%. For the class of 2021, the acceptance rate was 13%; for 2022 it was 10%, and for 2023 it was 10.5%.
The classes of 2023 and 2025 were two of the most competitive years ever for Cornell admissions. For 2023, the school received 49,118 applications and accepted just 5,183. For the Cornell class of 2025, there were 67,380 applicants, and only 5,863 (8.7%) of them were invited to attend.
With that being said, it’s worth noting that the Early Decision admission rates are more than double those of the overall rates. For example, in 2021 the Early Decision acceptance rate was 26%, in 2022 it was 24%, and in 2023, it was 23%.
Cornell Admission Help: Student Profiles
There is no concrete combination of factors that will guarantee that a student will make it into Cornell. The university prioritizes diversity and inclusion along with accessibility and affordability. Much consideration is given to determine whether every applicant would be a good fit for the culture of Cornell’s campus.
What GPA Do You Need to Get into Cornell University?
According to Cornell’s statistics, more than 83% of students who were accepted to the school graduated in the top decile of their high school classes. Because of Cornell’s esteemed stature, you will need to maintain a near-perfect GPA and average As in all of your classes, even though official GPAs are not released.
The best way to get an idea of what Cornell University looks for in its students is to take a look at the average GPA of those the school has already accepted. The average unweighted GPA for students who get into Cornell is around 4.07 (high schools that offer AP courses use a 5.0 GPA scale instead of a 4.0 scale).
This means that you must take AP, honors, and IB courses during your high school career whenever they are available to you.
If your school doesn’t offer AP or IB courses, strive to attain a 3.9 to 4.0 GPA.
There’s another important reason for you to take as many upper-level courses as possible during high school other than for the extra bump in your GPA. Cornell admissions officers are looking for students who don’t shy away from a challenge, and they want to see if you are ready for college-level coursework.
To show that you are ready, make sure to take advanced courses when they are available. Cornell wants students who don’t “take the easy way” just because they can.
Cornell Application Help: What ACT and SAT Scores Are Required for Admission?
Cornell University has extended its test-optional and score-free policies for first-year applicants for the fall of 2023 and fall of 2024. Typically, however, the school operates on a test-required policy, so usually, scores from SAT and ACT testing must be included in admissions applications.
Freshman applicants can submit their scores from either the ACT or the SAT exams; Cornell has no preference for one over the other. Cornell also reports that it does not use any solid score cutoffs; however, it will still help you to get the highest score you can on whichever test you take.
While each test includes various topics that should be covered during your freshman and sophomore years of high school, there are some differences between them, such as the number of sections and the timing for the tests.
Students who enjoy math more often prefer the ACT while those who enjoy English and writing more tend to gravitate toward taking the SAT. However, the choice is completely yours.
It’s highly recommended that you take the standardized test of your choice (or both) several times. You can submit to Cornell all of the scores you attain on different test dates, and the university will superscore your tests to combine the highest scores.
With that being said, regardless of whether test scores are currently required, three of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges don’t use test scores for their admission process. These three are:
- The School of Architecture, Art, and Planning
- The School of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
The other five schools — Cornell Engineering, Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, the College of Human Ecology, The College of Arts & Sciences, and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) — do use test scores when the university is not using a test-optional policy.
It should be noted that SAT subject tests are not expected or required for admission, and neither are the SAT or ACT essay sections (the SAT essay was discontinued in 2021).
Cornell’s Average Test Scores
For test scores that are submitted, Cornell’s 75th percentile SAT score is 1530 and the 25th percentile SAT score is 1490. The single average score is 1510. The average ACT score for accepted students is 34, with the 25th and 75th percentile scores at 32 and 35, respectively.
While the admission process no longer requires standardized examinations for admission beginning with the class of 2025, the university states that while the decision may be temporary, no plans have been announced to reintroduce standardized testing score requirements.
What High School Classes Should You Take?
There is not a single set of required high school courses that Cornell stipulates should be taken. Instead, the curriculum you take should vary depending on which school at Cornell you plan on entering. For example, Cornell requires the following courses if you want to work toward an engineering degree:
- A total of 16 units at minimum
- Four units for math
- One unit in chemistry
- One unit in physics
It’s recommended that applicants who are interested in engineering take computer science and a foreign language as well.
If you plan to join the Arts and Sciences college, Cornell recommends (but does not require) that you take high school classes that include:
- Three units of science
- Four units of English
- Three units of math
- Three units of one foreign language
If you fail to take a required course in high school, admissions may ask you to provide a letter describing the reason for the omission. Remember to take a rigorous course load during high school; your classes should become more challenging with each passing year.
How to Get Accepted into Cornell: Should You Choose AP Courses?
It’s not a requirement to take AP courses during high school; however, students who complete advanced placement exams must provide their scores. Some schools without AP or IB courses offer dual enrollment courses in partnership with a local university.
These classes allow some students to earn college credit while they attend high school. It’s important that you know that Cornell doesn’t give students credit for these types of courses.
However, it can still be beneficial for you to take them if they are available because it demonstrates to Cornell that you are prepared for higher-level coursework. Students can also earn credit in subjects through departmental exams. Dual enrollment courses may help you prepare for these.
Credit for Advanced Placement in the Cornell Curriculum
The university accepts some AP credits, but the credit you receive depends on the scores you receive and which tests you take. According to Cornell, AP credit can be earned from the following:
- Acceptable performance on a Cornell department exam
- The requisite score from the AP exams from the CEEB
- A regular course taught at an accredited college and approved by Cornell
- International examinations
To report your scores, you should have them sent directly to Cornell with the university’s CEEB code (2098). Not all AP exams provide the opportunity for Cornell credit.
How to Get into Cornell: What Extracurricular Activities Should You Do?
Cornell considers your involvement in activities outside of the classroom during high school to be very important. Many students mistakenly believe that the more activities they are active in, the better their chances are of making a good impression on the admissions staff.
The truth is that the quality of the activities you participate in is far more important than the number of activities. Cornell explains that it wants to see how you have been involved in your community, your job, and in leadership roles.
Choose a couple of organizations that appeal to your talents and interests and focus on being actively and heavily engaged with those.
Your Essay (Personal Statement) for Cornell
Cornell University requires you to submit essays and questions with your application. Different colleges within Cornell will ask different questions and provide different prompts. If you use the Common Application, you must explain in 650 words or fewer why you want to attend the college you chose.
When writing your essay, make sure you write with purpose! Cornell does expect students to take the time to learn about the college to which they are applying. Take care to cultivate a thoughtful, purposeful response that shows your knowledge about your college.
Your response should not repeat information about academic achievements that have already been included in other areas of the application. Instead, it should include information about who you are as a person.
Write about topics that are valuable to you and include some information on how you decided that your specific college was the best one for you.
Make sure to mention why you are an excellent fit for Cornell and why the admission staff should choose you to join the next incoming class. Bring your application alive through your essay and demonstrate what you can bring to the campus community.
Are Interviews Required?
Cornell does require interviews for students who are hoping to major in architecture in the College of Architecture, Art, & Planning. Interviews are also encouraged for the art department. However, they are not required for any other undergraduate programs, although it may be beneficial for you to take part in an interview.
Final Thoughts: How to Get into Cornell University
When curating your application and essays, remember that Cornell is looking for students with intellectual potential who are curious and who fit the culture and philosophy of the university. Admission officers want students who challenge themselves and are honest, open-minded, and able to contribute unique qualities to the student community.