Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Cornell University is a private university in NY, founded in 1865 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 15,043 and the graduate enrollment is 8,984. Cornell University is a hyper-selective school, receiving 49,114 applications and accepting only 10.9% of applicants. Additionally, Cornell University’s athletics teams compete at the club, intramural, and varsity levels.
Empowerly Score®
93
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Cornell University will apply through the Common Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also be required to answer specific questions pertaining to the university.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision Application Deadline
November 1st
Regular Application Deadline
January 2nd
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Extracurricular Activities - Very Important
- Character/Personal Qualities - Very Important
- Application Essay - Very Important
- Academic GPA - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
Average Acceptance Rate
10.90%
STUDENT LIFE
Ithaca, New York, has a perfect college town atmosphere for students to enjoy. The school’s 2,300-acre central campus overlooks the city and Cayuga Lake, providing students with the best of both worlds. In the classroom, students can succeed in their academic goals with the full support of faculty and staff. Likewise, numerous activities also encourage them to get involved and connect with Cornell’s diverse student body outside the classroom. These include joining one of its Big Red athletic teams or Cornell Outdoor Education, one of the country’s biggest collegiate outdoor education programs. Students can also select from over 1,000 student organizations that run the gamut, from a cappella groups to kayaking to video game clubs. Throughout its semester-based academic calendar, first-year students are encouraged to discover their place in the diverse Cornell University community.
Housing
- 52% of students live on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
First-year (and second-year) students must live on the campus in its residential North Campus, designated primarily for them. The North Campus was planned to offer first-year students a unique environment to ease their transition to student life at Cornell University. First-year undergraduates can choose to live in residence halls or program houses, which promote interaction with classmates and faculty in a friendly setting within the school’s greater campus community. The North Campus has ten traditional residential halls that are all co-ed (except for one). Here, students live, learn, study, and socialize in a friendly and supportive environment, complete with cultural and educational programming and other resources worthwhile to new students (like the Carol Tatkon Center for first-year students at Cornell University).
Life as a Student
Because studying at Cornell University is such a prestigious opportunity, first-year students take their schoolwork very seriously. Fortunately, with an impressive 9:1 student-faculty ratio, Cornell undergraduates have the most accessible professors. Cornell students are likewise very involved with ample activities to connect with the campus and their peers. For example, the Cornell student body is renowned for its print and radio productions, such as its independent daily newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun; The Cornell Lunatic campus humor magazine; and the student-run WVBR commercial FM radio station. Many student clubs and organizations are also available to students, like the Cornell International Affairs Society, the Sherwoods informal choral group, and the Outdoor Odyssey, especially for first-year students. Of course, first-year students mustn’t miss long-standing Cornell University traditions like Dragon Day.
TOP MAJORS
Biology
Computer Science
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Business
Agricultural Business
Economics
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Crew
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Squash
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Water Polo
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Sailing
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Archery
Baseball
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Football
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Rugby
Sailing
Sand Volleyball
Skiing (Downhill)
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Skiing (Cross-Country)
Archery
Cheerleading
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Football
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Sailing
Sand Volleyball
Skiing (Downhill)
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Skiing (Cross-Country)
Intramural
Intramural
Badminton
Bowling
Basketball
Golf
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Tennis
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Badminton
Bowling
Basketball
Golf
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Tennis
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
About half of undergraduate students receive Cornell grants to attend Cornell University.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition - $62,456
- Student Activity Fee - $310
- Health Fee - $434
- Housing (On-Campus) - $17,088
- Books and Supplies - $1,000
- Personal/Misc. - $2,008
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance - $83,299
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP / AFFILIATES
HISTORY
Cornell University was founded in 1865 in Ithaca, New York, by two newly elected members of the state senate: Ezra Cornell of Ithaca and Andrew Dickson White of Syracuse. Each respectively chaired committees involved with land grant allocation and educational matters; these invigorated their commitment to education and philanthropy and, in turn, provided the drive to establish the school. Cornell provided his farm in Ithaca for the location and an initial $500,000 endowment, while White would take on the role as its first president. Cornell University immediately opened as a non-sectarian and co-educational higher education institution, fulfilling the founder and namesake Cornell’s original goal to “found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.”
Thanks to its unhampered start, Cornell University provided a broader curriculum compared to other universities of the day, embracing both research and innovative instruction if it benefited the student. Cornell became the first university in the United States to organize itself into distinct colleges that offered different degrees. Although its first students attended Cornell for agricultural study, many early graduates also studied business management, engineering, biological sciences, and social sciences. However, the largest of Cornell’s various colleges would eventually be its College of Arts and Sciences, which had a liberal arts concentration. The school was also among the first American universities to be co-educational, even building a women’s dormitory for students in 1875. As a result of this initial move, the enrollment of women at Cornell University rapidly expanded.
Today, Cornell University is ranked #17 in National Universities by U.S. News Best Colleges. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,743 and a graduate enrollment of 6,239. With an acceptance rate of 10.9%, the school is recognized as one of the most selective. Cornellians learn, live, and play in a multifaceted community that has long thrived in its deeply-rooted academic setting. Cornell’s seven undergraduate colleges and schools admit their students and even have their own faculty. The Cornell Big Red has 35 varsity intercollegiate teams that compete as an NCAA Division I institution and as a member of the Ivy League. The university proudly boasts 61 Nobel laureates, four Turing Awards winners, 33 Rhodes Scholars, and 63 Olympic Medalists among its alumni and affiliates. Its most well-known alumni include Bill Nye the Science Guy, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Charlotte’s Web author E.B. White.