Cornell University Admissions

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About Cornell University

Cornell University, a private research university located in Ithaca, New York, was founded in 1856. It is currently ranked at #12 (tied with Columbia and University of Chicago) in the U.S. News and World Report ranking of National Universities and boasts an undergraduate enrollment of 15,735, including students from over 140 countries. Cornell is a member of the Ivy League and is situated on a rural, 745-acre campus. 

Applicants to Cornell must select one of the undergraduate colleges in which they hope to enroll. The most popular of these colleges, each of which provide their own faculty and admit their own students, are the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is the second largest undergraduate college at Cornell. Its students focus on research in food & energy systems, life sciences, environmental sciences, and social sciences. CALS students choose from over 20 majors and more than 25 minors, many of which are interdisciplinary. 

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) was established in 1871 by Andrew Dickson White, the first president of Cornell University, to provide academic training in architecture. It consists of 55 faculty members, 276 graduate students, and 507 undergraduates. The mission of the college is to “teach and practice architecture, fine arts, and city and regional planning as creative and powerful forces with the potential to improve the world.” For undergraduates, AAP’s Department of Architecture offers a five-year program that culminates in a bachelor of architecture (B.Arch.) degree. 

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College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences, the liberal arts college at Cornell, is the largest and most popular of the seven colleges. There are 40 majors and 59 minors offered, in addition to more than 50 foreign languages. Students are welcome to double major within the College of Arts and Sciences or minor in one of Cornell’s other colleges. The top 10 most popular majors, in alphabetical order, are Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Economics, English, Government, History, Information Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. 

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business unites the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management the School of Hotel Administration (SHA) and the Johnson School of Business. Undergraduates may choose from two business programs: a BS in applied economics & management through the Dyson School, or a BS in Hotel Administration from the School of Hotel Administration. 

College of Engineering

Cornell’s College of Engineering is both the largest and highest ranked engineering program in the Ivy League. It offers 14 majors and 20 minors in addition to 29 student-led project teams. Every year, approximately 780 first-year students are admitted to this undergraduate program. Notably, 50% of the Class of 2025 was female, as was 50% of the College of Engineering overall. Prospective applicants to Cornell Engineering must complete 4 units of math (including calculus), 1 unit of physics, and 1 unit of chemistry before high school graduation. It is also recommended that applicants complete computer science and 1 unit of biology. 

College of Human Ecology

The College of Human Ecology offers undergraduate programs that combine career-oriented skills with a liberal arts curriculum. These programs include: Design + Environmental Analysis, Fashion Design and Management, Fiber Science, Global and Public Health Sciences, Health Care Policy, Human Biology, Health and Society, Human Development, Nutritional Sciences, and Policy Analysis and Management. Students are also encouraged to participate in independent research, directed studies, internships, and off-campus study programs. 

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

The School of Industrial and Labor Relations (IRL) was established in 1945 and offers an interdisciplinary major for undergraduates that combines business, economics, government, history, international relations, labor relations, law, public policy, and social justice. The flexible curriculum includes required introductory courses on topics such as organizational psychology, economics, labor history, statistics, management, and law. Students then tailor the curriculum to their individual interests and select advanced electives, complemented by research, internship, and study abroad opportunities. 

Applying to Cornell

For students who know Cornell is their first choice, there is a binding early decision plan available with a November 1 application deadline. Students are then notified in mid-December. Cornell uses the Common Application or the Universal College Application, both of which are completed and submitted online. 

You must also submit a school report, official transcript, counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations, standardized test scores (optional/test-blind; varies by school), an application fee, and a midyear report, if applicable. 

Students applying to the architecture program or the School of Hotel Administration are required to participate in a formal interview as part of the admissions process. For applicants to other programs, there are no interviews.

Cornell’s mandatory Writing Supplement asks applicants to provide a detailed explanation of their academic goals and intended areas of study. This question differs slightly by school:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals? 

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: What is your “thing”? What energizes you or engages you so deeply that you lose track of time? Everyone has different passions, obsessions, quirks, inspirations. What are yours?

College of Arts and Sciences: Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st century terms Ezra Cornell’s “any person…any study” founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business:  What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school(s) to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and/or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

College of Engineering
Instructions: All applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B.

  • Essay 1: How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering?  If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.
  • Essay 2: Choose either Question A or Question B. (250 word limit)

Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.

Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

College of Human Ecology: How has your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology been influenced by your related experiences? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future?

School of Industrial and Labor Relations: Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

Cornell Admissions Wrap Up

Class of 2028
Cornell has decided to not disclose its admissions’ numbers until the end of the yearly cycle.

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