Cornell College

Around 79% of applicants get into Cornell College each year. Out of 3,057 applications received in 2023, 2,425 students were offered admission.

If you want to apply to Cornell College, there is no application fee, which means it is free to apply.

Cornell College Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Cornell College's admissions stats.

Cornell College 2023	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.6
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	14%
Mean SAT Score	1259
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	23.6%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	60%
Waitlist	No

Cornell College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Cornell College.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	No	–	–
Early Decision II	–	–	–
Early Action	Yes	November 1	–

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Want to Apply Early to Cornell College?

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Cornell College does not offer early decision but does offer early action.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1.

Cornell College accepts around 88% of early action applicants and 79% all applicants for all deadlines. In 2022, Cornell College admitted 7 of the 8 who applied early action.

Some students apply to college early because they believe it will boost their chances of being offering admission. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of acceptance, since it shows your interest in a school.

➡️ Explore a list of some selective colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Cornell College Admissions

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Transferring to Cornell College

For more information on transferring to Cornell College, contact the school directly.

For Students Waitlisted to Cornell College

Cornell College has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Cornell College?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are they consider most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that prioritize the areas where you're strong.

Admissions Factors at Cornell College

Wondering what factors are considered by Cornell College during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Application Essay	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Character/Personal Qualities	Considered
Class Rank	Considered
Extracurricular Activities	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Interview	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Recommendation(s)	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Considered
First Generation	Considered

Make sure to check with Cornell College for more information on admission factors.

Cornell College 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Cornell College, all applicants must submit the following items. Check with Cornell College's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
Transcript of High School Record	–	–	√	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Cornell College?

Students admitted to Cornell College have an average unweighted GPA of 3.6.

Out of all students that were admitted, 38% submitted a class rank. At Cornell College 14% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 47% were in the top 25% and 82% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Cornell College, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	20.97%
3.75 and 3.99	18.24%
3.50 and 3.74	19.45%
3.25 and 3.49	18.24%
3.00 and 3.24	14.89%
2.50 and 2.9	7.6%
2.00 and 2.49	0.61%

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Cornell College directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Cornell College has a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 23.6% of Cornell College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 60% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Cornell College?

To be competitive with other Cornell College applicants, you should strive to earn between 1210 and 1320 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Cornell College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1320 and 25% of scored lower than 1210, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Cornell College student is 1259.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Cornell College students scored 690 or higher and 75% of students scored 600 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Cornell College students scored 690 or higher, and 75% scored a 600 or higher.

To be most competitive at Cornell College, you should strive to earn between 23 and 30 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 30 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Cornell College's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 30, and three out of four students scored lower than 30 on the ACT.

A 23 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Cornell College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 23.

More Information on Transferring to Cornell College

Transfer applications are processed on a on a rolling basis as they are received.

Transfer students can enroll in Cornell College during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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Cornell College Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Cornell College?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Cornell College.

Does Cornell College accept transfer credits?

✅ Cornell College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Cornell College accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Cornell College accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Cornell College?

❌ No, Cornell College is test optional, so you can choose whether or not to include your standardized test scores. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you probably want to include them. If your scores are average or below average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is Cornell College's acceptance rate?

✅ Cornell College's acceptance rate is 79%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Cornell College?

❌ Cornell College does not offer early decision.

What is the early action acceptance rate at Cornell College?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at Cornell College was 88% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Cornell College?

To learn more about Cornell College, choose from the options below:

Overview

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

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