Cornell Status Check (2024)

FAQs

How likely is it to get off Cornell waitlist? ›

Your Chances of Admission to Cornell After Being Waitlisted

Over the last 25 years, Cornell admitted an average of 4.1% of waitlisted students. Over the last five years, that figure has stood at 3.86%, though it was 5.87% for the most recent Class of 2027 when 362 students earned admission out of limbo.

The most selective schools at Cornell for admissions are:

College of Engineering. College of Architecture, Art & Planning.

No. Cornell University does not track demonstrated interest. Visiting campus is neither required nor expected of applicants. Students can articulate their fit and interest in the College of Arts & Sciences through the A&S-specific supplemental essay in their application.

To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1550 SAT or a 35 ACT. You should also have a 4.07 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score.

Some Ivy League schools routinely accept a good number of students from their waitlist. For example, Cornell offered 6,683 students a spot on their waitlist for the 2018-2019 academic year. 4,546 of these students accepted a spot on the waitlist.

Cornell denies most Early Decision candidates. While the school hasn't released its Early Decision acceptance rate since the Class of 2026, it's surely below 20%. And since, in recent years, between 21.7% to 24.3% of applicants have been deferred, the overwhelming majority have been denied admission outright.

For example, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering tend to be more competitive, whereas the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) might be somewhat less so.

Based on the acceptance rate, it is harder to get into Cornell at 7.90% than Columbia at 3.85%. However, admission varies depending on the program.

While individual experiences can vary, getting a likely letter means that the admissions committee was extremely impressed by that student's application. If you receive one, it's a reason to celebrate, but remember that the majority of admitted students do not get likely letters.

Does everyone get a Cornell interview? ›

No, because Cornell receives so many applications and doesn't have enough interviewers or time to interview everyone, only around 30% of applicants get an interview.

Personal interviews are not required (or available) for admission to any of Cornell's undergraduate level programs. While not evaluative interviews, first-year applicants to any Cornell college or school may request an informational meeting with an alumni admissions ambassador in their local area.

Cornell does not report average GPA for accepted applicants. However, based on its peer institutions and level of selectivity, applicants should aim for a 4.0 or above to be as competitive as possible.

Cornell University is one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, with laureled faculty and alumni and a powerful research presence. For student academics, Cornell excels in computer science and engineering.

What the admissions team is looking for beyond the numbers is intellectual potential, strength of character, and love of learning. They want to know about each student's ability, achievements, motivation, leadership, diligence, and integrity; their sense of fairness and compassion.

Colleges admit about 20% of students who choose to remain on waitlists, according to a 2019 report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Keep in mind that these numbers will vary based on the college waitlisting you.

The year prior, there were 9,555 early decision applicants; 1,831 were accepted. This worked out to a 19% ED acceptance rate, which was a lower rate of success than the 21% figure encountered by the Class of 2025. In a typical year, Cornell secures about 30% of the freshman class during the ED round.

It is true that some colleges may waitlist overqualified students. This practice is known as yield protection, and its purpose is to ensure that the college maintains a high yield rate, which refers to the percentage of accepted students who actually attend.