A basic preparation for Cornell University includes these high school courses:
4 years of English
3 years of mathematics
3 years of science (at least 2 lab sciences)
3 years of a foreign language
3 years of social science (history, social studies)
A basic preparation for Cornell University includes these high school courses:
4 years of English
3 years of mathematics
3 years of science (at least 2 lab sciences)
3 years of a foreign language
3 years of social science (history, social studies)
Applicants who do not have recent teachers, instructors, or professors to write their recommendations are advised to have supervisors, mentors, and/or coaches write on their behalf. Current or former members of the military can utilize a recommendation from an appropriate member of their chain of command for this purpose.
Cornell prefers recommenders submit their letters of support through the Common Application using the official forms and instructions provided. Recommenders can also mail their letters directly to:
Students who have been schooled at home are welcome to apply for admission to Cornell. To learn more about the application process and the items that are required, please read the information for homeschooled applicants on our How to Apply page. Note that each homeschooled applicant is encouraged to provide clear, detailed documentation of their curriculum, assessment tools, and learning experiences.
Portfolio or design supplement submission requirements are specific to the major that you apply to. The following majors require a portfolio or design supplement:
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
Early Decision applicants receive admission decisions through their Applicant Portal in mid-December. There are three possible outcomes for these applications:
When we review your application, our hope is that we get to know you and understand your potential fit within the Cornell community. Therefore, when you’re drafting your essays, it’s important that we hear from you. Relying on generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (such as ChatGPT) to compose for you will result in an inauthentic, more generic writing that doesn't showcase your unique attributes.
Some of the undergraduate colleges at Cornell ask applicants to report the highest calculus class they will complete by the time they graduate from high school. If you are applying to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the College of Arts and Sciences, the Cornell Duffield College of Engineering, the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, or the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, you will be required to answer this question. Here are some guidelines that may be helpful in doing so:
Students who wish to pursue the Applied Economics and Management major should apply to the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and should select the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management as their anticipated major within this college.
An applicant may apply to Cornell as a transfer student if they have graduated from high school or received a GED, and have earned twelve or more credits at another college or university since then. Typically, this means that credits earned in an early college program will count only toward the student's high school diploma and not college.
High school and college transcripts must come directly from the student's school(s), whether digitally or via standard mail. In addition, enrolling students must have their final high school grades sent directly from their high school to Cornell before matriculating.
Please note that the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Cornell University conducts audits to verify the authenticity of final transcripts for a random sampling of entering first-year students.