How to Get Into Cornell: Acceptance Rate and Strategies
July 4, 2025
Successful applicants to Cornell University universally possess an ‘A’ average in a rigorous high school curriculum, stellar SAT/ACT scores, and a record of accomplishment outside of the classroom in (typically) two or more extracurricular activities. However, these attributes are necessary but often not sufficient, as Cornell rejects 93% of the homogeneous horde of high-achieving candidates who apply each year. In addition to the latest Cornell University acceptance rate, we will explore the following:
- Cornell University acceptance rate (plus how to calculator your chances with our free admissions calculator)
- Cornell ED acceptance rate
- GPA, SAT, ACT, and class rank of accepted Cornell applicants
- Admissions trends
- How Cornell鈥檚 admissions officers evaluate candidates
- The demographics of current Cornell undergraduates
- Yield rate
- Tips for applying to Cornell
- Whether Cornell is worth the application fee (for you)
Cornell College Admissions Calculator
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Cornell University Acceptance Rate
Cornell received 65,612 applications from Class of 2028 hopefuls and accepted 5,516 of them. This means that the Cornell acceptance rate was 8.4% in 2024, slightly higher than the previous year.
However, it is important to note that the overall acceptance rate reflects the Early Decision acceptance rate (more on this below) and the regular decision acceptance rate combined. 55,639 students applied to Cornell in the regular round and 4,355 were accepted for an RD acceptance rate of 7.8%.
Historical (overall) Cornell University acceptance rates are as follows:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2027 | 67,846 | 5,358 | 7.9% |
| Class of 2026 | 71,164 | 5,168 | 7.3% |
| Class of 2025 | 67,380 | 5,852 | 8.9% |
| Class of 2024 | 51,500 | 5,514 | 10.7% |
Cornell has not released their official admissions stats for the Class of 2029. However, we do know that 5,824 students were accepted.
Cornell Early Decision (ED) Acceptance Rate
In the 2024-25 cycle, Cornell received 9,973 Early Decision applications and accepted 1,161 of them, for an ED acceptance rate of 11.6%.
The year prior, there were 9,515 early decision applicants; 1,670 of them were accepted. This gives an ED acceptance rate of 17.5%, which is lower than the听21% figure encountered by the Class of 2026.
In a typical year, Cornell secures about 30% of the freshman class during the ED round. However, moving forward, . No word yet on how drastic the reduction will be, but Class of 2029 applicants will likely face stiffer competition if applying in the early round.
What GPA do you need to get into Cornell?
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.
What class rank do you need to get accepted to Cornell?
Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, 85.6% hailed from the top 10% of their graduating class. 95.5% earned a place in the top 25%.
What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Cornell?
According to the most recent statistics available (Class of 2028), the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1510-1560. Moreover, the ACT range was 33-35.
Note that 97% of enrolled students had an SAT score between 1400-1600, while 97% had an ACT score between 30-36.
Admissions Trends & Notes
- Historically, about 15% of incoming students are legacies. While Cornell is having conversations about changing their legacy admissions policies in the future, it remains the same for now.
- 16.3% of the Class of 2028 are first-generation college students.
- The Class of 2028 hailed from all 50 states and 57 countries.
- 19% of the Class of 2028 identified as Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous.
- 45% of the Class of 2028 submitted SAT scores, while 14.6% submitted ACT scores.
How Cornell Rates Applicants
Unlike many other ultra-selective institutions, undergraduate applications to Cornell are not reviewed by a central admissions office; rather, they are funneled to the specific college within the university that a particular student has applied to. From there, applications undergo a 鈥渇irst review鈥� which looks at whether or not the applicant possesses the minimum academic credentials for serious consideration. Typically, around 80% of applicants make it through the 鈥渇irst review.鈥�
In the next round of review, admissions officers look to the rigor of an applicant鈥檚 high school coursework and carefully read their supplemental essay about their interest in studying a given discipline at Cornell. They also want to see evidence of a desire to become passionately committed to the Cornell student community. This can best be demonstrated through extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendation letters.
Cornell is looking for genuine excellence in one or more activities. For example, you won a prestigious national physics competition, you are one of the top violinists in the United States, you published original scientific research, or were the president of a service organization that made a monumental impact. It definitely helps if you are recruited as an athlete to join one of . Between 6-7% of undergraduates are recruited athletes.
In sum, there are eight factors that Cornell ranks as being 鈥渧ery important鈥� to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, the essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. Standing out in all of these areas definitely increases your chances of gaining acceptance to this Ivy League institution.
Who Actually Gets Into Cornell?
In a recent year, the geographical distribution of first-year, enrolled students was as follows:
- International: 11%
- Mid-Atlantic States: 18%
- Southeastern States: 6%
- Western States: 12%
- Midwestern States: 7%
- New England States: 10%
- Southwestern States: 5%
- New York: 31%
Competition is stiffest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast, including New York, & the West Coast). However, if you hail from a less populated state like Nebraska, South Dakota, or Alaska, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances, as Cornell likes to enroll students from all 50 states. Bear this in mind when considering Cornell’s acceptance rate.
Moreover, since Cornell is New York State’s land-grant institution, their mission to better the lives of NY State citizens does come into play when making admissions decisions.
Next, let’s look at the ethnic identity of the Class of 2028.
- White: 32%
- Asian American: 29%
- Hispanic: 9.5%
- Black or African American: 4.2%
The Class of 2027 has the following gender split:
- Male: 46%
- Female: 54%
In a recent year, students enrolled as follows:
- College of Arts and Sciences: 31.8%
- College of Engineering: 23%
- SC Johnson College of Business, Nolan School: 4.7%
- College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: 3.8%
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: 18%
- College of Human Ecology: 6.7%
- College of Industrial and Labor Relations: 4.9%
- SC Johnson College of Business, Dyson School: 4.4%
- Brooks School of Public Policy: 2%
Cornell’s Yield Rate
Cornell鈥檚 overall Class of 2028 yield rate was 64%. This number is significantly lower than Harvard but higher than many other selective universities. Given Cornell’s acceptance rate, this isn’t a surprise. For comparison, elite schools such as Caltech, UCLA, Washington University in St. Louis, UVA, and USC all have yield rates around or under 50%.
Tips for Applying to Cornell
If you plan on joining the 67,000ish Big Red hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- Cornell’s testing policy will be reinstated during the 2025-26 application cycle.
- While applicants in previous years were able to meet with members of the alumni network, Cornell has discontinued this practice due to fairness concerns.
- Cornell does not consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essays required by Cornell. In the 2025-26 cycle, they are as follows:
Required for all applicants:
We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you鈥檝e been shaped by one of the communities you belong to.听
Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience. Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of community you might choose from are: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural.听(350 word limit)
College Interest Essays
In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, all students will also need to respond to at least one additional essay question that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which they are applying.
For a detailed look at how to tackle these essays, visit our blog:听Cornell University Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips.
Should I apply to Cornell?
Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% range who are also at the very top of their respective high school class are absolutely viable candidates for Cornell. Above all, Cornell wants to see that you are academically capable of excellence in their rigorous curriculum.
Finally, if you are serious about applying to Cornell, taking standardized tests (and scoring as highly as possible) should be part of your plan.
Cornell University Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts
To sum up, if you bring strong academic and extracurricular credentials to the table, there is no harm in filling out a Cornell application, but鈥攁s with all highly competitive colleges in 2025-26鈥攅ven the best and brightest teens need to have an appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools.
Ready to start working on your application? You might consider checking out the following:
