What are Cornell's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into Cornell. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.
Location: Ithaca, NY
This school is also known as: Cornell University
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Cornell Admissions Statistics
There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. All these combine to tell you what you scores are required to get into Cornell University.
Average SAT: 1480
The average SAT score composite at Cornell is a 1480.
Cornell SAT Score Analysis
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1470, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1550.
In other words, a 1470 places you below average, while a 1550 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at Cornell, but they really want to see at least a 1470 to have a chance at being considered.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 760 | 750 | 800 |
| Reading + Writing | 720 | 710 | 770 |
| Composite | 1480 | 1470 | 1550 |
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Average GPA: 4.07
The average GPA at Cornell is 4.07. This makes Cornell Extremely Competitive for GPAs.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.This school did not officially report its average GPA, but we've estimated it here using data from over 1,000 schools.)
With a GPA of 4.07, Cornellrequires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. You should also have taken plenty of AP or IB classes to show your ability to excel in academic challenge.
If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.07, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.
Admissions Rate: 7.3%
The acceptance rate at Cornell is 7.3%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, only 7 are admitted.
This means the school isvery selective. Scores are vital to getting past their first round of filters. After that, you will need to impress them beyond just your academic scores.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is extremely selective, getting a high SAT score and GPA is vital to having a chance at getting in. If you don't pass their SAT and GPA requirements, they'll likely reject you without much consideration.
To be safe, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1550 SAT and a 4.07 GPA or higher to be above average.
This is only part of the challenge - after this, you'll need to impress them beyond your academic scores, with your accomplishments and extracurriculars. But if you apply with a 1480 SAT or below, you unfortunately have a small chance of getting in.
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Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at Cornell University?
Chances of admission with these scores:
Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
Pick your test:SATACT
SAT Score
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Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
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Other Schools For You
If you're interested in Cornell, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Cornell.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Cornell. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington University in St. Louis | St. Louis, MO | 1527 | 34 |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | 1524 | 35 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 1520 | 34 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 1500 | 34 |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 1500 | 34 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for Cornell, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | Providence, RI | 1493 | 34 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1484 | 33 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 1475 | 34 |
| Tufts University | Medford, MA | 1465 | 33 |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 1465 | 34 |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 1435 | 33 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for Cornell, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Cornell is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 1418 | 32 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | 1396 | 31 |
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA | 1395 | 33 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 1393 | 30 |
| Binghamton University | Binghamton, NY | 1375 | 31 |
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
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