Do I have a chance at getting into Cornell University?

Hi everyone,

I would like to know if I have a chance of getting into Cornell University. What SAT score would I need in addition to this?

I am a white jewish girl, attending private school, B+/A- average grades, have around five extracurriculars including science olympiad, legacy through a parent, student athlete as well. I am currently a junior and I am taking two AP’s this year including AP Bio and AP Human Geo plus I am in Accelerated Math. I am also looking to take more AP classes next year. Do I have a chance of getting in? Also, what SAT score should I aim for?

Thank you guys!

Here’s the link to Cornell’s Common Data Set: http://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CDS_2021-2022_V5.pdf

Section C9 has the SAT score range. But, I believe Cornell is extending test optional for some of the colleges and for others will be test blind: Cornell University Extends Test-Optional and Score-Free Undergraduate Admissions Testing Policies for Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 First-Year Applicants | Undergraduate Admissions

To get a legacy bump you would need to apply early decision otherwise it won’t help you.

As to being competitive, it’s hard to know without any context. Section C10 has class rank info. Talk to your guidance counselor as they will know where you fall within your class and compared to past applicants in your school.

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Agree. The guidance counselor at your private school should be able to provide the best advice as to your chances at Cornell (or elsewhere).

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Unfortunately, Average grades does not get you into Cornell. You need to be near the top of your class ( top 10 percent at least) with lots of rigor. Why do you want to go to Cornell? What is it about the school that you are excited about other than you are a legacy and probably would make your parents proud.

Certainly apply if it’s what you want but it’s an intense place and it might not be a good fit for you. If your school has Naviance or something similar, start exploring other college options. You success in life is not solely determined by being accepted to an Ivy League school. Good luck!

While a 3.5 seems a bit low for Cornell, the only way to have no chance is to not apply. To help your chances:

  • Do as well as you can in school with the time you have left.
  • Provide killer letters of recommendation
  • Write strong essays (application essays)
  • Apply ED if Cornell is your clear #1 choice and it’s affordable

To protect yourself – since admission to no Ivy+ is guaranteed – be sure to add some other schools to your app list, including a couple of match-range schools and at least one safety. A safety is typically a school with a 50%+ admit rate, where your grades are at or above the 75th% GPA and test score (or GPA if TO). But do show interest in your safety, as some pretty good schools don’t like being regarded as safeties and practice yield protection.

In terms of a target SAT, I’d shoot for 1500. Or a 34 on the ACT.

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How much college advising support does your school provide? Have you met with the counselor and does the school provide a service like the Naviance or Scoir scattergrams to show how past students from your school have fared with Cornell and what their stats were?

Dhlightman, one major piece of information is what college at Cornell University are you thinking of applying to? Just to make sure you are aware, you don’t just apply to Cornell … you have to apply to a specific college within Cornell.

Engineering, Dyson etc. are much harder to get into compared to colleges like ILR (industrial and labor relations) or Human Ecology.

Certain Cornell colleges are like MIT, Harvard, Stanford hard to get into, and others are like Rice, Vanderbilt, WashU hard to get into.

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A friend of my daughter’s was deferred in ED, then waitlisted as a triple legacy (including a parent and 2 siblings) to ILR. She applies with several more AP classes, a higher GPA, 33 ACT, and a lot of ECs. She did get off the waitlist very quickly and is there now. I would say that a 3.5 is a real reach, though.

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