<p>Hey guys. I know that both of these schools are extremely difficult to get into and that applications to either of these schools are usually a crapshoot. But if you had to rank these two, which would you say is harder to get into? I know that Cornell is widely accepted to be easier to get into than Dartmouth, but due to the unique selectivity of Cornell's CAS, I wanted to see a direct comparison between it and Dartmouth. Also, how do these two schools differ in what they look for in a student? Thanks.</p>
<p>anecdotally, dartmouth is harder. three friends applied to nearly every ivy last year. all three were accepted cornell CAS, rejected dartmouth. they ended up matriculating at cornell, penn, and princeton.</p>
<p>The SAT range at Cornell A&S and at Dartmouth are about the same.</p>
<p>Probably Darthmouth is harder.</p>
<p>At my son’s high school there was about a 150 point SAT spread between those accepted at Cornell and Dartmouth and a significant GPA spread as well with Dartmouth being harder.</p>
<p>SAT 25th and 75th percentiles</p>
<p>Cornell A&S.1320 1510
Dartmouth…1330 1550</p>
<p>both are just as hard to get into</p>
<p>I’m normally swayed by the statistical evidence, but this is one instance where I wonder if the numbers tell an accurate story. </p>
<p>IMO, comparing student selectivity and judging from the anecdotes of others (here and elsewhere), Cornell stands alone…at the bottom of the Ivy League. Don’t get me wrong-Cornell students are very talented, but in the Ivy universe, I believe that most outside observers would agree that they are a slight notch below the others. Having said that, I think that few would dispute the strength of Cornell’s engineering programs and students. But for other Cornell students and in comparison to the other Ivies, I rarely hear of students being accepted to a place like Dartmouth and rejected from Cornell (while I frequently hear and read the reverse).</p>
<p>Cornell has seven undergraduate colleges, each with their own individual entrance requirements and applicant pools. They are both more numerous and more diverse than most other colleges people compare it with. Only about 1/3 of entering Cornell freshman matriculate to its College of Arts & Sciences. Most of those people who are going to Cornell are not entering a program of studies that is also available at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Collegehelp has posted a 50% range for Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences. For Fall 2008 just over 18% of applicants were accepted.</p>
<p>Dartmouth also offers “engineering”, the recent 50% range for Cornell’s College of Engineering was 640-730V, 720-790 M.</p>
<p>That is the best information available, anecdotes notwithstanding. The data is the data, whether that makes it more or less selective than some other Arts & Sciences colleges, or engineering programs, so be it.</p>
<p>If there exists some different actual data reported by the colleges, post it.</p>
<p>Darmouth acceptance rate: 15%
Cornell acceptance rate:21%</p>
<p>[::</a> College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>http://www.collegeboard.com/)</p>
<p>Once again, FWIW (not too much) Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences acceptance rate was not 21%, it was just over 18%. The 21% is some aggregate of the university as a whole, which includes 7 undergraduate colleges most of which offer programs of studies not available at Dartmouth.</p>