Cornell University Review 2015

Cornell University is a private institution that was founded in 1865. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,453, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 745 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Cornell University's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 15. Its tuition and fees are $49,116 (2015-16).

Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, has more than 1,000 student organizations on campus, which range from the Big Red Marching Band to the International Affairs Society. First-year students live together on north campus, and the university has housing options for upperclassmen and graduate students, though many choose to live off campus. Cornell has a thriving Greek life, with more than 60 fraternity and sorority chapters. Cornell has more than 30 NCAA Division I varsity teams that compete in the Ivy League. The Cornell Big Red are perhaps best known for their successful men's lacrosse team, which won nine consecutive Ivy League titles from 2003 to 2011. Cornell also has a strong hockey program.

Each of Cornell's 14 colleges and schools admits its own students and provides its own faculty, even though every graduate receives a degree from Cornell University. Cornell's two largest undergraduate colleges are the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Its graduate schools include the highly ranked S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management, College of Engineering, Law School and Weill Cornell Medical College. Cornell is also well known for its top-ranked College of Veterinary Medicine and the highly esteemed School of Hotel Administration. One of Cornell's oldest traditions is Dragon Day, during which a dragon built by first-year architecture students is paraded through campus. Notable alumni include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, author E.B. White and Bill Nye, the "Science Guy."

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Cornell University was founded in 1865 as a coeducational, nonsectarian institution where "any person can find instruction in any study." Once dubbed... Read More

General Information

School type	private, coed college
Year founded	1865
Religious affiliation	N/A
Academic calendar	semester
Setting	rural
2014 Endowment	$5,889,948,788

Applying

When applying to Cornell University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 2, and the early decision deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 1. The application fee at Cornell University is $75. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 14.2 percent.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2014 acceptance rate	14.2%
Application deadline	January 2
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	January 1

Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Cornell University is 9:1, and the school has 55.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Cornell University include: Engineering; Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; and Social Sciences. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 96.8 percent.

Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students (55.3%) 55.3% 20-49 (26.7%) 26.7% 50 or more (18.1%) 18.1%
Student-faculty ratio	9:1
4-year graduation rate	87%
Five most popular majors for 2014 graduates
Engineering 16% Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences 13% Biological and Biomedical Sciences 13% Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 13% Social Sciences 11%

Student Life

Cornell University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,453, with a gender distribution of 49 percent male students and 51 percent female students. At this school, 55 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 45 percent of students live off campus. Cornell University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

Total enrollment	21,850
Student gender distribution
Male (49%) 49.0% Female (51%) 51.0%
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
In fraternity (27%) 27.0% Independent (73%) 73.0%
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
In sorority (23%) 23.0% Independent (77%) 77.0%
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

Campus Services

Cornell University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Cornell University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Cornell University.

Students who have cars on campus	N/A
Health insurance offered	Yes

Cost and Financial Aid

At Cornell University, 47.4 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $37,559.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs, or use the U.S. News 529 Finder to choose the best tax-advantaged college investment account for you.

Tuition and fees	$49,116 (2015-16)
Room and board	$13,678 (2015-16)
Financial aid statistics
Applied for need-based aid (53.4%) 53.4% Need was fully met (100%) 100.0% Received need-based financial aid (47.4%) 47.4% Received need-based self-help aid (43.6%) 43.6% Average percent of need met (100%) 100.0%