Informational Bulletins
First-Year Students: Early Decision Information
If Cornell is your first choice and you're applying for first-year admission, consider applying under the early-decision plan. Your application will be read in the fall, and you'll be notified by mid-December of Cornell's decision. About a third of the first-year class comes to Cornell through early-decision. Because enthusiasm for Cornell is considered a plus, early-decision applicants stand a better chance of gaining admission.
Remember that an early-decision application is a commitment. You can apply under early decision to only one college or university. If you're accepted at Cornell, you must withdraw any applications sent to other schools and send your acceptance deposit by the deadline in early January.
Most applicants who are notified in mid-December that they were not accepted under early decision will be reviewed again during the regular decision process. Some applicants will receive final notification in December that they are being denied admission to Cornell and will not be referred to the regular decision pool.
Plan to take the SAT before November of your senior year, or the ACT no later than October, if you will be applying early. Early-decision applicants are also strongly urged to take the SAT Subject Tests no later than November, because the scores are used in the colleges' early decision selection process.
