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Frequently Asked Questions about Admissions

Have a burning question about admission to Cornell or about how to finance your education at the university? There's a good chance you'll find the answer here.

Check out these frequently asked questions about first-year, transfer, or international admission, and/or gather information about financial aid and our on-line application.

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Admission Questions

  1. What are the deadlines for getting in all of my materials?
  2. What is a "visiting student"?
  3. May I apply to more than one college at Cornell?
  4. How do I decide which college at Cornell would be best for me?
  5. Which college at Cornell will offer me the best chance of admission?
  6. Does Cornell have pre-med, pre-vet, or pre-law majors?
  7. If I want to major in biology, should I apply to the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences?
  8. What are the GPA and SAT/ACT cutoffs for admission?
  9. Will my application be considered differently depending on whether I attend a public or a private high school?
  10. What standardized test scores will I need to submit to Cornell?

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Financial Aid Questions

  1. Who is eligible to receive financial aid?
  2. When should I apply for financial aid?
  3. How should I apply for aid?
  4. What does it cost to attend Cornell University?
  5. Does CU offer merit aid or athletic scholarships?
  6. Is my award guaranteed for four years?
  7. What happens if I receive an outside scholarship?
  8. How do I contact the financial aid office?

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General Questions

  1. What's the real difference between the privately endowed and state-assisted undergraduate colleges?
  2. Are interviews required?
  3. Does Cornell offer any scholarships?
  4. How far is Cornell from New York City?
  5. How are the workload and stress levels at Cornell?
  6. What's it like living in Ithaca?
  7. What are the winters like?

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International Questions

  1. What tests are required for international students?
  2. What are the conditions that have to be met in order to have the TOEFL/IELTS waived?
  3. What about international students in the U.S. -- do they need to take the TOEFL or IELTS?
  4. Is there any exemption from the SAT/ACT or SAT Subject Test exams?
  5. Can I submit photocopies of my transcripts?
  6. Do A-levels or IB's exempt me from sending yearly transcripts?
  7. Is financial aid offered to international students?
  8. Are Canadian and Mexican applicants eligible for financial aid though the Cornell financial aid office?
  9. Can I apply early decision and be considered for financial aid as an international student?
  10. I just started attending a university in my home country, but I want to apply to Cornell as a freshman. Is this possible?
  11. How and when do I get my I-20?
  12. How do you consider U.S. citizens abroad and international students attending school in the U.S.?
  13. Can I apply for spring transfer admission as an international student?

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On-Line Application Questions

  1. Where do I need to send my application materials?
  2. I've been trying to apply online, but I can't seem to find the supplemental forms I need, such as the teacher recommendations, mid-year report, or the secondary school report. Where can I get these?

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Transfer Questions

  1. Will all my courses transfer?
  2. Does the credit I received by examination at my previous college or university transfer?
  3. Will I automatically receive AP credit if it was accepted at my previous institution?
  4. Cornell is on the semester system. At my current institution, the academic year is divided into quarters. How will my quarter hours be converted to semester hours?
  5. What should I send you to make credit evaluation easier?
  6. Does Cornell have articulation agreements with any community colleges?

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About the SAT/ACT Tests

  1. What standardized test scores will I need to submit to Cornell?