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Cornell College Admission Requirements

Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College

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Chances of getting into Cornell College

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance Rate
61%
Admission Difficulty for Cornell College
Measure Difficulty
Admission StandardsVery High
Applicant CompetitionLow

How hard is it to get into Cornell College and can I get accepted? The school has a 61% acceptance rate ranking it #9 in Iowa for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 1,545 out of 2,532 applicants were admitted making Cornell College a moderately competitive school to get into with a strong chance of acceptance if you meet the requirements.  Academically, it has very high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 38 percent. Cornell College typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 19% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.

Can you get in?

Find out which students are getting accepted at Cornell College, which are not, and how your GPA, SAT, or ACT scores compare.

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Cornell College SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range
1080-1320
Applicants Submitting SAT
43%
SAT Scores for Cornell College
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 540
SAT Math 25th 540
SAT Composite 25th 1080
SAT Scores for Cornell College
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 670
SAT Math 75th 650
SAT Composite 75th 1320
Average SAT Score 1200

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Cornell College?

Cornell College typically requires applicants to be in the top 45 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1080 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 960. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1200 out of 1600. The school ranks #6 in Iowa for highest average SAT composite score. 43 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2018 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Cornell College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness Admission Chances
1320 and Above Good >73%
1200 to 1320 Avg + 61%-73%
1080 to 1200 Avg - 48%-61%
960 to 1080 Reach 35%-48%
Less than 960 Low <35%
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Cornell College ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range
23-30 
Applicants Submitting ACT
67%
ACT Scores for Cornell College
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 21
ACT Math 25th 22
ACT Composite 25th 23
ACT Scores for Cornell College
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 28
ACT Math 75th 31
ACT Composite 75th 30
Average ACT Score 26

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Cornell College?

Admission data indicates that Cornell College regularly accepts students with ACT's of 23 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 32 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 20 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 26 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 30 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #3 in Iowa for highest average ACT composite score. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 67 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Cornell College.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2018 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Cornell College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness Admission Chances
30 and Above Good >74%
26 to 30 Avg + 61%-74%
23 to 26 Avg - 50%-61%
20 to 23 Reach 39%-50%
Less than 20 Low <39%
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Cornell College GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA
3.53
Typical High School Grades
B+

You will need very good grades in high school to get into Cornell College. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Cornell College was 3.53 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #8 in Iowa for highest average GPA. If your high school GPA meets these requirements, there is a good chance you will be accepted as Cornell College accepts 61% of students who apply.

 What do these ratings mean?

High School GPA's for admitted Cornell College students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness
3.75+ 37% Good
3.50 to 3.75 21% Avg +
3.25 to 3.50 21% Avg -
3.00 to 3.25 8% Reach
2.75 to 3.00 11% Reach
2.50 to 2.75 2% Reach
2.25 to 2.50 N/A% Low
2.00 to 2.25 N/A% Low

GPA Data Source, Wintergreen Orchard House

High School Class Rank

66% of Cornell College freshman were in the top twenty five percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Cornell College students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 38%
Top 25% of class 66%
Top 50% of class 91%
Bottom 50% of class 9%
Bottom 25% of class 2%
Data Source, Wintergreen Orchard House

Applying

Admission Statistics

Cornell College admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 1,243 1,289 2,532
Accepted 797 748 1,545
Acceptance Rate 64% 58% 61%
Enrolled 134 162 296
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 17% 22% 19%

Fall 2020 Application Deadline

Applications were Due
Feb 1, 2020
Days left to Apply
None

The application deadline for Fall 2020 has passed. Applications were due on Feb 1, 2020.

Admission Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Cornell College and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Cornell College Admission Requirements
Test Scores Required
High School GPA Required
High School Class Rank Recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Cornell College
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No

Other Colleges to Consider

Other Colleges to Consider
Subject Percent of Class
C
Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

E
Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque, Iowa

L
Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

B
Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

I
Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

L
Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

M
Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=153162 IPEDS survey data for Cornell College.

FAQs

Does Cornell College prefer SAT or ACT?

43% of students submit their SAT scores to Cornell College. 67% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Cornell College?

61% of those who apply are granted admission to Cornell College. Admission competition is low and the college has very high admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Cornell College?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1080 and 1320. 43% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Cornell College?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 23 and 30. 67% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.

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