Cornell College Admissions

ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, Financial Aid & More

Cornell College King Chapel
Cornell College King Chapel. _dew_Incognito / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
by Allen Grove
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
Updated May 23, 2019

Cornell College Admissions Overview:

Cornell College has an acceptance rate of 71%, making it generally open to interested students. Students accepted to the school generally have grades and test scores above average. To apply, interested students need to submit an application (from the school, with the Common Application, or with the free Cappex Application), scores from the ACT or SAT, a personal essay, high school transcripts, and teacher recommendations.

Will You Get In?

Calculate Your Chances of Getting In with this free tool from Cappex

Admissions Data (2016):

Cornell College Description:

Cornell College (not to be confused with Cornell University) is a selective liberal arts college in the small and charming town of Mount Vernon, Iowa. The college has been coeducation since its founding in 1853, and its strong academics have earned it memebership in Phi Beta Kappa. Its attractive campus is on the National Register of Historic Places. One of Cornell College's distinctive features is its one-course-at-a-time curriculum. All students study a single course in intensive three-and-a-half week semesters. This model allows students and faculty to give each course 100% of their attention. In athletics, the Cornell College Rams compete in the NCAA Division III Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC). Popular sports include soccer, basketball, track and field, tennis, and football.

Enrollment (2016):

  • Total Enrollment: 978 (all undergraduate)
  • Gender Breakdown: 50% Male / 50% Female
  • 100% Full-time

Costs (2016 - 17):

  • Tuition and Fees: $39,900
  • Books: $1,164 (why so much?)
  • Room and Board: $8,900
  • Other Expenses: $4,047
  • Total Cost: $54,011

Cornell Financial Aid (2015 - 16):

  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100%
  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
    • Grants: 100%
    • Loans: 69%
  • Average Amount of Aid
    • Grants: $24,224
    • Loans: $9,143

Academic Programs:

Graduation and Retention Rates:

  • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 78%
  • Transfer-out Rate: 26%
  • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 65%
  • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 68%

Intercollegiate Athletic Programs:

  • Men's Sports: Baseball, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, Wrestling, Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field
  • Women's Sports: Basketball, Track and Field, Cross Country, Soccer, Lacrosse, Volleyball, Tennis, Softball

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

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Cornell and the Common Application

Cornell College uses the Common Application. These articles can help guide you: