The Ivy League refers to eight top-tier institutions in the northeastern United States, which share many common features:
They are among the most prestigious and hardest-to-get-into universities in America
They receive the largest endowments in the world
They attract countless top-tier students and faculty
Additionally, they are the oldest universities in the U.S.—seven of the eight were founded during the British colonial period. The remaining one, the only Ivy League school established after the American Revolutionary War, is the school we’re introducing today—
Cornell University
Cornell University was founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. Cornell is coeducational and admits students regardless of creed or race. Its non-restrictive admission, free from religious or racial barriers, reflects Cornell’s cherished liberal tradition: from the very beginning, the founders envisioned the university as a new type of comprehensive institution, teaching everything from literary classics to natural sciences, from theoretical research to practical application.
This philosophy eventually became Cornell’s motto: “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.”
Cornell University’s mission is to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge; to produce creative work; and to promote a culture of broad inquiry within and beyond the Cornell community. Through public service, Cornell also aims to improve the lives of students, the people of New York, and others around the world.
Academics
Relevant Rankings:
Cornell University in 2018 US News Best Colleges Rankings: 14
Best Value Schools Ranking: 18
U.S. News Global Universities Ranking: 23
QS World University Rankings: 14
Times Higher Education World University Rankings: 19
Cornell University Undergraduate Program Rankings (Top 10):
Real Estate: 10
Biomedical Engineering / Bioengineering: 4
Civil Engineering: 10
Computer Engineering: 9
Electrical/Electronic Engineering: 9
Industrial Engineering: 10
Materials Engineering: 10
Mechanical Engineering: 9
Cornell University Graduate Program Rankings (Top 10):
Biomedical Engineering / Bioengineering: 5
Computer Engineering: 9
Electrical/Electronic Engineering: 9
Environmental Engineering: 10
Industrial Engineering: 5
Materials Engineering: 10
Mechanical Engineering: 10
Biology: 10
Chemistry: 9
Computer Science: 6
English: 8
Physics: 7
Medicine: 2
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 Johnson Graduate School of Management, the College of Engineering, the Law School, and Weill Cornell Medicine.
Cornell is also renowned for its top-ranked veterinary school and its highly respected School of Hotel Administration. Cornell was also the first university to offer a degree in journalism and the first to teach modern Far Eastern languages.
Colleges and Schools:
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (state-supported)
College of Veterinary Medicine (state-supported)
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty of Computing and Information Science
College of Engineering
Cornell Tech (New York City campus)
Graduate School
SC Johnson College of Business
Law School
Weill Cornell Medicine (New York City campus, Qatar campus)
School of Hotel Administration
College of Human Ecology (state-supported)
School of Industrial and Labor Relations (state-supported)
School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions (offers education for high school graduates, professionals, and other adults)
Other independent divisions include the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs and the Cornell Military Science department, which serves as an officer education base for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force.
1.0 Hotel Administration
The Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (now part of the SC Johnson College of Business) was founded in 1922. It was the first collegiate program in hotel administration in the United States and is the only Ivy League school to offer a program in hotel management. The school enjoys an outstanding reputation and plays a pivotal role in the hospitality industry, training generations of leaders for the world’s largest service sector. Its teaching strength ranks at the top among similar programs in the nation, attracting excellent hospitality faculty and researchers.
Programs:
● Financial Management
● Food and Beverage Management
● Hospitality Management
● Hotel Accounting
● Human Resource Management
● Marketing
Graduate Application for Hotel Administration:
1. The program is 12 months, divided into three semesters, starting in May;
2. A minimum GMAT score of 630 (as of 2013, GRE scores are accepted in place of GMAT);
3. There is no specific undergraduate major requirement; in fact, many students come from social sciences, sciences, or traditional business backgrounds;
4. Work experience is valued; ideally, three or more years of work experience.
Round 1 Deadline: November 15
Round 2 Deadline: February 1
Application Requirements:
TOEFL score: 100
SAT score: 1970 - 2270
IELTS score: 7.0
Annual fee: $47,286
2.0 Financial Engineering
Cornell’s Master of Engineering program is housed in the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering. Financial Engineering is one of its seven concentrations. The program emphasizes the design and operation of systems applying mathematical modeling and optimization analysis, probability theory, stochastic processes, and statistical quantitative techniques.
First semester required courses focus on financial engineering fundamentals, mainly including: Derivative Securities, Stochastic Calculus for Financial Engineering, Fixed-Income Securities and Interest Rate Derivatives, and Enterprise Engineering Seminar, etc.;
Second semester courses delve deeper, still centering on financial engineering applications, including: Quantitative Methods for Financial Risk Management, Topics in Linear Optimization, Financial Optimization Modeling, and Monte Carlo Methods in Financial Engineering, etc.;
The third semester primarily integrates theory and practice, with courses such as: Applied Financial Engineering - Project Course, Computational Methods in Finance, and Financial Engineering Seminar;
Financial Engineering Admission Requirements:
1. GMAT not accepted; GRE only. The average scores of admitted students are Verbal 165, Quantitative 166, Analytical 3.50. Minimum TOEFL score: 100, with subsection requirements (Writing 20, Listening 15, Reading 20, Speaking 22). IELTS: minimum 7.0 in each section.
2. Prerequisite coursework: Calculus-based probability and statistics is required. It is also recommended to have taken partial differential equations, stochastic processes, and C++/Python.
U.S. News Best Engineering Schools: Cornell ranks 15th
Campus Environment
Cornell University is situated on a hilltop northeast of Ithaca, with an expansive campus atmosphere completely unlike the cramped campuses of the Northeast. Ithaca is a beautiful place, ranked among the world’s top 100 places to live, one of the top 10 leisure cities, and one of the best green living destinations.
Surrounded by ancient towering trees and jagged rock formations, with waterfalls and suspension bridges linking sky and earth, and nestled at the foot of Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, this stunning natural setting makes Cornell University undeniably one of the most beautiful and unique campuses in North America.
Cornell has many distinguished alumni, including prominent Chinese students: Hu Shih, one of modern China’s most controversial scholars, and Mao Yisheng, a renowned Chinese civil engineer, both studied and lived here. Hu Shih even used the vernacular Chinese of his time to give Ithaca a beautiful Chinese name: “绮色佳” (Yisejia).
Student Housing:
Undergraduate housing is divided into three areas: West Campus, Collegetown, and North Campus. West Campus primarily houses transfer and upper-level students; the only residence hall on the central campus is the Law School’s residential college; North Campus includes freshman and graduate student housing as well as fraternity and sorority houses. Collegetown features the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, two upperclassmen residence halls, and a variety of restaurants and shops.
Safety:
The town of Ithaca where Cornell is located is relatively safe. Cornell has its own campus police, and day-to-day security measures are excellent; the campus has rarely experienced major safety incidents. Typically, incoming freshmen will select their housing online before arriving in the U.S. for the upcoming semester, and most freshman dorms are on North Campus.
Of course, a large number of students also choose to live off campus. It’s essential to carefully consider all aspects before signing a lease, with safety being the top priority. You can opt for apartments managed by professionals that handle rental and maintenance, though these tend to be more expensive. For example, Summerhill, Gun Hill, Lansing West, Warrenwood, and North Wood are all housing options with convenient transportation and relatively safe environments.
Admissions
Competition to enter Cornell is extremely fierce. For Fall 2018, Cornell received over 51,000 freshman applications; 5,288 were admitted, an acceptance rate of 10.3%. For the freshman class entering in Fall 2016, the middle 50% SAT score range was 650-750 for Critical Reading and 680-780 for Math. The middle 50% ACT composite score range was 31-34.
International Student Application Requirements
All international students must meet the same testing requirements as first-year or transfer applicants to Cornell. SAT or ACT and SAT Subject Test requirements cannot be waived based on completion or submission of IB, A-levels, or other international credentials.
TOEFL and IELTS Testing Requirements:
International freshman and transfer applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Recommended minimum scores: TOEFL: 100 (internet-based test); IELTS: 7.0
TOEFL/IELTS Waiver Policy: The TOEFL and/or IELTS requirement is waived for international applicants who achieved a score of at least 670 on the Critical Reading section of the old SAT (or a score of at least 35 on the new SAT Reading Test) or who have studied for at least four years in the U.S. or another country where English is an official language. You may request a TOEFL waiver. Please note that Cornell will not waive the TOEFL/IELTS requirement for students who attend English-language schools in non-English-speaking countries.
Application Deadlines
When applying to Cornell, it is important to note that the application deadline is January 1, and the Early Decision deadline is November 1. The application fee at Cornell is $80. ACT or SAT test scores are due by January 1. Cornell is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 14%.
Standardized Testing Requirements
Cornell requires freshman applicants to submit all SAT or all ACT scores. Please note that Cornell does not participate in the College Board’s Score Choice. Applicants who choose to submit both SAT and ACT to meet the testing requirement must submit all scores from both tests. In addition, each undergraduate college/school at Cornell has specific SAT Subject Test requirements.
College/School SAT Subject Test Requirements:
Agriculture and Life Sciences: No SAT Subject Tests required
Architecture, Art, and Planning: No SAT Subject Tests required
Arts and Sciences: Two subjects of your choice
Cornell SC Johnson College of Business — Applied Economics and Management: SAT Subject Tests not required
Cornell SC Johnson College of Business — Hotel Administration: SAT Subject Tests not required
Engineering: Math (any level) and a science of your choice
Human Ecology: No SAT Subject Tests required
Industrial and Labor Relations: No SAT Subject Tests required
Additional Information on Required Tests:
Cornell does not require the optional essay section on the SAT or ACT.
Your SAT scores will be superscored—your highest Reading/Writing and Math sections will be combined.
Your ACT composite will not be superscored.
ACT scores may not be used to satisfy SAT Subject Test requirements.
AP and IB scores may not be used to satisfy SAT Subject Test requirements, but you will be asked to report them at the time of admission.
All required scores must be officially reported from the testing agency to Cornell by the application deadline.
