At schools with acceptance rates below 10%, nearly every applicant has near-perfect grades and test scores. Admissions decisions are driven by essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, and institutional priorities — factors no stats-based model can predict. Our likelihood labels reflect academic competitiveness only.
Cornell University is the only Ivy League institution with a land-grant mission, offering an unusually broad range of programs from hotel administration to agriculture alongside top-ranked engineering and sciences. Located in Ithaca, New York, its seven undergraduate colleges provide both public and private school options within one university.
Mascot: Big Red
Notable Alumni
Bill Nye (The Science Guy)•Toni Morrison (Nobel Prize-winning author)•Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Supreme Court Justice)
At a Glance
Cost
Published sticker prices for 2025-2026. Actual cost after aid varies.
Top Programs & National Ranking
Approximate national ranking based on departmental rankings, research output, and program reputation.
Highlights
Safety
Cornell University Police operates 24/7 with electronic dorm access controls and escort services. Recent semesters have seen an uptick in burglaries, often linked to unlocked doors in residence halls.
Ithaca is a small, relatively safe college town in rural upstate New York. Violent crime is rare and the town has a strong community-oriented feel.
Based on Clery Act data, student surveys, and local crime statistics.
Location
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