Cornell College Acceptance Rate & Test Scores

Mount Vernon, IA · Private · 4-year

  • Acceptance rate: 80% for fall 2024
  • SAT, middle 50%: 575–655 reading and writing, 545–630 math
  • ACT, middle 50%: 23–30 composite
  • Average net price: $25,850 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?

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Where you standEnter your GPA

Add a test score to compare it with what Cornell College reported: an acceptance rate of 80% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 23–30.

Plan the grades I need

A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Cornell College reviews each application.

Cornell College GPA requirements

Cornell College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Cornell College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.

Cornell College acceptance rate

Cornell College admitted 2,015 of 2,522 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 80%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Cornell College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Mount Vernon, Iowa, with 1,094 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Cornell College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test25th percentileMedian75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing575610655
SAT Math545590630
ACT Composite232630
ACT English212531
ACT Math202528
8% submitted SAT scores and 17% submitted ACT scores, as Cornell College reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1234 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Cornell College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factorStatus
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.Required
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.Required
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.Considered if submitted
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.Considered if submitted
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.Considered if submitted
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.Considered if submitted
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.Not considered
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.Not considered
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.Not considered
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.Not considered
Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Cornell College's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Cornell College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It doesn't award credit for life experience.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $25,850 a year at Cornell College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is it to get into Cornell College?

Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Cornell College admitted 80% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

How much does GPA matter at Cornell College?

A lot: Cornell College requires high school GPA and essay or personal statement. It considers high school record, high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations and test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Cornell College?

No. Cornell College is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 8% sent SAT scores and 17% sent ACT scores.

What percent of applicants does Cornell College accept?

Cornell College's acceptance rate was 80% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,015 of 2,522 first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education.

What GPA does Cornell College look for?

Cornell College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.

Can a 3.0 GPA get you into Cornell College?

GPA alone can't tell you here. Cornell College admitted 80% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.

What are Cornell College's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of Cornell College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 575–655 in reading and writing and 545–630 in math; ACT composite 23–30, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

Does Cornell College give credit for AP exams?

Yes. Cornell College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

Does Cornell College consider legacy status?

No. Cornell College doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

What is the average net price at Cornell College?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $25,850 a year at Cornell College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Before you apply, check Cornell College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

  1. College Navigator: Cornell CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
  2. College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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