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The University

Cornell University is unique in American higher education. At once the largest, most comprehensive school in the Ivy League and the public land-grant university for New York State, Cornell is distinct in its combination of privately funded and state-assisted colleges. As a result, Cornell students benefit from outstanding educational programs and are nurtured by the prestigious intellectual tradition of the Ivy League. At the same time, they tap into the democratic spirit and sense of public service that energize the nations great public universities.

Cornells seven undergraduate colleges and schools offer instruction in virtually every field, and the Universitys numerous interdisciplinary programs provide wide-ranging opportunities for study that cuts across traditional department boundaries. Students at Cornell arguably are exposed to the widest arrays of subjects and approaches to learning available anywhere. Moreover, they share the excitement of intellectual discovery with faculty members who are Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and researchers at the forefront of their fieldsclear evidence of the Universitys commitment to undergraduate education. It is not uncommon to find prominent scholars teaching introductory classes and offering courses for general enrollment.

Cornell comprises people of all races, many nationalities, and every social and economic background, and the interplay of differences finds full expression throughout the University and in the surrounding Ithaca community. To put it simply, Cornell offers students the cultural diversity and intellectual vigor often associated with large metropolitan centers as well as the friendly atmosphere and livable pace of a smaller city environment.

Most faculty members live in or near Ithaca and take part in campus activities after classroom hours, and students and faculty members enjoy a sense of community not possible on urban campuses. More than 800 campus clubs and associations allow the development of leadership skills and provide opportunities for students who share interests, concerns, talents, or avocations to find each other.

Cornells student body numbers more than 20,000 students, 13,500 of whom are undergraduates. About 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men. More than 35 percent of Cornells undergraduate students are from New York State, 30 percent are from the Mid-Atlantic and New England states, 27 percent are from elsewhere in the United States, and 8 percent are from outside the country. Nearly one third of the students are members of a minority group, and the majority of students attended public high schools.

Students may live on or off campus. In addition to traditional residence halls, Cornell has more than 400 apartments for student families and a variety of small living units and residential program houses that provide an opportunity for cooperative living arrangements. The University has forty-six fraternities and twenty-one sororities. About 46 percent of Cornells students live in University residence halls or apartments, 12 percent live in fraternities or sororities, and 42 percent live off campus.

Cornell maintains one of the most extensive and diversified programs of physical education in the country. The teaching program, which each year offers more than 150 courses ranging from ballroom dancing to rock climbing, emphasizes recreational activities that students can continue to enjoy after they leave the University. The intramural athletics programthe largest in the Ivy Leagueprovides opportunities for members of the University community to compete in more than thirty sports. Cornell also supports eighteen varsity sports for men and eighteen varsity sports for women.

Location

Cornell is on a hillside at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Within easy walking distance of the campus is the Cornell Plantationsa living laboratory of natural resources comprising 2,800 acres of woodlands, trails, streams, and gorges. Several ski areas, an extensive system of hiking trails, and three unusually scenic state parks with facilities for hiking, boating, swimming, and camping are a short drive away.

Majors and Degrees

Cornell University offers degrees at the baccalaureate level in seven undergraduate colleges (Agriculture and Life Sciences; Architecture, Art, and Planning; Arts and Sciences; Engineering; Hotel Administration; Human Ecology; and Industrial and Labor Relations). Undergraduates may choose from an impressive range of programs in fields such as agricultural sciences, animal science, architecture, art, behavioral sciences, biological sciences, business management, communications, design and environmental analysis, engineering, environmental studies, food science, government, history, hotel administration, human development, humanities, industrial and labor relations, languages and linguistics, mathematics and computer science, nutritional sciences, physical sciences, plant sciences, policy analysis and management, preprofessional studies, and social sciences.

Academic Programs

Although degree requirements vary among the undergraduate units, students are encouraged to take courses in other divisions. This interdisciplinary approach is exemplified by Cornells nationally recognized ethnic studies programs: Africana studies, Asian studies, Asian American studies, Latino studies, Latin American studies, and Native American studies. In addition to offering courses, these programs promote multicultural understanding on campus by supporting lectures, conferences, seminars, exhibits, publications, and research projects. Honors programs, independent majors, double majors, and dual-degree programs are available in most areas of study. Entering freshmen may qualify for advanced placement or credit on the recommendation of the appropriate departments of instruction at Cornell.

The academic year is divided into two semesters, which run from late Augustto mid-Decemberand from Januaryto mid-May. There also are three consecutive summer sessions.

Off-Campus Programs

Students in many areas participate in fieldwork programs, internships, engineering cooperative programs, and research projects. They study in Albany; Washington, D.C.; New York City; and other places where they can best learn about the work of government, community organizations, businesses, and industry. Undergraduates participate in Cornell Abroad programs in many countries, including Australia, China, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Sweden, and Vietnam.

Academic Facilities

Cornells library system is one of the ten largest academic research libraries in the United States. Two central libraries and an extensive system of libraries in the undergraduate colleges contain more than 7.1 million volumes, subscribe to 65,000 periodicals, and add about 130,000 volumes to their collections each year.

The Universitys computer resources are important to students in almost every area of study. Cornell Information Technologies operates public terminals and microcomputers, produces documentation, and offers a variety of user education programs. In addition, all of Cornells undergraduate residence hall rooms have direct Internet connections, enabling residents to log on around the clock.

Costs

Tuition and fees for the 200708 academic year for students enrolled in Cornells state-assisted units (Agriculture and Life Sciences, Human Ecology, and Industrial and Labor Relations) were $19,291 for New York residents and $33,681 for nonresidents. Tuition and fees for those in the Universitys privately funded units (Architecture, Art, and Planning; Arts and Sciences; Engineering; and Hotel Administration) were $34,781. Typical room and board costs amount to $11,190 per academic year, and personal expenses, including books, are about $2180.

Financial Aid

Admission decisions are not affected by a prospective students need for financial assistance, and the Universitys comprehensive financial aid program offers a wide array of financial support options to students and their families. More than 65 percent of all Cornell undergraduates receive some form of financial aid from University, state, federal, or other sources, and about 50 percent receive Cornell-allocated scholarships, jobs, and/or loans. All financial assistance is awarded on the basis of need, according to the standards of the College Scholarship Service.

Of particular importance to prospective students is Cornells nationally recognized program of financial assistance known as the Cornell Commitment, which consists of three programs: the Cornell Tradition, which rewards students who demonstrate a commitment to working and funding a portion of their own education; the Meinig Family National Scholars, which rewards outstanding leaders in high school; and the Presidential Research Scholars, which recognizes students who have a strong interest in research.

Faculty

The Cornell faculty, numbering more than 2,600 members worldwide, include many men and women who are recognized internationally as leaders in their fields. Among them are Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and scores of individuals who are members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, or the National Academy of Education. Twenty-three members of the faculty have received Guggenheim Fellowships in recent years, and 3 members of the faculty have received MacArthur Foundation genius awards.

Nearly all teaching faculty members are involved in research, scholarship, or public service. Maintaining the quality of undergraduate programs is one of Cornells highest priorities, and there is no distinction between the graduate and undergraduate faculty. Professors act as advisers and keep regular office hours to ensure their availability to students. The University community also enjoys a constant succession of visiting lecturers and professors from other institutions.

Student Government

Cornell students participate in governing the University through the Student Assembly, which has legislative authority over the policies of several campus life departments. Students may also be members of policymaking committees within each undergraduate college, and students sit as voting members on the Universitys Board of Trustees.

Admission Requirements

Cornell is among the most selective universities in the nation. There were more than 30,000 applications for the 200708 freshman class.

Each undergraduate unit has its own selection committee, and applicants compete only with other students seeking admission to the same division. Intellectual preparedness and evidence of the applicants abilities in nonacademic areas are important considerations in admission decisions, as are work experience and other activities related to educational or professional objectives. The University seeks individuals with outstanding personal qualities, such as initiative and leadership. A few of Cornells divisions also require or recommend interviews.

All seven undergraduate colleges offer an early decision plan to highly qualified high school seniors whose first preference is Cornell. A few students may be approved for early admission after only three years of secondary school.

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