Hey everyone, I'm a bit stressed, won't lie. I've been eyeing Cornell since freshman year but I had a rough start. I rebounded sophomore year but my cumulative GPA is still not stellar. What's the minimum GPA, you reckon, Cornell would consider for admission?
While Cornell University has not put forth an official minimum GPA for applicants, the university is highly selective with the average accepted student GPA usually in the 3.9-4.0 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
That being said, a lower GPA is not necessarily a deal-breaker. Your GPA is just one aspect of your application. Admissions officers will consider the rigor of your high school coursework, your grade trend, your standardized test scores, your extracurricular achievements, your essays, and recommendations.
A strong upward trend in your GPA is seen positively. It's much better to show improvement over time than to have consistently mediocre grades. If Cornell is indeed your dream school, focus on highlighting your strengths, explaining (briefly—and ideally in the additional information section) any extenuating circumstances that affected your grades, and putting together the most compelling application you can.
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