Toughest schools to get into at Cornell University?

Hola! Cornell University looks appealing, but I've heard that some schools within Cornell are really tough nuts to crack. Does anyone have some insight here? I'm still thinking about potential majors, so consider me all ears!

Hello! At Cornell, acceptance rates can vary significantly across its seven undergraduate colleges, with some being more competitive than others. According to the most recent data, the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management is often considered the most difficult to get into due to its extremely low acceptance rate, which was around 4% for its Business program in 2024.

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning is another competitive school within Cornell, specifically the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) program, with an acceptance rate around 9%. This tends to be hard to gain admission into because of its extra requirements like the portfolio and additional essays, plus it's ranked very highly on a national level.

The School of Hotel Administration, which offers one of the best hospitality management programs globally, also has a lower acceptance rate compared to other Cornell schools. Their acceptance rate has historically hovered around 17%.

However, keep in mind that admission to any of Cornell's schools requires strong academic records, impressive extracurricular activities, and compelling essays. Also, while it's good to be aware of acceptance rates, I believe it's more important to choose a college based on your interests and career goals than purely based on its competitiveness.

Also, remember that Cornell is test-optional for the 2024-2025 application cycle, but will require standardized test scores again for the 2025-2026 application cycle. So if you're applying next year, start prepping for those exams!

Hope this gives you some concrete examples! Good luck with your decision-making process.