The Class of 2016 faced the most competitive admissions cycle yet, the University announced as 4,943 students received their regular admission decisions on Thursday. Only 16.2 percent of applicants to Cornell were admitted this year.
Cornell’s newly admitted students are part of a record high pool of 37,812 applications. As the acceptance rate decreased this year, the number of applications for the Class of 2016 rose four percent, to the highest number of applications in Cornell’s history.
In addition to the students accepted for regular decision, 1,180 students were accepted early decision in December, bringing the total number of admitted students to 6,123. There will be fewer students in the Class of 2016 than in the Class of 2015, according to the University. 18 percent of applicants to the Class of 2015 were accepted.
The percentage of accepted students that are female increased from 49.8 to 52 percent this year.
Nearly 2,000 more students this year were denied admission than applicants for the Class of 2015. Further, 132 more students were waitlisted compared to last year’s applicants.
The admitted students represent all 50 states, as well as 68 nations. Most of the students accepted from the U.S. hail from New York, California and New Jersey.
The median SAT scores —a Critical Reading score of 710 and a Math score of 740 — did not change dramatically from last year.Newly accepted students demonstrated pride and exuberance to be a part of the University’s most selective class yet.
“I’m so overwhelmed and honored,” said Xavier Salinas, a high school student from New Hyde Park, N.Y. “Cornell has been my top choice since junior year. I never saw acceptance as a possible reality because I didn’t want to let myself down. That was my mistake.”
Andrew Ng, a high school student from Marlboro, N.J., expressed his excitement about being accepted to the University.
“My interviewer was really passionate about Cornell. He loved the atmosphere and sense of community from the students and faculty,” he said. “I knew it would be a challenge at first, but today, it feels pretty good.”
He said he was in disbelief when he got the acceptance.
“I couldn’t get home until 5:30, after decisions were already released, so I didn’t have to go through the tense situation of waiting,” he said.
“When I saw the decision, the first thing I did was print it out to make sure this was actually real.”
Jake Bradt, a student from Washington D.C., said he came from a family of Cornellians, so he felt especially proud to continue the tradition.
“It’s a perfect fit for me, and it’s an amazing school,” he said. “I’m really lucky to have this opportunity.”
Salinas said it was a privilege to be part of such a highly competitive class of students.
“I’m grateful for having made my teachers proud, for having made my parents proud, and most importantly, for having made myself proud,” she said.
Original Author: Harrison Okin