For the first time in four years, Cornell’s early decision acceptance rate increased for the Class of 2024.
Cornell admitted 1,576 out of 6,615 early decision applicants, or 23.8 percent, a slight increase from last year’s 22.6 percent acceptance rate for the Class of 2023, according to University statistics provided to The Sun. The early decision acceptance rate for the Class of 2022 was 24.4 percent.
Of the accepted students, 51.6 percent are women — a four percent decrease from last year. Students of color comprise 39.7 percent of admitted students, a similar figure to the percentage of students of color admitted early for the Class of 2023. Early decision applications from underrepresented minorities also increased by 11 percent.
Legacy students — whom the University recommends applying early decision — constitute 22.1 percent of the class, the same as last year. Athletes are 12.1 percent of the admitted class, a 1.4 percent decrease from last year.
According to the press release, early decision applications for the Class of 2024 rose by 7.4 percent when compared to the Class of 2023 and 4.6 percent over the Class of 2022. The University received the highest number of early decision applications in its history for this year’s admissions cycle. Over the decade, early decision applications to the University has increased by 90 percent.
Compared to last year, the percentage for international students admitted early decision also rose, with international students composing 13.6 percent of early admits.
Students who received news of their admission to Cornell on Thursday night were elated. One student wrote, “So happy to say I’m a Cornellian!”
Parents and Cornell’s schools also expressed their excitement with the admissions decisions. On Twitter, a parent wrote of their daughter’s acceptance into the Dyson School of Applied Economics, accompanied with a video of her viewing her acceptance letter.
SO EXCITED for my daughter, Audrey! Her dream school! Accepted tonight to Cornell University Dyson School of Business, Class of 2024! The video says it all. #Cornell2024 #Cornell pic.twitter.com/fDxbBtyKao
— Mike Stuart (@MikeStuartWV) December 13, 2019
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences tweeted, “That early admission feeling. Congratulations #Class of 2024!”
That early admission feeling. Congratulations #Cornell2024! #CUatCALS pic.twitter.com/wJi5tLmnDi
— Cornell CALS (@CornellCALS) December 13, 2019
“Congratulations to our newest students who have been admitted during early decision! Welcome to AAP and see you next year!” the College of Architecture, Art and Planning wrote.
Congratulations to our newest students who have been admitted during early decision! Welcome to AAP and see you next year! #WeAreAAP #CornellAAP #earlydecision #Cornell2024 (#Cornell2025 for our 5-year archies!) pic.twitter.com/GTGIxsc7ZF
— Cornell AAP (@CornellAAP) December 13, 2019
Among all applicants, 21.7 percent were deferred, moving their applications into the regular decision admissions cycle. This is the lowest percentage of deferred students in the past three years as 24.3 percent of early applicants were deferred for the Class of 2023 and 22.9 percent for the Class of 2022.
Out of the Ivy League schools which have released their early decision acceptance statistics, Cornell has the highest early admissions acceptance rate. Harvard University’s early acceptance rate increased to 13.9 percent, while Brown University reached a record-low early acceptance rate of 17.5 percent.
Although Princeton University, Columbia University and Dartmouth University notified applicants on Dec. 12, the universities have not published their acceptance rates. Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania will release their early notifications on Dec. 16.
The University’s target enrollment for this fall is 3,215, marking the early decision admits as 49 percent of the likely class of 2024. The overall acceptance rate will be published in April, after Cornell notifies regular decision applicants on March 26.