Cornell College SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements
Cornell College admits many applicants, so use the 80% acceptance rate as room to be strategic rather than as a reason to coast. With test-optional review and few students submitting scores, send results only if they add strength, ideally near 1260 SAT or 30 ACT.
Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.
Cornell College facts and stats
Cornell College enrolls about 1,094 undergraduates in a small-town campus setting. Cornell College has an 80% freshman retention rate, which is above the national average of roughly 70%. Its 6-year graduation rate is 62%, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1.
Mount Vernon, IA
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Key Cornell College application dates
Key dates
Regular Decision
—
Early Action
Not offered
Early Decision
Not offered
Priority Deadline
—
Financial Aid Priority
March 1
Test dates
August 22, 2026
Registration deadline: August 7, 2026
September 12, 2026
Registration deadline: August 28, 2026
October 3, 2026
Registration deadline: September 18, 2026
September 19, 2026
Registration deadline: August 14, 2026
October 17, 2026
Registration deadline: September 11, 2026
December 12, 2026
Registration deadline: November 6, 2026
If you choose to submit SAT or ACT scores to Cornell College, take your first test by the spring of junior year and save the summer before senior year and the fall of senior year for retakes, especially if superscoring could help. With no Early Decision or Early Action deadline, the last fall retake to use is the latest test date whose scores will arrive by Cornell College’s Regular Decision deadline.
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What you'll actually pay
Cornell College’s total listed cost for tuition, fees, room, and board is $64,254. About 80% of students receive financial aid, with an average aid package of $48,411. Merit awards are substantial, averaging $36,763. For context, graduates leave with an average debt of $37,391.
Student life at Cornell College
93% of undergrads live on campus
Freshman housing: Guaranteed
Fraternities and sororities are active on campus. 20% of men join fraternities, and 28% of women join sororities.
Similar schools
Allen College
Waterloo, IAOrion Technical College
Davenport, IAAcceptance rate: 100%
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, IAACT: 18–24
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IAAcceptance rate: 77.6%
ACT: 19–26
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