Overview
Required coursework for sophomore transfer applicants
- General/introductory biology, inorganic chemistry or physics, with labs each semester (8 credits/2 semesters)
- English composition/writing-intensive coursework (6 credits/2 semesters) — refer to Cornell’s John S. Knight Institute to review the criteria to meet this requirement
- Statistics (3 credits)
- Precalculus* or calculus (3 credits)
- Introductory psychology (3 credits)
Applicants interested in pre-med/health/dentistry are also required to complete:
- An academic year/two-semester sequence in general inorganic chemistry with labs each semester, equivalent to CHEM 2070/2071 and CHEM 2080/2081
* Completion of at least precalculus at the collegiate level is an admissions requirement. However, precalculus coursework credits do not transfer.
Required coursework for junior transfer applicants
- Courses required for sophomore transfer applicants and
- Introductory microeconomics (3 credits)
- Studio in two- and three-dimensional design (3 credits)
Applicants interested in pre-med/health/dentistry are also required to complete:
- An academic year/two-semester sequence of introductory biology with labs each semester
- A sequence in organic chemistry, equivalent to CHEM 1570, CHEM 3570, and CHEM 3580, CHEM 3600
Required for all applicants
A design supplement, which will be critically reviewed by design department faculty. Re-applicants must submit a new supplement. The Admissions Committee will not consider applications to this major unless the design supplement is submitted.
Required coursework for sophomore transfer applicants
- General inorganic chemistry with labs each semester (8 credits/2 semesters), equivalent to CHEM 2070/2071 and CHEM 2080/2081
- English composition/writing-intensive coursework (6 credits/2 semesters) — refer to Cornell’s John S. Knight Institute to review the criteria to meet this requirement
- Calculus (3-4 credits)
- Introductory psychology (3 credits)
Required coursework for junior transfer applicants
- Courses listed above for sophomore transfer applicants and
- General/introductory physics with lab work each semester (8 credits/2 semesters)
- Statistics (3 credits)
- Introductory microeconomics (3 credits)
- Computer science (3 credits)
Applicants interested in pre-med/health/dentistry are also required to complete:
- an academic year/two-semester sequence of introductory biology with labs each semester
- a sequence in organic chemistry, equivalent to CHEM 1570, CHEM 3570, and CHEM 3580, CHEM 3600
There are lots of ways to get to know us.
- Watch our recorded information sessions.
- Review our major pages and other online resources.
- Join a virtual information session or visit us in person. (Please note that Cornell University and the College of Human Ecology do not track demonstrated interest. Visiting campus is not required nor expected of applicants. Faculty appointments are discouraged unless you are interested in our design-based majors.)
- Reflect on how our mission to improve lives connects with your values and how our majors align with — and expand on — your academic interests.
Your undergraduate transcript(s) reflect your academic rigor, preparation, persistence and growth. Our most competitive candidates earn very strong grades in a parallel curriculum that includes our required coursework. Completing the required foundational coursework prepares students to thrive in their transition to Cornell University and to graduate on time. Admission, however, is not guaranteed even if the courses have been completed.
Pursue the required preparatory coursework. An applicant’s competitiveness in our admissions process is largely based on the completion of our coursework requirements.
Demonstrate strong performance in the required and recommended coursework. A GPA of 3.5 or above, with “As” and “B+s” in required preparatory coursework, increases an applicant’s competitiveness.
Know that Cornell University and the College of Human Ecology adhere to our own policies regarding placement out of requirements due to Advanced Placement or other related credits. Advanced standing at another institution does not guarantee that Cornell will accept that credit. The Advanced Placement equivalencies information outlines how AP credit may be used. A maximum of 15 pre-college credits from APs or other sources may be applied.
Your response should illustrate how your interests and aspirations align with Cornell Human Ecology and your choice of major. Don’t just reuse a general essay.
Share how CHE can help you examine your interests, support your goals and create purpose. We want to know why you're interested in the college and your selected major so we can better understand your candidacy.
Reflect on and prioritize your experiences — academic, extracurricular, work and volunteer — that make CHE a compelling and meaningful choice for you. Or explore a human-focused, community-based, organizational or systemic challenge that our programs could help you address.
It's okay if you're not ready to choose a major yet. If you apply as “Undecided,” identify the specific CHE majors you're considering and how they will help you explore your intellectual interests.
We are less interested in the job title you want than in how you plan to use our programs to support the impact you want to make.
These supplements are required in addition to the materials needed to complete the Common Application. These materials must be submitted by the Common Application deadline for critical evaluation by department faculty.
Carefully review the design supplement instructions for the major of interest, as these supplements are unique to the programs and require written and creative work.
Submit the design supplement, in addition to the Common Application, by the deadline that corresponds to your application timeline.
Draw on your creativity in all components of the design supplement.
We want to know how you use your time outside school — what engages, informs and tests your academic interests, and how do those pursuits connect to the college?
Tell us about a few of your extracurricular activities. Multiple page lists of activities/résumés are not helpful.
Remember that leadership is more about how your commitment and contribution leads to impact than just a title.
We encourage you to find ways to test your possible career interests. You can do this in a variety of ways. Be creative in finding those opportunities — they're often more accessible than you think!
Reflect on what you learned about communities, institutions, people and organizations as a result of your activities. Consider how to share those reflections in your supplemental essay.
You can share your research experiences as an entry on the Common Application listing or on a résumé. If you want to include more information, you can submit a short (100 words) overview of your research topic with a focus on the most significant aspect of it as a learning experience, why it matters, and/or how you were supported in this work. Research abstracts are not helpful.
Letters of recommendation help us understand your maturity, self-motivation, initiative, character and role in the classroom and community.
Ask a science or math teacher to submit a letter on your behalf especially if you apply to one of our natural science-based majors.
Only submit the number of letters required in the application instructions. More is not better.
Remember to use your best manners to request a letter of recommendation and to thank the letter writer afterwards.
Our faculty and academic departments are focused on teaching, advising and conducting research as they work with our current students. You can find information about CHE research — both faculty projects and undergraduate involvement — on our website.
If you need to, you can use this section to contextualize your academic record, address a circumstance that might have impacted your performance, or clarify a specific aspect of your application. Otherwise, you can leave it blank.