Campus & Student Life at Cornell University

Home to about 14,743 undergraduates in 2020, Cornell is a very large, private university located in Ithaca, New York. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, Cornell offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by Cornell can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our Cornell Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

Cornell Has a Disability Services Site

For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit Cornell Disability Services.

Cornell for the Military

While not a "service academy", Cornell does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit Cornell Veteran Services . For more information, check out our Cornell for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Cornell University

Cornell offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Cornell University

Cornell has a comparatively very large, student body. There were 14,743 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 14,693 (99.7%). Part-time attendance was 50 (0.3%).

Cornell University is Ranked #30 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, Cornell receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank Cornell #30 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at Cornell by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the Cornell Diversity Guide.

Cornell University Competes in the NCAA

Cornell has a total of 1351 student athletes, 716 men and 635 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Cornell University Athletics