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Cornell College

600 First St. SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314

Website: Cornell College

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King Chapel, Cornell College
King Chapel, Cornell College
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Cornell College School Description

Cornell is an independent, coeducational, residential liberal arts college, established in 1853, nurtured by the United Methodist Church, and dedicated to fostering intellectual, moral, and personal growth.

The college is committed to sustaining a community devoted to liberal learning and democratic values. To this end, it seeks to provide a caring environment for living and learning, characterized by close relationships, physical and emotional well-being, appreciation of diversity, affirmation of equal opportunity and academic freedom, and respect for the dignity and worth of each individual.

At Cornell, you’ll focus intensely on one course for three and a half weeks, then move on to a new subject. Known as One Course At A Time (OCAAT), our academic structure enables you to spend a month creating a theatrical production, conducting high-level scientific research, or immersing yourself in a new language—giving each your full attention and best effort. It’s an innovative approach that attracts a diverse group of students from across the country and around the world, and it’s practically unique: Cornell is one of only two national liberal arts colleges on the block plan.

Opportunities are not restricted by the borders of a traditional classroom. You might spend a month in Spain exploring the origins of Spanish civilization, or work as a full-time intern on a presidential campaign. With just one course at a time, off-campus study is both manageable and meaningful.

As a student, you’ll enjoy our active campus life and welcoming community. More than 100 clubs and activities invite you to hone your leadership skills, showcase your talents, and explore your interests. In our residence halls, you’ll meet new friends who share a love of learning and campus involvement.

Let’s face it: over the years, there’s been a certain amount of confusion over the distinction between Cornell College and, well, the other Cornell. From misdirected applications to misguided visits, sharing a name hasn’t always been easy.

So we’d like to set the record straight: we got here first. Cornell College was founded in 1853, 12 years before the similarly named university got its start. And we’re not one to brag, but we have a higher percentage of alumni listed in Who’s Who in America than they do.

Cornell College is located on a hilltop in the heart of Mount Vernon, Iowa, a charming town in the middle of Iowa's thriving Cultural Corridor. The entire campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and our gothic chapel can be seen for miles around.

Just a few blocks down the hill, Mount Vernon's main street boasts another National Historic District, hip clothing and antiques stores, and lots of really great coffee. The town's own Lincoln Café wins raves from food critics for Midwest Living, The New York Times, and others.

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Cornell College

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
''This article is about the liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. For the unaffiliated Ivy League university in Ithaca, New York, see Cornell University.

Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows. Four years later, in 1857, the name was changed to Cornell College, in honor of iron tycoon William Wesley Cornell, who was a distant relative of Ezra Cornell (founder of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York). Cornell College was recently ranked by Forbes as one of the top 25 Liberal Arts Colleges in the US.

Overview

Cornell students study one course at a time (commonly referred to as "the block plan" or "OCAAT"). Since 1978, school years have been divided into nine "blocks" of three-and-a-half weeks each (usually followed by a four-day "block break" to round out to four weeks), during which students are enrolled in a single class; what would normally be covered in a full semester's worth of class at a typical university is covered in just seventeen-and-one-half Cornell class days. Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Quest University in Squamish, British Columbia; Tusculum College in Tusculum, Tennessee; and The University of Montana - Western are the only other colleges operating under this academic calendar.

From the beginning, Cornell has accepted women into all degree programs. In 1858, Cornell was the first college west of the Mississippi to grant a baccalaureate degree to a woman. Mary Fellows, a member of the first graduating class from Cornell College, received a bachelor's degree in mathematics. In 1871, Harriette J. Cooke became the first female college professor in the United States to become a full professor with a salary equal to that of her male colleagues.

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Midwest
Setting:
Small Town Setting
Type:
Private
Affiliation:
United Methodist
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
Mascot:
Rams

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
1,117
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Available
More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 23,680
Students Receiving Aid:
98%
More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 40
Selectivity:
Selective
More Admissions

Cornell College Degree Programs

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Learn more about Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Cornell College Students & Campus Life

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 50%
Men 50%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 87%
Other 7%
Hispanic 3%
African-American 2%
Asian 1%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 65%
In-State 35%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Iowa 35%
Illinois 12%
Colorado 10%
Minnesota 9%
Wisconsin 4%
Percent of Students International: 2%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 93%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: Yes

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Football (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf)
Basketball (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf)
Baseball (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf)
Track (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conf)

Cornell College Expenses (Tuition & Fees)

Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
 $ 23,680    
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 23,500    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 180    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
 $ 3,600 30%  
State and Local Grants:
 $ 3,285 17%  
Institutional Grants:
 $ 14,366 97%  
Student Loans:
 $ 3,640 75%  
Any Aid:
   98%  

Cornell College Admissions

Acceptance Rate: 66% (Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 30%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 560, Math: 550
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 680, Math: 680
ACT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting ACT Scores: 86%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Composite: 23, Verbal: 23, Math: 23
Top 75th Percentile: Composite: 29, Verbal: 29, Math: 28

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 40.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Recommended
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Recommended
High School GPA: Required
High School Rank: Required
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Required

College Advice on Cornell College

Yahoo
Paul
Paul

Question: is cornell college in IA a good college?

I'm considering bioengineering or chemical engineering. Does cornell college have a good program for those areas?
8 months ago
Mathematician
Mathe...

Best Answer

Cornell College is a small liberal arts college. It's a decent school. But, if you want to do engineering you would probably be better off going to a larger school which offers better facilities for engineering majors. Also, keep in mind that Cornell is on a one course at a time schedule, meaning that you take one course for 3.5 weeks, then move on to another course for the next 3.5 weeks. For math/science/engineering classes in which there is a large amount of technical material to cover, this could be a tough schedule.

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Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA 52314
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