Frequently Asked Questions
There are a handful of general questions frequently posed to the OIRA staff. We have attempted to provide answers to many of these questions here. The responses provided are for the most recent academic year (2012-13) unless otherwise specified and conform to terms as defined.
1. What is Cornell’s enrollment?
Enrollment can be defined in many ways, including total headcount and full-time equivalent students. For 2012-13,
- Total Head-Count Enrollment = 1,180
- Total Degree-Seeking Student Enrollment (both part-time and full-time students) = 1,174
- Total Full-Time Equivalent (total full-time students + 1/3 of total part-time students) = 1,170
2. What is the ratio of students to faculty?
For 2011-12, Cornell College had a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1. This ratio represents the number of full-time equivalent students per full-time equivalent faculty member.
3. What is the College’s first-to-second year retention rate?
Of those first-time, full-time students who started Cornell College in 2011-12, 84% returned to the College in 2012-13.
4. What is the College’s 6-year graduation rate?
Of those first-time, full-time students who began their college careers at Cornell in 2006-07, 70% graduated within six years.
5. What percentage of Cornell College tenured or tenure-track faculty hold terminal degrees (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., MFA, etc.)?
Ninety-six percent (96%) of Cornell’s tenured/tenure-track faculty hold terminal degrees in their fields (2011-12).
6. What are the five most popular majors?
The top five majors for 2012 graduates were: (1) Economics and Business / Kinesiology (tied), (3) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology / English (tied), and (5) Psychology.
7. What are the geographic origins of our students?
For the 2011-12 academic year, 16% of Cornell students hail from Iowa. The largest clustering of students - 19% - come from Illinois. California, Minnesota, and Colorado round out the top 5 states, each with 6%. An additional 6% of students arrive at Cornell from homes outside the U.S.
8. What is the average GPA for the student body?
The College’s average GPA for 2010-11 was 3.11.
9. What percentage of Cornell students live in campus housing?
Cornell is a residential campus. As such, 91% of the student body lives in campus housing.