An unusual public-private hybrid, Cornell has a unique position in the Ivy League. New York State residents who enroll in Cornell state-sponsored colleges pay about $23,000 less per year than the tuition charged for the university’s private, endowed colleges.
Cornell has a reputation as the largest and typically least selective of the Ivies, accepting about 8% of applicants into its approximately 16,000-person undergraduate population. Cornell's private side includes a highly respected College of Arts and Sciences, as well as architecture and hotel administration programs that are considered leaders in their respective fields.
The university boasts a six-year graduation rate of more than 95%, and recent grads tend to find high-paying jobs, with the median annual salary for new graduates at $70,710, according to the College Scorecard. After a few years, that figure climbs to more than $113,000 annually.
Cornell celebrates several campus traditions, one of the most beloved of which is Slope Day, a celebration in late May that marks the end of the semester and includes food, beer, carnival games, giveaways and musical performances by the likes of The Chainsmokers and Daya.
The university is located in one of the country's top college towns, Ithaca, and thanks partly to nearby Ithaca College, college-aged students comprise a large portion of the local population. There are numerous bars and restaurants, a good music scene and many opportunities for outdoor recreation.
