cornell transfer option essay

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, cornell guaranteed transfer option: how does it work.

I've heard about the Cornell guaranteed transfer option, but I'm a little confused about how it works. Can someone explain the process and the benefits it might provide for someone who's considering applying to Cornell? Thanks!

Sure, I'd be happy to explain the Cornell Guaranteed Transfer Option (GTO)! The GTO is a unique program offered by Cornell to a select group of applicants who were not admitted during the regular decision process. Instead, they are offered a guaranteed transfer option, which means that if they meet certain requirements after completing their freshman year at another accredited college or university, they are guaranteed admission to Cornell as a transfer student for their sophomore year.

Here's an overview of the process:

1. Receive the GTO offer: When you apply to Cornell and receive your decision, you might be offered the GTO if you were not admitted as a freshman. This offer will outline the specific college within Cornell that the guarantee applies to, along with the requirements you must meet to take advantage of the guarantee.

2. Enroll in another college: You will need to attend another accredited college or university for your freshman year. It is important to choose a school where you can thrive academically, as you will need to meet the GPA and coursework requirements outlined in your GTO offer.

3. Meet the requirements: During your freshman year, focus on maintaining the required GPA and completing the necessary coursework as specified in your GTO offer. This coursework may include a combination of prerequisites, major-specific classes, and general education courses.

4. Apply to Cornell as a transfer: After completing your freshman year and meeting the outlined requirements, you will need to apply to Cornell as a transfer student. Along with the regular transfer application, you will submit proof that you have met the GTO requirements.

5. Admission to Cornell: If you've met all the requirements, you'll receive guaranteed admission to Cornell for your sophomore year. You'll then be able to transfer into the specified college within Cornell and continue your education there.

Some benefits of the GTO program include:

- A clear path to Cornell: GTO provides a specific roadmap to gain admission to Cornell, which allows you to plan your freshman year accordingly.

- Less uncertainty: Knowing you have a guaranteed spot at Cornell can alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty during your freshman year at another institution, as long as you maintain the required academic performance.

- Transfer credits: In many cases, the credits you earn during your freshman year at your current institution will transfer to Cornell, so you can continue your education without any significant delays.

Keep in mind that the GTO is not available for all colleges within Cornell and is typically only offered to a small number of applicants. However, if you receive a GTO offer and are committed to attending Cornell, this unique program can serve as a valuable opportunity to join the university as a transfer student.

I hope this information helps clarify the process and benefits of Cornell's Guaranteed Transfer Option. Finally, if you want some tips on how to maximize your chances of outright acceptance at Cornell, check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which breaks down how to tackle Cornell's school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-cornell-university-essays/. While the GTO is a great alternative path to acceptance, transferring schools can still be stressful, and plus, Cornell is a highly selective institution, so your application needs to be extremely strong for you to be considered for GTO. Good luck!

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CALS Transfer Option

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is pleased to offer a Transfer Option, or "TO", to a select number of first-year applicants. Due to first-year enrollment restrictions and the depth of the CALS applicant group, we are unable to offer admission to many applicants who have shown outstanding academic potential. While this is not a guarantee of admission , we look forward to working with you on this path to applying for transfer!

What is a Transfer Option?

The Transfer Option is non-binding . Students may decide not to proceed with their TO at any time.

All TOs will have access to CALS Admissions support , including TO-specific information sessions, contact with CALS ambassadors, and Chatter. 

• TO candidates will complete a short and no-cost application for Fall 2025.

The Transfer Option pertains to the major within CALS to which you initially applied.  

What's Next?

• Complete the TO Reply Form! You must reply to the CALS Admissions Office using the TO Reply Form on or before the deadline to confirm your interest in this offer.  Candidates who do not submit a response to the TO offer by the deadline are no longer eligible to participate in the Transfer Option.
• Join us on Chatter! Chatter is a place where you can connect with other TO candidates and ask questions of the CALS admissions team. There are also links to FAQs as well as other important TO resources.  
• Choose a first year institution! This choice is completely up to you! You may choose any 2-year or 4-year accredited institution, preferably in the United States. It is extremely important that you choose a school where you can see yourself being happy for the remainder of your college career, and where you will be able to complete the course requirements for your Transfer Option.

Transfer Option Requirements

• Attend an accredited 2- or 4-year institution that provides access to the course requirements for your CALS major. 
• Study full-time during the academic year (August - May). 
• Remain in good academic and disciplinary standing during the academic year. 
• Complete all course requirements for your major with a "B" or better in each course.   
• Earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA (3.5 for Biological Sciences) in your first college semester and a 3.0 average at mid-term during the second semester.  
• All required courses must be completed for a grade and credit. Cornell does not accept Pass/Fail coursework. 
• Required courses must be complete or in-progress at the time of application. 

To prepare for studying within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences each academic major has key foundation courses that transfer option candidates need to complete or have in progress at the time of their application.

Select the major in which you were offered the Transfer Option. Scroll to the "Transfer" tab, and select "Transfers Entering as Sophomores" to view your specific requirements. 

• Agricultural Sciences
• Atmospheric Science
• Animal Science
• Biological Engineering
• Biological Sciences
• Biology and Society
• Biometry and Statistics
• Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Environment & Sustainability
• Environmental Engineering
• Food Science
• Information Science
• Landscape Architecture
• Nutritional Sciences
• Plant Sciences
• Viticulture and Enology

Here are some options that students often consider:

• Community College Courses - These can be taken either concurrently (Fall/Spring) or in a Winter term
• Online coursework - These are acceptable as long as they are taken for a grade from an accredited institution. (No Coursera, MOOCs, or certificate program courses)
• Summer coursework - This is not ideal, as the course would not technically be "in progress" at the time of application, but this is an option that some students turn to as a last resort. If you find yourself in this situation, please let us know in your application that you plan on taking a summer course, and try to find a class that will end before July 1. 

We understand that students may not be able to get a course due to circumstances outside of their control. Please know that while our most successful candidates will have the required coursework completed or in-progress at the time of application, our admissions process is holistic, which means we take every aspect of a student’s application into consideration. During our review, we consider whether candidates have the academic background (rigor, coursework and grades) to be successful in their major at Cornell CALS, whether the personal attributes and extracurricular experiences shared demonstrate a solid connection with the CALS approach and mission, and that thoughtful fit is expressed for the candidate’s desired major, within Cornell CALS. 

We ask that you use your best judgement to find courses that will fulfill your major requirements, and have provided resources to help! Each major requirements page has a list of Cornell courses that current students often take. Click each link to view the course descriptions, and in some cases, the syllabi. Finding courses at your institution that closely align to the course descriptions and objectives of these Cornell courses will put you in the best possible position for your courses to transfer. 

Please note that our Admissions team will not be able to advise students on their semester schedules or provide official course evaluations prior to admission. We can, however, answer questions about special circumstances or any confusion that may arise throughout the year. 

CALS Transfer Policy

Online Coursework

Ap/ib credits, quarter system schools, college credit earned in high school.

Online coursework must be taken for a grade from an accredited institution. You must submit an official transcript for these courses in your application in order to be considered for transfer credit.

Cornell does not accept MOOCs or certificate courses for academic credit.

In some cases, AP or IB credit may be used to fulfill required course requirements. Please use the  CALS Transfer Credit Policy   to see which scores will count for credit.  Please note that some majors will not accept test credit, and this will be noted on their requirements pages. 

Note: Placing out of a course at your first institution may not fulfill a course requirement for the CALS Transfer Option, you must meet Cornell's minimum score to receive credit.  

CALS semester system awards quarter system credits by calculating .67 credits per credit of study at an institution on the quarter system. A 5-credit quarter system course is equivalent to a 3-credit semester course.  

If your major requires two semesters of a course (ex: Biology), plan on taking two quarters of Biology if they are 5 credits each.

Cornell University does not accept credit for courses sponsored by colleges or universities but taught in the high school to high school students (dual enrollment). CALS does not accept credit from College Now, SUPA, University in High School, NOLS and other comparable programs. CALS does not accept credit for programs offered to students for completion of high school degree in a college setting such as, but not limited to, Bard, TAMS, etc.  

If you have taken a college course while in high school, on a college campus, and it did not count towards your high school graduation requirements, you may fill out a College Credit Earned in High School form for possible consideration.  

Feel free to reach out to us at cals_admissions [at] cornell.edu (cals_admissions[at]cornell[dot]edu) or on Chatter. Additionally, check out our FAQ for answers to some more specific questions.

• Frequently Asked Questions

The Transfer Option Timeline

April - may.

• Complete and submit the TO Reply Form by the expressed deadline in your email from CALS Admissions
• Attend a Transfer Option Introductory Information session (Invitations will be sent to your email)
• TO Check-in Webinar - Learn more about the application process (Will be recorded)
• Deadline for TO Change of Major requests
• TO application link will be emailed to you no later than January 31st.
• TO Application Webinar - Walk through the application process with CALS Admissions (Will be recorded)
• TO Application due March 15, 2025
• Financial Aid application due (if applicable)
• Transfer decisions will be released on a rolling basis

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Transfer Option Frequently Asked Questions

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is pleased to offer transfer options (TOs) to a select number of first-year applicants. Due to first-year enrollment restrictions and the depth of the applicant group, we are unable to offer admission to many applicants who have shown outstanding academic potential and passion for our programs.

Upon official invitation, TO is another way for these students to enter our college.

About Transfer Options

Can you tell me why the selection committee made this decision.

The TO allows us to continue to work with a select group of talented applicants whom we did not admit but who remain committed to Cornell and the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

Is there a decision appeal process?

No. All decisions are final and there is no appeal process.

If I accept the TO, am I obligated to complete the transfer process?

No. If you are not certain that you will want to transfer, we recommend that you complete the form now and withdraw later if you ultimately decide not to transfer. Saying “yes” to the transfer option is not binding and you can decide to withdraw from the transfer option at any time by communicating with the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business admissions office.

Can I use this TO decision to apply to another Cornell undergraduate unit?

This offer is valid only for the school within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business that extended you the transfer option. Should your interests change, you must apply as an external transfer candidate to the Cornell program that best meets your current interests.

What support is available for incoming transfer students?

All incoming students, including transfer students, participate in required orientation programming. In addition, you are assigned an advisor in your school’s Office of Student Services to walk you through the onboarding process.

Will I be able to study abroad or take Cornell electives?

Students may only fulfill their free elective credits during study abroad opportunities, so it may be very difficult to complete your core credits and study abroad. Individual circumstances will determine the opportunity to study abroad. Some transfer students may be advised to consider a summer abroad versus a semester abroad.

Will I be able to participate in the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Alliance?

If you are interested in the CIA Alliance, we recommend that you contact  Emily Franco , director of the Nolan School/CIA Alliance, for more information.

Learn More About Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Alliance

Transfer Credits

What courses should i take.

Please refer to your TO letter for specific courses you should take during your year at another institution.

Does it matter which college/school I attend to begin my college career?

We recommend you choose a school that is your next best fit and that will allow you the flexibility to take general-education and introductory-level business courses. We do not recommend attending another hospitality program, as it can be difficult to fulfill transfer credit for our hotel administration core courses through other hospitality courses. Course syllabi must receive pre-approval from our office to fulfill hotel administration core classes.

How will my credits transfer?

Most transfer credits will fulfill non-hotel-administration (general-education) electives and free electives. While Cornell University will accept a maximum of 60 transfer credits, only 42 credits are needed to fulfill non-hotel-administration (distributive) and free electives.

On rare occasions, the Nolan School may accept transfer credit toward core courses  in the major. Up to 18 credits may be considered for transfer toward core required courses. Suggested core courses that may be considered for transfer credits include:

• HADM 1150 – Organizational Behavior and Leadership Skills
• HADM 1210 – Financial Accounting
• HADM 1410 – Microeconomics for the Service Industry

Prior to enrolling in a course  you wish to transfer into the core curriculum , please submit a syllabus and email the registrar for review at  [email protected] . This should be sent  before taking the course as there is no guarantee that courses will transfer as Nolan core courses. Please allow up to 10 business days for a response from the registrar.

How will Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit(s) transfer?

Nolan School students are limited to a total of 15 test (AP, IB, GCE, A-level) credits  toward degree requirements.

With qualifying scores, Nolan School students may be awarded AP credit only in Free Electives, with two exceptions:

• AP Microeconomics-a score of a 5 will fulfill  HADM 1410
• IB Economics-a score of 7 will fulfill HADM 1410  and 3 free elective credits
• AP English Language and Composition or AP English Literature and Composition-a score of 5 will fulfill the  First-Year Writing Seminar

Will both my grade point average and college credits transfer?

Earning a C or better will allow earned credits to transfer. Your GPA does not transfer and is not calculated in your Cornell GPA.

How do trimester- or quarter-system credits transfer?

In your college catalog, there will be a paragraph on the school’s credit system, and it should also provide the conversion from that credit to semester hours. If not, you may want to contact the registrar of your college to ask how these credits will convert to the semester system.

For the quarter system, we generally calculate that 1 quarter-system credit = .666 semester credits. Please note that we do not round up (e.g., if the total number of credits towards graduation requirements = 15.9, you will receive 15 credits.)

What happens if I do not meet the conditions of the TO? For example, what if I don't meet the GPA or grade requirement?

Students who have not completed the TO requirements will still be considered for transfer admission, but will be reviewed with the regular transfer applicants.

The selection committee will evaluate each application on a case-by-case basis and take into account that the applicant was offered the TO.

I am considering attending a college/university outside the United States next year. Will that be OK?

We have found that students who attend institutions outside the U.S. often have a difficult time fulfilling the course requirements, because the content may vary greatly from what is offered at U.S. institutions.

I am considering attending a school/university that uses "shadow grading" or provides only pass/fail grades (no GPA). Is that OK?

Pass/fail grading or written evaluations will not satisfy the TO requirements. You will be required to submit grades to the admissions committee in order to demonstrate your academic performance in the courses you are taking.

Pass/fail grades will not count for credit. To be considered a transfer student, you must complete 12 or more college credits (post-high school graduation).

Can I take a required course pass/fall?

No. You must receive a grade in the course for it to count toward transfer requirements and to transfer for credit to Cornell. In Cornell’s view, taking a course P/F is like not taking the course at all. If your institution has a policy that all grades are taken P/F, you must ask to have your grades uncovered to receive credit.

How can I transfer my hospitality work experience?

All students must complete two units (400 hours each) of practice credit to fulfill Nolan School graduation requirements.

Once you have matriculated to an accredited college or university at which you will complete your TO requirements, work experience may count towards, but will not exceed, one full unit (400 hours) of practice credit. See Practice Credit requirements and guidelines.

How to Transfer

Do i need to complete a new application for transfer admission.

To re-apply as a TO candidate, you must submit an abbreviated TO application and required supplemental documents. The TO application will be emailed in early December.

If you did not submit the Statement of Intent form accepting the transfer option or if you declined the transfer option, you would need to begin a new Cornell external-transfer application if you re-applied.

Will I need to reapply for financial aid?

Yes, you will need to resubmit your application for financial aid at the time of application. Please use the  financial aid calculator  to receive an estimated financial aid package or visit  finaid.cornell.edu .

Do I have the option to complete an admissions interview?

No. Interviews are not required or offered for TO applicants.

Important Dates

• December: Email with link to the TO application
• March: TO application and financial aid application deadline (application fee waived)
• April – June: TO decision notification
• Within three weeks of decision notification: Email with preliminary transfer credit evaluation

Internal Transfer Applicants

Current Cornell students may apply for internal transfer admission to the applied economics and management (AEM) major in Dyson. Before applying to the Dyson School, all students are advised to confer with their advisor in their current college to determine eligibility and path to applying. Please pay careful attention to the information provided here as you consider applying. Dyson enrolls transfer students in the fall semester only and the application is due by midnight ET at the end of day on May 1st. 

Cornell internal transfer applicants should have a very strong academic record in their current program and should be prepared to communicate thoughtfully and in some detail about their interests and reasons for preferring to study in Dyson. Internal transfer admission into Dyson is extremely competitive and therefore not all applicants who meet the criteria below are accepted. For information/Q&A session registration or office hour zoom links, please refer to the “Virtual Support” section near the bottom of the page .

Eligibility

Rising second year and rising third year (i.e., those who apply in their first or second year) currently attending Cornell University are eligible to apply as internal transfer applicants. Preference is given to current first year applicants. Current juniors and seniors are not eligible for internal transfer to Dyson. Students who transferred to Cornell from another university or college are also not eligible for internal transfer to Dyson.

First-year students exploring the possibility of transferring to Dyson should familiarize themselves with AEM prerequisites to ensure that courses taken during the first year will meet Dyson requirements.

Admission Requirements

The Internal Transfer Application can be found here .

Internal transfer applicants must meet (or complete during the semester in which they apply) the following requirements to be considered for admission:

• Minimum Cornell GPA of 3.0
• Full-time (12-credit-minimum) standing each semester, with few, if any, S/U graded courses
• Good standing in current college
• Successful completion of ECON 1110
• PAM 2100 or 2101
• ILRST 2100 (cross-listed as STSCI 2100 )
• HADM 2010 (open for current Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration students only)

* Students are encouraged take the statistics class housed within their current college or major.

Please note that Dyson will not accept AP or IB credit for the required courses above. Students must take these courses at Cornell or at the college level for college credit prior to enrolling in Dyson.

Current curriculum requirements are subject to change and internal transfers will be held to the major requirements for the year in which they matriculate to Dyson.

We acknowledge that some colleges require a meeting with an advisor in the college to which you are applying for internal transfer, however, this is NOT  required for internal transfer to the Dyson School. Additionally, please note that we do not review resumes or application materials prior to their official submission.

Course Recommendations

Your internal transfer application is strengthened if you take at least one quantitative course each semester. Possible courses include the following:

• AEM 2770 : Excursions in Computational Sustainability
• AEM 3100 : Business Statistics
• AEM 4110 : Introduction to Econometrics
• AEM 4120 : Computational Methods for Management and Economics
• ECON 3110  (cross-listed as  ILRST 3110 ): Probability Models and Inference for the Social Sciences
• ECON 3130 : Statistics and Probability
• ECON 3140 : Econometrics

Courses available to first-year students that may fulfill AEM requirements and can inform your decision to transfer to Dyson include the following:

• AEM 2015 : The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion
• AEM 2300  (cross-listed as  ECON 2300 ): International Trade and Finance
• AEM 2350 : Introduction to the Economics of Development
• ECON 1120 : Introductory Macroeconomics

Do not feel you must choose courses from this list; it is provided for your information only.

Note: Management, marketing, accounting, and finance courses offered as part of the university minor in business do not fulfill Dyson major requirements and therefore should not be taken by students applying to transfer. 

In addition to coursework, your internal application to Dyson will be evaluated on qualitative factors such as work experience, volunteer activities, leadership positions, internships, and your ability to explain in detail why the AEM major is a good fit for you.

Essay Guidance

Please be advised that your essay has a maximum word count of 650. It could address any of the following as well as/or any additional subjects that help you explain why you would like to internally transfer to the Dyson School:

• How your interest in a given major and college has developed, and how you have explored it
• Explain clearly and in a well-thought out manner how your intended major and college could provide you with the tools and instruction you desire to achieve at Cornell, and why other options (double major, minors, etc.) are not useful.
• Describe the professional goals/interests you are considering. How will your target college help you to attain your goals?
• If you do not satisfy all the requirements for transfer to your intended college, state the reasons for this, and how you intend to fulfill those requirements.
• You can also talk about the activities that you have been involved in at Cornell and the community (work/volunteer experiences, clubs, research) and how they have shaped you.
• Is there anything else your target college should know about you (e.g. personal/family situations, independent study…) that you consider could further clarify your interest?

Virtual Support

The Office of Admissions hosts information sessions and/or office hours for prospective internal transfer students every semester.

The internal transfer information sessions and meetings for the Fall 2024 semester will be posted below by the end of August.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at [email protected]

Application Process and Timeline

Dyson enrolls transfer students in the fall semester only. Internal transfer applications are accepted during the prior spring semester. The application deadline is midnight ET at the end of the day on May 1st. Applicants can expect to receive their admissions decision on or before June 19th.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at [email protected].

Office of Undergraduate and Master’s Programs Admissions

SC Johnson College of Business 289 Statler Hall Phone: 607.254.4228 [email protected]

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First-generation student Talha Islam '24, who emigrated from Bangladesh at 11, brought to Cornell a passion for community building and mentorship, inspired by the support he received at LaGuardia Community College. 

Community college transfers flourish at Cornell

By caitlin hayes, cornell chronicle.

In 2021, Talha Islam ’24 was a full-time student at LaGuardia Community College in New York City while working more than 40 hours a week at a Whole Foods to help support his family. At work in Tribeca, he’d often see customers wearing Cornell hats and sweatshirts – which seeded a dream that would change the trajectory of his life.

“I realized that I had to get myself out there, I had to apply,” said Islam, an applied economics and management major in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

This year, Islam, who emigrated from Bangladesh at age 11, will be the first in his family to earn a bachelor's degree. He follows in the footsteps of many students who find their futures in Ithaca after transferring from community colleges. 

“If you had told me 15 years ago that I would be graduating from Cornell, I would have laughed,” said Kyle Griswold ’24, a Marine Corps veteran and plant science major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). Griswold discovered his passion for plants in Australia, after being stationed in Japan; back in the States, he built a STEM foundation at Monroe Community College (MCC) in Rochester before transferring to Cornell.

“I wanted to do research and be challenged more intellectually, and I really got that here,” Griswold said.

Accepting and supporting community college students has long been an institutional priority, with 100 students on average admitted from community colleges each year. As part of Cornell’s land-grant mission, admissions teams – particularly in CALS, the ILR School and the College of Human Ecology (CHE) – work directly with State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges, clearly articulating transfer pathways and requirements and building relationships with transfer counselors who can guide talented students to consider Cornell. Generous institutional grants, which do not need to be repaid, enable students with financial need to enroll. Once on campus, students receive support from student services within the colleges, through specialized programs and from each other.

“We are charged with helping improve people’s lives in the state,” said Ian Schachner, senior associate director of admissions in ILR. “If research helps the state, we do it; if teaching helps the state, we do it. If it helps to provide a pipeline for these incredible community college students to get the best education in the state, we do that, too.”

“We want Cornell to be an option for students who may not have originally thought that their journey could lead to Cornell,” said Katherine McComas, vice provost for engagement and land-grant affairs and professor of communication in CALS. “The collaborations we have with SUNY and CUNY, including many of their community colleges, are long-standing, and we’re excited to grow and strengthen new and existing transfer pathways as well.”

Rebecca Mack, longtime transfer planning counselor at MCC, has followed many students on their Cornell journeys – and said graduation is just the beginning. “I have seen how Cornell can transform lives,” she said. “People are incredibly successful once they’re given the opportunity, and they go on to make the world a better place.”

Kyle Griswold '24, a Marine Corps veteran and former hardcore punk musician, transferred from Monroe Community College and found both intellectual rigor and community at Cornell.

‘A massive benefit’

Once a Marine Corps armory chief, Griswold brought leadership and community-building skills he gained through his service to his campus lab. Olivia Maday ’24, a biology and society major in CALS, said the bumpy road that led her to Niagara Community College/SUNY Niagara – after a move in high school from Delaware to Louisiana disqualified her for in-state tuition in either state – made her resourceful and motivated to help others.

“I’ve learned to never give up,” Maday said. “I could have easily given up in high school. I could have said, ‘There’s no way I’ll be able to go to college and afford it.’”

First-generation student Isabella DeRubeis ’24, in the ILR School, excelled in high school but didn’t know what she wanted to study in college. She enrolled at MCC and found opportunities in and out of the classroom, serving in student government and playing basketball, that allowed her to grow into her interests and strengths.

“In student government, I learned so much about being on a team, leading, advocating for students, which then aligned with what I want to do in the future with a law degree,” DeRubeis said. “In basketball, I learned to be tough, to persevere. I feel like community college prepared me for Cornell, and Cornell prepared me for life.”

Transfer students also enrich a diverse student body.

“Community college students expand the range of stories and backgrounds,” Schachner said, “so any class at Cornell could have someone who is a parent or grandparent, a veteran, someone who has stories about business and leadership on a nuclear submarine or in a steel mill, someone who can talk about poverty, because they were picking flowers to survive . There’s a massive benefit everyone here gets by expanding the range of people you can learn from.”

Paul Fisher, senior associate director of admissions in CHE, agreed.

“College students in general are motivated by the hope that lives can be changed through the power of education,” he said. “Community college students just come at it from all over the life and experience spectrum, and one of the joys of working with these students is never knowing what kind of life story they will bring.”

First-generation student Isabella DeRubeis '24 came to Cornell from Monroe Community College, where she found her footing as a leader and scholar.

Game changers

Cornell’s need-blind admissions and grant-based financial aid are often the first essential forms of support for students transferring from community colleges.

“Many students think it’s too expensive, they rule Cornell out before they even look at it,” Mack said. “They don’t realize that if they’re lower- or middle-income, Cornell has amazing financial support.”

Maday said that filling out the College Scholarship Service profile, in addition to the FAFSA, made all the difference for her – because it allowed her to describe not only her parents’ income but also what other financial burdens her family has, including the fact that she has multiple college-age siblings.

“A lot of schools did not give me the opportunity to do that, and it was a game changer,” Maday said.

Once on campus, students can find personal and community support from orientation to graduation.

“Imposter syndrome hits a community college student twice as hard,” Islam said. “You’re now at a top-tier university, where everyone is a go-getter, and you feel like, ‘Wow, can I compete with these people?’ And you feel already kind of behind.”

CALS has a designated transfer student success navigator, a point person who helps students throughout their Cornell journey. In ILR and CHE, student services provides similar support.

“Part of our role,” Schachner said, “is to let them know that their being here is no accident.”

A program run in collaboration with CALS , formerly called HHMI-CURT and now PAVER, provides community and connects transfer students with research opportunities to help them compete for graduate programs in the life sciences.

“We get you in a cohort, we get you the skills and the experience, so that when you want to apply to vet school or Ph.D. programs, you’re ready,” said Melanie Ragin, a community college alumna who serves as assistant dean for inclusion and academic excellence in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

“The program has made a huge difference for me,” Maday said. “I’ve been able to talk to advisers and people at conferences about what I can do after I graduate to set myself up for success.”

Support for community college students also comes from the students themselves: Maday is a CALS ambassador and gives advice to prospective students; Griswold is an outreach peer counselor for veterans; Islam is a new student orientation leader and president of CC STEP , a student group for transfer students (from any school) that hosts social events and builds community.

“The whole purpose is to make people feel more comfortable and to share stories and inspire each other,” Islam said. “Right now it’s just social, but we’re hoping to go to different community colleges and talk to the students about the process we went through to get to Cornell.”

New pipelines for community college students are also being formed, such as a CALS effort to map a curriculum for sustainable farming and viticulture students from Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) and Finger Lakes Community College, respectively, to transfer to Cornell.

“Once we get the foundation set with Finger Lakes and TC3, we hope to branch out to other community college partners as well,” said Sandy Drumluk, assistant director of admissions and transfer coordinator for CALS. “This is such a diverse group and always an important part of our incoming class – and working with them is the most fun part of my job.”

Olivia Maday '24 transferred from Niagara Community College (SUNY Niagara) and now helps other prospective transfer students as a CALS ambassador.

Another world

Even if their paths were longer or more winding, community college students find at Cornell the same thing other students do: intellectual community and passion.

“I found a lot of community just within plant science,” Griswold said. “That’s really why I wanted to come here: because it’s so large, and you get a multitude of perspectives, and now I really understand how broad the discipline is.”

“I really grew through my coursework and through research,” DeRubeis said. “I was really challenged and was able to find my passions and just learn from so many different people. I’m going to miss it here a lot.”

Students said Commencement would be bittersweet, but also a day filled with pride, celebration and gratitude.

“I remember the drive here when I was starting – coming to this big-name world that’s tucked away and hidden down here,” Griswold said. “It was kind of like crossing a threshold, leaving one world and entering another: this world where all these different disciplines are working together, a kind of ideal. It’s pretty remarkable, and I just have a strong sense of gratitude and appreciation for being here.”

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