SUNY Cortland: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

SUNY Cortland is a public university with an acceptance rate of 46%. Established in 1868 and located in New York's Finger Lakes region, SUNY Cortland is a member of the State University of New York system. The school offers 67 undergraduate majors and 39 graduate programs within the schools of Arts and Sciences, Education, and Professional Studies. In athletics, the Cortland Red Dragons compete in Division III with the State University of New York Athletic Conference for most sports. Football competes in the Empire 8 Athletic Conference.

Considering applying to SUNY Cortland? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, SUNY Cortland had an acceptance rate of 46%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 46 students were admitted, making SUNY Cortland's admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 13,289
Percent Admitted 46%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 20%

SAT Scores and Requirements

SUNY Cortland requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 70% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 530 600
Math 530 600
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of SUNY Cortland's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to SUNY Cortland scored between 530 and 600, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 600. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 600, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 600. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1200 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at SUNY Cortland.

Requirements

SUNY Cortland does not require the SAT writing section or SAT Subject tests. Note that SUNY Cortland participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates.

ACT Scores and Requirements

SUNY Cortland requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 20% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 20 24
Math 20 25
Composite 22 25

This admissions data tells us that most of SUNY Cortland's admitted students fall within the top 36% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to SUNY Cortland received a composite ACT score between 22 and 25, while 25% scored above 25 and 25% scored below 22.

Requirements

SUNY Cortland does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, SUNY Cortland superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA for incoming SUNY Cortland freshman was 93.1. These results suggest that most successful applicants to SUNY Cortland have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

SUNY Cortland Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
SUNY Cortland Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to SUNY Cortland. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

SUNY Cortland, which accepts fewer than half of applicants, has a competitive admissions pool with above average GPAs and SAT/ACT scores. However, SUNY Cortland also has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and test scores are outside SUNY Cortland's average range. If SUNY Cortland is your first choice, note that the school has an Early Action option than can improve your chances of admission and demonstrate your interest in the college.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were admitted to SUNY Cortland. Most had SAT scores of 1050 or higher, an ACT composite of 21 or higher, and a high school average of a "B+" or better. Grades and test scores above these lower ranges will improve your chances. A significant number of accepted students had grades in the "A" range.

If You Like SUNY Cortland, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and SUNY Cortland Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "SUNY Cortland: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/suny-cortland-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786650. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 26). SUNY Cortland: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/suny-cortland-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786650 Grove, Allen. "SUNY Cortland: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/suny-cortland-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786650 (accessed March 29, 2024).