Graduate Programs Frequently Asked Admissions Questions
When is the deadline for an admissions application?
The deadline for admission, as well as other information pertaining to the admissions process can be found here. The links on the left-hand column of this page should provide you with useful information as well.
I'm thinking about applying, but I’m not sure. Can I arrange a campus visit?
Please email ilrgradapplicant@cornell.edu, and we will contact you about scheduling a campus visit.
Can you send me an application in the mail?
Cornell University requires that applications be submitted online. You can begin the application process by following this link: http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/index.php?p=102
Some students like to send us a printed copy of the application they prepared on line. You may do this if you wish, but the application is only considered official if it is submitted online.
What address should my transcripts be mailed to? How about my letters of recommendation?
Absolutely anything you want to send in the mail as part of your application should be sent to: ILR Graduate Programs Office, 214 Ives Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853.
Do I have to submit a resume?
The MILR program now requires a resume as part of the application process. You may attach it to your application in Embark, or you may email it to ilrgradapplicant@cornell.edu as an MS Word or pdf attachment.
How many applications do you get for the MILR/PhD/MPS program? Is it really competitive?
Admission to our graduate program is considered highly competitive.
The acceptance rate for the MILR program is typically between 35% and 40%.
The acceptance rate for the MS/PhD program is between 5% and 10%.
How much work experience should I have? If I’m coming straight from undergrad, should I even bother to apply?
The program is intended for students with 1-5 years of work experience. We accept a limited number of students directly from undergrad, but encourage you to apply if you have a strong foundation and meet our other criteria.
I can't decide if I want to apply for this year or next. Can I start an application and wait until next year to submit it?
The online application is updated every year in August. If you decide you want to apply for next year, please wait until the new application is online at the Cornell University Graduate School’s website.
Is the date posted on the web site the “real” deadline?
We encourage all applicants to apply to the program before the application deadline. Applications that arrive after the deadline may be considered, but are given a lower priority.
Please refer to the deadlines posted here and contact our office with any questions.
Should I wait to submit my application until I have all of my transcripts/letters of recommendation/test scores ready to send to you?
You should submit your application on line as soon as you are satisfied with it. Please email irlgradapplicant@cornell.edu and notify us if your test scores, letters of recommendation, transcript, or other materials will arrive past the application deadline. Please indicate the time frame you expect them to arrive and in what manner they will be arriving.
Any materials we receive before you have submitted your application will be held in a loose credentials file until the end of the application season.
If your application file is not complete by the application deadline, it may not be reviewed at the same priority level.
If you are sending application materials from outside the US, it would be wise to retain a tracking number in case packages get lost.
Is there a difference between the first and second admission rounds?
The ILR Graduate Office recommends that international applicants who expect to have difficulty applying for or obtaining a visa apply for the first round of admissions if possible. This will provide you with sufficient time to make plans if you are admitted to the program. We will accept all applicants from all students during both rounds.Applicants should be aware that the majority of funding will be offered during the first round of admissions. Some funding may be available during the second round, but in general applicants applying for the second round deadline should be prepared to make other plans (such as loans) to fund their first year of the program.
The admissions committee will review all applications according to the same standards. The committee reviews each application carefully and considers how each applicants would fit with the program itself and as part of the class they are putting together.
What’s the lowest GRE or GMAT score you’ll accept?
The ILR School Admissions Committee takes test scores very seriously, but they are only one part of your application. Each application is reviewed individually, and each component of the application is considered to be only one piece of the big picture. Therefore there is not a “cut-off” score.
The average scores for the last three years were:
GRE 2007: Verbal: 550 Quantitative: 710
GRE 2008: Verbal: 564 Quantitative: 666
GRE 2009: Verbal: 564 Quantitative: 676
Will I need to submit a transcript from schools I attended over the summer, or from the Community College I attended?
Please submit a transcript from all the accredited post-secondary schools you attended, even if the credits transferred (even if you did not earn a degree or take more than one class). If you are accepted to the program, you will not be allowed to enroll in classes until the Graduate School has all of your official transcripts on file.
What does “official transcript” mean?
An official transcript is a transcript issued directly from the registrar’s office of the institution you attended. It should be in a sealed envelope. An opened transcript, even if it is signed by the registrar, is not considered official and will not be reviewed by the admissions committee or accepted by the Graduate School. You may have the school send the transcript to us, or you may have it sent to you first and then forward it on to us. If you choose to have the transcript sent to you, you must not open the envelope.
One of my recommenders is sending their letter to you through the mail, but I haven’t applied yet. How will I know you have received it?
If it is addressed to our office we will get it and hold it in a file until you have submitted your application on line.
What should my personal statement say?
That’s up to you. It is a chance to convey your interest in studying in this field. It is also an opportunity to tell the admissions committee anything about yourself as an applicant that is not already on your resume, transcripts, or test scores. You may also address any questions or discrepancies in your materials in your personal statement.
Should I submit a writing sample?
Many MS/PhD applicants are asked for writing samples when their applications are under consideration by the department they’re applying to. We recommend that MS/PhD candidates submit a writing sample with their application.
MILR applicants may submit a writing sample if they wish, in which case it will be reviewed by the admissions committee. A writing sample is not required by the committee for MILR applicants and those applications with writing samples are looked on no more or less favorably by the committee than those without.
I notice that no interview is required. Can I request an interview?
The admissions committee will occasionally request a phone interview with an applicant, but this is rare. They generally do not give interviews at applicants’ request. If you are not contacted for an interview it has no bearing on the committee’s decision.
I am an international student. I have been working and living in the US/an English-Speaking country for a while now. Do I still have to take the TOEFL exam?
All non-US citizens whose native country’s official language is not English must take the TOEFL exam.
There is one exception: If a student has spent 2 academic years (or more) at an accredited college whose principal language of instruction is English in a country whose official language is English, then that student is exempt from taking the TOEFL exam. This is the only exception the Cornell University Graduate School will allow.
The ILR School cannot waive the TOEFL requirement for any applicant.
Can I submit IELTS scores instead of TOEFL scores?
At this time, the Cornell Graduate School will not enroll students without official TOEFL scores within the required range.
What are the minimum TOEFL scores you will accept? Will you consider me if my scores are slightly lower than those on the graduate school’s website?
The TOEFL minimums set by the Cornell University Graduate School are:
Writing: 20
Listening: 15
Reading: 20
Speaking: 22
We are unable to make exceptions to the minimum scores. Applicants whose scores fall below the Graduate School required minimums for any of these categories can not be admitted to Cornell University and therefore can not be accepted to the MILR program. Students who have low TOEFL scores typically do not have the English skills required to do well in our program.
I took the TOEFL exam 5 years ago and did really well. Will you accept that score?
In order for a TOEFL score to be acceptable to the Cornell Graduate School it must be current. TOEFL scores expire two years after taking the exam. ETS, the organization which administers the TOEFL, does not retain scores that have expired.
I sent you a copy of my TOEFL score report. Do I still have to request that ETS send you my score?
Yes. Your score is only considered valid if it is sent directly from ETS.
As an international student, do I have to submit proof of financial support and bank statements with my application?
You will only be required to submit these documents if you are accepted to the program. You may submit them with your application if you wish. Please keep in mind that financial certifications expire 3 months after they are issued. You will need to take into account the following items to ensure that your certification meets the Cornell University Graduate School’s funding criteria: tuition, room and board, insurance, student activity fees, and books. If you have additional questions regarding financial certification please contact the Cornell University Graduate School.
I am applying straight from undergrad. My transcript won’t show my grades at the end of the semester. Should I send my transcript early or should I wait until my most recent grades have posted?
Submit your current transcript and send us an updated transcript showing your degree as soon as it is available.
I have been working for several years and am no longer in touch with any of my professors from my undergraduate school. Can I submit professional letters of recommendation instead of academic ones?
The admissions committee will be interested to know what kind of a student you are, which is why academic letters of recommendation are considered so important. We suggest submitting 2 professional references and one academic reference. If it is not possible to contact your undergraduate faculty, it is fine to submit professional recommendations instead.
There is space on the on line application for three letters of recommendation, but your website says you only require two. How many should I submit?
The ILR Graduate Program only requires two letters of recommendation. Some applicants send more than two, but more are not required. The admissions committee will read all letters of recommendation submitted, but there is no prejudice in favor of or against applicants with more than two letters.
I sent you a copy of my GRE/GMAT score report. Do I still have to request that the testing service send you my score?
Yes. Your score is only considered valid if it is sent from the testing service.
I took the GRE/GMAT 10 years ago when I got my first graduate degree. Will you accept that score?
GRE and GMAT scores expire in 5 years. The Cornell Graduate School will only admit students who submit a valid (i.e. not expired) GRE or GMAT score. ETS and GMAC don’t retain expired scores.
I did really poorly on the GRE/GMAT. Should I take it again?
That’s up to you. ETS, administrator of the GRE, and GMAC, administrator of the GMAT, do not recommend re-taking the exam except in extreme situations; for example if you were in a car accident on your way to the testing center, or perhaps took the exam with a bad case of ‘flu'. One thing to consider when making your decision is that when you request your scores to be sent to Graduate programs, the testing service will send _all_ of your valid scores, not the most recent score or the highest. If you’re convinced you can do significantly better on the exam the second time, it might be to your advantage to re-take it. Otherwise, consider what the score report might look like if you take the exam more than once without improving your scores.
I can’t check the status of my application on Embark. Is there some way I can do this?
The Cornell Graduate School has not enabled the “check status” feature on the Embark Application System. If you have submitted your application but some of your materials have not reached our office, we will notify you early in the application review period. If you do not hear from us regarding your application and you have submitted properly, you can assume that we have received your materials and that everything is in order.
If you are concerned about mail service or want confirmation, you are encouraged to contact the office at ilrgradapplicant@cornell.edu
The deadline was yesterday and I mailed my application three days ago. Do you have it yet? Will you still consider me for admission if it comes tomorrow?
Please be aware that our office receives a significant amount of mail close to application deadlines, and we may not be able to verify receipt of your materials within a week or two. If you submit your on line application on or before the deadline, the committee will consider you for admission. Your application will not be considered until your file is complete, so it would be unwise to put off submitting materials for weeks or months after the deadline, but an application submitted on line is considered proof that you are genuine in your intention to study at the ILR School and we will review your file accordingly.
I heard from a friend that they were accepted to the School, but I haven't received any notification yet. Does this mean that I have been refused?
Applications to our program go through a rigorous screening process and are reviewed by the committee in batches. Decision letters are sent out on a rolling basis and will not all arrive at the same time. Please be aware that the admissions office staff are not able to give you information about the status of your application before your letter is ready to go out.
I have been placed on the waitlist. Why? What do I do?
Placement on the waitlist means that the admissions committee would like more time to consider your application and assess how your particular strengths will fit into the class they are building.
There are also a limited number of places for our applicants. Unfortunately, the best thing to do if you have been placed on the waitlist is to wait. We can promise to notify you of the committee's final decision by May, 1, but we cannot offer further information until that time. You may withdraw your name from the waitlist if you choose. Contact us if you have additional questions.
If I’m accepted this year I can defer until next year, right?
It is not unheard of for students who are accepted to the program to defer, but generally the deferral is granted in cases of health crises, death in the family, or military service. If you are considering your options after being accepted to the program, you should contact our office.