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Admission Requirements & Deadlines
The deadline for fall admission is December 15. There is no
spring admission.
The success of the Graduate Field is dependent on the quality of
the graduate students enrolled. We therefore take great care in the
selection of potential students: a committee of five faculty read
and evaluate all applications. Top candidates will be invited for
an on-campus interview (see On Campus Recruiting Weekends). Final
admission decision will be made after the interviews.
Candidates come from many academic backgrounds; however, matriculating
students commonly will have majored in one of the
many areas of biology, chemistry or physics. There
are no set standards; rather we are searching for applicants who
we believe can flourish in the program. Applicants are judged on
both academic credentials (GPAs, GRE scores), the statement of purpose
and especially on letters of recommendation. Applicants will be required
to supply the following items:
- Current transcripts for all colleges attended
- GRE Aptitude tests
- Three letters of recommendation
- TOEFL* (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for applicants
whose native language is not English.
- Advanced
Subject Test (generally in the areas
of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry,
or Biology) highly recommended but
not required
(Applicants who demonstrate mastery of relevant subjects by means
of high grades in upper level courses do not need to have an Advanced
Subject GRE test score. However, a strong advanced GRE score
provides an advantage in the admissions process.)
Prior research experience is considered particularly useful; however,
it is not a prerequisite. The Field also actively seeks individuals
from underrepresented ethnic groups.
There are no minimum requirements for admission; each application
is evaluated as a whole. However, North American students with
a grade point average below B are rarely admitted. The median undergraduate
grade point average for accepted students is about 3.5. Similarly,
Verbal GRE scores below 500, or combined verbal and quantitative
GRE scores below 1200, usually preclude admission unless there is
substantial evidence of potential for academic excellence (for example,
superb grades or outstanding research productivity).
The BMCB admissions committee meets weekly starting in early January
to evaluate completed applications. The applications from US
citizens and permanent residents are considered first. About
one third of these applicants are invited, at our expense, to interview.
For International Students:
* The official TOEFL score should be reported to Cornell from the
Educational Testing Service (ETS). In September 2005, ETS provided
a new Internet-based Test (iBT) version of the TOEFL. This new version
will test all four language skills important for effective communication:
writing, listening, reading, and speaking. Each section has its own
score, and the Graduate School has set the following minimum scores
for admissions: Writing:20, Listening:15, Reading:20, Speaking:22. The
Graduate School will continue to accept scores for Computer Based
(cBT) (213 minimum) and Paper Based (550 minimum) versions of the
TOEFL that were taken within two years of the date the student submitted
the application for admission. Please note that the cBT and Paper-based
tests are being phased out by Educational Testing Service. ETS will
send results directly to the Graduate School so long as the applicant
indicates Cornell's institutional code on the exam. (Cornell's institutional
code for all versions of the TOEFL is 2098).
Applications from international students are screened by the admissions
committee starting in February. International applicants who
reside in North American may also be invited for an interview. |
