Frequently Asked Questions About Admissions
How do I apply?
The Graduate School encourages all applicants to apply online. If this is not possible, please email gendev@cornell.edu for a paper application.
What is the Application Deadline?
December 15th for fall admission. There is no spring admission.
Where should I send my application's supporting materials?
Please send all supporting materials (transcripts and letters of recommendation) to:
Field of Genetics & Development
Cornell University
107 Biotechnology Bldg
Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
Official GRE scores and TOEFL scores (for international applicants) should be sent to institute code 2098. No department code is required. TOEFL
How are the applications evaluated?
About one week after the deadline for application, the Genetics and Development Admissions Committee begins reviewing the applications. The committee is composed of three faculty members and one senior graduate student. The committee uses all available information to rank the candidates based on their appraisal of the applicants' potential for academic and research success. All components of the application are important and are considered simultaneously. Applicants deemed acceptable are invited to one of two weekend visits to meet faculty and students. After that weekend visit, final admissions decisions are made.
What happens if my application isn't complete when the evaluations start?
It is in your best interest to assure that your application is complete by the deadline. You needn't worry, however, that a tardy letter of recommendation will keep your application from being reviewed. The committee will examine all applications even if they are not complete. Seriously deficient applications (for example, applications missing GRE or TOEFL scores or transcripts, or applications with no letters of reference) are impossible to evaluate; therefore, applicants should do all in their power to assure that their application is complete as soon as possible. Email gendev@cornell.edu or call 607-255-2100 if you have any doubt concerning the completeness of your application folder.
Is my application competitive for admission to Genetics and Development?
Because applications to graduate school require considerable effort and expense on your part we would like to help you evaluate your chances for admission to Cornell's Field of Genetics and Development. In a typical year we receive about 125 applications to our graduate program. We admit only the top candidates for the 5-10 openings we have each year. However, because most of the students we select will be admitted to other schools and some will choose to attend another program, we usually offer admission to between 15 and 20 students with half matriculating.
There are no minimum requirements for admission and we have no simple mathematical method for evaluation; each application is evaluated as a whole. However, we generally do not admit students from North America whose grades average below B. Verbal GRE scores below 500, or combined verbal quantitative GRE scores below 1200, usually preclude admission unless there is substantial evidence of potential for academic excellence (e.g. superb grades, outstanding research productivity). Applicants whose education has not been in an English language institution should have a score of 600 or greater on the Test of English as a Foreign Language.
Can I study human genetics in the Field of Genetics and Development at Cornell?
Before applying to our program, please note that we do not offer training that focuses on human genetics. Several faculty members increasingly study specific genes in humans from the functional or cell biology perspective or from the human population genetics perspective, but our program does not include training in clinical human genetics or human gene mapping. If this is your area of interest, we encourage you to consider the Weill Medical College of Cornell University located in New York City. To contact them for information, see their web site or write to Associate Dean of the Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 445 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10021 [Telephone: (212) 746-6565; Fax (212) 746-8906; E-mail address: gsms@med.cornell.edu]. The graduate program is independent of ours in Ithaca (and is located approximately 250 miles from Ithaca).