The SC Johnson College is highly competitive, but students are encouraged to apply if they meet application requirements.

The SC Johnson College reviews applications holistically, meaning that we consider all parts of your application. Successful applicants have challenged themselves academically, partaken in both relevant and personally engaging extracurriculars available in their communities and are able to highlight their experiences and passions and the ways they align with their program of choice.

When applying to the SC Johnson College, students must choose to apply directly to either the Nolan School or the Dyson School. However, they also have the option to choose the other school as an alternate. Most students have a clear path and should apply to whichever school they believe is the right fit for them based on the curricular and extracurricular offerings of the school.

This alternate option should only be used by students who can clearly articulate their academic path in both schools, and they will need to fully explain those interests in their supplemental essay. Choosing both schools will not increase a student’s chances of admission, as application review remains highly selective for all academic programs at Cornell.

Please note that during early decision application review, students will only be considered for admission to their primary choice.

The Cornell admissions process is highly individualized, and our admissions committee will holistically review each part of your application to weigh your academic qualifications and your ability to handle our standard of academic rigor. In the event that circumstances prevent you from meeting all of our listed requirements, we encourage you to use the Additional Information section on the Common Application to provide context and demonstrate your readiness despite the missing requirement(s).