CALS Transfer Option

• Attend an accredited 2- or 4-year institution that provides access to the course requirements for your CALS major. 
• Study full-time during the academic year (August - May). 
• Remain in good academic and disciplinary standing during the academic year. 
• Complete all course requirements for your major with a "B" or better in each course.   
• Earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA (3.5 for Biological Sciences) in your first college semester and a 3.0 average at mid-term during the second semester.  
• All required courses must be completed for a grade and credit. Cornell does not accept Pass/Fail coursework. 
• Required courses must be complete or in-progress at the time of application. 

To prepare for studying within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences each academic major has key foundation courses that transfer option candidates need to complete or have in progress at the time of their application.

Select the major in which you were offered the Transfer Option. Scroll to the "Transfer" tab, and select "Transfers Entering as Sophomores" to view your specific requirements. 

• Agricultural Sciences
• Atmospheric Science
• Animal Science
• Biological Engineering
• Biological Sciences
• Biology and Society
• Biometry and Statistics
• Communication
• Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Entomology
• Environment & Sustainability
• Environmental Engineering
• Food Science
• Global Development
• Information Science
• Landscape Architecture
• Nutritional Sciences
• Plant Sciences
• Viticulture and Enology

Here are some options that students often consider:

• Community College Courses - These can be taken either concurrently (Fall/Spring) or in a Winter term
• Online coursework - These are acceptable as long as they are taken for a grade from an accredited institution. (No Coursera, MOOCs, or certificate program courses)
• Summer coursework - This is not ideal, as the course would not technically be "in progress" at the time of application, but this is an option that some students turn to as a last resort. If you find yourself in this situation, please let us know in your application that you plan on taking a summer course, and try to find a class that will end before July 1. 

We understand that students may not be able to get a course due to circumstances outside of their control. Please know that while our most successful candidates will have the required coursework completed or in-progress at the time of application, our admissions process is holistic, which means we take every aspect of a student’s application into consideration. During our review, we consider whether candidates have the academic background (rigor, coursework and grades) to be successful in their major at Cornell CALS, whether the personal attributes and extracurricular experiences shared demonstrate a solid connection with the CALS approach and mission, and that thoughtful fit is expressed for the candidate’s desired major, within Cornell CALS. 

We ask that you use your best judgement to find courses that will fulfill your major requirements, and have provided resources to help! Each major requirements page has a list of Cornell courses that current students often take. Click each link to view the course descriptions, and in some cases, the syllabi. Finding courses at your institution that closely align to the course descriptions and objectives of these Cornell courses will put you in the best possible position for your courses to transfer. 

Please note that our Admissions team will not be able to advise students on their semester schedules or provide official course evaluations prior to admission. We can, however, answer questions about special circumstances or any confusion that may arise throughout the year.