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Cornell University

Cornell Brooks Public Policy

External Transfers

Transfer students are an important part of the Brooks School community.

Cornell University students interested in transferring to the Brooks School should instead review our internal transfer page.

More details about general Cornell transfer admissions criteria, eligibility, and processes can be found on the university transfer admissions website. This includes a helpful checklist of all university transfer application requirements, details about the application fee/fee waiver request, application deadlines, transcript requirements, and more.

 

How to Apply

To apply as a transfer student to the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, you will need to complete the Common Application.  Select the “Brooks School of Public Policy” as your  Cornell program of interest on the Common Application, then indicate either “Public Policy” or “Health Care Policy” as your major of interest.

Preparatory Coursework

Successful Brooks School transfer applicants will showcase that they have completed rigorous coursework and have received a strong grade point average in their collegiate coursework, and especially in the required preparatory coursework.

Transfer applicants must complete the required preparatory coursework with a letter grade at their current institution. Fulfilling the requirements is a minimum and does not guarantee admission. A GPA of 3.5 or above, with “As” and “B+s” in required preparatory coursework, increases an applicant’s competitiveness.

Know that Cornell University and the Brooks School adhere to our own policies regarding placement out of requirements due to Advanced Placement or other related credits. Advanced standing at another institution does not guarantee that Cornell will accept that credit. The Advanced Placement Equivalencies information outlines how AP credit may be used. A maximum of 15 pre-college credits from APs or other sources may be applied.

Courses that are strongly recommended for applicants who plan to enter as juniors are marked with an asterisk (*). These courses are important to complete by the end of sophomore year to ensure a timely graduation.

The following preparatory coursework is required for all Brooks School Transfer Applicants

Required preparatory coursework

  • English composition coursework/writing intensive coursework (6 credits, 2 courses) This requirement can be completed across the disciplines. Visit Cornell University’s John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines to review the criteria that courses need to meet to satisfy this requirement.
  • Introductory Microeconomics (3 credits, 1 course)
  • Quantitative coursework in statistics* and/or calculus (3 credits, 1 course)
  • Major specific coursework:
    • Prospective health care policy students must take 8 credits/2 courses of introductory chemistry with labs, and 4 credits/1 course of introductory biology with a lab 
    • Prospective public policy students must take introductory sociology (3 credits, 1 course) and a non-English language course (3 credits, 1 course)

Additional suggested coursework for Public Policy Majors

  • Intermediate Microeconomics*
  • Introductory Government
  • Ethics
  • A second quantitative course*
  • Natural Science Coursework with labs (Biology, Chemistry or Physics)

Additional suggested coursework for Health Care Policy Majors

  • Introduction to Sociology*
  • A second introductory biology course*
  • Ethics
  • The U.S. HealthCare System
  • Intermediate Microeconomics*
  • A second quantitative course*

Decision Timeline

Transfer decisions are made on a rolling basis. Delays in midterm grades or other information will delay a decision. We sometimes need final grades for the current semester’s classes. Please inform us if you have impending deadlines by which you hope to have an admissions decision.

 

Questions?

Please email BROOKS_ADMISSIONS@CORNELL.EDU

Or call us at 607-254-3451