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Cooper Union

Albert Nerken School of Engineering Admissions Process

These instructions are for first-year students. There are alternate instructions for transfer students. Admission after three years of high school will be considered for exceptional students. See below for more information.

EARLY DECISION: If The Cooper Union is your first choice, you may consider applying early decision.  If admitted via early decision you must accept our offer and withdraw your other college applications. See below for instructions on regular decision.
STEP 1

Submit the first part of your application online by December 1, 2017.

Please Note: Competitive applicants have studied chemistry, physics and calculus.
STEP 2

You will receive a confirmation email from the Office of Admissions.
STEP 3
You will have to prepare and submit by December 1, 2017:
  • Your official high school transcript or GED certificate (required for all applicants)
  • Any official college transcripts (sent directly from the college or university)
  • Recommendation letters (2-3)
  • Your SAT or ACT scores (must be sent directly from the College Board and/or ACT)
  • Two SAT Subject Test scores: one in Math (either 1 or 2) and one in either Physics or Chemistry
  • Official TOEFL scores, if applicable*
Send all materials to the Office of Admissions, 30 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003 or admissions@cooper.edu.
 
You will have to prepare and submit by December 8, 2017:

Please Note: The Engineering Writing Supplement may be submitted after you submit your Common Application.

If you submit your Common Application as an Art or Architecture applicant and wish to submit an additional application to Engineering, you will not be able to access the Engineering Writing Supplement via the Common App. Instead, once the Office of Admissions receives your Additional Application(s) Form indicating that you wish to apply to the School of Engineering, we will send you a confirmation email containing a link to the Writing Supplement.
STEP 4 You will receive an admission decision by the end of December.
STEP 5 Candidate reply date is January 30, 2018.

 

REGULAR DECISION:
STEP 1

Submit the first part of your application online by January 8, 2018.

Please Note: Competitive applicants have studied chemistry, physics and calculus.
STEP 2

You will receive a confirmation email from the Office of Admissions.
STEP 3
You will have to prepare and submit by January 8, 2018:
  • Your official high school transcript or GED certificate (required for all applicants)
  • Any official college transcripts (sent directly from the college or university)
  • Recommendation letters (2-3)
  • Your SAT or ACT scores (sent directly from the College Board and/or ACT)
  • Two SAT Subject Test scores: one in Math (either 1 or 2) and one in either Physics or Chemistry
  • Official TOEFL scores, if applicable*

We strongly encourage you to take any SAT or ACT tests by December 2017 in order for us to receive these scores and review your application in a timely manner.

Send all materials to the Office of Admissions, 30 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003 or admissions@cooper.edu.
 
You will have to prepare and submit by January 17, 2018:

Please Note: The Engineering Writing Supplement may be submitted after you submit your Common Application.

If you submit your Common Application as an Art or Architecture applicant and wish to submit an additional application to Engineering, you will not be able to access the Engineering Writing Supplement via the Common App. Instead, once the Office of Admissions receives your Additional Application(s) Form indicating that you wish to apply to the School of Engineering, we will send you a confirmation email containing a link to the Writing Supplement.
STEP 4 You will receive an admission decision by April 1st.

*Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not graduated from a secondary school in a country with English as the official medium of instruction are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit official scores to the Office of Admissions. Click here for more information regarding International Applicants.

 

Admission After Three Years of High School

Candidates of exceptional merit may be considered for admission after completion of three years of high school. Engineering applicants must have excellent high school averages and test scores. Art and architecture applicants must have excellent high school records and exceptional ability. A recommendation from the high school principal, at least one recommendation from a teacher and an interview will be required. In accordance with the regulations of individual states, a student may or may not be eligible to receive an Equivalency Diploma after completion of a specific number of credits in appropriate subject areas at The Cooper Union. It is the responsibility of the applicant to investigate his or her state regulations in this regard.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.