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First Year Profile

Latest data is from Fall 2017.

In 2017, The Cooper Union received 2,574 first-year applications; 336 students were admitted (13%) and 205 of those students accepted our offer (61%). The School of Architecture received 587 applications; 35 students were admitted (6%) and 24 of those accepted our offer (69%). The School of Art received 903 applications; 64 students were admitted (7%) and 62 of those students accepted our offer (97%). The School of Engineering received 1,084 applications; 237 students were admitted (22%) and 119 of those students accepted our offer (50%).

Geographically, 29 percent of the first-year architecture students lived in New York State; 31 percent of the first-year art students lived in New York State; and 51 percent of the first-year engineering students lived in New York State. In all, 43 percent of all Cooper Union first-year students came from New York State.

Twenty-one percent of all Cooper Union first-year students identify as Asian, 5 percent as Latino, and 4 percent as Black. Thirty-eight percent self identify as Caucasian, Non-Hispanic. Four percent self identify as being Multi-Ethnic of which 3/4 of this group are minority students. Eight percent did not self report a race or ethnicity. Thirty-six percent of all Cooper Union first-year students identify as women.

High School Grades/Test Scores Standardized test scores do not significantly enter the decision-making process for the Schools of Art and Architecture, but are important components of the engineering admissions criteria. Please note that in March of 2016, The College Board redesigned the SAT. The SAT scores reported in this section have been converted using a concordance tool provided by the College Board. All SAT scores that follow have been converted to reflect the "new" version of the SAT (i.e. "old" scores have been converted to "new" scores). The middle 50 percent of architecture first-year students achieved a high school average between 89 and 97, SAT scores between 1190 and 1410 and ACT composite scores between 26 and 32. The middle 50 percent of art freshmen achieved a high school average between 89 and 94, SAT scores between 1080 and 1330, and ACT composite scores between 24 and 30. The middle 50 percent of engineering freshmen achieved a high school average between 93 and 98, SAT scores between 1460 and 1540, and ACT composite scores between 33 and 34.

  • 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.