Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Public Policy under the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School of Public Policy.
Undergraduate · Cornell Brooks School and A&S
Cornell Public Policy: a social-science major reached through two colleges
Cornell asks applicants to apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and its majors list shows Public Policy under both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School of Public Policy. The Brooks page describes an interdisciplinary social science major on policy analysis and public affairs. Because the college is part of the application, choosing between those two routes is the first decision, ahead of the major itself.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Public Policy
Taken from the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy's Public Policy Major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, read on 31 October 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Cornell's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Two college routes
Cornell Admissions lists Public Policy under both Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School.
Interdisciplinary social science
The page describes policy analysis and public affairs, from making policy to the ethics of social problems.
Stages of policy
A sample course covers agenda-setting, design, implementation, feedback and change.
The SAT or ACT is required
Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official sources
- Cornell Admissions: First-Year Applicantsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Majorsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy: Public Policy Majorpublicpolicy.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 2 November 2026 on the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy's Public Policy Major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The major's curriculum pages, course descriptions, college admission requirements, deadlines and financial aid were not read, and the pages do not mention A-levels or the IB by name and are not stated.
The major
What the Brooks page says the Public Policy major is
The Brooks page describes an interdisciplinary social science curriculum on policy analysis and public affairs, from the processes of making, implementing and evaluating government policies to the ethical evaluation of contemporary social problems. Sample courses include environmental law, the politics of public policy in the US and policy and racial inequality. The page says the major positions students for roles in government agencies, non-profit organisations and corporations. The pages read do not set out the credit or course requirements.
Is it the right major?
Public Policy beside Economics and the Brooks School first-year route
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Public Policy fits if
you want policy and public affairs as the subject, with social-science methods.
Economics fits if
you want formal economic analysis as the main method, in Arts and Sciences.
The Brooks School route fits if
you want to apply to the policy school directly. Avandy's Cornell Brooks School first-year guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A college application and the SAT or ACT
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, so the college is part of the application; the pages read list Public Policy under the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School of Public Policy. Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The pages read do not mention A levels or the IB by name, and Cornell says all students must show a strong command of English. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Cornell's.
Arts and Sciences or the Brooks School?
The majors list shows Public Policy under both, and the college is part of the application.
Which policy area pulls you?
The page names urban planning, health care, tech policy and others in student comments, and environmental, racial and political policy in sample courses.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB?
Cornell requires scores from first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Cornell's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Cornell's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 31 October 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Cornell has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Cornell for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the major page and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Cornell University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Cornell University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Which Cornell college is Public Policy in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School of Public Policy.
Which Cornell college offers Public Policy?
Cornell Admissions lists Public Policy under both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School of Public Policy.
Does the page set out the course requirements?
The page read gives sample courses and the major's aims, not the credit requirements, so this guide states none.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Cornell says first-year applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does Cornell name A levels or the IB on these pages?
No. The pages read do not mention them by name.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Cornell's wording with no entry-year label. Check Cornell's pages again when Cornell publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Cornell Public Policy
Tell us about the student's curriculum, which college route they would choose, which policy area interests them and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.