Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Statistics and Biometry under CALS and Cornell Bowers.
Undergraduate · Cornell CALS and Bowers
Cornell Statistics and Biometry: quantitative methods for the life sciences
Cornell applicants apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and Statistics and Biometry is a major listed under CALS and Cornell Bowers. The college defines biometry as applying statistics, mathematics and computing to problems in the life sciences. This guide sets out what the page says.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Statistics and Biometry
Taken from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Biometry and Statistics major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, read on 1 November 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.
Listed under two colleges
Cornell Admissions lists CALS and Cornell Bowers.
Life-science problems
Statistics, mathematics and computing applied to the life sciences.
A mathematics background is recommended
The college says so for students considering the major.
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 CALS: Biometry & Statistics major and minorcals.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Biometry and Statistics 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 college and department pages say the major is
The college's page defines biometry as the application of statistics, mathematics, computing and other quantitative methods to phenomena and problems in the life sciences, and notes that statistics concerns the design and measurement of investigations, collecting numerical information and summarising data. Students learn to use these methods to solve problems from the life and social sciences to business and finance. Students enter the major as freshmen or as transfer students, and a strong background in mathematics is highly recommended. This guide does not list individual courses.
Is it the right major?
Statistics and Biometry beside Operations Research and Agricultural Sciences
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Statistics and Biometry fits if
you want statistics applied to biological and agricultural problems.
Operations Research and Engineering fits if
you want decision modelling in the engineering college. Avandy's Cornell ORE guide covers it.
Agricultural Sciences fits if
you want agriculture and food systems. Avandy's Cornell Agricultural Sciences 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 Statistics and Biometry under CALS and Cornell Bowers. 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.
Do you want statistics tied to the life sciences?
Biometry is defined that way.
Is a strong mathematics background in place?
The college recommends one.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Cornell requires one of them for 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 1 November 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 Statistics and Biometry in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under CALS and Cornell Bowers.
Can freshmen enter the major?
The college says students enter as freshmen or as transfer students.
Which colleges list it?
Cornell Admissions lists CALS and Cornell Bowers.
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 Statistics and Biometry
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, their interest in applying statistics to life sciences 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.