SUNY College at Cortland was founded in 1848 as the Cortland Normal School. Also referred to as SUNY Cortland or Cortland, the school is located in Cortland, New York between Syracuse and Binghampton. It offers many student organizations and clubs, along with an extensive athletics organization. The school’s team mascot is Blaze, the red dragon, and the official school colors are white and red. SUNY Cortland is classified as a Master’s College and University by the Carnegie Classification. Its highest offered level is Master’s degree.
SUNY Cortland Acceptance Rate
SUNY College at Cortland is considered selective, with an acceptance rate of 44%. Applicants are considered on an individual basis but the main determining criteria are the grades and course selection. When applying, students are required to accomplish the SUNY Application or the Common application plus the Cortland supplemental form and application fee. Students need to submit a recommendation from a counsellor or teacher, a personal essay, and ACT/SAT scores.
Admitted Students Profile
There is a total of 6,913 students at SUNY Cortland. Out of that number, 6,346 students are enrolled in undergraduate programs and 567 students for graduate programs. Based on gender distribution, the school has 2,993 male and 3,920 female students.
Tuition Figures
The tuition and fees at SUNY Cortland amounts to $8,536 for New York residents and $18,316 for students living out of state. Approximately 3,961 students or 62.42% of the enrolled undergraduate students have obtained scholarships or grants and the average amount of financial aid at the school is $7,264.
In order to apply for aid, students are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that can be accessed online starting in January. Due to the fact that most scholarships are on a first-come, first-served basis, students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Location
Cortland is just off of Interstate 81 and can be found between Syracuse and Binghamton. Spanning 191 acres, the main campus includes 30 modern and traditional buildings. 14 of these structures are residential complexes that house around 3,000 students.
Aside from its academic buildings, Cortland has its own Outdoor Education Center at Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks, The school also owns the Brauer Education Center on the Helderberg Escarpment near Albany and the Hoxie Gorge Nature Preserve outside Cortland.
Academics
SUNY College at Cortland offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and over 40 graduate programs. These programs vary widely in topic and scope, and they are offered in more than 40 academic departments.
Cortland offers many special programs for students, including the Honors Program which enables academically advanced students to participate in challenging courses. They can take advantage of small class sizes and ultimately earn the designation of “Honors” on their degrees.
There’s also the Transformational Program gives students the chance to become the people that they are meant to be through classroom learning. This program lets them take part in activities within the major and independent study.
For those who want to experience a new environment, the school has a comprehensive study abroad. it provides students with the opportunity to know about their future careers in a global environment while immersing themselves in different cultures.
Student Life
SUNY Cortland has a bustling student life with roughly 100 student clubs and organizations. Students can participate in community service activities or be a part of the active Greek life on campus. Members of the SUNY Cortland community will never lack academic or social stimulation because there are always groups and activities to match every interest.
In 2015, the school officially introduced its $56 million-worth Student Life Center (SLC).The SLC spans more than 150,000 square feet and has a swimming pool, game room, state-of-the-art weight training equipment, cutting edge golf simulator, three-court gymnasium, indoor running track, rock climbing wall, dining bistro, table tennis room, game room, combative room, and various exercise spaces.
Athletics
The SUNY Cortland Red Dragons are a member of the NCAA Division III athletics organization that regularly participates in the State University of New York Athletic Conference for most of their sports. Intercollegiate sports offered by the school include men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, and track & field.
Women may take up volleyball, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, and tennis. Men, on the other hand, may join baseball, football, and wrestling. On top of the varsity sports, Cortland provides students with intramural sports and recreation programs to suit the athletic needs of each and every student.
Notable Alums
SUNY Cortland has 55,000 alumni living in all 50 states and more than 40 different countries. All have pursued successful careers in different fields. Some of them are listed below:
- George Breen, Olympic swimmer/medalist
- B. Bucknor, current Major League Baseball umpire
- Ted Demme, film director and producer
- Mick Foley, former professional wrestler and author
- Ann E. Dunwoody, first female four-star officer in the history of the U.S. Armed Services
- Kevin James, comedian, television and film actor
- Catherine Samali Kavuma, Ugandan author, World Bank executive, and former Ugandan ambassador to the United States
- Fern Kupfer, author
- Zane Lamprey, television host, actor, and writer
- Nathan L. Miller, 43rd Governor of New York
- Matt Senk, college baseball coach at Stony Brook
- Mark Staniszewski, Martial Artist and Hall of Fame inductee; First athlete to win Pan American Championships in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Aljamain Sterling (B.A. in Physical Education), two-time NCAA D-III All-American wrestler; professional Mixed Martial Artist for the UFC
- John Stigall, poet
- George Tenet, former Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) for the United States Central Intelligence Agency
- Michael J. Waldvogel, National Lacrosse Hall of Fame member
- Scott Manning, former professional soccer player, 1980 Olympian
- Paul Wehrum, National Lacrosse Hall of Fame member
Learn more about the other SUNY colleges. Each SUNY has its own unique offerings, campus and academic requirement.
