2014 Incoming Class Academic Profile

POSTED ON: September 3, 2014

Below you will find a snapshot of the last five years of summary data describing academic qualifications of classes enrolling at the three schools of The Cooper Union.

Notes: The below numbers include only first-time college-degree-seeking students. Transfer students are not included. It is common to have several additional transfer students begin their studies in the first year at Cooper Union especially if their previous course of study differs from our degree programs. Also, please be aware that, for architecture and art applicants, the home test/studio test and portfolio play a much more significant role in determining admission relative to standardized test scores.

SAT 1 middle 50% ranges (25th/75th percentile) out of 1600 maximum score

  Architecture Art Engineering Total
2010 1200/1380 1070/1300 1400/1510 1220/1510
2011 1170/1310 1090/1320 1400/1500 1260/1500
2012 1160/1440 1100/1290 1380/1500 1230/1480
2013 1200/1410 1060/1260 1420/1510 1220/1490
2014 1150/1330 1040/1220 1390/1500 1270/1470

 

High School GPA middle 50% ranges (25th/75th percentile)

  Architecture Art Engineering
2010 86/94 82/92 94/98
2011 90/95 80/94 94/98
2012 89/95 83/92 94/98
2013 91/95 83/89 92/97
2014 85/93 80/89 92/98

 

Overall high school averages relative to percentage of incoming first year class

  95-100 90-94.9 85-89.9 80-84.9 Below 80
2010 43% 30% 10% 9% 7%
2011 45% 29% 12% 5% 9%
2012 39% 37% 12% 4% 8%
2013 29% 48% 11% 5% 7%
2014 36% 35% 17% 6% 5%

Note: if percentages do not add to 100%, occasionally a student enrolls with a GED and not a high school transcript

 

SAT II (Subject Tests)

Required by engineering applicants only. Overall scores are relative to percentage of incoming first year engineers. Maximum possible score is 800

Math II

  700-800 600-690
2010 91% 9%
2011 87% 13%
2012 96% 4%
2013 98% 2%
2014 90% 10%

 

Physics

  700-800 600-690 500-590
2010 83% 17%  
2011 78% 22%  
2012 92% 8%  
2013 94% 6%  
2014 85% 14% 1%

 

Chemistry

  700-800 600-690 500-590
2010 82% 16% 2%
2011 91% 9%  
2012 96% 4%  
2013 100%    
2014 87% 13%  

 

Preliminary 2014 figures adjusted to final figures in March 2015.

  • 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.