Cooper Union

cooper_union.md

Cooper Union

Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)

• Total applicants: ~3,600 (estimated based on class size and acceptance rate)
• Overall acceptance rate: 11% (Architecture: 4%, Art: 8%, Engineering: 16%)
• Early round: ED I (Nov) and ED II (Jan) -- acceptance rates slightly higher than RD
• Class size: ~200
• Yield: ~55%

Academics

• SAT middle 50%: 1400-1520
• ACT middle 50%: 33-34
• Avg unweighted GPA: 3.8
• Top 10% of HS class: ~70% (estimated)
• Testing policy: Required for Engineering; test-optional for Architecture and Art

Demographics

• Women: 48%, Asian: 34%, White: 27%, Hispanic: 11%, Black: 5%, Two or More: 7%, International: 12%

Financial Aid / Net Cost

Tuition: $44,550/yr. All enrolled undergraduates receive a half-tuition scholarship ($22,275/yr). Additional need-based aid available. 100% of students receive some form of grant/scholarship aid. Average net price for federal loan recipients: $14,580. Cooper Union has no on-campus housing owned by the institution; students find housing independently in NYC.

Athletics

No varsity athletics program. Cooper Union does not participate in NCAA or intercollegiate athletics. Limited recreational and intramural activities are available. The school's small size (854 undergraduates) and urban Manhattan location do not support a traditional athletics program.

Notable

Cooper Union is one of the most selective small schools in the country, with distinct admissions processes for each of its three schools. The School of Art requires a rigorous portfolio review and a "hometest" (take-home creative assignment). The School of Architecture requires a studio test taken on campus. The School of Engineering uses a more traditional academic-metrics-driven process. Located in the East Village of Manhattan, Cooper Union was tuition-free from its founding in 1859 until 2014; it now charges tuition but guarantees every student a half-tuition scholarship, with plans to eventually restore full-tuition scholarships.

Community Insights (Reddit/Forums)

Admissions Strategy

• Three completely different admissions processes: Art requires portfolio + Hometest (6 visual + 10 written prompts, ~1 month to complete); Architecture requires a studio test; Engineering is more traditional academic-metrics-driven
• Architecture is the most selective at 4% acceptance, Art at 8-9%, Engineering at 16-23% — forums emphasize that program choice drastically changes your odds
• The Hometest is the most discussed admissions component on College Confidential; it tests visual imagination, concept development, and time management
• No prior architecture experience required for the architecture studio test, which surprises many applicants
• ED I and ED II available with slightly higher acceptance rates than RD

Campus Culture & Fit

• Extremely small school (~854 undergrads) in Manhattan's East Village — feels more like a graduate program than a traditional college
• Rigorous curriculum with talented, driven peers; students describe it as intellectually intense
• No on-campus housing — students find apartments independently in NYC, which adds significant cost and logistical complexity
• The school's identity is deeply tied to its free-tuition history (1859-2014); the 2014 tuition decision remains a sore point in the community
• NYC location provides unmatched access to galleries, studios, firms, and cultural institutions

Financial Aid Reputation

• All students receive a half-tuition scholarship ($22,275/yr); tuition-free senior year added in 2024
• Nearly half of undergrads attend tuition-free as of 2024; school aims to restore full free tuition by 2028-2029
• No campus housing means NYC living costs ($15K-25K+/yr) are the real financial burden
• For low-income students, the combination of scholarship + need-based aid can bring net cost under $10K

Simulation-Relevant Takeaways

• Program-specific acceptance rates (4%/8%/23%) mean Cooper Union should be modeled as three separate admissions pools
• ~55% yield is very high, driven by NYC location + half-tuition guarantee + school prestige in art/architecture/engineering
• For modeling: extremely small class size (~200) + program-gated admissions + unique financial aid structure make Cooper Union a distinctive node

Sources

• Cooper Union Admissions Facts (cooper.edu/admissions/facts)
• Cooper Union First-Year Profile (cooper.edu/admissions/facts/first-year-profile)
• CollegeFactual - Cooper Union Net Price
• Niche - Cooper Union Admissions
• U.S. News - Cooper Union