Cornell College
600 First St. SW - Mount Vernon, IA 52314
  • Region: Plains States
  • Campus Setting: Small Town
  • Size: Small

Cornell College, a highly selective liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa, is recognized as one of 40 colleges featured in “Colleges That Change Lives.” Characterized by the life-changing academic immersion of its One Course At A Time curriculum, this distinctive approach allows students to focus on a single academic subject per 3.5-week block.

The One Course curriculum mirrors the pace of working environments where employees are expected to handle tight deadlines and high expectations on every project, every day. Since there is never more than one course to focus on, faculty can take classes on field trips for a day or an entire block.

The academic calendar also immerses students in full-time internships or research, and the college provides hands-on experiences, resources, and professional development in healthcare, law, literary arts, economics, business and public policy.

Cornell’s residential campus attracts a student body from 47 states and 17 foreign countries. Together, they experience a vast array of off-campus opportunities designed to take them into the world to fulfill their academic and personal goals. 93% of Cornell graduates complete their degrees in four years, and 55% go on to complete an advanced degree.

Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College

Upcoming Events

  • 9:30 AM until 12:30 PMCentral Daylight Time
600 First St. SW Mount Vernon IA

Attending a Visit Day is an excellent way to be introduced to the College and will offer you the opportunity to see campus and meet admission staff, faculty and current students. We look forward to having you on campus for this very special event. 

The Schedule includes:

  • A short presentation on our Admission requirements and process
  • Student-led tours of our beautiful campus
  • A deeper dive into Cornell with our faculty and current student panel
  • Lunch from our nationally recognized Hilltop Café
  • Plenty of opportunities to ask your top questions

Optional Fine Arts Audition Day

Students interested in auditioning for a music, theatre, or dance award are invited to audition during this visit event. Please be sure to indicate your interest in the form below and fill out the Fine Arts Audition Registration. Questions? Contact finearts@cornellcollege.edu

Photo Gallery

Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College

About Cornell College

Cornell College has been changing lives and changing educational norms since 1853. Located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, Cornell was the first college west of the Mississippi to grant women the same rights and privileges as men, and, in 1858, to award a degree to a woman. In 1978 Cornell faculty adopted the One Course At A Time curriculum, transforming the way teaching and learning happen at Cornell. With the 1996 publication of Loren Pope’s Colleges That Change Lives, Cornell’s life-changing education was formally recognized. Cornell continues to be recognized with each new edition.

Mission Statement

Cornell College offers an innovative and rigorous learning community where faculty and staff collaborate with students to develop the intellectual curiosity, creativity, and moral courage necessary for a lifetime of learning and engaged citizenship.