Big Red Battalion (Cornell)
Hosted at Cornell University · Ithaca, NY
Army ROTC at Cornell University trains cadets for the U.S. Army in New York.
Quick facts
About this program
Big Red Battalion (Cornell) is Cornell University's officer-accessions program for the U.S. Army.
Big Red Battalion (Cornell) runs as a consortium for cadets from Ithaca College, Wells College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Cornell Tech as well as Cornell University. Cross-town students typically retain their primary residency and academics at the home campus and route only military-side coursework through the host.
Cadets compete for the AROTC 4-Year National Scholarship as high-school seniors and the 3-Year Advanced board on contract. Minuteman seats route Reserve and National Guard contracts, and Green-to-Gold opens the door for prior-enlisted soldiers transitioning to officer. Cornell University cadets pursue degrees across a wide spectrum, with biology and pre-health programs and engineering and physical sciences drawing strong cohorts.
Cross-town partners
| Institution | Relationship | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells College , NY | cross-town | 0.0 mi | — |
| Cornell Tech , NY | cross-town | 0.0 mi | — |
| Ithaca College Ithaca, NY | cross-town | 1.8 mi | — |
| Tompkins Cortland Community College Dryden, NY | cross-town | 10.7 mi | — |
Scholarships available
Scholarship route obligating service in the Army Reserve or National Guard rather than active duty.
Service obligation: 8 years
Active-duty enlisted soldiers transition to officer via ROTC with several scholarship options (2-year, 3-year, 4-year).
Service obligation: 8 years
On-campus scholarship awarded to enrolled cadets at the start of their MS-II year.
Service obligation: 6 years
High-school senior scholarship covering full tuition + books at most public schools or up to a fixed amount at private schools. Requires a competitive board score, fitness test, and SAT/ACT minimums.
Service obligation: 8 years
Academic programs at Cornell University
Cadets at Big Red Battalion (Cornell) pursue degrees across Cornell University's undergraduate catalog. Branch-preferred fields (engineering, foreign language, nursing, computer science) often carry scholarship benefits. See Cornell University's profile →
Training & summer
Army cadets attend Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox between their MS-III and MS-IV years for Advanced Camp, plus optional CULP overseas, Airborne, and Air Assault schools.
Contact & location
Email: drf89@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-255-4006
Site: https://armyrotc.cornell.edu
Address: Ithaca, NY 14853
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Big Red Battalion (Cornell) located?
- Big Red Battalion (Cornell) is hosted at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY 14853.
- Can students at other schools join Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
- Yes — Big Red Battalion (Cornell) accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Wells College, Cornell Tech, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College. See the cross-town partners table for distance and enrollment paths.
- Can I commission through Big Red Battalion (Cornell) as any major?
- Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Cornell University. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
- How do I contact Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
- Reach the unit at drf89@cornell.edu. Phone: 607-255-4006. Official site: https://armyrotc.cornell.edu.
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Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military.