<p>I’m also adopted and think considered first generation if that has any bearing.</p>
<p>Which college/school within Cornell are you applying to?</p>
<p>@brantly I’m considering Cornell University</p>
<p>@LeeMonet you have to select one of the seven undergraduate colleges at Cornell. You can’t just apply to Cornell in general. The options are:</p>
<p>College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
College of Engineering
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
School of Hotel Administration
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)
College of Human Ecology </p>
<p>With Cornell, a very important part of the application is your fit for the college/school you are applying to, so it will be crucial for you to go to the website, study the offerings, and decide which one is the best fit for you. You are also allowed to specify a second-choice college/school.</p>
<p>@brantly ooh Im sorry I misunderstood your question. I thought you meant Cornell University or Cornell College. mea culpa. Actually I’m very interested in a double major of computer science and applied mathematics or applied mathematics with a computer science concentration, Would that require admission to multiple schools within the university? Do you know? </p>
<p>–What about U Illinois-UC?
–Have you considered Liberal Arts Colleges like Grinnell, Oberlin, Macalester?
–How about women’s colleges like Barnard?
–Case Western?
–What are your safeties?</p>
<p>@Dunboyne UIUC is on my list. Has a fantastic computer science program I think, but I not terribly excited about the campus or what I’ve heard about the campus. Im not asking about the state schools on here because I have people that can tell me about those and data from my school and everything. Out of state not so much,</p>
<p>I need to get more informed about LACs, My only qualms were that they may not have all the programs I’m interested in (I’m a bit of a knowledge hoarder,serial hobbyist, intp type) </p>
<p>ehhh girls…(I know I should look at them though)</p>
<p>I will look at case western. Thank you for suggestion</p>
<p>safeties…that’s a good question. I need to see what range my safeties should be in really. Do you have any suggestions?</p>
<p>I’d say you have a pretty good chance at Cornell and CMU (I don’t know anything about the others on your list). I wouldn’t say you’re “set” but you’re “on track” I think. Your test scores could be higher but I know several people with scores in your general range who got into ivies. </p>
<p>You really need to get your math score up to have a shot at the schools on your list. Also, Cal Berkeley isn’t going to give you much need based aid because you are out of state, so if you need financial aid you should scrap them. I agree with those saying that your math scores don’t match your major aspirations. UIUC is a good possibility for you, but even there your math SAT is below the 25% mark (680-790 is 25-75% range in 2013 admissions). But it is in-state and strong in computer science, likely to be pretty affordable as well. Lots of students from other states want to come there for CS. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about your writing score, colleges generally don’t consider that as important as you CR and math scores.</p>
<p>@bhkgpanda About EC’s. I mentioned I’m on two teams. Swimming and Water Polo. I’ve been volunteering at my local library since I was 10 literally. Various hours of food drives, lunch for homeless programs, Christmas drives etc but I don’t have a lot of spectacular leadership positions partly because thats not my personality and also because my schedule is crazy with Job, homework (i take 7 academic classes each year no study hall), the sports and helping to manage my home. Do you think that this will be a large issue with not only colleges but some of the scholarships programs that will be crucial to my (financial) ability to go some of these schools? Being a junior/rising senior (class of 2015) I feel like its too late to become Jesus in the next few months before applications start in the fall. </p>
<p>@intparent First of all I love your username. 
I’m very aware that my math scores need work if I work on my ACT math score for this next time I’m taking it do you think it will make up for it. I absolutely would like to retake the SAT except my fee waivers are gone and I had an accident at work sunday and will not be able to work probably the rest of the summer…Math scores really will be a make or break to my application?</p>
<p>That was two posts of excuses I know…and the admissions people probably won’t care…</p>
<p>I think they will care about your math scores, especially since you want to be an applied math or CS major. You want to at least reach the 25% mark at every school you apply to, and ideally higher than that. Sorry about your accident, but maybe you can use that time this summer for math prep…</p>
<p>Yes. Ive been doing some test prep but need to pay for the test also…</p>
<p>Check out Iowa State for a safety. The OOS cost might be reasonable. I’m not sure which Illinois schools are typical safeties with your scores. </p>
<p>Well being a URM female in STEM will most definitely help you</p>
<p>Well I appreciate all of your help guys. I’m gonna do more research about safety schools and def improving ACT and trying to work out SAT. This post was way more successful than I’d even hoped :D</p>
<p>You cannot be enrolled in multiple schools. The purpose of listing a second school on your application is for consideration there in case your primary choice rejects you. </p>
<p>I would urge you to go to the Cornell University website.</p>
<p>You asked about defining Reach/Match/Safety earlier. Have a gander at this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/549378-definition-reach-match-safety.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/549378-definition-reach-match-safety.html</a></p>
<p>The 2nd reply (by @littleathiest) does a nice job of explaining them. </p>
<p>Feel free to give me an inmail if you need more help categorizing your list.</p>
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<p>That doesn’t even make any sense. Of course the OP will apply to multiple colleges (a safety or two, probably a handful of matches, and a couple of reaches). </p>
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<p>It helps, but the colleges still need to be convinced you can do the work. So getting that math score up is very important, it is the most significant weakness in your application. If you have any friends who are stronger in math than you are, see if they want to do some SAT studying together this summer – it really helps to have someone who can help you work out what went wrong when you miss a problem on a practice test.</p>