Applying ED to Cornell, but trying to decide between ILR and engineering & admissions chance?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
,
1

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): goal Math 800, RW 770
ACT (breakdown):not sending
SAT II: couldn’t take but also not considering for this cycle
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.63 (weighted 4.0)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): doesn’t ranked
AP (place score in parenthesis): I won’t be sending AP scores which I know will hurt me
I’ve taken
AP Gov
AP US history
AP calc AB
AP World History
AP Physics 1
AP Micro (Self Study)

IB (place score in parenthesis): None
Senior Year Course Load:
AP Comparative government
AP stats
AP Calc BC
AP Macro
AP Physics C
AP Chinese

Awards:
recognition from NASA
National honor Society member
Performing arts award for theater 10th
Academic All State First Team
Highest Honors with High School
5th place at A-Leagues (it’s a championship swim meet)
State qualifier for Swimming (49th instate for 50 free)
Gonzaga Scholar

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Chinese Club: Vice President 11th will be President 12 (recently found out)
Diversity Action Group: head of social media
Theatre 9-12 (I was dance captain as a sophomore the youngest in Regis Jesuit history. Also I received recognition when we achieved main stage my sophomore year.)
Girl up Club: treasure also founding member
Leading the initiative run by GIRL UP✌?? give her a future. We are raising money to give refugee girls in education. It is one of the charities that are part of mission season. (I am the leader of the initiative)
Swim and dive 10-12, On STATE team and received fifth place in A-Leagues
Track 10-12 (could not participate this year due to corona)
RJ Media: 9-12 (had leadership role in regards to social media)
Special Olympics: haven’t had a leader ship Role Perez helped organize many of the events such as  the shindig.
Speech and debate 9-12
Mock trial 10-12
I peer tutor during lunch

Job/Work Experience: I am the CEO, founder, and editor in chief of Ression magazine a company that I founded, we have international following and international writer including writers from all over the United States

Volunteer/Community service:
I have done tutoring for National honor society
I regularly volunteer at Chelsea Place (I have started a program with teens FaceTiming and interacting with members at Chelsea Place. Many of their families cannot visit them anymore because of coronavirus so they’ve lost a lot of connection in the world.) This is where I did my service project.
I volunteer at Judy’s House
Leading the girl up give her future initiative

Summer Activities: Cornell University Summer College ‘19

Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: 8/10
Teacher Rec #2: 10/10
Counselor Rec: 9.5/10
Additional Rec: from Cornell Engineering Professor 7/10
Additional rec: from Arts and Science Professor 8/10

Interview: doesn’t interview

Other

Applied for Financial Aid?: idk yet
Intended Major and College: deciding between ILR and engineering
State (if domestic applicant): Colorado
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: All girls private
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: 250k+
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM

Reflection

Strengths: would be scores, recommendations, and extracurriculars
Weaknesses: GPA

General Comments : my GPA is low because the first semester of my junior year I found out news that my father had stage four cancer which I know will be discussed in my counselor recommendation but I will not be discussing it so I feel like that will somewhat help me.
Also I feel like my GPA is low because I do so many extracurriculars and I think that’s going to hurt me as well.

2

You really have done a lot, and have many accomplishments, however, as you correctly state, it may have hurt your GPA. as has your father’s illness. If your GPA was strong until your father was diagnosed, and it has recovered since, AND your GC addresses it, the effects may not be so bad. Being a URM also is helpful.

In general, Cornell would be a very high reach for somebody with a GPA of 3.65, but it still may be worth your while, assuming that your GC can make a good case for you. It will still be a high reach, though.

I don’t think that the program to which you apply matters in regards to your chances of admission, however, why engineering? It really doesn’t look like that is a direction which interests you. ILR looks like a better choice, IMO.

What other colleges are you looking at, and at what programs?

3

Apply to the program that has what you want to study.

4

I agree with #2 above.

I do think that the program to which you apply matters in regards to your chances of admission. The various colleges there have different levels of selectivity. And they are each looking for evidence that a particular candidate fits with what their particular college offers.

So the odds are different by the numbers, and the chances for a particular applicant depend on more than those numbers . Since belonging/fit is very much in the mix.

Beyond admissions chances, if you are actually accepted and attend, you will have to follow the curriculum offered by the particular college you are accepted to. Which, in the case of these two, are very different.

I am not sure I have ever met someone who would be equally interested in these two colleges.

5

It sounds like maybe you want to major in engineering but think admission into ILR is easier? You’re hoping to switch majors if you get in? Check out requirements for switching into engineering. ILR is a favorite program of mine, but it’s perhaps the opposite of engineering. In fact, when I sat in an ILR session with S, the AO said they’d rather see stats than calc on a transcript (calc’s a given for engineering).

6

Is there any possibility for me to double major in both schools?

7

No

8

I know that @happy1 's advice may seem too simple, but I couldn’t agree more. Be authentic and be yourself with these apps: when you are writing Cornell’s rather lengthy supplement about why you want to attend, it’ll be very hard to justify the one that isn’t your true passion for 500+ words. Good luck!

1 Like
9

Disclaimer: I’m an incoming First-Year at Brown who was rejected from Cornell RD but know two students going to Cornell (one admitted ED this year and another under the transfer option program.)

A student applying to Vanderbilt this year had a similar question, and as I was admitted to Vanderbilt this year, I’ll tell you what I told the student.

Yes, there are slight admission rate differences for the different schools at Cornell (for Out of State applicants, in-state admission is a completely different story,) however, Cornell as a whole is difficult to get into. Rather than focusing on which school within Cornell will maximize your admissions chances, focus on choosing the major that best fits with the “story” your application is trying to tell: what do your extracurricular activities, letters of recommendations, and essays show you’re interested in? After academics (GPA/test scores/courses,) which is how Admissions assesses if you can cope with the coursework at Cornell, it’s up to the rest of your application (essays, interview if offered one by a “Cornell Ambassador,” letters of recommendation) to demonstrate to Admissions how you will take advantage of the opportunities at Cornell (definitely shown through your essays but also by the activities you’ve done in high school/how you’ve taken advantage of your high school’s resources,) and show how you’ll graduate from Cornell to become an amazing Doctor, Lawyer, Researcher etc: someone that Cornell will be proud to call their alumni in the future.

I highly recommend applying ED if ALL of the following are true:

  1. You LOVE Cornell and would 110% attend if admitted.
  2. You're extremely confident that you can present a well thought out and crafted application by the early deadline of November 1st.
  3. You and your family can afford Cornell if admitted (run the financial aid calculators if applicable.)

Hope this helps! Good luck with admissions!

10

I am going to go further than @happymomof1 and say:

do not apply to Cornell Engineering unless it is what you really, truly what you want to do, you are feeling very confident in yourself about it- and you are prepared to work extremely hard just to get through.

I am always a big believer in following your true interests, but with a program like engineering at Cornell, it is particularly important.

Gradschoolkid has been TA’ing there, and we have been comparing notes, as I used to teach in a different engineering program. It is a great program but, wow, the standard and work load are high.

11

ILR is a very specific program. They emphasize how much they are looking for fit. They want you to really understand ILR and why you want to be in that school. This comes from the ILR specific info session this past fall.

12

As a student at Harvard and the founder of a college admissions advisory who recently went through the admissions process myself, I can assure you that your personal statement, essays, and achievements will give light upon your true interests. You need to make sure that you’re applying to the program that FITS you and your passions. Do you see yourself as the “stereotypical Cornell engineering student”? If not at all, then engineering probably isn’t for you. But if it is, Cornell admissions will see that authenticity and personality in your admissions profile come Fall.

Take a deep look at yourself and the IRL+Engineering programs and, ignoring any statistics or acceptance rates, get a feel for which one suits you and which one you suit. It’s hard but do what you feel is right. There’s no wrong choice at the end of the day. Good luck, and please reach out if you have any other questions!

Cheers,
AimIvy

13

The Cornell College of Engineering has higher admitted student test scores than the university overall.

2023 | Middle 50% (25% - 75%)

College of Engineering | ACT 33 – 35 | SAT 1480 – 1550

Cornell University | ACT 32 – 35 | SAT 1400 – 1560

14

Not sure what you wound up doing, however, this year test scores aren’t so important. I have one student in COE right now and another applying for COE as an ED candidate. As someone above stated, the supplemental Cornell essay is a specific essay about Engineering. If you cannot write about something related to Engineering and how it has related to you, it will affect you negatively, along with your low GPA.

My daughter in Engineering works ridiculously hard. Way harder than some of her friends in other programs. Certain classes are just major time sucks. It is also not impossible or that difficult to transfer into COE but you need to have the grades and minimum required coursework. If you have AP credit that can help.

Also this year, as opposed to when my daughter applied, the Engineering part of the Common App (not sure if they had this last year), asks specifically for the highest math course you’ve taken, and when you’ve taken physics as well as how you describe yourself in 3 words, and Cornell Engineering in 3 words. Most likely some of this if new may be to compensate for the lack of test scores, or to weed out students who don’t meet the minimum course requirements.

When they see you have taken AP courses, but then don’t send your scores, that may also be viewed as a negative. An AP test may be the only norm of which to compare the actual course at your school to students who have taken the same course elsewhere. It is ok to submit a 3. It doesn’t have to be all 5’s. My daughter had a 3 on something and submitted it everything.

I know you mentioned not speaking about your father’s illness, but you may have wanted to write about it in the extra info section with a one liner about why you had a grade dip. That may have been good if you addressed it yourself quickly and then moved on.

Good luck.