<p>I am wondering whether CALS would look unfavorably on a student who took ~46 units focused in the humanities and then switched majors to biology, ending up with ~100 units (considerably more than the normal 50-60 mentioned) before matriculation as a junior, or with ~80 before matriculation as a sophomore (considerably more than the 20-30 normally mentioned). In other words, is a transfer student penalized for having taken a suite of extra classes outside of his or her major? </p>
<p>Also, I'm wondering whether I should take the required courses to matriculate as a sophomore or the courses required for matriculation as a junior. Can you decide which class standing to apply for? Any input on these issues make me happy :)</p>
<p>I am not sure if it will penalize you for sure, but it may have an effect on their decision. Know that you can only transfer 60 credits to CALS and need 60 more to graduate. You should email them and ask.</p>
<p>“Thank you for contacting us. CALS will award up to 60 total credits of coursework. Students must complete 120 credits to graduate from CALS. Applicants may certainly apply with more than 60 credits and they may be outside of their field of study.”</p>
<p>This doesn’t really tell me anything as far as whether I’m at a disadvantage. Ah well, I guess ultimately it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>That doesn’t sound like it will disadvantage you at all. The only downside is that you will only get 60 credits. But if you completed these original credits in 1-2 years, it effectively makes no difference since you still graduate in 4 years total.</p>
<p>If anything, this can go in your essay on how you have found your new calling and how CALS is the right place for that.</p>
<p>At this point I’m confused. I read this on the site:</p>
<p>“Students who have completed course work beyond the sophomore year are generally discouraged from transferring.”</p>
<p>but I also read:</p>
<p>“If more than 60 non-Cornell credits have been completed, the CALS Registrar will work with the student to determine which credits best fulfill CALS graduation requirements.”</p>
<p>So, does this mean that they don’t like students who have taken more than two years (in the sense of pure time) of coursework before transfer? The thing is, there are small (e.g. a semester) lapses in the continuity of my community college record, and by the time I take the required transfer courses for biology I will have been in post-secondary for well over 2 years. I wish I would have known how many colleges dislike part-time records.</p>
<p>I know that AEM prefers sophomore transfers.</p>
<p>The key word there is “generally”, probably because transfers will have to spend at least 2 years at Cornell, and it may be in their best interest not to transfer if you’re already significantly more than half way done.</p>
<p>As for helping to figure out the credits past 60, I think that mainly applies to people who have around 60-80 credits, not too many more than 60. For example I am transferring with 67, but only 60 will transfer, so I got to pick one of the classes I wanted as it will help complete a requirement. </p>
<p>This is sort of a complex matter and you may want to email them all the details, or call and ask to speak with an adviser.</p>