<p>I want to study biochemistry at Cornell. Would current students recommend applying to the Agricultural/Life Sciences College or the College of Arts and Sciences? Is CALS significantly easier to get into? Which experience is better? How many classes can a CALS student take at the other schools?</p>
<p>By the way, Cornell is a "reach" for me... my stats are:</p>
<p>800 verbal, 720 math, 740 writing
790 bio, 630 math II (retaking in october - ran out of time the first testing)
3.77/4.3 GPA
5 ap bio, 5 ap calculus ab</p>
<p>junior schedule:
ap bio - 94%, 5 on test
ap calc ab - 86%, 5 on test
physics II - 92%
american lit - 90 %
us history - 92 %
spanish 3 - 88%
gym/lab assist - 98%</p>
<p>senior schedule:
ap environmental science
ap physics C mech +E/M
ap chemistry
ap calc bc
spanish 4
world literature</p>
<p>varsity athlete in XC, indoor, outdoor track since frosh year
captain of XC team junior year
world quest, model UN
volunteer at hospital
volunteer at puppy rescue
volunteer as bio lab assistant
2x ferguson scholar</p>
<ol>
<li><p>At CALS you apply to a major. At CAS you apply to the college. Do you want to be reviewed as a biochem applicant or a Cornell CAS applicant? There's a difference.</p></li>
<li><p>If you go to CALS, you'll only be able to double major in another major in that school, and if you want to switch your major, you'll have to reapply - either to another major in CALS or to another school. If you go to CAS, you'll have more flexibility.</p></li>
<li><p>The majors aren't entirely the same (from what I understand, at least). The CALS major will probably be more sciencey than the CAS major. Actually, don't hold me up to this one. I just know an adcom told me the Biology and Society major was slightly different between CALS and CHE, but I don't know if that applies to every major.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>A good way to determine which school to apply to may be to look at the essay questions for CALS and CAS. For CALS you specifically have to talk about your major and what CALS will do for you as a scientist. The CAS topic is more generic. If you feel that passionately about majoring in biochem, you will probably find the CALS topic easier to write, but otherwise you may want to consider CAS more.</p>
<p>If you are NYS resident, CALS will be easier to get into and cheaper. There are different requirements for graduation between CAS and CALS but not for being a biochem major. Although CALS has changed it to be more like CAS. You can take 60 credits from other schools, but if you do decide to be biochem, I think they allow you 2 more.</p>