Hello everyone, I was wondering if you all could share your honest opinions about whether or not I have a shot at being accepted into Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Science Early Decision program.
Academics:
GPA - 3.6
SAT - 1380
APs - 4 (Chemistry 5, Biology 5, AP Statistics, AP Physics)
Honors - All my other classes
NHS - Senior Year
Sports:
Cross Country - 3 years (had to resign due to medical condition)
Outdoor Track and Field - 2 years (had to resign due to medical condition)
Indoor Track and Field - 2 years (had to resign due to medical condition)
Awards
Local Science Fair - 1st place engineering, 3rd place overall
State Science Fair - 3rd place award, William K. Richardson Patent Award ($11,000 dollars of legal patenting services for my environmental research project)
Extra Curriculars:
CEO of Sea Blue Company Incorporated - Jobs posting and e-commerce website for maritime businesses.
International RYSE Youth Council (Rising Youth for a Sustainable Earth) - I hold a spot on the international council and am helping facilitate the Earth Guardians environmental movement through the perspective of a scientist and entrepreneur.
Ban the Bag Initiative - Worked with the team who banned single use check out bags from 6 of the 7 towns in my community. Established a successful bylaw.
Internship with Trustees of Reservations - The trustees is the largest statewide conservation group, and is the oldest in the entire country.
A bunch of other small stuff that a lot of other high school students have. Clubs, community service, etc.
For Cornell CALS, I believe you still need to apply for admission to a specific major (you should check the Cornell website to be sure). Your app will be evaluated based on how well your interests, coursework and experiences fit with your prospective major. What major are you considering?
You have some interesting extracurriculars that sound like you’re focused on an entrepreneurial spin to environmental science. Admissions to the AEM program is one of the most competitive in CALS, and your GPA and SAT scores are on the lower end for Cornell, especially if you have no hook. You may have a chance at being admitted, but would have to have a good essay that ties your experiences together and shows why you’re a good fit for AEM.
@xanthippe Sustainability Sciences is a new course being offered at CALS. Would it be strategic to apply to that program, and potentially double major with Applied Economics. Sustainability Sciences also matches with my extra curriculars and passions. Those two majors fit perfect in my opinion.
@dangggp CALS has a tendency to GT people and, GTransfers cannot double major in AEM (they only let people who completed their freshman year at Cornell do it). just letting you know about that potential roadblock but I think you have great ECs for CALS tho, especially since they’re extremely fit based.
@dangggp no guaranteed transfer as in, if you apply as a sustainability sciences major for freshamn year, you’d be bound to it if they give you the gt offer and if you’d want to major in AEM, you’d have to reapply to it
@dangggp i would try to incoorporate your sustainability sciences background though in your essay. AEM has different concentrations and you can talk about a unique aspect of AEM that not a lot of people pursue such as environmenta, energy, and resource economics
Make your personal statement about that career-ending medical condition and how you persevered by shifting your focus to whatever else you excel at. Admissions will love that