Chance for an average student?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>I know decisions come out this Wednesday, but I'm actually getting really nervous. So far the only schools I've been accepted to are art schools or art programs (SAIC, UMich, etc). I realize now that I made some stupid application decisions by not applying to enough safeties (or any, because the ONE safety I have I don't want to attend).</p>

<p>applied to: College of Architecture, Art & Planning; Department of Art</p>

<p>Chinese, female
current grade: 12
state: NJ
school: public</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9
Rank: doesn't rank, class size ~ 270
SAT I: 2140
SAT II: Bio - 720; Math 2 - 730; Lit - 710
APs: Studio Art - 5; U.S. History - 4</p>

<p>Classes this year:
AP Bio
Intro to Philosophy / Intro to Music Theory
H Chinese 4
AP Calc AB
AP English
AP Psych</p>

<p>EC:
Chinese Culture Club - 9
Book Club - 10
National Art Honors Society - 11, 12
Art in general - forever
Piano - 9, 10, 11, 12
Volunteering @ community Hospital - 9, 10, 12 (closed during 11) = 200+ hours
Volunteering as assistant teacher @ an art school - 11, 12
Work - secretary @ my mom's company - 9, 10, 11, 12
Work - designed/run my own retail website (generates revenue) - 11, 12</p>

<p>Awards:
- Piano - tested/passed Grade 7 from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
- President’s Volunteer Service Award, 2009
- Annuals Honors from HS, Grades 9, 10, 11
- Peace Around the Word: Regional Group A – First Place from Lions Club International
- Certificate of Merit from Asian American Cultural Center of Rutgers University, 2007, 2008
- Excellent Award for Outstanding Paintings in 2009 Painting Competition from American Eastern Culture Foundation, 2009
- Gold Key from Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and Montclair Art Museum, 2010
- Certificate of Award from Youth Art Month, 2010
- Citation – Youth Art Month from the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey, 2010
- Selected for The New Jersey State Exhibit at Monmouth University, sponsored by the Teens Arts Festival, 2010
- Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Rush Holt, US Congressman for the Congressional Art Competition, 2010
- 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program, Semifinalist, 2010
- Art Exhibition at Rutgers University, Main Display, 2010
- NMSC Finalist 2011</p>

<p>Summer/Travels:
England, Italy, France, Vatican City, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Canada, China, Hong Kong</p>

<p>Recs: should be good/great</p>

<p>Essay: pretty decent (shows a bit more academic side/interests to oppose all the art...)</p>

<p>thanks so much in advance</p>

2

<p>Your SAT’s are not low, but it would be great if you could improve them. Other than that, you are in great shape! Just remember though, getting in at any Ivy League school these days is very arbitrary. Best of luck!</p>

3

<p>Do you say you’re an “average” student just to get attention?</p>

4

<p>You are NOT average, therefore you have a chance…</p>

5

<p>I think the OP meant average in terms of Cornell’s standards (her stats are around the 50% mark for admitted students). In your case, your app will be extremely subjective. You have the academic and extracurricular achievements to succeed at Cornell, but you portfolio will have a big factor on your admission. I’m guessing you’re a very strong artist, so it will probably boost your app. There are no guarantees with schools like Cornell, but you definitely have a good shot for admission.</p>

6

<p>^ exactly what goldtortoise said. In comparison to the applicants who apply to ivy schools and to even the students in my school, my stats are incredibly average.</p>

<p>other than that, thank you all for replying! i feel a little better about it, haha, but as you’ve all said, it could go either way at this point. wish you all luck on your decisions if you’re waiting to hear back too!</p>

7

<p>With sat scores like that i wouldn’t really be to confident, see if you can retake them or try the act. And the extracurriculars… Idk community college isn’t that bad.</p>

<p>;)</p>

8

<p>if you are applying for AAP, I think your portfolio will have a major impact on that decision. Your chances are not as negatively impacted by your scores/race because your focus is on art, and it is the art that will make all the difference in the world for you. It really depends on how well you present yourself.</p>

9

<p>@VeryStressedOut I doubt OP can retake anything at this point, seeing as the decision is coming out in 3 days.</p>

<p>Art is pretty subjective. Your scores and ECs will get you in the ballpark, but it’s basically all up to your portfolio at this point.</p>

10

<p>I say good chances! But that’s just me and my nature of wanting people to feel good. :smiley:
As the others said above, your portfolio will be the thing to get you in.
Everything else you have doesn’t hamper your chances.</p>

11

<p>@mahr83: D also applied to do studio art within AAP. I tend to agree with TskDbx and others that it’s the portfolio that will make you or break you. I mean Cornell probably wouldn’t accept someone with a great portfolio who had 1700 SATs and a 3.4 (like RISD, Praat or SAIC would)–because there’s enough bright good artists that they can have both. And if memory serves me right, Cornell only takes 30 students per year into the studio art program, so they can be VERY picky. But I’d say that your academic stats definitely get you into the game, but it’s the portfolio that will win it or loose it for applicants to this program. One final question. I think the portfolio interview was obligatory, right? How did you feel yours went? (D was very nervous about hers…)</p>

<p>D ended up getting into some other BFA programs (Syracuse, Purchase, U-Mass), but also applied to some LACs just to have that option as well. We’ve been trying to weigh the pros and cons of the BA vs BFA in art. Well, best of luck with Cornell. Less than 24 hrs to go…</p>

12

<p>Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
I’m just hoping now that the adcom found something special in my portfolio. The Art department did contact me after my portfolio was transferred over to them, but that was because the cd I sent wouldn’t open for them (ouch). I sent another - which I triple checked - apologized and asked to be contacted if there were any other issues. Never heard back, other than a ‘no problem and take your time’, haha…</p>

<p>@UAlbanyProf:
Now I’m starting to wish I could get some feedback on my portfolio, too! Haha, it’s all too subjective for me to stay calm until tomorrow. I like my portfolio, but I think my work is just more impressive “in person” than photographed.</p>

<p>I didn’t get an Art department interview; my interviewer was an Engineering major. I think the portfolio interview is only obligatory if you are applying to the Architecture department (which my interviewer also mentioned?). My interviewer also said he is going to be the head chairman of alumni interviews and all that, so yikes because Cornell was actually my first interview! I think it went alright; he was very friendly but I was very nervous too. We didn’t talk much about my art (I brought a sample booklet) other than look through it and talk about why I applied to the art department. I liked my answers for those, so…:confused:
Congrats to your daughter! Those are some nice choices to pick through.</p>

<p>@Supervisor: Thanks. And just from creeping around the rest of the Cornell threads, congrats on getting accepted! </p>

<p>Good luck to everyone else waiting!</p>

13

<p>Creepers keep forums alive. :D</p>

14

<p>@mahr83: D didn’t get in. Crazy competitive. But she’s still really psyched about both Hamilton and Purchase. Best of luck with Cornell!</p>

15

<p>ur rejected… ■■■■ here…</p>

<p>JK… stop saying your average to ■■■■■… a fact: Most people that end up going to Ivy league do not end up with higher paying jobs than Large state university students… Also u pay a ****load more than a normal unviersity… plus no hot girls in ivy leagues</p>

16

<p>@indianguy94: I’m flattered you think I’m ■■■■■■■■. </p>

<p>@UAlbanyProf: Sorry to hear that! I can sympathize with her, because I’ve been rejected too, haha. I’m glad she’s happy with her acceptances, though. Too many people get completely bummed out from not getting into Ivies even when they’ve already been accepted by other great schools. I’m not too crushed about Cornell, though it does sting.</p>