What are my chances at Cornell (Please Answer)???
I’m applying as an engineering major.
Academic Record and Course Rigor:
4.27 W GPA
3.67 UW GPA
Rank: 27 of 319
As many honors classes as I can in core courses since Sophomore Year, and I’ve had 10 Dual Enrollment courses through this whole year, and I will have about the same next year, and both years are combined with honors courses.
Testing (I think this is the biggest killer):
1310 Junior Year SAT, nothing life changing, but still a good score nonetheless, especially considering I didn’t study.
680 Math
630 CR/W
I plan on retaking it in August
I’m considering taking the SAT Math I or II
Extracurriculars (I Think I’m Lacking):
Lead News Anchor of my school’s morning news; 11-12
Outside Hitter/DS in Men’s Volleyball (2 awards and expecting 1 more this season); 10-12
Club Flag Football; QB of league-winning championship team; 10-12
Leader at a local Kids’ Club run by a church that teaches God and character to kids; 11-12
NHS Member (I know it’s application, but judging by other students, I’ll get in); 12
DECA Member (Joining at suggestion of a teacher, who said I will very likely win state competitions); 12
Interact Member (I dropped it for the Lead Anchor gig because I enjoy that more, but I miss it and loved it); 10
Listed CommonApp Awards:
1: 2-Time National HS Poetry Contest Winner, and I was published both times.
2: 1st place winner of innovation in a local robotics competition.
3: One of 24 from my HS class selected to a selective, advanced STEM program.
4: 2-Time President’s Honors List at my local county college; I’m enrolled through Dual Enrollment (3.94 college GPA).
5: Men’s Volleyball Player of the Month for May 2017
(I’m looking into publishing a math theorem over the Summer because I think I discovered a mathematical law, and this would be a great replacement for the VB player of the month. What do you think of this?)
Recommendations:
I’m sure I will get great ones. My counselor loves me, and she thinks I’m going to be very successful one day. My English teacher has suggested to me that she would write them for me. My VB coach plus Dual Enrollment History teacher knows me well. I’m also considering one of my former STEM teachers, specifically the one I showed my math theorem.
Which publication will your theorem be on? Has it been reviewed? Published date? it’s great you can publish a theorem in mathematical journal. Lot of student’s research experience are not truly research unless they are worth publishing.
I, personally, never thought about publishing it. I just saw a little trick, but when I showed it to my old STEM teacher he said that he can’t wait to see it published one day, before I even thought about publishing it. So I don’t know too much about my intentions of how I am going to publish it, but I was going to use him as a resource because of his original idea and belief that it should be published. So I don’t know too much about how to answer your questions, but I plan on using him to help me. Also, yes, I think it is worthy of being published because of my teacher’s original excitement about it and his idea that it should be. I’m also not looking into a large mathematical journal. I intend on publishing it in ArXiV, a math website that is actually run by Cornell, and reviewed by a board to judge for publication or not.
I’m not sure your scores are competitive enough. Try to add cushion to your GPA senior year… But private schools do consider your extracurriculars heavily. Be sure they are completely UNIQUE and make that clear in your essays!
I think that it might be worth applying, but you definitely need to focus on picking a couple of safety schools and finding some matches. Cornell is IMHO either a reach or a high reach for you.
I already have safety schools picked out. I just was asking about Cornell because I was curious if it was even worth applying. Thanks!
In baseball terms, your stats put you in the hall of very good, but not the hall of fame.
1310 SAT puts you on the tail end of the distribution for Cornell.
http://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Profile2017-Freshmen.pdf
For Cornell Engineering, you will need to take two subject tests (math + a science)
https://admissions.cornell.edu/standardized-testing-requirements
Publishing in a peer reviewed math journal is very difficult, and your high school teachers would be unlikely to be able to provide you enough guidance to be successful in that effort. Best to find a professor at a nearby university to review your new theorem and help you navigate the publication process. Anyone can post material on ArXiV, btw.
Extra curriculars are missing big regional or national award(s).
ArXiV is actually peer reviewed, and you have to be approved by a group before your article gets published there. Nonetheless, your advice about possibly asking a professor at a university is something I will look into. Also, I do have two national awards in writing and a regional one in STEM, along with other minor ones, so I’m not missing that. Thanks!
@KennyHorn, I have put material in ArXiV before, and there is no peer review. All they do is make sure the article is science and filed in the right place.
Really? I guess the research I did was wrong, then. Well, thanks for calling me out on that and letting me know that it isn’t peer reviewed. I’ll look into other ones that do peer review, even though it will be much harder. I guess I got the whole summer to use when writing my paper.
@KennyHorn Strongly recommend you get a faculty mentor in math from a nearby university who publishes regularly. Their guidance will help you move forward a lot faster. Even if you have to talk to them over Skype, it will be worth it. Who knows, maybe they can hook you up with a research project, and that will also look good on your college applications.
I think you should work on getting a higher GPA. I was wait-listed. Funny thing is I never met app requirements since I never took a single subject test and blindly applied, so do not forget about that. My ECs were weaker than yours considering I got kicked out from all my honor societies and was never active. When you apply they make you interview and I am not sure if that’s a make or break, but the point of the interview is to experience Cornell since its located in the middle of nowhere and you ask the alumni questions. Your scores… could be better, I got 1290 on SAT but got a 29 on my ACT and ranked top of my class (2 when I submitted my app and 6 in the end, but I think they saw the 8 but there was a grade mix-up that had to be corrected on my transcript). Awards and courses look strong. Just focus on test scores and grades, and stay committed to your ECs if you want to get in.
You can’t look at GPA outside of the context of your school. Some schools have rampant grade inflation and everyone had a 4.0 and from some schools a b+ average is stellar. From what you say, you are in the top 10% of your class which is excellent. Of course, try to keep your grades up — but you knew that already.
On the other hand, the SAT is standardized and schools will look at the score to compare you with others. Higher would be better. Also consider trying the ACT. I had one daughter do much better on the SAT and one do much better on the ACT. You CAN study and improve your scores. My daughter improved her grade on the English section from 26 on the PSAT to 35 on the actual SAT.
Please keep in mind that even if you had perfect scores and grades the chances are slim that you will get into Cornell or any other top elite school. The vast majority of highly qualified students are rejected at these schools. There just aren’t enough seats. Good luck!