chance me, please!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Hi so I'm a rising senior in northern California and I'd like to take the premed path through Cornell, I'd appreciate it if you chanced me!</p>

<p>School:
-My GPA is a little bit of a wild story. My freshman year I was unmotivated and I got a 2.6667 both semesters, but since Sophomore year I've maintained straight A's and pulled my unweighted GPA to a 3.47 and my weighted gpa to a 3.67.
-SAT I: 2290 (800 CR, 740 W, 750 M)
-ACT: 34 (36 M, 33 in everything else)
-SAT II Chemistry: 800
-SAT II Math2c: 800
-SAT II Physics: 740
-SAT II Literature: 750
-AP Tests: Chemistry(5), Env. Sci(5), Statistics(5), Microecon(4), Macroecon(5), Pyschology(5)
-Senior Year Schedule: AP Physics B, AP Calculus BC, AP Eng Lit, art 1, dual enrollment math course at a local cc.</p>

<p>Volunteer Work:
-I've been a member of ACS for 2 years now, and i've participated in Relay for Life 3 times, done various cancer-research-fund-raising related things and have racked up about 100 hours.
-I worked at a day camp for little kids between my freshmen and sophomore year (50-60 hours)
-Tutored Math & Science during my junior year.</p>

<p>Extra-Curricular (lack of):
-Member of American Cancer Society for 2 years.
-Research intern at a cancer research lab at UC Berkeley this summer, about 300 hours of work, but no paper published or coauthorship or anything of that sort.
-Qualified for the AIME, 103.5 on AMC12, (Only scored a 1 on the aime though..lol)
-JV Football for one year.
-National Merit Semifinalist, (233 on PSAT).</p>

<p>I'm in a high income bracket, and although I don't have many extra curricular activities, the ones I do have all correlate with math or science, specifically cancer research, and as I want to be a doctor by profession, I think I have a strong essay topic when I couple it with my growth as a person in high school noted by my rising GPA.</p>

<p>Thanks for your time!</p>

2

<p>It goes without saying that when it comes to GPA, more is better. This being said, the ‘accepted wisdom’ is that a low freshman year can be overcome by solid sophomore, junior and first semester senior year.</p>

<p>So, bottom line you don’t have a perfect application (but despite what you might read on CC boards, very few students do). With your credentials, I think you would be a strong candidate at any school you apply to (including Cornell). Given that acceptance rates in the top schools are <20% generally, and in some cases <10%, there are no guarantees for any of these schools.</p>

<p>ECs – 300 hours research is good as a ‘primary’ activity. If there are any clubs, church activities, volunteer work, etc that you haven’t mentioned, it wouldn’t hurt.</p>

<p>So, don’t worry too much about freshman year (it’s not like you can do anything about it anyway). Perhaps, find one or two more safe or semi-safe schools than you would if you had hit your stride freshman year (just in case).</p>

<p>Given that you don’t need financial aid, if you end up with a clear first choice, consider ED if possible, or SCEA or EA</p>

<p>My guess, you’ll be fine.</p>

3

<p>Yess Cornell is pretty much my highest reach, just how important is first semester of senior year anyway?</p>

4

<p>First semester senior year.</p>

<p>If you apply and get in ED – not so important, as long as you do well (a B or two probably won’t kill you). If you only apply RD or get deferred ED, very important. Your goal is to show that you’re a 4.0 student and that the 2.667 was either adjustment to HS, due to some specific factor, or otherwise an anomaly. The more data you give them to show you’re a 4.0 student not a 2.667 student the better.</p>