Chances at Cornell....

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Looking to apply at the School of Arts and Sciences....</p>

<p>General
-White Middle-Class Male
-Located in Central New Jersey
-Attend Public High School with decent ratings</p>

<p>Class Load:</p>

<p>Freshman Year
Biology Honors: B+
Geometry Honors: A
Modern World Civilizations Honors: A-
English I Honors: B+
Latin I: A
Theater I: A</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
Chemistry Honors: A-
Algebra II Honors: B+
English II Honors: A-
American Civilizations I: A+
Computer Science: A+
Latin II: A</p>

<p>Junior Year (Predicted)
Physics Honors: A
Pre-Calc Honors: A
English III Honors: B
American Civilizations II: A-
Cisco I: A+
Latin III: B+</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule
AP Physics
AP Calc BC
AP Government
AP Macroeconomics
English IV Honors
Cisco II</p>

<p>GPA/Rank/SAT:
GPA: 4.1 weighted, 3.8ish unweighted
Rank: 34/390, expecting up in rank though (20s)
SAT: Around 2100, will retake in October, do better</p>

<p>ECs</p>

<p>Science Olympiad
Junior Year: Vice-President, Senior Year: President (I will be)
NJ Southern Regional: 1st Astronomy, 1st Robot Ramble, 3rd Computer This!
NJ States: 1st Astronomy
Also help start a fundrasing program were we take donated items and sell them on eBay</p>

<p>Environmental Club
Sophomore Year: Secretary, Junior Year: Co-President, Senior Year: Co-President
We created the paper recycling program at our school, and continue to campaign for it - it has been a difficult process
Also had beach clean-ups, T-Shirt sales for the Rainforest</p>

<p>School Newspaper
Editor-in-Chief, also Editor of the Student Voice/School News Section</p>

<p>Model U.N.
Co-founder, also will perhaps be an officer next year</p>

<p>Other Activities
Math League (might have position next year)
Peer Leadership (have to apply to get in, help with Freshman Orientation)
Member of District Media Center (volunteer to help fix tech things in the school during Study Hall/Lunch)
Drama Club, also have sub-lead roles in Freshman/Sophomore Years
National Honor Society
Political Group (Political Leaders of Tomorrow)
Computer Club</p>

<p>Community Service</p>

<p>I lack in this area, I probably have about 30-40 hours under my belt at the moment. I plan to volunteer at the local hospitals and other locations this summer.</p>

<p>Misc.</p>

<p>I should have very good recommendations from teachers I'm close with.
My essay should be pretty good, I've a creative person. I'll try to display my love for the sciences, possibly outlining the great experiences I've had at Science Olympiad.</p>

<p>Question:
If I want to change my field, is it possible to transfer internally? Even if I'd want to transfer to perhaps Engineering?</p>

2

<p>I hear that transferring INTO engineering is pretty hard since Cornell's engineering is one of the best. I hear it's also pretty much impossible to transfer into Hotel or Architecture.</p>

<p>I'm no expert, but here's my guess:</p>

<p>I don't see anything that would get you rejected quickly...</p>

<p>Your top 10% ranking is standard, but getting into the top 5 as you predict would help (duh, anything helps, lol)</p>

<p>You'll need 2 SAT IIs</p>

<p>Your long list of ECs arent really going to affect decisions... bring out your science olympiad experiences, try to get some sort of an internship at a research institution.</p>

<p>Your lack of community service shouldn't be a hurdle.... I had <90 hours and I got into engineering.</p>

<p>To maximize your chances, I'd say get some research/laboratory experience. Olympiad is terrific for theory, but having real experience is a BIG pusher IMO. My academic stats are somewhat below the average for attending engineers... but I was invited to be a Presidential Research Scholar (I think that's what's it called) which is offered to very few freshmen each year. There's no way I could have gotten that without my internship at the National Institutes of Health.</p>

<p>Good luck to you.</p>

3

<p>Yea, it is past the deadline for most formal Research Opps and everything, but I'm emailing colleges and trying to find something to do.</p>

4

<p>No matter what he just said, do volunteer more. Why not do something that will make you a better candidate. I did about 400 hours and I think that even if it didn't help, it made me a better person. </p>

<p>Find SAT 2s you'll do well in and start reviewing. Same w/ SAT...try ACT also</p>

<p>Do great in the APs...and it seems like you are on the right track! GL</p>

5

<p>I'm taking the Math Level 2 and Physics SAT2's in June. I'm preparing and hope (and predict) to get 750+ on both.</p>

<p>I'm also taking the ACT, but I'm not really preparing that hard for it.</p>

6

<p>Your ECs are decent and varied, but pretty much everything is at the school level. But I think your fine wrt to this.
Your academics are ok, but not something that would make you stand out exceptionally.
So, here's what you could do:
Work hard an push up your ranking. Sicne. ur applying to CAS, build on the Science Olympiad and related activities. They'll help a lot.
Tho Cornell needs only 2 SAT-2s, most students take 3...maybe Chemistry too?
Community serice really doesn't weigh too much, so don't sweat over it.</p>

<p>Tranferring to Engineering is tough. If you want to attend ENG, my sincere advise is to directly apply to ENG rather than via CAS.</p>

7

<p>BTW join the not so attractive for colleges white middle class male northerneasterner group lol</p>