Chances for Cornell CALS

Transfer Students
1

<p>I'm currently a freshman at a state university. I am also currently in a B.S./M.D. program. I thought I would enjoy it, but I've had a miserable time during my first semester and now I am looking to transfer. But know this: my reasons for wanting to transfer are beyond just hating my school. I have wanted to attend Cornell for a very long time, thought I could get in in High School, and blew it. I haven't stopped thinking about the school since my first semester, and it has motivated me to try and do well during my time at my current school. I'm a pre-med and a Biochemistry major (turns out I hate chemistry) at my current university looking to go into Plant Sciences at Cornell CALS. I'm hoping to be considered for Fall 2012 admission for the Class of 2015. </p>

<p>My transcript is as follows:</p>

<p>Freshman Semester 1:
Biology 150 (1 credit) - A
Biology 209 (4 credits) - B
Chemistry 207 (3 credits) - A
Chemistry 207L (1 credit) - A
English 101 (3 credits) - A
Mathematics 101 (3 credits) - A</p>

<p>Total # of credits = 15 + 3 credits from IB History = 18</p>

<p>Prospective Freshman Semester 2:
Biology 208 (4 credits)
Chemistry 209 (3 credits)
Chemistry 209L (1 credit)
English 102 (3 credits)
Mathematics 154 (Finite Math / 3 credits)
Music 111 (3 credits)</p>

<p>Total credits = 17</p>

<p>Will have accumulated 35 credits when it's all said and done.</p>

<p>Stats
-Total High School GPA = 3.4 unweighted / 3.6 weighted
-ACT = 27
-Total college GPA = 3.73
Will raise the college gpa to around 3.75 or 3.88 by the end of the spring semester. I can guarantee that. </p>

<p>I wasn't the best student in high school, I admit. However, when I decided to pursue a career in medicine, I got my act together my senior year of HS and managed to show the most improvement out of many students. This was not enough, however, to raise my high school gpa. So, I made a resolution to get the highest possible GPA that I could in college (that GPA being an ideal 4.0) so that I could transfer to Cornell CALS. While I did not succeed in achieving the elusive 4.0, I was VERY close (ONE B killed that dream...but that's another can of worms).</p>

<p>College and Important EC's:
NOTE: I'm not putting down High School EC's because they are no longer relevant.</p>

<p>-Pianist my entire life / gave multiple concerts and made good $$$ from it
-Junior Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do
-Accrued 25 hours of physician shadowing in two different specialties (Spine surgery and Family Practice). Will have 50 by Fall 2012.
-Volunteering at the Student Health Clinic at my local university
-Plan to get my CNA license during the summer in order to obtain health related work experience (and some extra cash)
-Sigma Pi Epsilon chemistry frat (will be officially in it by the start of the spring semester)</p>

2

<p>Sorry for the double post, but I am quite curious about the financial aid prospective transfer students would receive?</p>

3

<p>Everyone else here is going to say you have no chance.
Being a little more positive, I can feel your passionate ambition through your text. You need to display your strong desire into the supplement for Cornell. Convince the admissions officer your resolutions stand head and shoulders above everyone else, and you may have a shot.</p>

<p>On the realistic side, you need to think about adding some safety and match schools. There are plenty of places where you will probably feel more satisfied and receive a large amount of financial aid.</p>

4

<p>If my chances are not so great as a sophomore transfer, would it be wiser to wait until junior year? I’ve been doing some searching and found that it is, in general, a better idea to wait until junior year if my high school stats were not so great. What do you think (or anyone else reading this for that matter)?</p>

5

<p>I think saying you have no chance is way too harsh. You’re HS stats are defintiely subpar but if you do well this semester, have some impressive extracurriculars and write good, cornell specific (really important) essays, I think you have a chance. CALS is relatively transfer friendly so just give it your best shot. Good luck</p>

6

<p>I’m thinking now it may be a better idea to chug through sophomore as well and apply for transfer as a junior. It’d be nice to get all of my basic science pre-reqs done before transferring to Cornell. Plus, I’ll have time for more EC’s, medically related or not. I’m worried about applying now because I haven’t exactly “proven” myself yet with only a semester’s worth of grades Freshman year.</p>

7

<p>bump. Anyone?</p>

8

<p>One semester of college work is not enough to completely mitigate 4 years of hs work. As a general rule of thumb, if you couldn’t get accepted into Cornell (in your case) as a freshmen applicant, your chances as a sophomore transfer aren’t too great. </p>

<p>However, given Cornell’s status as a transfer friendly college, you should give it a shot because you have an impressive GPA especially concerning your courseload.</p>

9

<p>I know you have to have a 3.5 Biological science GPA to even be considered for CALS. Based on your information, you have a 3.2. Thats purely based off what the website says. You may want to research it yourself.</p>

10

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<p>Ummmm CALS transfer rate is almost 50% which is way easier then CAS. If you a biological science major then yes you need a 3.5. I’m also going to try to apply as a transfer for fall of 2013. I currently only have a 3.47 GPA at my college but that will surly go up. If you hate the college your at right now, just transfer this year. If your alright with it transfer next year. I don’t think there’s any advantage applying as a freshman or a sophomore. So far with your grades I would say your alright. But keep in mind after two years, your high school record will hold very little weight which could be a good thing if you didn’t do so well. Good Luck !!</p>