<p>so i can't believe us regular decision people have to wait til april to hear back. i actually just got deferred from Wharton at U. Penn...kind of disappointing but i figured that's what would happen. anyways, i was hoping to see what you guys think my chances are at Cornell. i'm applying to the Policy Analysis and Mangement major at the College of Human Ecology.</p>
<p>Demographic Info:
White male from Ringoes, New Jersey. Very small rural town. Most of the kids at the local public school don't attend college, if they do they most likely go to community college. Neither of my parents went to college.</p>
<p>GPA: 4.26 (weighted on 4.0 scale...school doesn't provide unweighted)
Class Rank 1st out of 76 (tiny, private school in New Jersey)
SAT Math: 730
SAT Verbal: 670
SAT Writing Skills: 730
SAT II US History: 760
SAT II Chemistry: 720
SAT II Math I: 710</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
-President of Dramatic Society (Officer Junior and Sophomore Year)
-Lead Roles in Plays Every Year (Excellence in Fall Play Award Junior and Senior Year)
-Vice President of National Honor Society (Member Junior Year as well)
-Member of Youth Service Fellowship (Community service activities all through high school)
-Secretary of Student Council Junior Year</p>
<p>Awards, etc.
-Driscoll Scholar (I am at my school on a full academic scholarship)
-I was recognized as a Weiler Scholar by my school last year.
-Edward J. Bloustein Scholar (some new jersey award thing)</p>
<p>Recs: My college counselor says they were really good.</p>
<p>Essays: My Common App one was good. Cornell Supplement ones were ok I guess, kind of boring topics you know.</p>
<p>Hook: I have Crohn's disease, an chronic intestinal disease. I was diagnosed in 7th grade and started having surgery the summer after 8th grade. Freshman year of high school I missed over 50 days of school and still stayed at the top of my class. Every year I have had about 5 operations or so, having to go into the hospital at intervals ranging from a month to 5 months. So far into my senior year I have had surgery three times. I guess I qualify as disabled..?</p>
<p>so there it is i guess. i don't know how hard it is to get into the college of human ecology, but maybe you guys can give me a ballpark estimate on how likely or unlikely it is for me to get in.</p>
<p>You have a decent shot. Unfortunately, you live in New Jersey. A student with similar circumstance from many other states would have a much better chance.</p>
<p>i disagree, although someone from colorado might have a better chance, being from jersey isn't a hinderance in this case, cornell accepts a TON of tri state area applicants</p>
<p>whoa, sounds like bad crohn's.</p>
<p>is that gonna be a lifelong thing? sugery ~5 times a year???</p>
<p>yeah it's been going on for years...and there isn't any end in sight yet...i might be going in for my fourth surgery of this academic year (since september) next week. merry christmas to me hahahaha. yeah i donno, i'm ****ed i live in NJ...i wish i was from south dakota or something. i donno. i hear that the College of Human Ecology isn't quite as hard to get into as some of the other schools at Cornell. i mean, it's still like 22% acceptance rate..but better than 15% or whatever. i am not really expecting to get in to Cornell, i haven't even visited there yet. i heard the campus is more city than what it appears to be on the website?</p>
<p>swoodhull, you sound like a very resilient person, and have fine academics, ur chances aren't bad at all ;)</p>
<p>The rural areas of state with big cities get screwed in college admissions. Why should a kid from rural Orgeon have an advantage over a kid from rural nothern California who lives only a few miles away. They are just as under-repersented.
What part of NJ are you from?</p>
<p>I'd be careful using your disease as a hook. Admissions committees are quick to suspect manipulative students using pity pleas. My respect to you and your illness and your incredible resilience. All I say is, exercise caution.</p>
<p>i live in hunterdon county. its near mercer county, where princeton is. but i live in a tiny town called ringoes, and i live between farms...its just woods and fields around me. i acutally live on a dirt road. yeah i don't want to come off as looking for pity, but i mean if affirmative action is going to take away from me because im white and middle class, i am gonna at least try to get credit for living with a disease you know? i don't know, i feel weird about "using" my illness. whatever. it's too late now.</p>
<p>yeah for hunterdon</p>
<p>i know someone who has crohns disease as well.. he doesnt have it has bad as you though. i think writing about your condition is a good idea.. having all those surgeries and being valedic sounds really impressive. you also have pretty good stats to back it up if your essay doesnt work well</p>
<p>"sounds really impressive"
jack, having a surgery isnt fun.</p>
<p>swoodhull
incorporate your illness in your essay but make sure you do it subtly.
you dont want the adcoms to think you are trying to take advantage of your illness and using it as a hook. try sounding positive and optimistic.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Neither of my parents went to college.
[/quote]
I'm surprised nobody noticed/mentioned this. This is quite a good one; probably will negate your 'unhook' of being white and middle class.</p>
<p>no its not, ravin, i was referring to his achievements if that wasnt obvious the first time</p>
<p>haha no need to fight over anything. surgery isn't fun..but i have had it so much it's just usual almost. altho the last time i had it..two weeks ago...i woke up in the middle of the procedure...weird stuff. yeah i did the common app essay what difficulties have you overcome etc etc. so i wrote about my disease and how i have managed to be a normal high school kid and have fun and do plays and everything. i donno, my counselor was like...that is something you should write about, since it will seperate you from the 10,000 other valedictorians out there.</p>