chances (worried about GPA)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Hey, </p>

<p>Can someone please chance me for HE as a Human Biology, Health, Society major? I'm starting to get worried because I have like 3 Bs right now and on the border in a couple other classes :(. Also, if by some miracle I get accepted, how easy is it to transfer into the college of engineering, because I'm considering a career in EE, or patent law in addition to med/dent school?</p>

<p>Stats:
demographics:
*I am an Asian Indian Male (most likely won't help)
*From a competitive public high school in Oregon: Beaverton High School, which was also rated the best AP school in Oregon, so yeah, its a smart school. (being from oregon isn't going to help either)
*student body at school = 500+</p>

<p>The Numbers/ECs
*ACT Composite 30 (8/12 on essay )</p>

<p>-English 30 (Usage/Mechanics 15 Rhetorical Skills 16)
-Science 24 (ouch..my chances)
-Reading 31 (Social Studies/Science 17 Arts/Literature 15)
-Mathematics 34
(Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra 18
Int.Algebra/Coord.Geometry 16 (again ouch)
Plane Geometry/Trigonometry 18)</p>

<p>*Freshman year:
Language Arts (Honors): A/A
Social Studies 9: A/A
Advanced Algebra 2: A/A
Bio/Chem/Phys 10 (Honors): A/A
SAT Math Prep: A
SAT Verbal Prep:A
Spanish 1:A/A
Team Sports:A
Health 1:A
Web Design:A
Computer Programming:A</p>

<p>*Sophomore Year:
AP Chem: B/A
Lit Comp 10 (Honors): A/A
Physics 2: A/A
Pre-Calc: A/B
Social Studies 10 :B/A (can explain this B)
Spanish 2:A/A
Symphonic Band: A/A
Team Sports: A
Health 2: A</p>

<p>*Junior Year (...so far)
Human Anatomy: A
IB Biology: A
Spanish 3: A
IB Calculus: A
IB Psychology: A
Team Sports: A
IB Seminar: P
IB English: A
IB TOK 1: (second semester class, just put it to show I'm going to take another weighted class)</p>

<p>In summary: I currently have a 3.923, but if I totally ********************** up this semester, then I could wind up with a 3.87 or so :( :( :(</p>

<p>*weighted class rank: 24/575 (+/- 5 for the total students)...may go up by the end of 1st semester senior year because I will take 7 IBs...eeeek
*IB Diploma Candidate
*NHS (2 years)
*Varsity tennis 4 years (will have 4) (possibly captain next season)
*Science Team 4 years (will have 4)
*World Quest Trivia 4 years (will have 4)
*Science Club Treasurer (1 year)
*Science Club VP (2 years)
*Math Club (4 years) (VP 2 years)
*Portland Youth Philharmonic (2 years)
*Mathfest Algebra 2 1st place freshman year
*Oregon Invitational of Mathematics Tournament Participant Fresh Year
*Mathfest Participant (will have 4 years)
*6th Place at World Quest out of 32 10th grade
*Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Rising Star Program (will have 150-175 volunteer hours done)
*Mathcounts Tutor (about 50+ volunteer hours)
*Model UN (1 year, but should be able to get leadership position in it)</p>

2

<p>if you're worried about your gpa, you're obviously not smart enough to get into cornell</p>

<p>sorry</p>

3

<p>And if you're going to say that you can explain a B, then you're again, not smart enough to get into Cornell.</p>

4

<p>ummm okay, I'm a bit confused because I detect a hint of sarcasm, but I'm not positive. So can you just explain right up front what my chances are por favor?</p>

<p>Btw, the reason I can explain that B is because my teacher was an idiot and gave me a B even though I had the highest test scores in the class because she claimed that on the essay questions, I got 8.5/10 or something like that on a few of them. But thats kind of ridiculous because the fact that I got the highest test scores shows that I know the material better than anyone else in the class, and the biznatch still gave me a B. So thats why I can explain that one. So please tell me upfront. </p>

<p>Btw, for my SATs I'm predicting about 700+ for math and 650+ for biology because I'll probably need those as well...</p>

5

<p>can people please stop posting expecting us to be like OMG NO WAY you are SO right for cornell you're like sooo smart and get such good grades/SAT/extracurriculars/volunteer that no one could ever reject you. </p>

<p>i had a 3.4 in high school and i go to cornell now so seriously, what do you think? p.s. valedictorians get rejected all the time. grades are not everything.</p>

6

<p>3 Bs !!!!!!!!!! your finished!</p>

7

<p>CMB, I am in no way asking you to praise me. Just look at my ACT score and my projected SAT 2s, with stuff that low, there's no way that I think of myself to be a genius. So yeah. Besides, you probably are like some world champion at being amazing or something that got you in, something which I dont have unfortunately.</p>

<p>Eric: I'm just worried becuase I'm getting a couple more Bs this semester as well, and I hope that won't screw me over. And again, I would appreciate it if you guys can just tell me upfront whether or not I have a chance at cornell. None of this sarcasm crap por favor. I'm not trying to be an arse, but its kind of irritating. Just tell me whether or not I'm looking okay</p>

<p>btw, I think I'll be applying ED if I apply here, so try and take that into consideration please.</p>

<p>thanks a lot,
CL8</p>

8

<p>umm everyone who applies has a chance... -_-
honestly do u think its so easy to tell u whether u'll get in? I think people are hinting that ur chance isnt that great. since people are already telling u that, why do u keep on asking? is ur "tell me my chance" the same as "u have a 80% chance of getting in! go for it!!!!!!" ????</p>

<p>By the way, when I posted my stats last year, ppl were like "yeah u have a shot/decent shot ED, and cornell is a total reach for RD... u have like no chance" then I got into RD into arts and science (which is like the 2nd hardest school to get into for girls.) So I think this is why ppl dont like giving other chances - cuz they dont know. no one knows.</p>

<p>applying gives u 1/3 chance of getting in.</p>

<p>go study, really.</p>

9

<p>california_love8: Stop worrying about a 3.87. That's a great GPA.</p>

10

<p>Oh, and please don't explain your B. Look at it this way: you are on the adcom for a school known for being rigorous (like Cornell). Some kid applies with a very, very good GPA of about 3.9, and on the application "explains" one of his/her few B's. You're rejecting that kid because he/she somehow comes off as some unstable perfectionist who portrays him/herself as being more likely to fret over some stupid mistake (if you can even call a couple B's "mistakes") made in the past than to just learn from them and get on with life.</p>

11

<p>well said live-. I can't agree more.</p>

12

<p>123Orange: There is a manifest tone of sarcasm in the other posters' responses, which is why I keep asking. btw, how can you tell people are telling me that my chances "(aren't) that great" when someone says they got in with a 3.4, and people sarcastically saying "3 bs? your finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"? I'm not saying I'm superior to anyone because the guy with a 3.4 probably goes to a really competitive school, and he got a 2250 or something on the SAT, which I could never ever get, but from that person and live-, their deeper message seems to be shut up about your GPA, because thats not what you should worry about. Worry more about ACT/SAT 2s instead.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]

is ur "tell me my chance" the same as "u have a 80% chance of getting in! go for it!!!!!!" ????

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>what the hell did you just say? I can't make heads or tails of that because what you just asked is is my asking for chances the same as you telling me I have an 80% chance of getting. To answer your poorly-phrased question, no its not, and, since I haven't gotten a proper response, I will keep asking until I get a proper response to my simple question.</p>

<p>Again, I'm not trying to be an ass, but this is getting stupid. I asked very politely to just tell me straight up, and now people are trying to b**** at me for asking for a normal response? wth?</p>

<p>Its as simple as typing in either safety (but thats not exactly an option in my case), match, high match, or reach.</p>

13

<p>you are doing fine. i got in with a 92 avg lol.....</p>

14

<p>Cal_love--I'm obviously the mom, and I am going to tell you what I told my D, who was accepted at Cornell A&S, Hopkins, Wellesley, and a few other highly competitive places: be confident. You have worked hard and tried hard, I can tell. Admissions committees will know, too, if you let your positive attitude show, and write a good app. There are plenty of kids in your age cohort who are not working at anything except drug seeking behaviors (my other kid goes to school with such types). You (and all the kids on this forum) should feel proud of yourselves, and more confident about your chances. Write the best application you can. It might help to take an SAT prep course (D liked Princeton Review). Do not let people discourage you because you may not fit whatever stereotypes you and/or your school counselor (or even the folks on CC) thinks will "work" for college admissions at whatever place. No one can really tell you what will happen, especially with Ivy admissions in these crazy times.
We are in the PNW also, and I have heard of your HS. D is a senior at a well known, competitive private prep school. Almost half her class received some sort of Nat'l Merit recognition, including a number of finalists. There is true grade deflation in this school. D's GPA is lower than yours, but she has good ECs, fairly high SAT Is, mostly good SAT IIs, and signficant lab research experience. Her school did not particularly encourage her applications to the most highly competitive schools, but I insisted she apply, including to Cornell. D got into most of these highly competitive schools that were not encouraged. We just got back from visiting some, including Cornell, now her likely first choice. D is also definitely not a URM. BTW it was darn cold at Cornell, but D loved it---the kids were really welcoming, and the place looks and smells something like the PNW, with big trees, grey skies, and gorges that reminded her of the Columbia Gorge. Good luck.</p>

15

<p>i think cornell cares more about you being a right fit for the school and that you actually show some interest in the school. they will know if you are applying there as a safety/for the name.</p>

<p>also human ecology is one of the easier colleges to get into.</p>

16

<p>Nobody is being sarcastic here. Cornell is different from the other Ivy League schools in that even though academics is important, it is not the end all. If you do not have an amazing GPA, does not mean that you will not get in, just like if you have an amazing GPA, you still might not get in.</p>

<p>Cornell looks to have good, dynamic people with character, and that is reflected in your essays and your recommendations. They look for people who will not freeze up if they get one unpleasant grade. If you try to explain that B, then it gives Cornell the wrong message that you are very uptight about grades or that you are a perfectionist.</p>

<p>Just do your best and make it known to Cornell that you want to go there, that you have a passion for the school and especially for learning. If you know their motto, then you know that a passion for learning is extremely important to them. </p>

<p>I have wanted to go to Cornell for a while now. My unweighted GPA has been a 4.00 for the last two years; this year it will fall to a 3.91 or so, but that is because I have taken some of the most difficult classes I could take. A 3.8 is a great GPA. What you might have is a great GPA. They are not idiots; they know how tough certain classes can be, especially AP and Honors courses. Just try your best the rest of the year and keep trying your best. </p>

<p>If you are sure that you want to go to Cornell like I am, then you should apply for early decision, which is what I plan to do. Cornell's early decision acceptance rate has stayed in the low to mid-forty percent range for years. And compared to their regular decision acceptance rate of twenty percent, you may very well have a better chance of getting in with early decision.</p>

<p>EDIT: This just caught my attention and it is a definite no-no.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Btw, the reason I can explain that B is because my teacher was an idiot and gave me a B even though I had the highest test scores in the class because she claimed that on the essay questions, I got 8.5/10 or something like that on a few of them. But thats kind of ridiculous because the fact that I got the highest test scores shows that I know the material better than anyone else in the class, and the biznatch still gave me a B. So thats why I can explain that one. So please tell me upfront.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>How does having the highest test scores demonstrate that you have the type of understanding of material that constitutes an A? Unless, the entire final/semester grade is on a curve, you can not make that claim, and very few high school teachers curve final grades because most can not get away with it. The board of education looks at the grades and teachers can adroitly slip a curve in without the educational authorities knowing about it, but when a teacher's grade book shows 60s and 70s as test grades and final grades that are in the 80s or 90s, the board of education members will become suspicious. A curve is sort of like a privilege, and regardless of the curve, if you get a 60 and a 90 after the curve, then it still does not change the fact that you do not know the material well.</p>

<p>I think you are just sore, straight up, and I am getting a little bit upset and annoyed with your explanation. I am sitting far away from you in cyberspace and I am getting upset, but your fate does not rest in my hands. Think about how the Cornell admissions officers will feel if they read your explanation. Do not give them a reason to reject you, and an explanation for a poor grade is a very pathetic reason to be rejected for.</p>

17

<p>So how do they view SAT scores then? </p>

<p>You talked about them wanting dynamic characters and whatnot... so would having a mediocre SAT score kill my chances? As you might have read elsewhere, I only have a low 2100 score... I want to take it again, but that'd be my third time...</p>

18

<p>What is the breakdown of your score, math, critical reading, and writing? If they are all 700 or above, then I would not worry about it as CR and math are the only things they look at. To have safety, you can take it again. I'm going with the ACT.</p>

19

<p>Yeah, they're all 700 and above. The only problem is that they're only low 700's. I'm talking things like 710, not 740. I should take it again probably, yeah? even though it'd make it 3x... :(</p>

20

<p>is 3.81 considered to be an ok gpa for cornell?</p>