Hi all,
I know that Cornell ILR focuses a lot on “fit” when admitting students.
What is this “fit” that they look for? How do you show this “fit”?
Well, from another post of yours, you “plan on applying as a journalism/public policy/history major”.
The Mission Statement for ILR at Cornell is:
“As the preeminent educational institution in the world focused on work, employment and labor, we are dedicated to generating and disseminating knowledge that improves the lives of workers and transforms the future of work.”
I can see ways in which those 2 goals fit together- and many in which they do not fit at all. What do you see*? Do you have any elements of your app (such as ECs) that indicate more / less of a fit?
*besides the name brand Cornell, and the higher acceptance rate for ILR over some of the other schools at Cornell- which you are not the first potential applicant to have noticed, and I can promise you the ILR AOs are well aware of…
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Hi!
According to my dean, my high school is so extremely well-known that many kids from my HS have gotten into Cornell ILR without relevant extracurriculars. But these kids all had great essays and most likely had Cornell legacy. They were A-/A students. My dean says that I’m fine academically for Cornell ILR and I had family issues that explained my lower grades in 8th grade and Frosh years (they weren’t even that low, I just got a mix of A-s/B+/A with 2 B-s in 8th) and I had a upwards trend, but still I think most other kids are applying to ILR with stronger grades than I am…But I have more relevant + better ECs than them, so I was wondering how much Cornell ILR focuses on “fit” rather than grades?
Even though I have a lot of extracurriculars that point towards journalism and non-profit work, I 100% do not want a career in either. Rather, I’d like to incorporate specific elements of both into my future career and major, which aligns well with Cornell ILR. And since there are around 30-40 kids applying ED ALONE to Cornell in my grade this year (maybe around 6 are ILR), I was wondering how to stand out more and portray this “fit” better
That’s something that you have to figure out. That’s the exercise. They want to see if YOU understand what this college is all about and whether you can explain to them how your interests and background align with the mission of the college. @collegemom3717 already pointed you in the direction.
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You show it by demonstrating that what you offer is what they look for. Your “fit” will be determined by your teacher recs, your essays, your activities, and, in part, by circumstances completely beyond your control. There is no magic formula.
How do you know what they look for? Read their mission statement, motto, and everything else their students demonstrate from the student stories on their website. Visit if you can, or join a virtual visit. Look at section C7 of their Common Data Set, which lists what factors they consider in their admissions process.
Build a realistic college list and don’t set your sights on just one college. You want to have choices.
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OP I ask this earnestly with your long term success in mind. If Cornell wasn’t an Ivy League school would you be interested in ILR?
I ask this because you seem challenged to describe why ILR.
This approach has numerous potential down falls but hoping there is more to your interest besides prior classmates of yours have found a back door to an Ivy.
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