<p>Hello!
I am applying to Cornell ED as a biological sciences major. I am aware that this major is offered in both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Arts and Sciences. Do you think I should use the primary / alternate choice admission which means I basically have to write two separate supplemental essays for each college if my major will be the same regardless of the school? Is it worth it? Also, does this option increase my chance of getting in or will it not matter if I just apply to my primary choice and not have an alternate choice?
Thanks :-)</p>
<p>I’m not a Cornell expert; however, my cousin is a long-term, distinguished professor of Nutrition there. As she has explained and as you are doubtless aware, the several constituent colleges at Cornell have individual admissions standards and select there undergraduates separately. Wouldn’t it makes sense, therefore, to pursue the “primary/alternate” approach, since one just might be admitted (ED) to the AG School and be denied by CAS (or visa versa)? </p>
<p>The primary/alternate choice does not really increase your chance of admission. Of those rejected from their primary choice, only 1% of applications then get forwarded to their second choice. It can demonstrate that you don’t particularly care about the individual colleges and simply want to get into the university, which Cornell doesn’t like. However, since biological sciences and biology are very similar (and you are not, for example, applying first choice to engineering and second choice to CALS biology) it will not show disinterest in the colleges. </p>
<p>Still, research both CAS and CALS and see which program would best suit your interests. I did primary/alternate with CAS and CALS and got accepted to CAS (first choice). I now realize I never would have fit at CALS and it would have been much better for me to attend an entirely different university rather than attend CALS, whereas CAS is a perfect fit. Perhaps both programs with their distributions and focuses will fit your interests, but they are both very different. Research both and ask me if you have any questions regarding them. </p>