<p>does the application HAVE to have a cover letter?</p>
<p>No. In fact, I'd recommend not doing one at all. It's probably just another thing the processor is going to throw away before he or she puts your app in a file folder.</p>
<p>I don't know about them throwing things away. I was told by admissions officers, including cornell's, that they will read everything you send them (within reason I assume...I doubt they'd read your autobiography, for example)</p>
<p>That said, cover letters are not mentioned, not required, and not common in cornell applications.</p>
<p>I've never even heard of people writing cover letters.</p>
<p>Hmm, I just put a "resume-ish" type thing in the Additional Info section explaining my ECs, but yeah, never heard of putting a cover eltter or anything</p>
<p>I wrote a cover letter. I think its a good touch.</p>
<p>I have only heard of cover letters on supplemental packages sent by deferred students.</p>
<p>I wrote one...</p>
<p>I read an article (Princeton Review book) pertaining to cover letters, and apparently they are helpful. I doubt the admissions officers would rip them up. They show organization and that can't hurt ya can it?</p>
<p>a cover letter including a brief paragraph to the admissions ppl letting them know your strong interest in the college and what is included in the package u send, and other items that are mailed seperately.</p>
<p>i also like to go against what canadaeh says</p>
<p>I think you should send a cover letter on pink paper. You know, like in Legally Blonde? Got her into Harvard. ;)</p>
<p>I also concur with BigRed that what canadaeh says should be treated with skepticism. Just because he's a shady character.</p>
<p>A cover letter is not necessarily bad. I'm just saying I haven't heard of them in cornell applications before. However, the ones being described seem like nice touches.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to do a statistical regression analysis of supplemental material and applications in general, and see what data correlate with what results. Like if there is more of a correlation between GPA and acceptance, SAT and acceptance, legacy and acceptance (controlling for other factors obviously). That would be really cool.</p>
<p>in duke's app process they start you off by putting you in a group of students with certain SAT scores ranging from 1-5, and then they go on to all their other important factors. in the end, they add up your pt total and if it is at or above a certain value you are in.</p>
<p>its not like anyone is interested though..</p>
<p>
[quote]
I also concur with BigRed that what canadaeh says should be treated with skepticism. Just because he's a shady character.
[/quote]
You got me guys, I'm actually the return of business_freak . . .</p>
<p>Killer angel is, actually</p>
<p>We both are, he created another account (me) to bicker with himself again.</p>
<p>i read a book on it and that's how they do it... it was a for admissions or something. Ya, I'm really good at reading too</p>
<p>Yes, that is how they do it
You are assessed in X areas, each area out of a different amount of points, with the most important areas being out of more points, and then there is an auto-admit number, auto-reject number, and then anything in between gets an extra look
guttentag (sp?) the dean for admissions wrote a book or something on it</p>
<p>btw, screw Duke's admissions . . . CORNELL</p>
<p>wahh, what?? did i post a message? ;) You guys are probably right anyways.</p>
<p>haha spudkid, smooth</p>