First, I want to say I don’t like the “chance me” threads. But I’m going to contradict myself a bit an wonder if I am wasting my time with ED. This past weekend (10/7/16) I applied ED to Cornell in the College of Engineering. Nothing I have read in any thread gives me much hope of making the cut. I realize there are just too many qualified applicants and they can’t accept everyone, but I have worked my butt off. I’m not perfect, and if were a decision-maker I wouldn’t want perfect.
This is going to be controversial, but to me people who get perfect scores on everything and have inflated GPAs are mostly academic automatons. No offense. But the people in my HS who destroy the grading curves have few friends or they are painful introverted. I tend to be more well-rounded and I don’t apologize for that.
Anyway, after a couple of tries I managed an ACT composite of 34, have a 4.5 weighted GPA (out of 5), several extracurriculars that I have been doing well since kindergarten and wrote what I believed to be personal and passionate common app and supplemental essays that connect the dots on why I want to be a Cornell Biomedical Engineer.
And yet the odds are heavily against me? Everything I have read says I might have a 25%-30% chance.
Sorry I just had to vent today. Whether Cornell was an Ivy or not, I really loved their Biomed program when I visited it last year. I just want to go to that particular school regardless of it’s prestige. I think I can make a great contribution. Am I whining? LOL - yes, I guess I am, despite the fact I don’t even have their decision yet.
If anyway has any insight that might make me feel better I would appreciate it.
Colleges want interested and interesting people. You are definitely in the ballpark with your stats. But my advice to you now is to keep an eye on your portal to see if they need anything, and start working on your other apps. It is pretty depressing to work on them after a rejection (if one comes). So discipline yourself to start knocking off your other essays and getting ready to submit your other apps.
Also, if you applied for FA and get accepted, do not withdraw or miss other application deadlines until you have an acceptable FA package in hand. Good luck!
@intparent thanks very much for the quick reply. I just posted the thread. LOL.
I hear what you are saying. I have four other early action applications already out there, but my #2 school doesn’t have EA – only ED and RD. I am pretty confident I can get accepted there when I submit before January. That’s the good news I guess.
I know I have to keep my expectations realistic, but as I said, it’s frustrating when I know I’m the right fit there, but only have 600 words to convince them of that fact.
I think I told an interesting story in my essays and was able to connect back to a few hours I spent with Cornell’s Assoc. Dean of Biomed. His passion is what really sealed the deal for me. I was hoping my proof of interest having spent some time there earlier this year would work in my favor.
Well the most you can do is wait, unfortunately. What’s you’re UW GPA? If you have good ECs, good essays, etc you may have a 30% chance of getting which believe it or not is actually really good. Other people can’t give you hope, only you can. You’re hope comes from your confidence in your abilities and your belief that you did the best you can in high school and on the application. You sound smart and determined so if it’s any validation, I have hope that you will do good no matter where you end up
And don’t let the fact that others who have seemingly achieved more are worse off comfort you. You don’t know them and they may actually be well-rounded and have a life out of school, and if they don’t there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m one of those “academic automatons” w/ I guess perfect grades and scores but when people find out I actually do stuff besides school they tell me I make them feel bad bc they just assumed I only focus on school. So don’t assume those that get perfect scores can only focus on school, because you limit yourself and also label a whole group of ppl and ignore their other accomplishments (sorry this is a pet peeve of mine), and also sound like you’re just making excuses (I know that isn’t your intention however)
Anyways, like I said before, you seem like a strong applicant and applying ED was a good choice. There are always gonna be people with higher stats but of course Cornell would accept people with lower stats as well, so don’t worry.
Stereotyping kids who score academically as introverts is as bad as saying all athletes are not above average. I personally know many very smart kids who not only set curves but are talented in other areas too. and no - I am not talking about my child. … Now, your venting for “what more do they want from me?” is still valid but admissions is a holistic - therefore subjective - process. Irrespective of whether it suits us or not, that’s what colleges follow. Seems to me that you are a good student, have varied interests and even have few top notch school that you think are almost certain. There is a lot to be happy about here. You have done your best, now let the chips fall where they may! Good luck!
You have good stats but A&S and engineering are the hardest schools to get into at Cornell. You’ve already submitted your application; there’s no point in whining. I felt the same way during my college apps last year: how can this athlete who got a 1900 on his SAT get accepted into Columbia, etc. Truth is, no amount of whining will change anything. Take a few days off, you deserve it.
@cotopaxi I really feel you here. I’ve just applied ED to COE and I totally understand the stress. Last year at my school, Cornell accepted two students so a lot of my peers (including myself) have hope.
I kind of feel like I’m in the exact same boat as you. The only thing we can do is wait and hope and be prepared for the worst. Without a doubt, we’re both on a course for bright futures and I guess it’s just really important to remember that!
I wish you the best of luck no matter what the admissions decision (for both of us haha)
@amgeer That’s nice of you to say. I looked at your chance me thread and you’re right, we’re almost identical. I think if this had been 10 years ago, we would almost be a sure thing, but it has gotten ridiculously competitive and more kids are applying every year. I’ve sort of moved on since I vented in this thread. I have a really good #2 school which I am pretty sure I’ll get into, so I’m not going to dwell on Cornell too much. Yes, it would be exciting to be accepted, but realistically I think I will do well at all the other schools I have applied to. I did a ton of research and visited every school on my list and even a few that I took off my list. I think I’ll be ready for a rejection if it comes.
fwiw, my opinion is that your stats are strong and certainly good enough to get your app a close read for cornell. that really all you can hope for. And I know this may not be much consolation if you’re rejected, but with those stats you’re going to be accepted to a great school.
Everyone is taking a shot and throwing their line into the water. Some people have more bait, some have higher-quality bait. Regardless, fishing is dependent on skill, but also largely on luck.
As a senior in the application process with what you deem an inflated GPA and test scores, I have never considered my chances for a college higher than a shot in the dark. From what past seniors and current friends enrolled in Ivies have told me, once your test scores pass an acceptable range, the rest of you is what matters anyway.
@cotopaxi: First, I wish you the best of luck on your ED application. The truth is, no one has much more than a 25-30% chance of acceptance at Cornell. And it’s not better (probably worse) at other Ivies. I think all the students just submit their applications, cross their fingers and hope for the best. And have several more realistic back-up schools they’ll apply to as well. Each year Cornell accepts a few students from our local HS, but very very few go to any other Ivy.
I wouldn’t assume those students with top GPAs/test scores etc. are “academic automatons” or “have few friends or they are painful introverted.” That’s a stereotype. There may be kids like that, but everybody is different. My daughter is ranked #2 in her class of over 600, and has a great group of friends. She is heavily involved in music and theatre as a performer. How painfully introverted can she be if she is up on stage singing her heart out and going out with friends? The valedictorian in her class is a talented artist and musician (viola) and plays piano in the Jazz Band, funny and social and involved in many things.
Both girls are serious students, but also well-rounded and social. You’ll find painfully introverted folks with few friends everywhere, but it’s never good to make assumptions.
