Okay, so I want to go to Cornell. Like, really badly. I’ve been lucky enough to receive a four-year NROTC scholarship there, but I still have to get accepted. Is it even possible?
SAT Scores 1st time
Critical Reading 790 Math 690 Writing 760 (2240)
SAT Scores 2nd time
Critical Reading 780 Math 710 Writing 690 (2180)
SAT IIs (I know these are really bad - I took them over six months after completing my chemistry and higher level math courses and didn’t study as much as I should have)
Chemistry 670
Math II 660
Grades
Class rank 30/370 (So I’m in the top 10%)
Unweighted GPA 3.95
Weighted GPA 4.6371
Extracurricular Activities/Honors
National Honor Society (2 years)
Science National Honor Society (2 years)
Mu Alpha Theta (Chapter Historian - 2 years)
Keyettes (basically like Key Club but only for girls, Secretary - 2 years)
Youth Conservation Corps Crewmember (volunteer program with state parks where you live and work at the park for three weeks during the summer. I’ve done this three summers in a row and have accrued 300+ community service hours)
Part time job (10+ hours per week - 2 years)
Varsity Cross Country (3 years - captain 1 yr)
Varsity Indoor Track (3 years - captain 1 yr)
Varsity Softball (4 years)
Ecology Club (2 years)
Chinese Club (3 years)
Beta Club (2 years)
Volunteer supervisor at St. Benedict’s church Oktoberfest (5 years)
Other Stuff
Race: White
Gender: Female
Intended major: Astrophysics/Physics
I’m also applying to Notre Dame and UVA. What are my shots at those schools?
I don’t really know who I am to say, but to answer your question it definitely seems like you have a shot!
Cornell will probably be tough to get into, but either way I think you should be able to get into good schools like UVA and Notre Dame. Your Ecs seem ehh, so if you haven’t already sent out your applications make sue you sell them the best you can. In the end it will probably come down to your essays. Good luck.
Judging from the acceptances of kids at my school, I think you have a good shot at all 3 universities. However I don’t know if Cornell (or the others) considers your major when making decisions, in which case a 710 Math and 660 Math II might hurt you for Physics. Unless maybe you’ve taken AP Calculus AB/BC or AP Physics and done very well on the AP exams. Good luck!
Your SAT II test scores will hurt you a little bit. I’m not exactly sure how much it will hurt you but having a 660 in Math II when your major is Physics does not look good. That being said, your other aspects look solid and overall you seem to have a fair shot at the colleges you have mentioned!
From what you’ve written, it doesn’t seem like you have any background in physics (certainly not astrophysics). You didn’t even take the physics SAT subject test. Your math background would have to be extremely strong for you to be considered a true astrophysics kid. It just seem that you chose that field because it a vastly undersubscribed major for females. AOs will see right through this and totally disregard your choice of major most likely. At worst, they will say you are a poor candidate for that field and deny you.