Hi,
I’m applying to Cornell Hotel School, Early Decision as a legacy (my mom was Class of 1987) for the Class of 2025. I am obsessing over my application because it has been my dream school since I was little. I was wondering if I am a fair candidate with my application ATM.
I am half American ( Illinois) and half German. I was born in the US but moved to Hong Kong when I was 4, moved to London at 12 and back to Hong Kong at 15.
Ethnicity: Mixed Race ( African American, White)
Bilingual: English, German
Stats: ( These are early predicted grades given by my school at the end of junior year.)
Bilingual IB-Diploma
HL Business: 7
HL English Lit: 6
HL Film: 6
SL German A Lit (Self-taught): 6
SL Environmental Systems and Societies: 6
SL Math: 5
TOK, EE: 2
Total: 38/45
US GPA Conversion: 3.9
Extra-Curriculars:
Deputy Head Student
-Class President
-Student Council
-Entrepreneurship Club: Student Leader and Co-Founder
Charity Fundraising Planner: raised over 2000$ for various charities in a school of 80 people
-Annual Banquet Planner: funded completely by weekly fundraising events
-Model UN (Delegate)
-School Environmental Group
Student Leader: Cooking 101
Dance for 8 years
-Acting for 6 Years
-Gymnastics for 5 years
Volunteering:
Impact Hong Kong (cooking for homeless people and handing it out to them)
-Bread Run Hong Kong ( collecting unsold bread from bakeries and giving to the homeless)
-Glohelp-covid social media ambassador
Work Experience:
Waiter: German Swiss International School Christmas Bazaar
The Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong
Awards:
Drama Award: Italia Conti Academy Of Theatre Arts
Gymnastics Hong Kong Annual Competition: All-around 1st place for 3 years.
Applying ED as a legacy will help. I also think you have a good EC profile for Hotel with your international background, being bilingual, and food and hotel experience. (The Hotel school likes to see that work experience).
That said, your IB predicted seems a bit low for Cornell and without test scores to balance that out, it’s super hard to predict.
In general though, Cornell should be considered a reach and no one has a “good chances” of admission even with perfect scores.
Thank you, that was very helpful. Maybe using ‘good’ was a bad choice of words. Obviously, Cornell is still extremely competitive. My grades are early predictions and are predicted to go up in time for my final University predicted grades that I will use in my application. I also did GCSEs during my time in the UK. Would submitting these help my application?
Do you attend a school in which GPA is based on course grades rather than predicted IB scores? Will you earn a secondary school diploma in addition to the IB diploma? If so, your predicted scores will be reviewed, but your course grades will be the main basis for admission.
I was admitted RD to Cornell this year with a predicted score of 28, but a GPA in the top 5% of my class. I only earned 21 points and therefore did not receive the diploma, but still graduated with a standard diploma from my high school. Cornell seemingly did not care much about my predicted or final scores as they are obviously very low, but I was accepted and my admission was not rescinded.
If your GPA is linked to your predicted scores and the IB diploma will be your only proof of graduation, then these scores will be much more important. Although 38 may be below average for a highly selective school like Cornell, it is still a very good score and I am sure it is within the range of scores that they regularly admit. Your average across all subjects is 6, and they offer credit for that score on several tests, so they must not look down on those who receive or are predicted to receive them.
I was not admitted to the School of Hotel Administration, but I have heard that they absolutely love applicants who already have experience in the hospitality industry, so you have that going for you. Applying ED as legacy will boost your chances as well. Although everyone’s odds are inherently low, you should have a decent shot at admission.
My friend was admitted this year after being deferred and WL.
He has a TON of experience…he’s an amazing chef, already has a private catering business. He has interned and worked at top restaurants all across the country.
He marketed himself and honed his craft which is marketed through social media as well. this also served as a portfolio for him.
I have never seen someone at his age completely dedicate himself to his craft at a young age.
Show a deep passion and connection for what you do.