<p>Hi i am a sophmore in high school and i have always wanted to go to Cornell. Freshman year i was in all honors classes and had A's and B's and was on the football team. But things took a turn for the worst during my first semester of sophmore year when a family crisis resulted in behavioral issues and depression. It will be explained in my secondary school report when i apply. But long story short, my GPA went from a 4.9/5 to a 4.3. But things have changed for me and i have realized that i must change.</p>
<p>First off, i want to get into the college of agriculture and life sciences as an applied economics and management major. If i get A's in Honors and Ap classes for the rest of high school, get in the mid to upper 30s on my ACT, and join the business club (DECA) and a sport, and have a great essay and great recomendations, do you think i may still have a chance at Cornell?</p>
<p>p.s. i am native american so that may help in the admission process.</p>
<p>It’s worth a shot. If they see that you’ve worked through your difficulties well and returned to your previous levels of performance, that can make quite a good impression.</p>
<p>It sounds like you know yourself well and are goal oriented…good for you! Having a plan for each year of high school is really helpful and can help you zero in on areas that you might need to develop. Think about how you will spend your summers as well…Cornell offers a summer program for high school students that you might really enjoy.</p>
<p>As you know, your Junior year is often the most important and the courses that you take (and your grades) will be judged more heavily than your previous two years. Start to think about WHY you want to apply to the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences and think about a topic for your essay that will reflect your interests. Most kids don’t have any idea about a Major and you do…so be sure to tell them why and what you’d like to do for a career. Don’t worry, you can always change your mind, but you’ll appear focused and deliberate when making choices in life. </p>
<p>Most important is to try to be in the Top 10% of your class…the Ivy Schools consistently admit kids who are in the Top 10%…no matter where you attend high school; urban, suburban, private or public, making it into the Top 10% is impressive and states that you are better than the other 90% of your class! It’s assumed that your SAT’s will be very strong and of course your GPA is important, but you know that!</p>
<p>Lastly, I always suggest students visit the campus personally. Make sure you sign up for a tour and that you sign in to let them know you made the effort to visit and meet with the Admissions staff. Unfortunately, Cornell does not offer individual interviews, BUT you can always try to set up a meeting with a Professor that you like. This is a long shot, but it can work and then you have a new name to mention! </p>