<p>I've been searching for the right college for a couple of years now, and it's PERFECT! I actually just found out it's Ivy league, that had nothing to do with my falling head over heels for it. It meets all of my requirements, and I know I'd do wonderfully there. </p>
<p>What Im worried about though are my past grades. My freshman and sophmore years of highschool were spent roughing it out between my mother and father in a horrible custody battle. But now that Im stable my grades are fabulous, 4.0 gpa out of 4.0, high scores, several gold stickers are going to be on my diploma (HA), and Im up for challenges and the commitment it takes to go to Cornell. I know I can write a killer entrance essay, Ive read everything on the net regarding Cornell, but nothing very close to my own situation. </p>
<p>Do you think I can get in? Will my past grades make a difference?
I'm a junior in highschool by the way, </p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>First of all, no one can guess whether you can get in to an ivy. Ivies are so hard to get into, even kids with perfect stats get rejected.</p>
<p>What are your SAT and ACT scores?</p>
<p>What kinds of classes are you taking?</p>
<p>What is your overall GPA?</p>
<p>I don’t know if a school is going to understand that your grades were bad for 2 years because of a custody battle. There are kids whose parents have died who don’t have 2 years of poor grades.</p>
<p>I would not assume that a parent’s death is harder on a child than a child-custody battle is. People differ in their responses to these awful, life-changing events. Some people are lucky not to have first-hand experience of how emotionally devastating divorce can be on a child.</p>
<p>If you are going to let admissions committees know of the effect of the custody battle on you, you should try to do so in a way that does not use the custody battle as an excuse for poor grades. Perhaps the custody battle could be the background to an essay on how you’ve met challenges or this particular challenge in your life, or how the experience has changed you for the better.</p>
<p>I like your enthusiasm for Cornell and your spirit and determination to do what it takes to get admitted. From your grades it looks as if you have got it together, and just in time.</p>
<p>it would be a reach … let me know if you get in cuz im a freshman and want to go to Princeton or some ivy and I want to know my chances as well</p>
<p>I haven’t yet taken the SAT or ACT, but on the statewide testing I scored in the top 10 percentile.
Also, my school doesn’t offer sports or APs, but I’m taking the most advances classes that I can. Out of school, I’m in a bunch of clubs, groups, ect. and do a ton of work with animals (which is what I’d like to work with). </p>
<p>Any advice for what I should be doing to look more impressive on my transcripts?
I’m doing all I can so far.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone</p>
<p>Work like crazy. Club like crazy. Volunteer like crazy. SAT it up like crazy.</p>
<p>^some advice.</p>
<p>Sounds like a plan! </p>
<p>Cornell never leaves my mind for more than 15 minutes haha so I’ll do what it takes.</p>
<p>And if I fail, I shall try again ;)</p>
<p>and again and again and again until I am past my prime in an old folks home, </p>
<p>hopefully by then conquering not only every sport known to humanity (bobsledding and thumbwrestling included) and am president of every club (Quilting Society and American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association??)</p>
<p>thanks for the courage!</p>