<p>Just wondering. My daughter is a recruited athlete who applied ED. They are still showing one rec letter missing plus her SATIIs (taken Nov 5) We know the rec letter is there because the coach emailed her to tell her it was missing and to make sure it had been sent. The school replaced them with copies which were overnighted and received (got the signature).</p>
<p>So does anyone know the policy? Likely letters or wait until the posting on the website. So far she has had her app pre-read in ILR and CAS because she was undecided after visiting between two programs. Both said yes. We still don't know how definite this is. She has a strong application except only a 30 on her ACT. I hope the SAT IIs are good tomorrow. She has never been a good standardized test taker, just more methodical than those test will allow. Grades are 4.0uw in an academic magnet with 6 APs and ECs are very strong. We were hoping that since the coaches have been in contact with admissions and she is on the short list of supported athletes they might know in advance but who can say.</p>
<p>Don't worry about application materials. Anything that is missing is called for by the university. Especially with a recruited athlete.</p>
<p>Prereading is pretty much a decision...it's not official, but you can expect that to be the decision.</p>
<p>Cornell does give likely letters, but only to some applicants RD as far as I know. Why would anybody need one ED? He or she doesn't have any choices to make.</p>
<p>sparticus800, please do you have an idea when likely letters are given out to freshmen? is it around february? and then, i guess it's only to those whose applications were outstanding?</p>
<p>yes....it's only to students who the cornell adcom thinks are likely to get acceptance offers from competing schools. so yeah, if you're likely to get accepted to princeton or something, and cornell accepts you RD, you're likely to get a likely letter. It essentially says, "don't commit to anywhere else, we're going to offer you an acceptance unless the world ends and all hell breaks loose." It will be sometime before you get any acceptance letters (except from rolling schools). I know this is all stressful, but remember you're bound to get into a school you like, stop worrying and enjoy HS while it lasts...you will miss it, no matter how much fun college is.</p>
<p>thanks sparticus800. tho' i'm on a gap year now....sorry one more thing: does this mean that ivy league schools begin reading applications as early as from January?</p>
<p>there was this girl who applied to Columbia, and as early as january received a call from one of the admissions officers who commended her essay....is that some form of likely letter?</p>
<p>it's not that i'm all gung-ho about getting a likely or not. i'm just plain curious, thanks.</p>
<p>and one last important question: do you find the cornell environment highly challenging?? i'm kind of person who could study every minute and not get bored, and maybe refresh with piano/guitar....will i be comfortable there [assuming i got in and decided to go?], more of the introvert</p>
<p>also about the dual degree, 5yr prog, is there any means by which you could finish in 4yrs thru acceleration?</p>
<p>They begin reading RD applications as soon as they finish with ED applications I would assume.</p>
<p>A real likely letter explicitly says "we are likely to let you in" (they CAN also send ones that say "we are unlikely to" but there is no point to this. It's obviously a good sign when they give you a call saying they like your essay, though.</p>
<p>Cornell's environment is highly challenging for sure. They don't call it the hardest ivy to get out of without some cause. It is challenging but managable. While you can party here and still do well, there are still many students who sound like the person you describe. The more I think about it the more Ezra Cornell's "Any Person Any Study" motto applies to Cornell. There really are all types of people here learning all different types of things.</p>
<p>If you took a very heavy number of credits each semester and some summer classes as well, and had some AP credit I don't see why one couldn't take a 5year in 4, but perhaps the requirements and sequence of the program prevent that and actually do require 5 years.</p>
<p>We were told that Cornell does not do 'likely letters' but the verbal yes from admissions relayed through the coach was very solid. They then told my son 'just don't get arrested and don't flunk out' and we'll see you on campus in September.</p>
<p>We are not holding our breath for December 15, but haven't given the big sigh of relief and huge whoop of euphoria yet either!</p>
<p>Although we were told in August that Cornell didn't do likely letters ... my son got a letter <em>today</em> that sure looks like a likely letter to me! </p>
<p>It says that it is very unusual to send a letter such as this to an applicant, but they decided to send a few of these "likely to be admitted" letters to a select group of recruited athletes.</p>