<p>Does it lower your chances to apply to a contract, statutory college when you come from out of state even though it technically has a higher acceptance rate than other endowed schools?</p>
<p>My best answer this age-old question is "yes or no, depending on the answer to the magic question" (and you'll see what I mean by that below). At first glance, it shouldn't matter, because an applicant is an applicant, whether they're from Syracuse or San Diego. But the first question the admissions officer is going to ask herself is: "is this person just trying to get the Cornell degree through the easiest route of admittance?" In other words, are you a true fit for the ILR school or Ag school or whatever? If it's clear from your application that labor relations is your background and life's mission, you have the same (or better) chance of admission to the ILR school as anyone from New York State. If not, then I'd tend to think that your chances of admission are actually worse, because you're probably less likely to attend because you're from out of state, and they're not dying to grant admission to people who they know aren't likely to accept. Not to mention who may not be happy there or stay there. In other words, if your academic record is so strong, why wouldn't you go to some branch of your local California state system and be closer to home and with a group of predominantly California kids and pay reduced tuition...than to go off to Cornell, far from home, pay much more tuition, and be with a group of predominantly New York kids? If your application doesn't scream a clear answer to that magic question, then I think your chances are going to be slim.</p>