Enough? Too high? Too low? You call!

Colleges & Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Taiwanese - International from Canada (dual citizenship) - immigrated to Canada in 2003</p>

<p>My counselor said she will only send out gr. 10~12 grades because our report card/transcript system is basically screwed. -.-...</p>

<p>Academic Unweighted: 4.0
Academic Weighted: 4.4</p>

<p>Ranking: Top 5 (but my counselor may not even put the rank)</p>

<p>School: Cornell Art and Science ED - something related to biochemistry?</p>

<p>SAT I: 2140 - gonna retake in October
CR: 650/ M: 780/ W: 710 (12/12)
SAT II: Math IIC 800/ Chinese with Listening 800/ Biology E 800/ Chemistry 800
TOEFL: 115/120</p>

<p>AP: waiting for results... took AP biology, chem, chinese and culture, and calculus AB without extra studying (I just went and took the tests with things I had learned in IB)</p>

<p>Courses: IB Diploma</p>

<p>IB math HL
IB biology SL
IB english HL
IB chemistry HL
IB mandarin HL
IB geography HL
TOK</p>

<p>Most most most most rigorous available (I have 5 HLs... over the limit - I MUST switch one HL to SL next year)</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Swimming ~ approx 5 - 6 hours a week
Plan to found water polo team next year XDXD!!!!
Captain and Founder of School Swim Team (I am new to this school)
Swim Team Member of Previous School
2nd place in breast stroke in the city
4th place in freestyle in the city</p>

<p>Piano ~ approx 8 hours a week
Vancouver Kiwanis Competition 3rd in Beethoven
Gr. 10 Piano Practical, Royal Conservatory of Music
Gr. 9 Piano Practical, RCM
Gr. 8 Piano Practical, RCM
Gr. 3/5 Harmony, RCM
Gr. 3/4 History, RCM
Gr. 2/5 Rudiment, RCM
Gr. 1/5 Rudiment, RCM
Preliminary Rudiment, RCM
Attended 5 regional concerts</p>

<p>Leadership ~ approx 2 hours a week
Volunteered at local library since gr. 10
Read stories to kids at the library
Organized school singing contest - sold over 320 tickets</p>

<p>Model United Nations ~ (may not put this on the application)
Attended Canadian High School Model United Nations 2008 (CAHSMUN)
representing Kenya</p>

<p>Thank you very, very much for spending your time. Any comments, recommendations would be sincerely appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Wow, that’s pretty ridiculous. 5 HL courses? Amazing swimming and music, I’d say you’re in. FYI, I’m a Canadian class of 2012, and besides test scores, I’d say your stats are better than mine. Just get them up a little and you’re fine.</p>

3

<p>I did swim, piano , and took AP courses! hahahahhah</p>

<p>Your app was like mine but way better esp the SAT scores. For me i totally forgot about placing in swim stuff ( league champs, and city champs). I probably shouldn’t of said i was jv captain and just put captian… </p>

<p>i didnt get in but you should be fine !!! </p>

<p>good luck, how do you have time for everything ? i nearly cracked jr year.</p>

4

<p>lol i didnt have that many ECs… and i have lower SAT scores, and no AP/IB cuz my school doesnt offer them. And i got in. lol. you’re fine. Apply ED, and you’re 100% in. no doubt. Just remember to put some thought and planning in your college essays</p>

5

<p>Thank you guys for your encouraging comments. I think I got through my I.B. junior year because of my time management. I did not do as well as I expected at the beginning of my junior year due to transition from regular classes to I.B., but I mean… I just learned from my mistakes and improved along the way.</p>

6

<p>You will get in, those stats are ridiculous. If you want a little bit more certainty score 50 points better on the SAT, write a good essay, and apply ED.</p>

7

<p>Here are some new updates:</p>

<p>Awards:
Top Student in Multiple School Subjects
Scholarship from Government approx $500
Rick Hansen Service Award
School Service Award
Principal Honour Roll throughout High School
AP Scholar with Honour (not distinction, my bad)</p>

<p>and</p>

<p>AP Chinese - 5
AP Calculus AB - 5
AP Biology - 5
AP Chemistry - 3 (@$@#%#$!)</p>

<p>Schools I am going to ED:
Primary: Agriculture and Life Science (Biological Science)
Secondary: Art and Science (I already know what I am going to write for essay ^^ I wanna kick ass la essay ~) (Biological Science)</p>

<p>And… I am NOT going to med-school ^^. (Most likely going to combine disciplines from biology and business.)</p>

<p>EC Update:
Co-Founded a program named I.M.M.E.R.S.E., aimed at giving free music lessons to children in poverty. I am currently collaborating with city volunteer service and the food bank as well as local library and art centre.</p>

<p>GPA Update (I am using the UC system):
Unweighted GPA (academics only): 4.0
Unweighted GPA: 3.97ish
Weighted GPA: 4.35</p>

<p>Next Year’s Courseload:</p>

<p>I.B. Diploma + Vocal Jazz + Physics courses at community college (counselor won’t let me take them in-school; she said my courseload is insane…)</p>

<p>Spirit:
Cornell is the BEST SCHOOL ON EARTH! Period.</p>

<p>Any more thoughts, comments? And to be more pragmatic, how can I improve now?
I know I should try to boost up my SAT Reasoning score (I spend quite some time studying now, especially for CR.)</p>

<p>Ahhh… and I kept forgetting this:</p>

<p>I have work experience. I have worked as a teaching assistance at a private tutoring centre for over a year now. I spend approximately 3 hours a week (not too much) in managing files, prepping for teachers’ lectures, finding published materials, (basically like an assistance…-.-…) etc.</p>

8

<p>Those stats are by no means “ridiculous” as one of the above posters put it. You are average among applicants to Cornell. I would even contest that you are at the bottom end of the SAT score spectrum. Yea, Piano and Swimming are great, but unless you’re ridiculously accomplished in each of those, you are going to be like a lot of other applicants. Sorry to break it to you man, you need to show a lot of accomplishments if you’re going to bank on your ECs. Your awards aren’t going to be that huge. You’ve got kids who are NMFs and stuff. I’d say your are average for Cornell. You might get into the Ag school, depending on what major you apply to, probably no the sciency ones. Arts and sciences, I’d say you aren’t going to get in.</p>

9

<p>^I think your overestimating how difficult it is to get in cornell2011. His/her grades are perfect(or near perfect if you count non academic classes), and sats are good, math score is great, sat2s great, and ecs are fine, not outstanding but certainly solid. He/she has an excellent chance of admission, by no means is it guaranteed, as it never is, but an excellent chance nontheless.</p>

10

<p>First of all… cornell2011, I appreciate your comment. However, I have several things I cannot comprehend. </p>

<p>No. 1:
“You’ve got kids who are NMFs and stuff.”</p>

<p>You’re stuffing American standard into an international student. If I remember correctly, only American citizens are eligible for NMFs. And yes, I know there are intel finalists and children who have excelled in specific fields, but there are also kids who dedicate to local communities instead of focusing on grandiose visions.</p>

<p>No. 2:
“I would even contest that you are at the bottom end of the SAT score spectrum.”</p>

<p>I understand my CR is my main weakness, and I am working really hard to improve my abilities in that section. Cornell will understand that I was an ESL student and that I achieved excellent score on my TOEFL exam. (Note: the highest mark in greater Vancouver is 116/120.) Nonetheless, I cannot accept that I am “at the bottom end of th SAT score spectrum.” Please do some research and post your source before you post your comment.</p>

<p>No. 3:
“You might get into the Ag school, depending on what major you apply to, probably no the sciency ones. Arts and sciences, I’d say you aren’t going to get in.”</p>

<p>I actually consider my chances for Arts and sciences greater than those for Agriculture, since A&LS is a state-funded school. </p>

<p>No. 4:
“You might get into the Ag school, depending on what major you apply to, probably no the sciency ones.”</p>

<p>I have stated really clearly my intended major. I hope you have finished reading my whole post before making assertions.</p>

<p>While I disagree with some of your comments, I appreciate your other comments, which include “Yea, Piano and Swimming are great, but unless you’re ridiculously accomplished in each of those, you are going to be like a lot of other applicants.” And I am trying to show my passion through the I.M.M.E.R.S.E. program. (I plan to dedicate my essay on it, and I have found common ground in this field with Cornell.) </p>

<p>Prism123: Thank you for your encouraging remark. While I understand it is difficult to get in Cornell as an international student and understand that there are myriad of students who have better awards and ECs, I am willing to try and see what happens. Afterall, I believe Cornell is for me.</p>

11

<p>That’s a lot of 800s on SAT IIs. But don’t tell people to do their research if you make statements like this:

</p>

12

<p>DaFunk: I am alluding to the small(er) presence of internationals in A&LS (in comparison to non-contact colleges), and other contact colleges for that matter. I don’t know what you mean…? And… I am applying to A&LS as my no. 1 choice… so I don’t understand…</p>

<p>Is there a misunderstanding?</p>

13

<p>lol k since lots of people said great things a few people are rebutting them just so that u don’t get too over confident. But I do agree that u have a good chance to get in. U have great marks and I think if u apply ED u will get in. I’m glad to hear u love the school because I do too and Cornell really is the greatest. GL with everything and I hope to see u roaming our beautiful campus!</p>

14

<p>BigRed!!: LOL I think I am taking people’s comments too serious. I think I should just calm down and start to work on SAT + work + enjoy my swimming again ~ </p>

<p>Tks for chilling me XD…</p>

<p>My sincere apologies to DaFunk, and cornell2011. Please excuse my rash comments and ignore my posts above…</p>

<p>May wish you all have a fabulous summer. (heading to sleep…)</p>

15

<p>

I was sort of drunk last night. I don’t really remember what my point was.</p>

16

<p>To the OP, I misread your SAT scores, and I thought they were six-hundreds not 7. My bad. Yea, I’d say your CR score is a little weak for the even the Ag school, but your math is solid. You might want to get your writing score up. Also, I would suggest that if you want to get into the Ag school, that you show a lot of passion in your particular field of study, because that’s how mainly look at people. Additionally, by no means is Arts and Sciences easier than Ag. The stats for Arts are 13% admissions rate or something. It is after the most applied to out of all the colleges at Cornell, and the students tend to be more generally better, as you’ve got in-state applicants applying to the contract colleges. I’m sorry if my tone was harsh, but I was just trying to get across- that you should not get too confident, as I’ve seen kids with better scores and better ECs rejected. It frustrated me that some of the posters were saying sure thing, when it actually isn’t a sure thing. The amount of variables that are considered in admissions, is ridiculous and you never know. Apply, and see what happens.</p>

17

<p>Def enjoy swimming, its a great activity. I wish I had kept up with it during the 9 months between high school seasons so I didn’t have to start from scratch each year and thus never really got any good. Oh well.</p>

18

<p>Yah I’ll definitely apply ED!!!</p>

<p>And also… I forgot to add the following under my swimming EC:</p>

<p>Life Saving Society of Canada - Bronze Star + CPR
Red Cross Canada - AquaQuest 11/12 and 12/12</p>

<p>cornell2011: I understand that admission is never a sure thing, and I will not be complacent toward my accomplishments.</p>

<p>May wish you have a fabulous summer.
And also… I went on Cornell’s website and looked at Cornell live… and I didn’t see a single student… -.-… Is everyone gone?</p>

19

<p>Are you sure you’d rather apply to the Ag school over Arts and Science?</p>

<p>Personally, I’d rather go to the Arts and Science… I’m guessing that’s where all the famous professors taught at… Feynman, Bethe, Sagan, Bill Nye(?). And you don’t really seem like a person interested in agriculture (But then again, I guess a lot of kids there aren’t). What are your reasons for choosing CALS over CAS, other than the one you already stated?</p>

20

<p>i thought writing section of the SAT didn’t count as part of the admissions factor for cornell?</p>

<p>can anyone please clarify? ><</p>