<p>I have phone phobia, so before I call cornell, I wanted to ask former GT students or people like me! (CALS GT for fall 2009, for Science of Natural and Environmental Systems)
Few questions.</p>
<li><p>Before I go to Cornell, I’m debating if I should go to Colby College or Stony Brook University. Colby’s small, less courses offered, so what if Cornell doesn’t count the credits of the courses I took?! Stony is just like my high school all over again…Closer to my home though…Money’s not a problem. Colby gave me lots. I’m pretty sure Stony would too.</p></li>
<li><p>I know this sounds absurd, but my parents wants me to do the whole appeal thing. Write a letter to Cornell or call them saying that I want to go to Cornell starting from my freshmen year. But I haven’t done any major thing except continuing in my Envirothon competition and taking College Now Program at Queens College and other clubs. But I’m kind of worried if I would be really attached to Colby (if I go there) and wouldn’t want to transfer. That’s horrible. I am very close with this teacher from my middle school and one of her daughter went to Cornell, and I can ask her to write an appeal letter…? I know it wouldn’t work, but they already accepted me for 2009 (well, not really, guaranteed, but still…) and I want to start my college experience from Cornell!!! MY DREAM SCHOOL!!!</p></li>
<li><p>If I choose a college, I have to call Cornell for the course review like, right now, right? Cuz the letter said something like “it’s not our fault if the college you chose doesn’t offer such courses. no transfer for you, missy.” Scared…</p></li>
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<p>I'm a CALS GT for Fall 2008, majoring in Development Sociology. </p>
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<li><p>If you're committed to the GT, check with Cornell to see whether the courses at Colby will transfer before you make your decision of where to go next year. In the GT info I got last year, they recommended emailing course descriptions to the admissions office (I believe it's <a href="mailto:als_admissions@cornell.edu">als_admissions@cornell.edu</a>) to make sure that they meet the requirement. Check Colby's course requirements and descriptions--you might want to call them before you call Cornell! In terms of adjusting to life/liking the school more/getting away from the kids you went to high school with, that's pretty much your call. I decided to stay home for a year to fulfill my GT requirements, and that choice had major pros and major cons just like any other would.</p></li>
<li><p>If you think you have enough of a case to appeal, by all means, do it. Just know that it rarely has an effect (from what I've heard--I didn't do it myself). </p></li>
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<p>As for getting really attached to Colby and not wanting to go to Cornell in a year's time, that's the main reason I stayed at home and took my classes at a community college instead of going to UVA. That, and I wasn't positive I'd be able to keep my grades up with so many distractions. ;)</p>
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<li>I emailed Cornell my course descriptions in July. I had lots of course options, though, because community colleges don't really have course requirements. :) It'd be a good idea to send course descriptions from both Stony Brook and Colby to Cornell to make sure that they both will transfer. Then you can make your decision on where to go next year based on where you actually want to be, not whether or not you'll be able to get to Cornell from there. :)</li>
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<p>Hope this helped! I'd be happy to answer any of your other questions, as well.</p>