<p>I have already sent my deposit to Cornell, but am having cold feet. I called the University of Delaware (my other top choice) and was told I could still have a spot in the entering class if I wanted it.
I think I want to do either chemE or something else marketable in the environmental field (and DE has a pretty cool program for "Energy and Environmental Policy") and also ranks very high for Chem E (higher than Cornell, even).
My question is twofold:
1) If I so chose, can I still get out of Cornell (as I applied ED)?
2) Would it be a mistake to pass up an Ivy for a public state school like UDel?</p>
<p>I know Cornell is a great school, but its also far away and the weather sucks. And it is my understanding that everyone pretty much does not do very well in their classes, not because they're not smart, but because thats just how it is. I need at least a 2.7 to keep a 7k a year engineering scholarship.</p>
<p>That and I feel the only thing that draws me Cornell is the prestige factor. What is that really worth? Especially for a BS engineering degree? Should that play such a huge role in decision making??</p>
<p>Please answer quickly as I need to make phone calls today!!</p>
<p>this is a very common problem…lots of kids get “cold feet” after making their decision. and since you made yours so long ago, you have had lots of time to worry over this.</p>
<p>at one point, you thought Cornell was perfect enough that you committed to going if accepted ED…why? only you can answer that. </p>
<p>Cornell also offers a 5 year BS/MS program - my son’s Engineering roommates all did this - I think that’s an advantage.</p>
<p>The weather - you aren’t comparing Ithaca to Miami or San Diego - you are comparing it to Delaware…um, is Delaware’s weather that great? both my Memphis raised kids survived 4 years in Ithaca. </p>
<p>uh, arent you not allowed to matriculate in another college if you got in ED? that’d be breaking the rules and you could possibly be barred from Delaware if you remove your deposit from Cornell.</p>
<p>You signed a commitment to attend Cornell if you were admitted ED when you filled out the Common App. Unless you can show that your financial aid is not adequate, you are bound to go to Cornell. If you applied ED without knowing anything about Cornell, then you have only yourself to blame.
Your guidance counselor will insist you attend Cornell, because if you don’t, it will reflect badly on your school and impact the chances of future applicants. Colleges do NOT like this. So suck it up and go to an Ivy League school. Jeez.
And your older posts indicate you had no idea you had to apply for FA when you filled out your application–so now I assume Cornell overlooked your failure to apply for fin aid, given you $$$, accepted you early, and you’re thinking UDel is a better option? Maybe Cornell SHOULD let you out of your obligation.</p>
<p>Wow are you serious? Go to Cornell. Your gpa is less important for engineering jobs, they get that engineering is hard. But what school you go to matters a lot, for your whole career. Not to mention Cornell has a pretty great social scene and you’ll have a much stronger alumni network. Cornell all the way. Don’t think twice.</p>
<p>LOL redshoes…click ur heels back to kansas…‘reflect badly on her school…?’ ‘colleges do NOT like this…?’ IT’S NOT THEIR DECISION! WHO CARES WHAT ANYONE THINKS - it’s HER decision ‘so now I assume…’ <– exactly, u don’t know the whole picture, but u have no problem passing judgment that nobody really cares to read, then conclude with ‘maybe cornell SHOULD let you out of your obligation’ …lol, whatta joke</p>
<p>I was in sort of the same position a few years ago…I understand the indecisiveness because “all-important” higher education isn’t really as all-important as virtually everyone makes it sound…imo, ur careful analysis of the whole situation reflects well-roundedness and good character - the kids who blindly go to an ivy-league will blindly go thru all their decisions by only viewing what’s on the surface…trying to getta job? –> internships, gpa and social skills are more vital than which school u go to - cornell vs. delaware in the long-run? –> doesn’t really matter unless u wanna become a doctor or a professor or get involved in research…statistically, the choice to go to college is a smart one (but EVEN choosing NOT to go to college isn’t THAT bad…i know many people who are far better off financially personally etc with ONLY a high school degree than are people with 4-year degrees from “reputable” schools), but WHICH school? come on…u think there’s some hidden underground library of books that only ivy-leaguers have access to? –> they’d probably like to think there is =P
Re-nigging on early decision? who cares (except pretentious d0uche bags who think life = education)?! YOU’RE 17 or 18! you’re supposed to not know what to do, how to do it, etc!
I wouldn’t higher an ivy-leaguer out of fear for him being socially inept and an over-achieving whiny annoyance…he’d hafta prove himself in an interview and with social activities
Important: GPA, internships, social activities, test scores if going to grad school</p>
<p>The fact remains that this person signed a contract saying they would go to Cornell if accepted and withdraw all other applications. That’s the deal he or she made when deciding to apply ED.
Just because this person now has cold feet does not remove the obligation to honor the commitment.</p>
<p>Would be really interested to know how the OP’s guidance office handled this…when he/she was accepted ED to Cornell, and received her FA package, ALL other applications were supposedly withdrawn (or were supposed to be)…</p>
<p>In addition, if they had not even been submitted yet, they should not have sent transcripts to UDel…</p>
<p>simple - ask Cornell to release you from your admission ed. contrary to a lot of what you may read here, they may simply say fine and good luck. they may even return the deposit.
if you have good reasons to go to another school, UDEL or elsewhere, then at least try.
Post here and let us know how you made out.
My prediction - cornell says no problem, but they won’t return the deposit.
If you explain that UDEL makes more financial sense, they will let you out of your commitment - in my opinion.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why anyone would actually want to go to UDel over Cornell, regardless of financial issues. Wait… I do understand – because they don’t have any idea what they are doing.</p>
<p>My guess is that Cornell will release you from your ED agreement to attend UDel … I’ve always heard issues arise when someone tries to back out of an ED agreement of a highly selective school to switch to another highly selective school … switching to a mcuh less expensive alternative is not typically an issue. </p>
<p>SecondToGo also applied to both UDel and Cornell … and he (and I) both liked UDel a lot … I certainly can see the draw.</p>
<p>That said I am left wondering how your UDel application was left active?</p>
<p>yeah…pretty sure applying ED means it was your top choice and you want to go…why would you apply ED if you didnt love it? i got in ED too…but only because it was the school for me and i didnt want to go anywhere else…well as much. so you kind of need to go…and whats the worst thing that happens? you end up at cornell? and aamazing and fun school?..dont see why your freakin out so much. besides cornell is a better school than UD just in general so your not making a dumb choice either</p>
<p>I know this is late, but I really hope you chose Cornell. I’m from Florida - I don’t know where you’re from, but if you’re worried about distance and weather, I think I win. Everybody complains about Ithaca weather, but even I made it through just fine - and I had never before seen snow. In my LIFE. EVER.</p>
<p>I am also an engineer - Electrical and Computer Engineering. Though my first semester was kind of rocky, I had no problem keeping my GPA above a 2.7. And though my GPA is not the 4.2 it was in high school, it’s the norm to have a kind-of low-ish GPA. So this is where prestige comes in - a lot of people have to worry about having a high GPA and sorts to get a job after getting their BS, but this isn’t so for us, because we’re graduating from a school that everyone knows is rigorous and reputable.</p>
<p>I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to go to Cornell, just like you. I was worried about the weather, and how hard it would be, and all of that stuff. But I am being completely, 100% truthful when I say it was THE BEST decision I have ever made. I can’t wait to go back in August to begin my sophomore year.</p>
<p>PS - You said you’re “thinking” about ChemE - the good thing about Cornell is that if you change your mind (and a lot of us do!), you don’t have to worry about getting a degree from a school that isn’t so great in whatever field you major in.</p>