I Have Recently Fallen In Love With Cornell's ILR School.....

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>....and I was wondering whether I should give it a shot. If so, this will probably replace Kenyon or UChicago in schools I am applying to (yes, I'm trying to keep a cap on the number I apply to). Anyways, this place seems like exactly what I want from the info they sent me, but I will continue to research it further. I also have fairly extensive human resources experience, if that helps any. Here's my thread....</p>

<p>Ok, here it goes...</p>

<p>Major- Undecided in ILR</p>

<p>Location- Ohio (too bad its not N Dakota or some obscure state, but I still love Ohio)</p>

<p>GPA- 3.69 UW/ 3.74ish W with toughest curriculum possible. Will be taking courses at local CC this winter like composition and communications, along with a physics and foreign language course.</p>

<p>Rank- top 20/100- in any other class that has graduated from my school, this would easily put me in the top 10, if not the top 5 percent. But unfortunately, my class is the most competitive in recent history, requiring at least a 3.94 UW to crack the top ten percent. </p>

<p>Competition at my school in my grade level is fierce, everyone is bloodthirsty, and many cheat (and thus have really weak standardized test scores, especially considering that I have the highest PSAT, APUSH, ASVAB and SAT score in the school, along with the 2nd highest ACT score in the school) :0</p>

<p>Will the admission offices pay attention?</p>

<p>Standardized Tests</p>

<p>SAT- 670 CR
680 Math
750 Writing (12 essay)
1350 Composite, 2100 Cumulative)
* I hope to raise this to a 1400/2200*</p>

<p>ACT- 31 Composite (same superscored)
32 Math
30 reading
32 English (9 essay)
30 science
<em>maybe will take again, but I will put emphasis on the SAT, since I think there is more potential there. I guess I'll find be finding out come October</em></p>

<p>AP Human Geo- 5
APUSH- 4 (highest score achieved in my school's program history)
AP Gov't- 4
AP World- 3, but not too bad for using only a week to study it.....</p>

<p>This year, I will take AP Enviro Sci, AP Micro, AP Macro, AP Calc AB, and AP Psychology self-study. I am the only person in my school to ever self-study AP's (in case you care).</p>

<p>SAT subject tests (really bad, WILL RETAKE with goal of 700+. Taking these bad boys "straight-up" doesn't work well.)</p>

<p>Literature-590
Math II-610
Physics-640 (I'm horrible at Physics... actually proud of this score)</p>

<p>PSAT-199 (this makes me really mad- missed commended by two points)</p>

<p>Curriculum</p>

<p>I will have 5 English credits, 5.5 History/Social Science credits, 4.5 Math credits, 4 science credits, 2.5 Computer/business education credits, 1 art credit, and 4 foreign language credits. I have a consistent A average everywhere but science, where my average is about a B-(two stupid C+'s knocked this), and my art (band) class, where my average was a B.</p>

<p>I have taken the hardest curriculum available at my school, which only has two AP classes. Our idea of an advanced track is to place students in with students from the grade ahead on the lower track (for instance, I took my Geometry class as a freshman with about 14 sophomores, 2 juniors, and 1 senior. Sad, but we did make it through the whole textbook) However, I am trying to supplement this with self-study AP's and other means.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars</p>

<p>Cross-Country- 6 yr devotee (horrible at it, but I still love it and it has taught me a lot of life lessons. Probably my most significant EC)</p>

<p>Track- 5 yrs (see above)</p>

<p>Academic Quiz Team- 4 yrs, arguably best on team during all seasons, second place at conference all three years.</p>

<p>4-H- 7 yrs, went to state for all years of high school career, and finished second with my projects on consumer science (finance), and finished third in the state for advanced photography. I will also soon be participating in a program through 4-H that they are in charge of that educates juvenille driving offenders about the potential consequences of their actions (usually mandatorily instated by the judge in juvenille traffic violation cases)</p>

<p>NHS- 3 year, inducted at earliest time possible. Unlike most schools, it IS a big deal at my school, with many fundraising drives for leukemia paitents and other causes.</p>

<p>Environmental competition- (3 yrs.) finished second out of 70 teams in our region, 15th in state</p>

<p>JETS Engineering- 2 years (this is just kinda for fun, but our advisor thinks we will be very competitive at a national level next year)</p>

<p>Model UN- 3 years- drafted significant (albeit humurous) legislation</p>

<p>Prom Committee-1 year (and I didn't even go to prom...)</p>

<p>Student Council- 3 years (yes, this is just for fun, but it is pretty cool and we organize all of the school dances and other school pride stuff)</p>

<p>Buckeye Boys State- Shot high, wound up down low. Great experience, though </p>

<p>Local televised quiz show- Pure awesomeness!!!! Wish us luck </p>

<p>may start a business club or ACT prep class or help young kids read in elementary school.</p>

<p>We might also bring back Mock Trial or the Fed Challenge, which I would try to participate in if offered, esecially since finance and law are like my two favorite things...</p>

<p>Work Experience</p>

<p>Work at a robotics shop near columbus. Have done quotes for some machining, sales, etc.</p>

<p>Student Aid in office, and I actually do a lot of work, deal with sensitive documents like transcripts, enrollment cards, anything else you could think of, etc. (part of my human resources experience). Best part of the school day. I also aid for my favorite teacher now, as well (who also happens to do everything around school, and yes, I participate in all of it)</p>

<p>I work for my dad at his shop and deal mainly with human resources material.</p>

<p>I'm also going to try and get a classic teenager job (but I am still going to try and get my dream job of selling refrigerators at hhgregg.... the unofficial best job ever) once this college craziness winds down and all of the service jobs around here stop being taken by laid-off autoworkers, LOL!!!!!</p>

<p>Community service</p>

<p>Only have done about 150 hours, extremely unlikely I will do more, even though I enjoy it. However, the reason I haven't (or probably won't) do more is because I have to help care for my grandmother, whose health is getting worse. I have been doing this for many years now. Btw, the number of hours comes from mandatory service for NHS, 4-H, AP Gov't, and other organizations that I participate in. This doesn't include student aiding, which easily quadruples this total.</p>

<p>Awards
(yes, this is almost over. Thanks for sticking around and reading this miserably long post)</p>

<p>Citizenship award- quite proud of this. Only one is offered each year, and I have been the lucky recipient two years in a row.</p>

<p>Won outstanding at state in 4-H two years in a row.</p>

<p>Scholar Athlete</p>

<p>AP Scholar with Honor</p>

<p>Honor Roll/Principal's list for entire H.S career</p>

<p>Got 2nd in Envirothon</p>

<p>Homecoming Court</p>

<p>I'm really weak on these.</p>

<p>So anyways, that's me. Any suggestions are welcome, and I am mainly looking for advice and chances, if you care. I also apologize if the formatting is awkward, because I typed this up on my phone.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>ILR is a school, not a college, so your major will be ILR; you can’t be “undecided”. Basically, you have to prove you are a fit for the school. Do that well and you’re in. Stats aren’t anything spectacular for ILR (it will be even more competitive this year because of the recession and the fact that NYSers get a tuition break), but they’re fine as long as you can prove you are a strong fit (I’m assuming you’ll do something on the application to explain that class rank though).</p>

3

<p>Low SATs/ACTs yet highest in the school, while everyone else gets 3.9+ GPA indicates HUGE grade inflation.</p>

4

<p>A 4 is the highest your school has ever seen on the APUSH exam? That also suggests that it isn’t a very strong high school :/</p>

5

<p>If you could pull your ACT to a 33+ then maybe you will have a decent chance. Fit is a very important factor for specialized colleges like ILR. Your rank and gpa will pull you down, but you should definitely try. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility.</p>

6

<p>My school isn’t exactly rigorous, that’s why I supplemented my own curriculum with self-study AP’s and CC courses.</p>

<p>Also, thanks for the responses!!! I know I need to work on ACT/SAT, and 34 is actually what I’m shooting for. Also sorry that I posted undecided as a major, I just got the impression originally reading through the info that it was a labor-focused business school (and would have majors like Management, Economics, etc.). The advice has been helpful!!!</p>

7

<p>^Actually, dong a re-read of this thread to update info made me realize all of the info posted SUCKS except for Posts 2 and 5. If you want to post suckish advice, fine; I will do a glance-over and not give it a second thought. Try spending you HS years in a school which is 50% modular and we’ll see where your academic standards are. [/rant]</p>

<p>Anyways, simple ACT update. I bumped my score to a 32, with 33 math, and I saw that I have to send my Math II Subject test score, which is a 610 (god-awful, I know :(). I think my essays will be good (The only one not completed is “Why?” essay). </p>

<p>I have much Human Resource experience in the school guidance office and at my job for my dad. I also have a strong, proven interest and talent in the social sciences and want to become a MC or lawyer with proven track record, if they care about that. I’m pretty sure that I can express these points in my “Why?” essay.</p>

8

<p>Take into account that Cornell does not look at the writing scores on the SAT.
They only look at your scores out of 1600.</p>

9

<p>You DO NOT have to send that SAT Subject Test, as the ACT met all the testing requirements for ILR (you only need the SAT II in Math if you took the SAT I instead of the ACT). As for your hating on the, well, haters…I wouldn’t brush off what they said (these threads aren’t just for “Go ahead and apply”, they’re a form of peer review to help YOU strengthen your application). It IS something that adcoms are going to see. It IS something that will have an effect on your chances. Bitc*ing about your school doesn’t help. If it’s so easy, why aren’t you one of the kids with a 3.9? I have no idea what your situation is and I’m not judging you at all, but you need to think about what the adcoms are going to be thinking about and respond accordingly. You don’t want them asking these questions while they read your application, you want them to be reading the answers on your application. Utilize that additional info section. Talk to your GC about putting something in your rec about your situation. Heck, talk to your principal and have them write you a rec about your situation and how, despite the numbers, you are one of the strongest students in your class. Sell yourself to the adcoms, they aren’t clairvoyants. I applied ED to ILR (fell in love with the school AND the awesome financial aid initiatives that allowed me to apply ED) and I hope to see your name, along with a lot of other CCers–I think we all seem to really care about this process and our futures, on the ED and RD decisions threads.</p>

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<p>no matter what you do make sure you pick a major and don’t go undecided. what I mean is make sure the major you pick is one you like.</p>

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<p>^ILR only has one major so thats a moot point.</p>

<p>Your gpa is ok, and your test scores are good, your ecs seem pretty good so I’d say you certainly have a shot though its definitely a reach. Coming from Ohio will probably help a little, not as much as further Midwest, but I’m pretty sure Cornell doesn’t have that many applicants from Ohio though I don’t really know. Getting the highest grade ever from your school in APUSH sounds good, make sure you mention that somewhere.</p>

12

<p>Thanks so much, everyone. Great advice this time around :)</p>

<p>Sorry I got mad, but I was kinda hoping yesterday that I could do a quick read-through of my thread to help craft my “Why?” essay. When I saw that the main point of discussion was attacking my high school, I got frustrated.</p>

<p>Anyways, great to know about only sending ACT to Cornell ILR, Malan89. As for peer students that easily score 3.9+, the only real excuses that I can think of are that I’m not really in “the loop” socially, and they just study off of old papers/each other’s review from each class/etc., plus a healthy dose of cheating to obtain their desired grades. In addition, I made some stupid class decisions over the course of my HS career, like participating in Band my freshman year.</p>

13

<p>I think you are the type of student Cornell/ILR looks for; be certain to mediate on why the school attracts you so much. Good luck!</p>