<p>I just received an email from a local alumni who said he wanted to meet with me to talk about my application.</p>
<p>Re:bestwhit </p>
<p>Nope, I am 100% applying to CALS and got an interview. Its tomorrow, hence me being home on a saturday night, heh. He stressed it was an informal interview, but I am sure there is going to be some 'why' cornell component. </p>
<p>I've been looking around.. not everyone has gotten an interview for CALS. I'm not like on the fence or anything right? Its a good thing...right?</p>
<p>Gah, I haven't gotten any contacts from alumni yet!
I'm a HumEc applicant</p>
<p>ILR ED'er here in westchester ny and no call yet. Wierd because there should be tons of almni in the area.</p>
<p>cheers,
Mike</p>
<p>vitaebellaa, a few posts back I mentioned how I had gotten confused/ignore anything I say haha.
I got an interview too and I'm applying to CALS.</p>
<p>oops sorry, I have a bad habit of skim reading.</p>
<p>anyone else worried about applying in-state because of the budget cuts? I feel like its going to be harder for us to get in</p>
<p>well, "proposed" budget cuts</p>
<p>I am a CAAAN representative. CAAAN (Cornell alums) are asked to try to contact every applicant in our designated geographic area to arrange an informational meeting. We do not contact hotel, architecture or recruited athletes, and we are often unable to contact every applicant due to the high number of applications. If you are contacted by a CAAAN member, it is not an interview, but an opportunity for you to learn more about Cornell. At the end of the meeting, the Cornell alum WILL fill out a report containing anything that you would like to pass along to Cornell as well as any information the alum gleans from the meeting. If you are really interested in Cornell, and that is communicated through a CAAAN representative as well as your application materials, it will show and will be a positive in the application process. If I were applying to Cornell again, and really wanted to demonstrate how interested I was, I would make every effort to speak with an alum who will be submitting a report. Individual colleges at Cornell handle their applicant process in different ways. I do not know the impact of a direct contact from one of the colleges. Any questions? Please do not hesitate to PM me! I loved Cornell and have children and other relatives who have attended Cornell. Cornell truly is a place where there is something for everyone!</p>
<p>I'm kinda of worried about that, I'm in-state and applying to HumEc and there's a lot of competition this year</p>
<p>Thanx for the info CornellGrad. I think it is definitely important for anyone offered a chance to speak with a CAAAN rep to do so, if nothing else than to demonstrate their interest. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you are not offered an interview, don't fret. Some applicants Cornell is determined not to interview ;) I know when I was applying, I was never offered an interview. I requested one at one of their regional/local events and still didn't get an interview.</p>
<p>Well, hopefully I will get an interview. If not, should I contact Cornell and request one?</p>
<p>At CAAAN, we do our best not to refer to the meetings as interviews. The purpose is for the meeting to be more of an informational session for the applicant. If you are not contacted by a CAAAN representative, do not worry about it. Local CAAAN groups are frequently overwhelmed by applicants in the area. You should not contact Cornell about a CAAAN interview. If there is an available CAAAN member in your area, they will do their best to contact you. Good luck in the application process!</p>
<p>Thanks CornellGrad, I'll follow your advice. I'll probably come off as spoiled and impudent if I request a CAAAN interview.</p>
<p>Hopefully I'll get an interview, my classmate who is also applying to ILR got her call a few days ago.</p>
<p>Don't worry ChandlerBing. You wouldn't come off as spoiled or impudent, I'm sure they would understand that you are just very interested and anxious. Do what you need to do. </p>
<p>Because the CAAAN process is not an "interview" it won't really help you - but would more provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. Often early decision applicants are not contacted by CAAAN as quickly, since they have already made up their mind about Cornell (thus the early decision) and would not have any questions an alumni could answer as opposed to the regular decision applicants who have to make a choice between several institutions. </p>
<p>Try and relax and realize that you have done everything you could do for the last four years. Cornell really does look for fit and will not discount anyone solely on the basis of one piece of the application. Over the years, I've seen every combination of grades/test scores/EC rejected and accepted due primarily to fit. That's one of the best things about Cornell; there is such a variety amongst the student population.</p>
<p>to CornellGrad: is there anything we should prepare for? Like a list of questions? I know it's informal so we shouldn't dress up or anything but I'm sure there will be something like "Why Cornell?" right? I just don't want to be surprised by any questions and sound really nervous.</p>
<p>Thanks, CornellGrad, for the tips.
If I don't get contacted within a week or two I might request one, but then again I might not. I'm pretty sure Cornell knows I'm deeply interested in their school since I applied ED.</p>
<p>Guideme: If you have any specific questions, definitely ask them. Sometimes, you may have an alum who has been out a while and you may enjoy hearing about their experiences before, during and after Cornell. You could ask questions like "what did you enjoy most about Cornell" or "how has being a Cornell grad helped you". If the alumni is a recent grad, you can ask more specific details about campus life. Typically the meetings are held in a public place (coffee shop etc.), so you definitely don't need to dress up, but personally, I think it's always best to look somewhat professional. I've had students come in business suits (too much) and ripped jeans and tennis shoes (too little), so somewhere in between conveys the most professional image. Try to be yourself and realize that that the alum is excited to talk about Cornell, which is why that alum is volunteering their time. The alum will likely ask you "why Cornell," but I'm sure you've thought about that. Don't be nervous. View the alum meeting for what it is, a chance to meet someone who attended and benefited from Cornell. If you have something that you'd really like Cornell to know about that you do not believe is well-reflected in your application, don't hesitate to let the alum know. The alum will fill out a report that is sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office, so the adcoms will see it. The report does not have any weight, but if you need to communicate something, the report may be an appropriate vehicle. Have fun at the meeting and be yourself!</p>