<p>I was recently wait-listed at Cornell, and I likely would have accepted a spot in the class of 2017 if I had been admitted. However, I was accepted to the University of Michigan, and I love Ann Arbor. Both schools seem to be fairly consistent in rankings for engineering schools (I plan to pursue either chemical or biomedical engineering), but are the rankings that important? Also, is the prestige of an Ivy that much better than, say, a Michigan? I know Michigan and Cornell are vastly different in what they offer outside of the classroom, but I'm just curious as to whether or not I should stay on the wait list for Cornell. Oh, and lastly, money is not an issue. I'm out-of-state for Michigan, so there is little difference in cost between the two schools for me.</p>
<p>Unless you’re sure you will not consider Cornell, you might as well put yourself on the waitlist. It costs nothing, you don’t have to do anything besides accept the waitlist offer, and you don’t have to go even if you are accepted. Since you “likely would have accepted a spot in the class of 2017 if I had been admitted,” there’s no reason not to stay on the waitlist.</p>
<p>Cornell didn’t go to its WL in the last few years because they over admitted. The year my kid was WL (5 years ago), they took few hundred kids off. If you are serious about Cornell, wait for few weeks to send them an updated packet (essay, LOR, transcript), then forget about it until after first week of May.</p>
<p>I’m not sure where you got that information, but Cornell did in fact go to its waitlist last year, at least for certain colleges.</p>
<p>Anyway, at the bare minimum, keep yourself on the waitlist - there is literally zero downside. If you want to try to give yourself up, then do what the above said and send a ‘packet.’</p>
<p>As a current member of the waitlist I am going to advise you to not accept a spot.</p>
<p>I don’t believe Cornell went to its WL last year. They offered few GT at the end. I could be wrong, but I didn’t see anyone get off the WL. I think they had to put people in lounges because they over admitted.</p>