<p>I wrote two common app essays and am debating which one to choose. I think both are strong essays that offer insight about myself, but I would feel better with someone else's opinion. </p>
<p>In the significant experience essay, I wrote about my family moving from China to the US when I was in the 3rd grade and how my life changed. In the diversity essay, I talked about my personality,my skills/interest in engineering, and how that would benefit engineering activities at Cornell. Is it a good idea to talk about moving to the US at a young age for the significant experience essay. By the way, I'll be applying to the college of engineering. </p>
<p>Asian Male
GPA: 3.815(weighted)
SAT: 2240(780 Math, 700 CR, 760 Writing)
AP: Calc BC(4), US History(4), AP Eng(3), AP Comp Sci(5), French(4)
Senior AP: Eng2, Euro, MacroEconomics, Statistics
Activities: FBLA, Math Honor Society(VicePresident), Academic Team
Sports: no school sports
Volunteer: Local Hostpital and library
Work: Part-Time at consulting company(fixed computers and such)
Rank: High school doesn't rank(doesn't release info about percent either), very competitive high school(princeton, NJ), class of 600.</p>
<p>What are my chances for ED?</p>
<p>Sorry for the long post guys....Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Princeton, NJ, huh? You wouldn't happen to go to one of the WW-P schools, do you?</p>
<p>Your chances look good...the GPA is a bit lower then an average student, I'd say, but they're close enough where it shouldn't really matter. EC's aren't great, but still good. ED should definitely help, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were accepted. Then again, admissions are a crapshoot, so you never know.</p>
<p>dtop,
yeah i go to West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional district. Its just so tough around here. But do you think that my SAT score make up for my average GPA? </p>
<p>Anyone, comments on the essays?</p>
<p>Also, my school doesn't rank, but the top student has a GPA around 4.5. So, far there thankfully no applicants to Cornell for ED. I have got mostly A- in honors classes and B+s in my AP, except Calculus and Computer Science in which I got an A.</p>
<p>I am also a recently arrived immigrant (7th grade) but from my personal point of view, I would stay away from the typical "I just moved here...blah blah blah...it was difficult...blah blah blah...but I overcame it" because the deals are:</p>
<pre><code> First, of course you must have overcome it, why else would you be applying to school like Cornell?
Second, moving here 3rd grade has given you a lot of time to adapt and catch up. So you're not that much different than a native student.
And third, a lot of applicants are immigrants or international students who will probably write about the same situation you're in (or even worse). Imagine reading your current topic and multiply that by thousands. How significant will that be?
</code></pre>
<p>I like your second topic a WHOLE LOT better! I did the same for my Human Ecology, I talked about my interest and my skills and what I can contribute to the school and post-school.</p>
<p>Yah I would just completely stay away from immigration experience unless you can find something extremely significant out of it. Three of my friends wrote about their immigration experiences...=.=...</p>
<p>Cornell seems to like our district, or maybe its just because there are a LOT of smart kids there. I graduated from WW-P last year, and there must have been almost 10 kids just from my high school alone. I'm guessing about the same number went to Cornell from the other high school as well. That's people GOING, not just accepted.</p>
<p>I'd be surprised if you didn't get in. Cornell knows the rigor of WW-P, and I think they understand that.</p>
<p>tuanducngo and Shifu Yoda:
Thanks for the input. It is not so much about difficulties after moving here, but rather how that experience changed my view on challenges, i.e. optimistic outlook, positive attitude, and I connected how these qualities are important in engineering, a field that I'm interested in. Nonetheless, I think my other essay is a bit better because it is about me as of NOW. Thanks for helping me decide. </p>
<p>dtop,
thanks for the reassurance. I hope I get in; It would be way too disappointing if all this work in WW-P doesn't get me into my #1 choice school. If only I got that A- in AP Eng and AP American, I would have had a 4.XX GPA.</p>