I have 3 A+s this quarter (APES, AP English and Composition, AP GOV) but i am probably going to get a A- (potentially a B+ based on this week’s quiz) in BC Calc.
Will this look bad @ Cornell??
I’m up at 2:00 because i am studying for this BC quiz on Tuesday…class is rough
Don’t worry about it. One grade isn’t going to hurt your chances. Maybe if it weren’t an advanced class. You should be fine. I had a B+ as a final grade for APUSH in junior year. If it was a C, that might make them think but don’t worry.
Try not to worry too much. Try to enjoy your senior year and not give up too much sleep. One B+ grade is not going to hurt your chance.
Relax, I had numerous Bs and still ended up at Cornell
Agreed. DD had a B+ in APUSH and a B+ in an online college econ course and still got in.
No. Calling an A-/B+ “low” is disingenuous. IMO, the grade won’t hurt you, but the self-deprecating tone might if that comes out in your essays/interviews.
@skieurope I’m especially nervous because there are 7 students applying from my school ED to Cornell. One has committed, another a international winner in science fairs (with better stats who has nearly 100% chance of getting in), and the rest are qualified (but do not do research or any special ECs). So basically that puts me third in line. My school has at most admitted 4 students early decision, my grade is one of the most competitive in school history (13 students had a 4.0 so the val is going to be based on a weighted GPA). I know that these students will put me out of the running in regular decision, which is unfair because for most of them Cornell is a ‘last resort’ (-_-). I was hoping that i would get straight As first quarter to help prove i was more qualified, but on top of college apps, i also had to study for the act. My final grades for the quarter were A+ in gov A+ in English an A- in APES (environmental studies is my major too :l, this was all because i let another student copy off my lab) and an A- in Calc. I also dropped my language and switched into computer programming. Feeling kind of screwed :l
p.s : my guidance councilor and english teachers loved my essay, they thought it was one of the most unique ones they have read in the past few years. i tried to write with my own voice and i think that came through, i really did not want to write a cheesy essay. i have an alum interview this weekend so i hope that goes well! Sorry i come off as a ‘debby downer’ in my threads but these past few months and the coming months have been (and will be) super stressful for me. My ACT scores come out next week and i feel like i made mistakes on the english. I was aiming for a 34+. I missed weeks of calc and had to cut class in order to study for the exams. i feel like my head is going to explode
If by that you mean that s/he is an athletic recruit, be aware that they are in a different pool altogether, and you are not competing for that spot. At this point, it is what it is; if you’re applying ED, your app is in. All you can do is sit back and wait. Good luck.
@skieurope Thanks, any advice for interview?
My graduating class of 455 students had 46 students accepted to Cornell. The number fluctuates, but is similar at the HS every year (highly ranked STEM magnet school). Do not worry about who else from your school is applying.
@guineagirl96 Woah! Usually 8-9 from my school. My GPA is kind of average (if anything below average) for Cornell. Hopefully they see how well i fit. General question: How much of a role do essays play in admissions? Do some adcoms not even look?
IMO, this is the differentiator; since most of the applicants are qualified to attend, the essays really help the AO’s know who you are.
On the flip side, I don’t think this will make much of a difference. Relax, be yourself, show interest.
@skieurope Thanks so much, i think my essays really will do that. I feel a little bit more rrelaxed now, although the thought of waiting around 40 days is a little daunting…
It’ll all work out
I would also like to point out that it is not all about GPA and scores. Top tier schools do not rank students by their stats. They are looking to build a well balance community, and that means not everyone is Val of their school.