So I’m a pretty average “upward curve” student (my grades freshman and sophomore year were mainly in the B) range with A-s mainly in junior year at a competitive private school in New York. I have a 34 on the ACT and a wide range of ECs including 3 leadership and 3 community service positions.
My question is, my dad is a professor and an esteemed research scientist at an Ivy League school I’m interested in and am seriously considering applying ED to. He’s pretty sure that having this “hook” will get me in, but considering my grades are below what Ivys look for, I’m not so sure. So, how great of an advantage do children of professors have in the admissions process?
No, he’s a professor not an admissions officer and while he thinks this “hook” will be enough to get me in, I’m not so sure with my lackluster grades @elliebham
Oddlly, you’re not the first recently asking this.
First usual answer, have your father ask (not guess.) He’s there. Second, if you aren’t up to snuff, his accomplishments won’t carry you in. In your other thread asking the same question, you mention a B record in freshman and soph years. It depends on what courses those were. And also, on how you present in the app and supp. Do you know what this school looks for?
@elliebham Professors tend not to know very much, if anything, about undergraduate admissions, since they’re generally not involved in it. (At least, that’s what I’ve observed, being the daughter of a professor and knowing many other academics.)
I suspect being a tenured professor’s kid will likely help in admission to that one university, especially if it’s private. How much, I don’t know.
One of the courses that REALLY dragged down my average 9th and 10th grade was Spanish (I came into the class with a large deficit and not prepared to handle the increased workload of private school). I have since dropped the class, will colleges look at my bad Spanish grades as badly as say an English grade (a class I have kept all four years)? @lookingforward
Yes, it says that out of 16 credits, 3 must be foreign language. I took 3 years of Spanish, did awfully the first two years, then went into a class that was designed for my level junior year and got an A @lookingforward
Okay, so the question is still, what major. One that can expect FL strengths or not. And, what other B grades? Plus, if you’re at a competitive private, how many fellow seniors will apply to this college? Will your GC mark your curriculum most rigorous and go to bat for you in his/her LoR? Will teachers?
I do think you should apply to this college. But you have to know enough to make the right presentation in the app/supp. Other than that, we don’t have enough info.
I think I would apply as a psychology major because that aligns with the internship I did this summer. I also plan on minoring in photography and business.
The B grades I have in freshman year were: B+ in biology, B in geometry, B+ in history, B- in English, and a B- in Spanish. sophomore year: B+ in chemistry, B in English, C+ in Spanish (ouch), A- in history, and a B- in algebra 2. Junior year, I had an A- in English, A in Spanish, B+ in precalc, A- in history, and an A in physics.
I do think a few people in my grade will apply to Cornell, probably only one other early though. @lookingforward
If I were you, I would ask CC to delete your last post. It really reveals who you are to anyone in admissions looking at CC, as it names the college and lists your courses and interests and therefore is easy to narrow down to who your dad and you are. Maybe I am paranoid, and maybe no one in Admissions would be on CC, but if I were you, I would not want admissions thinking about whether you might not be qualified in your own opinion…
Then, go ahead and apply ED if you want to go there. Maybe you won’t get in, but maybe you will!
A parent on the tenured faculty is a big hook. It’s not a guarantee, but given that you are clearly capable academically, I’d go ED at this school, and I would not be surprised if you get in.
It really depends on the college. An Ivy or Stanford, (another thread on the same,) is still cherry picking. One faculty kid won’t upset the cart, but IMO, OP needs to get his best foot forward, considering the grades.