My mom works for my top choice school - Chance Me (ED Cornell CAS, CS)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi everyone, thanks for clicking. I am a hs senior who is looking for some insight on my application to Cornell CAS CS (ED). This may change to engineering CS, but most likely will stay CAS. TLDR: With decent stats, ECs, and subjective stuff, does my mom working for an affiliate institution significantly help?

Demographics:

  • White male, northeast, single child to two immigrants (not 1st gen college)
  • 65k income (financial losses outside my mother’s salary reduced net income severely, putting us in a lower bracket than expected for the year that is considered in the app process)
  • Magnet school

Stats:

  • ~3.85 UW (100 scale at my school, its around a 94-95. I just used raise.me’s calculator)
  • 1560 (800 M 760 RW) SAT, 23 E (1 sitting)
  • 800 on Math 2 and Physics
  • 5 on Calc BC, Micro, Macro, Comp Sci, 4 on Bio (we don’t get offered many APs at our school, I only was able to take a class for calc)
  • In my senior year, I am taking AP Physics C (both) and AP stat

EC:

  • Worked in a lab at a prestigious university in summer 10-11
  • Worked at a large (multi-billion $) finance company (in the tech dept) in NYC summer 11-12
  • Research in 10th, 3 regional awards in physics/engineering (computer engineering project)
  • Frequent hackathon attendee (~10 events, 3 awards)
  • Won same regional app competition 2 years in a row
  • 4 years varsity tennis, incoming captain
  • 4 years robotics/coding club, officer since 10, president in 12
  • Volunteering at several local engineering camps (arduino and CAD)
  • TSA state-level winner for 1 event
  • USACO silver (looking to get gold at least on the next event, found out about it too late)

Recs/Essay:

  • Tech teacher (8/10), History teacher (8.5-9/10), counselor (11/10)
  • Common App (9/10), Cornell Supp (almost done, 8-9/10)

My mom works for Cornell’s medical college in NYC in a relatively senior position in their tech dept. I want to apply to the school ED, but I have no idea how much that does for me since she does not work directly for the University itself (as a prof or something). I do get a nice tuition discount (30% of Cornell’s tuition, 15-17k on any given year), but I can apply the scholarship to whatever uni I attend. I will be applying for need-based aid and a FAFSA grant.

Based on my situation, where do I stand?

2

I don’t know how much your mom’s position will help, but applying ED will greatly improve your odds and you have a solid package.

3

If I recall correctly, there is a question on the Common App that prompts you to indicate whether a parent works for the University. If your mom’s position qualifies – and I don’t see why it wouldn’t – all we know for certain is that it IS considered in the admissions process. Just how much it influences your chances at admission is anyone’s guess, but it can’t hurt.

4

Is your mom directly employed by Cornell? Or an agency? If her paycheck says Cornell University, then you are in luck. The tuition benefit for Cornell employees is actually 50% if you matriculate at any of the undergraduate colleges at Cornell. See here for more details

https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay/education-benefits/ccts

But this might also give you a leg up with the competition, as faculty children are treated differently in the admissions process. Typically the highest priority is given to children of full professors. But being a high level administrator will certainly help. If your stats are within the 50-75th percentile range, then you will be a strong candidate. As long as there are no other flags in your application (bad letter of recc, discpline, poor essay writing), you should be in great shape. Best of luck!

5

You also wrote

If your mom is not a direct employee of Cornell, then you are out of luck. You will be treated like every other candidate. Your chances are still pretty good, based on the stats above, but the extra boost to being an employee’s kid will not be there.

6

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/2095312-generic-chance-answer-for-super-selective-colleges.html

7

I think OP means she works for the med school, in NYC, not the U in Ithaca. I don;t think we know how that qualifies.

First, the same standards will apply to you as other applicants. Other than tennis, your ECs listed here
are all stem/tech. Anything else that rounds you?