ONLY EA MIT vs ONLY ED Cornell vs ED Cornell + EA MIT

College Search & Selection
1

Hi everyone, some basic info about my profile:
I currently go to an international school in Taiwan, but I plan on applying as a U.S. citizen.

SAT: 1570, pre-COVID administration.

GPA: haven’t really bothered to actually calculate it, considering that I took 3 B’s in my junior year and 1 B in my sophomore year it’s probably something like a 3.8.

EC: Leader of our school’s History Bowl team, which has gone undefeated nationally for 3 years straight. We kick ass in the Taipei and Taiwan regionals, but that’s about it since we get stomped by Chinese teams in the Asian Championships every time :expressionless:

Founding president of the History Bowl Club in our school.

Founding president of Byte-Sized Coders, a programming club dedicated to making coding more accessible to laymen.

I used the money from my tutoring job to organize a free-of-charge, week-long coding summer camp conducted in English for the gifted kids at a local public school.

I passed an intermediate level Japanese proficiency test. N3 to be specific.

I passed an intermediate level Chinese zither proficiency test as well.

I was part of a team that earned national recognition for some sort of educational website design competition.

I also intern at a coding education company every summer.

Planning to apply as a History major who also has a deep interest in all things technological (who is also planning to turn into a CS major the moment I receive admission letters from either of these schools… :smirk: )

MIT is my #1 school, Cornell is probably my close second choice. I know I have a better (but still not high) chance of getting into Cornell, but I’m having a hard time deciding whether I should play it safe and apply ED to just Cornell, hedge my risks by also applying EA to MIT (but also incur the additional risk of getting into both and not being to choose MIT due to the binding nature of ED), or go for broke and apply EA to just MIT.

I have very little confidence in myself and I have told my parents many times that I honestly don’t believe I even have a shot at MIT, but part of me still holds on to a sliver of hope that the world’s premier science/engineering institute will see something special in me :open_mouth: (if I really do get admitted to MIT, I’m becoming a CS major for sure)

Cornell on the other hand I think I actually have a low chance of getting into, and of the two options I prefer the lifestyle there more. However, their CS department is not as strong as MIT’s, and nobody can deny that a CS diploma from MIT is a bigger asset to have in the job market compared to a CS diploma from Cornell.

I’m really torn here, my instincts are telling me to apply early to both, but at the same time I don’t know how I would deal with not being able to go to MIT if I actually get accepted when I’m already bound to Cornell. I could always just go for Cornell and save MIT for RD or even grad school, or I could only apply EA to MIT and save Cornell for RD to avoid the sticky ED situation.

Help me out guys, if you think I don’t have a chance at either school please be honest with me too, it would help me narrow down my school list if I know in advance I’m not Ivy/MIT material at all.

2

Both schools are going to be high reaches. Apply ED to your top choice and then spend your time developing a list of match and safety schools. 3 Bs junior year will be a red flag at uber competitive schools.

I would also caution you about doing a bait and switch with majors. That could work at Cornell because you don’t declare a major until 2nd semester junior year and you can do CS in CAS (and I believe MIT doesn’t admit by major), but that is not the case at many other US colleges. CS tends to be an impacted major and if you don’t get accepted as an incoming freshman, it can be very hard if not impossible to transfer later.

3

You get no bump up from applying Early to MIT in terms of admissions statistics. The only Benefit would be to get that out of the way so you and parents don’t obsess about “missing the MIT shot” if you should apply ED to Cornell and get in there That worry is real—see it all of the time, and so you might as well get that out of the way.

Though, Cornell is highly competitive, and is a high reach, your chances for MIT are in lottery ticket range. ED does help for Cornell.

Because of the emotion involved, I suggest applying EA to MIT and find other EA schools to add to the mix including schools certain to take you, as well as some other selective schools like UMich

Your biggest challenge right now is to find “sure thing” schools that you and your parents can find rewarding and not just flick off. It involves, time, research and attitude adjustment

4

Just to clarify, by 3 B’s I meant I took a B in physics first semester, and B’s in math both semesters. Not three subjects for the whole year, if that makes anything better :pensive:
Also thanks for the tip on majors, I’ll make sure to do my research and not try the bait and switch with universities that have their history and CS departments separated in different schools/colleges.

5

I can deny that. As will many others. Yes, MIT has the better CS department, but a degree from Cornell will not preclude you from a good job.

Applying EA to MIT provides no admissions boost, per MIT. Applying ED to Cornell does provide a boost, but you are obligated to attend if accepted. If Cornell is your top choice (or at least a close second) and you can afford it, apply ED. If you have doubts, don’t. Also know that campus life at the 2 are very very different.

6

If possible could you elaborate on how different the campus lifestyles are in Cornell and MIT? This was one of my considerations, but I don’t actually know how different it is.

7

You can EA to MIT and ED to Cornell at the same time. The only downside is that if you’re accepted by both, you have to give up your spot at MIT. MIT is better in CS but Cornell’s CS department is very good too.

8

I’m no MIT expert, but I imagine “campus lifestyles” are a lot different.

Cornell is a diverse university, with a number of different colleges which attract a range of different types of students. There are students studying: English literature; Labor Relations; Development Sociology; Fashion Design; Architecture; [ many other non-tech fields] In addition to the STEM and business majors. All these students mix socially, especially in the dorms in the underclass years. As it happened, most of my male engineering buddies wound up with girlfriends who studied in one of the other colleges, in non-tech fields. Though that need not have been the case.

As a campus-centered university in a college town, a lot of activity is centered on or near campus at Cornell, and you are basically always around college students. I would imagine MIT students spend more time away from campus.

Most Cornell upperclassmen live off-campus (though not far away), and many rent apartments or rooms in houses with year-long leases. As these are not university housing they live relatively independently, without RAs or university rules. Also this encourages some to stay over the summer, when it is really “chill” and beautiful there. FWIW the Fall is also beautiful, sometimes walking to class you almost feel like you are in a state park. Whereas MIT is quite urban as I recall. On the other hand, Cornell is colder and snowier (usually) in the winter. And students must be out and about in that cold and snow.

9

Making B’s in Physics and Math isn’t typical for a MIT admit.

10

While true, context matters. The OP attends school in Taiwan. Outside the US, A’s in HS are not usually given out like candy. Now if the classmates were getting A’s in math and physics, then MIT might not be the best fit…

11

This is not at what was said. Not even close.

Do you disagree that a CS degree from MIT will be more attractive in the job market than a CS degree from Cornell?

12

I said what I said and I stand by what I said. Am I going to violate ToS and debate if? No

13

Apply ED to Cornell AND EA to MIT, as both of those schools are extremely competitive and if nothing, you’ll have an earlier decision to help you in reevaluating your Regular Decision college list (for better or for worse.)

While applying for History and declaring CS might work at Cornell as Arts & Sciences houses both majors, many other schools (Vanderbilt, Penn etc.) offer CS in the School of Engineering, and there’s usually an inter-school transfer or dual-degree application (may or may not be competitive, or have specific requirements) in-order to declare CS.

Also, at Vanderbilt for example, you’re required to be in Arts & Sciences for a year before being able to transfer, and not being in the School of Engineering might impact your ability to get spots in the intro classes for the CS major. You might have to take some of the Arts & Sciences general education courses as well in your first year, even if you plan on inter-school transferring.

Both schools are known for having grade deflation/lack of inflation, so expect to work hard at both places. HOWEVER, both schools vary WIDELY in-terms of school environment: Cornell’s located in Ithaca and is at least an hour away from any major city (Rochester, Syracuse, NYC etc.) whereas MIT’s in Boston, one of the three largest cities in the Northeast. Cornell also has a much, much larger student-body than MIT.

Hope that helps! Good luck with admissions!

14

While you should not apply to a college purely on the basis of job prospects, I can see why that can be one of the key factors in choosing a Uni.

You should also focus on fit with your preferred subject, and campus life. Boston and Ithaca are quite different in terms of lifestyle, and you arguing to spend four yours of your prime out there. If you are interested in both Tech and Humanities, Cornell’ Milstein programme can be interesting.

All the best with the admission process!