Please chance an average student

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Ethnicity: Asian-American
Gender: Male
School Type: Public (Fairly competitve )
My unweighed GPA- I do not know. I have a 92.4 avg:(. [My school does not do weighed averages], I screwed up my freshman year
Rank: No idea- I will ask my counselor when school starts
SAT: First time i got 2000, but I'm retaking it in October(verbal-640, math-740, writing-620)
SAT II's:
-Math II--690( no study, i was full of myself), then a 740 ( took in few months apart)
-Bio--630(Freshman year), but then 730 in junior year
-Chemistry- 710
I tried the ACT for fun, but ended up with only a 30</p>

<p>Awards- I actually have nothing important
-I am in NHS, but thats easy to get into- I tutor, get okay grades, participate in events such as outside volunteering events and/or school related events.
-With three APs, I guess i'll be AP Scholar, but that is not worth jack</p>

<p>Classes-
-Freshman and Sophomore year- regular classes with only one honors math class both years</p>

<p>-Junior year- Honors math, Honors physics,Honors Eng,AP US(4), AP Bio(5), AP Psychology(5)</p>

<p>-Senior Year Courses will be- AP Microeconomics, AP Calc BC, Multivariable, AP Chemistry, AP Literature( I have a two hour commute to school, so I left two periods free, so that I have a chance for first period free. I'm also going to self study for AP stat and AP macro)</p>

<p>Electives-
-I am on the track team( XC, indoor, and outdoor)- pretty dedicated(all four year)- go to practice everyday, except Fridays because of family situation. I go to all meets and compete, okay at city level, but not amazing. I leave house at 6 in morning for a two hour commute to school and by going to practice too, I get home at 8 every night.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I've volunteered at a hospital for three years. I don't work with the science stuff at a hospital. I manage volunteers, set up outreaches, plan fundraising gala, and coordinate other stuff.</p></li>
<li><p>I try to join the Red Cross club freshman year, but it turned out to be a waste. The club was full of kids that weren't even into helping any people. All the club did was talk about whatever. It was just a bunch of people stuffed in a classroom with the Red Cross Label.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>-Because of family situation, I work on weekends to help my parents financially as a street peddler( i sell outside the little shop I work at)
Recs-
- both teacher recs will be average
- Counselor rec- i really dont know. My counselor tells me every college will be difficult for me unless i go to community college.</p>

<p>Before I start writing here, I am sorry for my awful grammar...
I am planning to ED Cornell. I want to major in something business related or econ. I visited the school for only one hour for the information session at CAS. I didn't get the campus tour because even with driving(four hours), we got to the school at one in afternoon.
I did some more research on the colleges at Cornell and ILR, CALS, CAS, and the ecology school have econ related classes. To be honest, i didn't do any research on the ecology college, though I should. The CALS- AEM program seems most appealing, but I know that it is too selective with my status( less than 70 freshmans or something like that). CAS is cool with the core program and I do have an interest in taking a variety of classes. I like how the ILR prides its school for its cultural diversity and has MILRSO( I have read some cornellian's account of cornell as a school with an accepted segregation, though i think most schools are like that too. People do tend to hang around with similar people. I try to balance myself in that area, so that's why ILR looks good.)
I have been working on my Common App Essays, but i am going to start the Supplementary essays pretty soon. I don't know which essays to do tho'. Even though I visited CAS, I am reluctant to apply because I think ,financially, it will be very expensive unlike CALS and ILR, which are contract colleges( i live in NY). I would pick CALS AEM as a top choice, but it is way too hard. I was thinking ILR, but i don't do debate or anything. I can say that I am a Captain or that I am a leader at the hospital i volunteer at.</p>

<p>I might pick two colleges, but being selected to alternate college is difficult( though it doesnt hurt in anyway to do the extra essay). Please help with my deciding of the choices and essays( both common app essay and/or supplement essay). Any feedback and opinions are welcome. Criticism is always allowed because that will help in the long run.</p>

2

<p>Only taking one honors class sophomore year could hurt you, but I don’t really think freshman year is that important anyway.(I messed up that year too) You should also raise your SAT to a 2150. Also, you should put in your essay about your dedication level! Two hours to get to school is a lot, but also playing sports and getting homework done when you come home is amazing! I’m not an expert but if you do some of what I said and some more EC’s you should have a decent shot.</p>

3

<p>i would have taken more honors sophomore year if i could, but bc i messed up freshman year, I wasn’t offered a spot into the classes. i go to a competitive school. U havta receive special permission and have the rite grades to take certain classes. Thats why i worked hard soph year, so i could get into the APs and honors for junior year</p>

4

<p>Average student has less than average chances.</p>

5

<p>so i’m below borderline. Someone i know, told me that too. lol</p>

6

<p>more feedback please. any advice will do</p>

7

<p>looks good to me. if you raise that sat, i don’t see why you wouldn’t be competitive.</p>

8

<p>you have a 92.4 GPA. that’s an A. i don’t see why there should be a sad face there.
it’s funny how you call yourself an “average” student. because, of course, all average students have A averages.
(i may be off b/c i go to an international school, and not one in the states. so i don’t know if it’s so easy there that an A really is considered average.)</p>

9

<p>i guess i cant say for sure if i am average. I should check with my counselor to see if the scool has a ranking system. compared to some other scools in the city, i’m pretty low</p>

10

<p>i think i might go with ILR or CAS. At CAS, I’m would go Econ. how difficult is it to get in for Econ at CAS compared to getting in to ILR. Would it helped if i visited CAS too for the info session.</p>

<p>Middle of a conflict: ILR or CAS for primary choice.</p>

11

<p>bump 10 char:)</p>

12

<p>I don’t think you have that great of a chance. There is nothing that stands out and you have to remember, it is an ivy league. You scores and classes are average. I think you should aim a bit lower. Maybe a state college.</p>

13

<p>@ SA-07:do u have any Ecs( personal or in yur opinion) that stands out and would help in applying to cornell?</p>

14

<p>Well, I would try to show the admissions officers that you have passion in one thing. You should have passion in that thing and excel in that. I really can’t say any excurriculars because I don’t know what you want to do and what your passionate about. So if you like math and science, I would do Intel, USAMO, Isef, etc. You know, all the math olympiads and science olympiads. If you like other stuff such as the arts or english, I would do some well known essay contest or some competition in the arts which you prefer. Once again, try to show passion in something. Also, try raising your SAT score. Thanks! I hope I helped!</p>

15

<p>I would do them, but i didnt kno about them during my high school career. I just heard about these events this summer, so i guess its too late for me now( Intel, USAMO, Isef, etc). Plus, math and science olympiads- none of my teachers ever mention these things to me. I was left with track, which i am captain of and volunteering at my hospital( 600 hours over three years). On weekends, I work, so i dont have much free time.</p>

16

<p>ok in that case, I really can only tell you to write that in your college essay.
I think if you can get that point across to the admissions officers, I guess you will be fine. Now I assume it’s too late to retake the SAT’s. That 600 hour thing is the only thing that might save you. Please don’t take anything I said the wrong way. See, there are people all over the US who have similar stats and better that are applying. Cornell has only some number of spots. That is why I said to do something that stands out. Good luck and I hope you get in!</p>

17

<p>i’m actually taking the SAT in October, so that’s my final hope, aside from the essays</p>

18

<p>yes, good luck and make sure your essays are awesome!</p>

19

<p>You should apply for Engineering; you have a pretty good shot. Their accept rates are almost 30%!</p>

20

<p>^ check out some stats before you talk about acceptance rates, engineering is definetly not the “easy” school to get into. </p>

<p>for the op, your stats and whatnot are pretty average, but remember those things are definitely only one part of your application. In my view, cornell is looking for people with unique life experiences - people who have gone where others havent. This makes sense for stuff like intel championships and national award winners, but also for people who have travelled throughout the world, or perhaps lived in a poverty-stricken area. </p>

<p>the one thing thats stook out for me was your experience as a street peddler. maybe its just me, but ive hardly heard of street peddlers applying for college. if i were you, i would definitely emphasize that as a character-shaping experience. I would advise perhaps even writing your essay on something that occured during your work or etc. whatever it is, remember that stats arent everything (this is directed to all applicants!), and often the essay or soft aspects of a person mean more.</p>