<p>This is an important issue for me and can cause me to instead, apply for Dartmouth ED instead. How much does Cornell emphasize pre-professionalism?</p>
<p>Here is my situation right now: I am applying for biological science under CALS, but I don't even know whether I like that major. (I still don't know what I want to do in the future.) I however, only have significant leadership skills, and does not have "major-related" ECs. This has been increasingly concerning for me. </p>
<p>What do you recommend me to do, apply for undecided?</p>
<p>What is the acceptance rate for undecided? (The website lists acceptance rate for undecided as 0% $%@#$!@$@$!@$???$?!@??!@?!)</p>
<p>OK, if you decide to apply for CALS in biological sciences, you should try to start liking that major because you will need to write a convincing essay about how much you like it and why you chose it.
btw, I chose the biological sciences major at Cornell because I don't know what I want to do in the future either. then later I'll choose a Program of Study when I have more of an idea of what exactly I want to do. I am not sure how much you are unsure...like, for me, I have always wanted to study a science, and so most of the regular liberal arts majors have never interested me. so choosing biology wasn't that much of a stretch.
I had no major-related ECs. my biggest EC was definitely track, and my biggest non-sport EC was Model UN. neither one has the least to do with science. I did very well in AP bio class in HS, as well as on the AP exam and SAT II. I don't claim to know exactly how they dealt with my application but they let me in.
You can't apply for undecided in CALS, hence the 0%. You are required to chose a major.</p>
<p>oh yeah, I don't know what preprofessionalism is so I can't help you with that part of your query.</p>
<p>Oh... pre-professionalism is like... when a student enters, he or she knows exactly what he/she wants to do.</p>
<p>I don't know... I am so unsure. Like you, I want to study a science, but I just don't know what are some possibilities in science. I mean, it's hard for me to prove that I love biological science when I don't have the related ECs. That's what I meant.</p>
<p>And I was saying that I enjoy all of the sciences, physics, chemistry, biology, literature, math, physical education (swimming), drama, painting, sculpture, geography, mandarin, etc. And... I don't really know which one to pick. </p>
<p>May I take all of the classes at Cornell XD? LOL</p>
<p>Cornell is more pre-professional than your average university, and CALS is one of the schools that is particularly so (hence the reason that they make you write an entire essay about your major for applications). If you'd like to apply for biological sciences but have more flexibility and more options open, you might want to apply to CAS instead.</p>
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Cornell is more pre-professional than your average university, and CALS is one of the schools that is particularly so (hence the reason that they make you write an entire essay about your major for applications). If you'd like to apply for biological sciences but have more flexibility and more options open, you might want to apply to CAS instead.
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<p>Hmm... I am re-considering Cornell right now. I need to spend time to make this important choice XD.</p>
<p>I don't see how anyone else's "preprofessionalism" (I dunno about your use of the term) relates to yours. How would the actions of others make Cornell any less appealing for you?</p>
<p>If you really are so undecided about what you want to do, karajanhra is right, you may want to consider applying to CAS instead of CALS. At CAS there is no specific track, and you are free to take whichever classes please you, even if they aren't a part of your "major" (with minor restrictions about non-CAS credit limits). </p>
<p>CALS tends to be much more goal-oriented, especially in the biological sciences. But there are few, if any (I stress the if any), tracks you can take at Cornell that force you into taking only the required courses.</p>
<p>If you have leadership roles, I doubt a lack of "major related EC's" will hamper your chances any in CALS Biological Sciences, assuming you can demonstrate fit. and it definitely won't hamper you if you apply CAS.</p>
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I don't see how anyone else's "preprofessionalism" (I dunno about your use of the term) relates to yours. How would the actions of others make Cornell any less appealing for you?
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<p>I don't really understand what this means, but please refer to post #3.</p>
<p>To echo what others have said... if you find Dartmouth attractive, then you should apply for CAS, the liberal arts college at Cornell.</p>
<p>The "undecided college" line on the Cornell statistics page are the students who forgot to choose a college on their application. They were all contacted by the admissions office, and if they didn't follow through they remain in the "undecided" category, but their application could not be fully processed. </p>
<p>If you apply to CAS, you can fill out "undecided" as your major though.</p>
<p>You should understand that whatever you want to find at Cornell, you will.</p>
<p>If you want to surround yourself with I-bankers driven by economics classes and money, you can. If you want to contemplate the meaning of existence and how it has been explored through literature and art, you can.</p>
<p>Cornell is very diverse and is probably one of the few upper schools where people can really follow whatever path they want. Whatever you find at Dartmouth, you'll also find at Cornell plus a lot more.</p>
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"undecided" is the most popular major at Cornell.
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<p>Wow is it really!!??? </p>
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If you apply to CAS, you can fill out "undecided" as your major though.
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<p>Thank you for your feedback. I think I'll apply for A&S ED, with undecided as my "major."</p>
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Cornell is very diverse and is probably one of the few upper schools where people can really follow whatever path they want. Whatever you find at Dartmouth, you'll also find at Cornell plus a lot more.
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<p>That's what attracts me to Cornell in the first place ^^!!</p>
<p>I want a pre-professional environemnt; its one of the main reasons I'm applying to CALS. I think that in the long-run its better to have a sense of direction, then be completly stranded without any idea what career you want to pursuue. Could anyone tell me how pre-professional ILR is?</p>
<p>ILR is pretty pre-professional...1/3 of students go to law school...</p>
<p>but if you think about it...isnt college about getting a degree and finding a job? just how many college students really go on to grad school and become phDs?</p>
<p>"just how many college students really go on to grad school and become phDs?"</p>
<p>As more and more students go to college and a college education becomes more and more standard (and not above ordinary) in many areas of the work force, quite a few. Grad school is becoming necessary in some fields that it wouldn't have been necessary in 20 years ago to set yourself above the hoardes of undergraduates.</p>
<p>Cornell appears to be more "pre-professional" than Dartmouth because it has so many niche majors and colleges. My closest friend goes to Dart, and I have spent a lot of time there on weekends, visiting during Sophomore Summer (a lot of fun!), etc. Although it is a liberal arts college, and the education is broad like Cornell's CAS, the students that I met were very focused on what they wanted to do after college, much like Cornell. The majority of the kids I met were interested in graduate programs (law school and med school), or working in consulting, marketing or i-banking. I met a few who were interested in non-for-profit work and the arts. I have to admit, I didn't meet any engineers, but I know they are there! I asked my friend about this and she said that my perception is accurate... for what it's worth! I can tell you that they are all very focused on what to do with their terms off (with the D-plan). </p>
<p>I guess what I am saying, is that they are pretty pre-professional also.</p>
<p>I always associated the term "pre-professional" with the standard doctor, lawyer, I-Banker route (professional schools...medical, law, business; pre-professional). In that sense, Dartmouth is heavily pre-professional, though I can't really compare it to Cornell. </p>
<p>I think the term you're looking for is "specialized." There was an article a while back in the Sun poking fun at just how unbelievably specialized Cornell is--"Policy Analysis Management" (ILR, I think)--what the heck is that? How is a high school senior supposed to know that that is what he wants to major in? :-) Compare that to all the undecideds in A+S. </p>
<p>Anyhoo, this is all to say that depending on which college you choose, you will have the option of specializing from the start, or just exploring your options.</p>
<p>good point ballerina about the distinction between "pre-professional" and "specializated." also, policy analysis management is in human ecology. other than that, everything you said seemed spot on.</p>