<p>I am applying for Cornell and am using the Primary/Alternate college option.</p>
<p>For primary, I am applying for Dyson Undergraduate (applied economics and management) under the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.</p>
<p>My alternate choice is the economics major under the College of Arts and Sciences</p>
<p>The Common App supplement asks that I write the essay for both schools. Since AEM and economics are relatively similar majors, can I just use the same essay (an essay about how I'm business oriented and would like to go to college to learn more about my passion for entrepreneurship) for both of the schools? Will this degrade my chances at both schools or will they treat the two separately? My essay is essentially interchangeable.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Economics and Business are not the same. I would suggest writing a different essay. Plus, if you write two, you have an alternative method of attack if you are not accepted outright by Dyson.</p>
<p>I think the prompts are slightly different enough that they want two separate essays. I read somewhere that the two colleges can see both essays… because of this I decided to apply to only one school, or else I would have contradicted myself</p>
<p>How is Cornell’s AEM different from economics? Like what are the main, most notable differences?</p>
<p>AEM is a general business degree. You will be introduced to some economics related concepts (intro micro and macro), but don’t expect to learn about econometrics, externalities, etc. </p>
<p>On the other hand, economics is a social science. It is really the study of human behavior, interaction, and market systems under rational, and sometimes irrational, conditions. </p>
<p>Economics, in my opinion, will be more quantitative (at least at higher levels). Business, although quantitative, does not require the same level of quantitative rigor, and it focuses on the study of the workplace to best optimize profits from a personal perspective.</p>
<p>Bottom line: Economics=more math and a broader view. Business=less math and a more purpose driven view. I think this delineates the message of the two respective colleges these majors are situated in as well.</p>
<p>I am assuming Cornell’s AEM major is much more difficult to get into (considering its class size is around 100). Is my reasoning true? Which school is harder to get into?</p>