Transfer to the ILR School, Cornell

Transfer Students
1

Hello,
So I applied to the ILR School at Cornell University for spring 2022 as a transfer from Borough of Manhattan Community College. By the time I applied, I had a GPA of 3.9 and I completed all the required courses to be eligible to apply to the ILR School. I got rejected!

Any the idea why so?

And should I reapply for fall 2022?

If so, should I have a gap semester ( spring 2022 given that I am graduating in fall 2021 from my current community college) or should I enroll in Baruch college’s Zicklin School of Business and apply again for transfer from Baruch?

Thank you!

2

ILR has a ~15/16% admissions rate, so is a reach for everybody. It also is pretty specific about student ‘fit’.

I think sometimes students see (true) things such as ‘coming from an in-state CC is an advantage at Cornell, esp the contract schools’ and don’t really focus on the fact that an ‘advantage’ at a school with a sub-20% admissions rate doesn’t = sure thing. If your “odds” went from 15% to (making this up) 50%, you would be at a real advantage compared to OOS applicants- but still only have a 50:50 chance yourself.

What would be different between your application now and trying again in the fall? If no meaningful/relevant differences, then I would say the chances of a different result are small.

3

I talked to the admission officer and the reason for my rejection was the essays weren’t strong enough compared to other applicants.

4

I think you really need to focus on your editing and proofreading abilities in your writing.
As I note your college confidential posts history, you have difficulty writing the word “transfer”:

Maybe these are the same typos?
You really need to focus on proof reading.
It would make sense to be rejected if you submitted an application with a bunch of errors. An error-prone application would have the susceptibility of your being rejected from most universities.

5

I am surprised a Cornell AO would give a reason for not being admitted.

Is English your native language? Definitely have someone proofread your essays. Are you a US citizen/permanent resident or international student?

6

I am a resident of New York. No admission officer gave me many insights, it was the director. There weren’t any typos on my essay.

7

If there weren’t typos then it suggests your content wasn’t strong- for ILR, compared to other ILR applicants.

ILR is pretty serious about fit, so be honest with yourself: is it really a good fit for you, or did you figure that it was your best shot at Cornell? I notice that you are also looking at Columbia General Studies, and that your overall goal is IB.

8

How about the Hotel School?
Is it easier to transfer comparing to ILR?
I do have experience working at a hotel.

9

No. Fewer transfers were accepted to SHA than to ILR in 2019.
https://admissions.cornell.edu/transfers-cornell

10

Your question answers my question!

I agree with @Hippobirdy- for the same reason: both schools are looking for students who are really looking for them. Lots of students have experience working in hospitality, but not so many are looking to make that their life’s work.

11

The Hotel School is very small compared to the other schools at Cornell (around 850 if I remember correctly). They take a relatively larger percentage of transfers so it may be worth a try if you have hospitality experience. Many SHA students go into business areas other than hospitality.

12

Agree 100%. I don’t know if English is not the OP’s first language but at times it sounds that way. To give examples

Will I be a competitive job applicant to a big investment banks as much as a CC or SEAS graduate?

mismatch between singular and plural.

I can only transfer the above mentioned schools if I receive full scholarships

missing the verb “to”

I don’t want to be the grammar police here but I want to point out a few things. First, if the essays to ILR were akin to the writing samples on the forum then you simply were not a competitive candidate at a school where students are expected to have mastered college level rhetoric and grammar.

This goes deeper than just transfer applications. The OP appears to be aiming (from some other posts) for a career in investment banking in which a talent for persuasive writing is assumed. Writing filled with grammar mistakes could never be shared with clients and will leave a poor impression on colleagues. I urge the OP to focus on and/or improve their grammar knowledge in order to lay the foundation for a successful career.

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