<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I am currently a rising sophomore at Wake Forest University. However, I have been giving the idea of transferring some thought. Is there a specific minimum GPA that I "need" in order to have any realistic chance of getting accepted to Cornell via transfer? Also, will coming from Wake and taking many business pre-requisites aid my chances?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>NinDeac</p>
<p>I would say 3.5+ is pretty solid, but it depends on which school you’re trying to transfer into. Further, while your GPA demonstrates academic excellence, your fit must be demonstrated through your essays and interest. Definitely visit the campus, it’ll be nice for you to actually see if it’s right for you (and give you something to write about), sit in classes, and don’t neglect the importance of the essays. </p>
<p>As for the pre-requisites, I don’t have a solid answer for you there, but I know that some of the schools want you to have your pre-requisites done when you are applying, presumably so that you can transition well and finish on time. So it definitely won’t hurt to have them done.</p>
<p>If you have any other questions, you can message me here.</p>
<p>Best of luck!
-Stryke (Cornell Transfer, Fall '10)</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your help,</p>
<p>I had a 3.43 after my first semester, but Calculus tripped me up a bit 2nd semester and I ended up with a 3.15 after my first year. I know it’s not great, but I’m pretty confident I can get it up. Wake’s business school requires you to take Economics, Calculus, Accounting and one other business-related class in order to apply to the business school. </p>
<p>This definitely does not make for the easiest schedule, resulting in my GPA to take a slight hit. If I were to end up with, for hypothetical purposes, a 3.4 cumulative GPA at the end of this year, would I stand a chance of being accepted into Cornell?</p>
<p>Also, would you recommend I explain my situation in my essays, or would that come across as an excuse?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help!
-NinDeac</p>
<p>I believe that a 3.4 is certainly respectable and it will benefit you to get your grades back up. I wouldn’t go out of the way to explain the dip in your grades, rather focus on highlighting your strengths. Are you involved in any extracurricular activities related to your field of study? Leadership roles? These are all things that make an impact on your admissions decision. Try to work on getting that GPA up, a positive trend is good. And the courses here will be tougher :).</p>
<p>Stryke</p>
<p>Thanks for all your advice. I only took 13 hours last semester, (Calculus making up 4 of them) so that weighed pretty heavy on my GPA. I’ll be taking 16 this semester, so if I do well, that should bump up my GPA a bit.</p>
<p>Also, I fully understand the difficulty that Cornell’s curriculum would present. However, Wake does possess fairly difficult courses as well, hence the nickname ‘Work Forest.’ </p>
<p>At the same time, I fully realize that Cornell’s courses would probably possess a higher level of difficulty. I think Wake’s level of difficulty would definitely adequately prepare me for this (potential) future challenge.</p>
<p>Thanks again for all of your help!</p>
<p>NinDeac</p>
<p>One last thing, I promise haha:</p>
<p>I had pretty good high school stats…will Cornell take a serious look at these as well as my college stats?</p>
<p>I totally didn’t mean to imply that Wake Forest didn’t have difficult classes, sorry if it came across that way!</p>
<p>As for your high school stats, I believe they have less importance the farther you are removed from your high school years. For example, applying for a sophomore transfer they might get looked at more than if you were applying for a junior transfer. In either case, I don’t think that those stats will make or break your application - what is important is what you have control over now.</p>
<p>@NinDeac - What school do you intend on applying to?</p>
<p>a 3.1 after two semesters with one of those semesters being 13 credit hours really isn’t going to cut it unless you had another hook of some sorts</p>
<p>Nindeac, I am a former Cornell transfer. Anything below a 3.5 (and probably more than that) is red line territory which makes it very unlikely. Maybe there is something that you can do on the extracurricular side that would make you stand out. Start an organization, a business, etc that would jump off the page? If you can do that and pull a 4.0 next term then maybe, maybe there is a way…but to be brutally honest, there are so many people with stronger stats that you really have to do something exceptional here</p>
<p>NYC0205, I completely understand and agree with you. I know my GPA is not where it needs to be, hence the reason I stated earlier in the thread that I need to get my GPA up.</p>
<p>I guess one of my questions is that, will a student from the University of West Virginia (nothing against it) with a higher GPA than me (Wake Forest University) have a better shot at getting in? I wouldn’t think so, but that’s just one of my concerns.</p>
<p>Help me out to see where I stand…Thanks much:</p>
<p>FYI…I connected with Cornell U in April indicating my interest in transferring. Shared my previous year coursework at UVA and asked for suggestions on classes to take in Fall in order to better position my chances. Followed through, followed up with admissions rep who said I was on the right track.</p>
<p>HIGH SCHOOL:
Canisius High School, Buffalo, NY (Private, Jesuit Prep) Class of 2010
GPA - 4.0</p>
<p>SAT - Math 780, Critical Reading 720, Writing 730
AP - five courses - three scores of 4, two scores of 5</p>
<p>Varsity Crew Team - Four years - NYS Championship Team, Coxswain and Oarsman
Varsity Cross Country Team - Two Years
Mock Trial Team - Three Years
Student Senator - Elected in Jr/Sr Years - Presidential Candidate
450+ Volunteer Hours (hospitals, Hospice, Food Bank)
Dominican Republic Relief Effort - 23-day immersion trip building bridge with 14 students
Mr. Canisius Award Selected by entire student body, faculty and staff
who in their estimation has used his heart, spirit, strength, and mind to an exceptional degree in his studies and in extracurricular, social, and religious activities.
National Honor Society Member
National AP Scholar with Honor</p>
<p>COLLEGE:
University of Virginia
GPA 3.2 (after first year), on path midsemester for 3.4
School of Arts and Sciences - Economics/History
Jefferson Scholars Candidate Finalist (prior to entering UVA) - Invited among 100 nominees from the U.S. and four countries for Selection Weekend at UVA (vying for full ride award). Selected by the chairman of the guidance department as the sole Canisius High School candidate for the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholars Program. The program is geared to “identify, attract, and nurture individuals of extraordinary intellectual range and depth who possess the highest qualities of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.” (2010)
Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) Fraternity Member
Student Association - Elected to 2nd Year Council representing class of 2014
Madison House Volunteer Society - UVA - time at Barrett Daycare Ctr, YMCA Youth Soccer Coach
Monroe Society Member- Selected as “Days on the Lawn” tour host and Overnight visit host</p>
<p>WORK:
Children’s Legal Center - Two full-time summers/Law Firm - Administrative assistant
UVA Catering - Fall 2011 - Catering staff for UVA Football Game suites, banquets, concerts
Culinary Pros Staffing - Catering staff over Summer 2011 part-time</p>
<p>NYC, what college did you apply to?</p>
<p>I was in Arts & Sciences</p>