<p>This coming fall I'll be attending Hudson Valley or Adirondack Community College. No matter which I attend, I'm probably going to end up taking pre-requisite classes for the CALS school since I'm still looking to transfer there. Those courses would be the Bio I/II and the English Comp. I/II as well as maintaining a 3.0 GPA (I plan on getting in the 3.5+ range.)</p>
<p>I have two big questions to ask to help me figure some things out here. If I went to the CALS school I'd probably be majoring in the Communications program. A friend, however, who received a guaranteed transfer for his sophomore year after he completes a year at Siena, will be attending the ILR school. He wants to go into medicine. When I said I don't see how the programs listed on ILR are going to help him prepare for that, he said once you get into one of the colleges there you have access to all the classes on campus.</p>
<p>What does he mean by that? Is that theory limited to the ILR school, or can I take classes toward an English major or Pre-Law by getting into CALS? Also, if I'm looking to transfer to ILR, are there any pre-requisites and such I should know about?</p>
<p>My other large issue is I know what GPA I have to achieve to transfer, but what else? What else can I do during this summer and first semester of community college to prepare the best transfer application I can? Does having a job help, do they look at my state test scores and SATs, am I going to need to get more community service under my belt, etc. What is it I need to be doing to show them I'm ready and very interested in transferring to one of the two schools?</p>
<p>You can't get an English MAJOR from CALS - but you can take classes from any college.</p>
<p>You can only major in the majors that are available at your college. Since there is no "required" major for medicine, your friend can get a ILR degree from the ILR school, and as long as he takes biology, chem, organic chem, ect, he meets the requirements to apply to medical school. </p>
<p>CALS requires you to take 55 credits from their own college, and then you can take the rest in any college you choose. But again, you can take as much English as you want, but you can't get an English degree because CALS doesn't offer one. </p>
<p>Why would you apply to CALS if you want to get an English degree anyway?</p>
<p>As for the second question...all of that helps, as does a high GPA. They say 3.0 cutoff, but it's closer to a 3.8+ if you're going to a community college.</p>
<p>btw...where do you get your name, Wateradept? The only place I've heard of elements being called "adepts" is Golden Sun.</p>
<p>Alright, so my SAT scores are average, I was a B student in HS but I'm definitely looking into getting a 3.6+ GPA at a community college whilst taking 5 classes, probably two of them being the Bio and English Comp. needed for CALS transfer (if I'm still interested in Communications or Biology.)</p>
<p>So I have the GPA, I'll have a job and two or three recommendations, I'll definitely be doing a variety of charity 5ks and 4-mile runs this summer as well as possibly helping at my church Add in an interview with the school of my choice and maybe a club or rec. sport at my community college, do my chances look good for transfer?</p>
<p>And that goes for ILR as well. English is just something I'm mildly interested in, as is all the other majors I'm considering and talking about here. I can bend any which way depending on what works for transfer to Cornell (because I would LOVE to go here more than anywhere else).</p>
<p>So if I apply for transfer to ILR, what are my options coming out of there if any class on campus is available to me? Could I also look into working toward medical school or even keep pursuing English? What about Pre-Law, is that anywhere near offered as an option for the 3 SUNY-assisted colleges at Cornell? </p>
<p>Any response helps me here, I greatly appreciate it because I'm really confused on how to go about this whole transfer thing considering I didn't apply during my senior year and do not have the "guaranteed transfer".</p>
<p>Coming from a community college, you should get a 4.0. If you're not capable of doing that, you should seriously consider whether you could handle the academics at Cornell. The admissions committee will have a similar opinion.</p>
<p>And please don't try to defend the rigor of your community college. I won't buy it.</p>
<p>Oh I fully understand that and I thank you for being blunt about it, because it's not a squishy world I'm heading into. I'm sure community college has classes just like high school but in a college setting and taught without hand-holding. I know this and I'm well prepared to be doing nothing but studying my butt off first semester to maintain high grades (as well as hold a job, but that's it considering I won't have distractions. Most of my friends will be away at college next year so I'm focused solely on getting good grades.)</p>
<p>I wouldn't say "oh my CC is tough, you can't get a 4.0", I only say 3.6 and up because I'm unsure what courses I'm taking, but you're right: when it comes down to it, as long as I study and do my job as a student, I shouldn't have any problems. </p>
<p>I'm just trying to get some insight on what happens if I come out of my first semester holding a 3.6 or 3.7, what can I add to that to say hey, CALS and ILR I want to go here and I won't take no for an answer?</p>
<p>Any responses to the questions I asked in the third post would be very appreciated.</p>
<p>dontno, You can't just say someone needs a 4.0 from community college to be successful at Cornell. That is a ridiculous statement. For instance, I tested out of a computer class and got a B. I thought it would be super easy and didn't prepare at all. It was hard as hell because of that but I still got a B. It adversely affected my gpa, but I will guarantee you that if I had taken the class it would have been the easiest A I ever got, I just could not fit it in my schedule with work (was already taking 5 other classes).</p>
<p>Also took a class my senior year of HS while dual enrolled and got a B+ (one of my 2 first college courses). Class required a 94 for an A vs. the schools policy of 90=A and I had a 93, not to mention I lost interest in it when I decided I wanted to do something else (it was a medical class and I became interested in economics). Now have 3.93 and think I can handle Cornell just fine. There are circumstances that can keep someone from having a 4.0 and it doesn't mean they couldn't easily have one, or that they aren't smart enough.</p>
<p>Cornell admits tons of a community college kids with less than 4.0, so apparently the adcoms don't share your thoughts. Unless you went to a CC don't knock them all. The one I went to has almost 17k students and has some awesome professors. It was good to get a fresh start there, and I had some good experiences. In fact I would say as a whole the faculty was excellent (especially compared to the HS I went to/ it was 10x better!!), its just the student body that consists mostly of bums that are happy if they get a C, especially in the hard classes such as financial accounting (yes, there are classes that are quite hard at CC and don't say I think that because I am not smart enough for it to be easy). There are plenty of people that take it seriously, do very well, and are plenty qualified to go to top universities, 4.0 or not.</p>
<p>Yay for positive CC support! ^_^ What school at Cornell are you in, hermanns? And did you transfer after only a year at a CC? What are some things you recommend, besides the GPA, that I do to ensure I look acceptable to the admissions?</p>
<p>Wateradept, to answer your question about what you can do to show them you belong...it will take much more than grades. Obviously take classes that are equivalent to the ones for your chosen major during its first two years (although some may not be available). You will need to do ECs or work experience (and to answer your question on the 1st post, yes work experience is great) that is somewhat similar to your intended major also. Also the other obvious things are good essays + great professor recs. </p>
<p>If you really try you can probably get a 4.0 at a CC, or at least a lot closer than a 3.6 you mentioned. I did it 4 semesters in a row with the last 2 of them being what would be considered very difficult loads (my counselor advised against one of them, didn't waste time asking about the other). The semester prior to the two tough course loads, I took 16 credits in the summer which was rough considering the short session (every class 5 days a week pretty much all day between them and had a lab 2x a week), so don't go in thinking you can only get a 3.6 or whatever. Work hard to get an A in every class. My first time taking college classes I took a composition class, and a medical class along with 3 HS classes and didn't really care that much. I only did it to get the freedom of being on a college campus instead of at my craptastic HS and I got an A in comp and B+ healthcare or whatever the hell it was called. After that I realized without the distractions I had at HS, it was pretty easy and got obsessed with A's. I decided that I would do whatever it took to get all A's and managed it. Also, I only had class 2 days a week this last semester which was pretty great. Once you get the mindset that you will do whatever it takes and get the work ethic it is not that hard to get excellent grades.</p>
<p>Really think hard about what you want to major in though. CALS and ILR are not similar at all. Apply for the major you truly want to do, it doesn't really sound like you are too sure, so really think about it and research the hell out of all the colleges at Cornell and their majors before deciding on anything. Don't just do something like ILR because you can take some electives in other colleges. You will still have to take the majority of coursework in ILR and your degree will say B.S. Industrial and Labor Relations. Same is true with any other major other than what the diploma says. Pick the one you truly want, not the one that you think will be easier to get into, or the one that you think could possibly grow on you. </p>
<p>You have a very long way to go though, so I suggest taking basic liberal arts classes in the beginning, especially english and bio though so that if you want CALS you will have the prereqs done. Once you start college you may change your mind on what you want to do (and it sounds like you haven't even made up your mind on anything yet), I know it did for me.</p>
<p>edit to respond to post above...I haven't transferred to Cornell yet (applying for ILR spring transfer with what should be a very strong overall app assuming my essays don't suck), I was just saying that I know for a fact many have transferred from CC's with less than a 4.0. Going to visit the campus in july though, and I can't wait.</p>
<p>a Cornell diploma will only say BACHELOR OF SCIENCE/ARTS CORNELL UNIVERSITY and not your major...</p>
<p>i would say that an ILR degree is probably not the best program to go into if you're considering pre-med...unless you're interested in medical policy or something like that...</p>
<p>OK I guess I was wrong, but it doesn't make any difference. I think I read where someone was asking what the ILR diploma says a while back and must have gotten confused, plus I wrote that at 2 30 am. I have seen a Bach of Arts and Master of Arts from Cornell, but then again they were from the 60's and I wasn't sure if anything has changed in the last 45 years. </p>
<p>Anyways, an employer will never see your diploma, but you will have to list your major, and that was the point I was trying to make. I'm not really sure why the OP is interested in ILR , because it sounds like it would be a bad fit from what he has said.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the responses, I especially appreciate it when people take the time to write detailed posts. </p>
<p>Basically, I'm going to a CC for one year: two semesters. I don't intend on staying home yet another year and taking more classes at a CC, but instead I plan to transfer. I'll be applying to SUNY Oneonta and Oswego, perhaps others if I find particular major interests and see schools perfect for them. Otherwise, my main goal is Cornell. I plan to get straight A's and get a lot of community service under my belt. I'll have my past work experience/current work experience as well as great recommendations from teachers in my senior year of HS (and hopefully a professor or two!)</p>
<p>While I have a semi-interest in Medicine, I don't know much about the field as a whole. I know there are so many different possibilities to look into when looking at medicine, so I'll definitely do some research and see if a career there would suit me. Science is fun, I love it, and if I study hard I'm sure I'd be great at it. Math, however, is going to take some construction for me to do much better.</p>
<p>Here are some of the majors I'm looking into:
-English
-Communications
-Pre-Law
-Pre-Med
-Biology (mild interest: what types of careers besides your standard Biologist come from a major in Biology?)
-Sports Marketing/Management (Obviously programs for this at Cornell are slim, but it's up there as an option for me.)</p>
<p>My decision now is just which school am I looking to? In the ILR school, what kinds of majors do students decide to go for? Is it unheard of to major in something while I'm there only to be taking prep classes for Law school? That and medicine are probably my biggest outlooks, considering English isn't available and I'm not sure if I'd enjoy a Communications-led career.</p>
<p>EDIT: haha, and yes, soccerguy, Golden Sun is an excellent game in my opinion and I often use Wateradept as my username on many things.</p>
<p>ILR is definitely not the place for you, if those are truly your interests.</p>
<p>ILR stands for Industrial and Labor Relations, and is focused, as CayugaRed and others have so eloquently stated, on Collective Bargaining, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Workforce Management, Labor Economics, and Organizational Behavior. </p>
<p>It isn't a typical "school" in that you have a diverse picking of majors. ILR is your major (correct me if I'm wrong).</p>
<p>English is CAS but Communication is CALS, so figure out which you want before you begin applying. And Pre-Law or Pre-Med can be done while doing any other major, like EVERYONE ELSE has said. You can be in engineering, CAS, HumEc, ILR, any of them, and as long as you can complete the required courses, you are "Pre-Law" or "Pre-Med."</p>
<p>P.S. Biologists can do research, academia, or in the workplace
You can do advanced degrees, you can specialize in Ecology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Oceanography, Mammalogy. You can work for a government agency or a non-profit (like NIH, WHO, CDC, etc.) Do some research, you can learn a lot.</p>
<p>Thanks! I'll definitely still look into majoring in Biology or Communications at CALS then. Otherwise, what exactly do students major in or what programs are offered in ILR? I've done some research on other message boards and on the school's website yet I'm still confused on some things.</p>
<p>ILR's only major is ILR as chendrix mentioned. You can make it focus on one of a number of things such as HR or collective bargaining, but your major will be industrial and labor relations no mater what. Because of this, you should do something in CALS or another school like you stated because ILR does not sound at all like it will be a fit for you. Best of luck in whatever you do decide to major in though.</p>
<p>
[quote]
as well as great recommendations from teachers in my senior year of HS
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Just want to throw in my two cents...</p>
<p>Unless the application process has changed since I applied...you only get to submit 1 recommendation and it has to come from a professor. Make sure you get to know one really well!</p>
<p>You can submit two unless Cornell has some other policy that I don't know about(the current paper version of the transfer common app has two recommendation forms at the end), but of course they have to come from college professors and not HS teachers like dewdrop mentioned.</p>
<p>I need to get to know a second professor really well this spring for the second. Already know my econ professor very, very well.</p>
<p>yeah...I found this from the admissions site:</p>
<p>"one Instructor Evaluation--recommendation from a professor/instructor who can attest to your intellectual and personal promise"</p>
<p>But that's great if you can submit 2! I was only allowed to submit one when I applied...and it had to come from my advisor who I barely knew :-)</p>
<p>Oh snap, alright thanks so much guys! I'll still look into the recommendation for my HS teacher because she wasn't just that but the coordinator of an internship I did with my local paper and it was a good class. That should come in handy if I do go for Communications even though, yes, I understand the Communications major there is NOT journalism.</p>
<p>I'll be sure to get to know my professors and hopefully get two recommendations, which should be easier if I manage to be acing the class and showing that I can be outgoing and involved in the process. ;)</p>
<p>Not to mention I have a whole mess of charity 5k and 4-mile runs to get to in the next two months. That should add up on the service roster, especially if I not only run but help out at the functions as well. I'm also waiting for calls on 4 job applications so I'm hopefully already headed in the right direction. </p>
<p>Next step is to schedule my classes and get some reading material to mega-prep during August so I'm ready to ace as soon as I arrive.</p>
<p>My last question I suppose would be the transfer application. Is there such thing as applying early transfer, or since I'm focusing on getting straight A's, should I wait until December/January to apply? I'm thinking it's better to get everything in before December to show my extreme interest: that way they have the application handy and are checking up on me throughout the year, right? This is pretty important to me considering I want to transfer for my sophomore year and not wait until junior year to get to Cornell.</p>
<p>There's no Early Decision or Early Action for transfer students. It's really not possibly to complete your application until mid-March at the earliest.</p>
<p>What I did was this: I submitted the bulk of my application in December and sent in my Fall semester grades as soon as I got them. I spoke with my spring semester profs to get midterm grades in early March and then sent in the mid-semester report. I received my decision with the first batch of applicants in late April. </p>
<p>Around August I suggest making contact with the admissions office of your intended college to show your interest and get your questions answered. Also, consider attending Transfer Day in early November. It's co-hosted by CALS, ILR and HumEc and is essentially an open house for prospective transfer students.</p>
<p>Whew! Then I have plenty of time to worry about getting my application all together and complete. You sent the essay along with the first bulk of course, correct? I'll definitely look into both contacting the college before I start school this fall and checking out the transfer day. Now I'm pumped to do this, thanks so much everyone.</p>
<p>If I end up transferring to one school and if for some reason I like a program at one of the other schools better, is it difficult to switch between them? Would I have to go through the whole application process again? Not that I intend to switch of course, I'm sure I can make up my mind by fall on what I'm definitely doing. :)</p>