CALS Chances

yankeeplaya42 · 12-01-2008, 09:07 PM

I know that I put this up last week, but i didnt get many responses so im doing it again.

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have a 92/100 GPA but I take all honors/AP/accel classes and have received academic excellence math. This is unweighted bc my school is dumb and doesnt weight grades. I am in the top 20% but my counseler has mentioned that i could have easily been in the top 10% if grades were weighted. Im pretty sure I have taken some of the most hardest classes avaliable.

I also play many sports. I play baseball (all-stars including advancing to the regional tournerment and gold level travel) and volleyball (varsity), have played basketball (freshmen, AAU), and have done cross-country for my school for three years.

I am also VP of NHS, have been co-president and VP of two other clubs, and am involved in three different clubs. I have also done MANY community service events, have received awards for my services, and have accumulated 200+ hours. I have received the St. Michael’s Book Award for my community service and have been recommended for the YMCA award (honors community service).

I have raised money through various fund-raisers for free-clinic and people who are on Medicaid. Raised over $2000, mentioned it in my app.

I also have work experience. I have worked for a tutoring company called Kumon where i work about 8 hours a week

I have completed an internship for the past two years where i have done cancer and environemntal research. I have published a paper in a journal and have sent my cancer research to Utah to be used to find a cure.

My ACT composite was a 29:
30, 30, 28, 26 (I know its not that good but its not bad considereing the avg is a 28)

My teacher recs- One should be pretty good and the other should be good but not amazing. My chem teacher talked about how i took my interest outside the classroom to pursue research and my history teacher talked abt me working my ass off in his class. i have a pretty good relationship with them.

My essay-Everyone that has read it said it was really good, including admission officers.

I'm applyin to CALS ED and majoring in Bio. I just want to know how i stack up against others.

miktau · 12-01-2008, 09:34 PM

Lol maybe a 28 is average for an agg major but for bio/aem its more like 32-33+ as average. Ed would have been a much better chance but you still have a shot, average maybe meaning like what less than 20%. Sorry if its harsh but thats what I think.

cheers,
Miek

grantortue · 12-02-2008, 06:53 AM

the avg. is not a 28 anymore. I had a 31 and the guy I knew at admissions said it was "around average". I would say average is probably 32, and for bio/aem, 34. Standards have been rising quickly these past few years

transferstudent9 · 12-02-2008, 10:18 AM

Judging by what you described, you have an excellent chance. Cornell CALS cares little about standardized test scores compared to EC's and GPA.

bluebayou · 12-02-2008, 11:42 AM

Last year's 75th% for the total entering Frosh class was a 32. It is hard to believe that the hotelies & ILR's are large enough (in numbers) to move that number much. Thus, it is highly unlikely that the mean is a 32 for CAS.

http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000395.pdf

grantortue · 12-02-2008, 12:08 PM

Keep in mind only 650ish apps. had ACT scores. Most CALS applications are SAT because they recommend 2 SATii's in Math and Science. Even last year when I called CALS to see what the mean was, the woman disclosed that a 32 was the norm. She also said 31-33 was the range of most admits. Which led me to believe the most difficult majors (aem, bio) would be around a 34. In any event, a 29 ACT will not significantly weaken an application.

miktau · 12-02-2008, 01:20 PM

Lol call the admissions office, that statistic hasnt been updated in a while. I was told the real range is 31-34 when i called.

bluebayou · 12-02-2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

She also said 31-33 was the range of most admits.

Admits don't matter (some of those 33's will end up at Dartmouth, Brown....); what is important is matriculants, as reported on the CDS.

Quote:

that statistic hasnt been updated in a while

Hmmm, do you really think that Cornell's Division of Planning and Budget, which is comprised of many high quality professionals, would publish bad data? What would be their purpose?

yankeeplaya42 · 12-02-2008, 03:09 PM

so do you think that college board is correct then? (legitimate question not trying to go against you)

bluebayou · 12-02-2008, 03:38 PM

yankee:

Dunno about Collegeboard and how current their info is.

But, I do think that Cornell publishes accurate data, and that the link to its own Common Data Set in post #5 is correct: For the matriculating Frosh in fall of 2007, Cornell's 25th ACT % was 28 and its 75th % is 32. It is a statistical no-no to split the difference and end up with a mean of ~30, but it's not a bad estimate.

found Frosh of 2008 -- Uni-wide, the 25th increased to 29, and the 75th to 33. The endowed colleges (which includes CAS) are 30-33.

http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000175.pdf

yankeeplaya42 · 12-02-2008, 03:54 PM

so do you guys think that i have a shot?

grantortue · 12-02-2008, 04:43 PM

aside from all this bickering, of course you have a shot! like i said, your score won't make or break your application. You'll be in the running, but it is bio, so just keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best

yankeeplaya42 · 12-02-2008, 08:16 PM

alrite man, thanks for your imput