<p>As a borderline applicant to CALS for Animal Science (95.1 uwgpa, 29 act, 730/720 sat II, strong EC’s) I have learned from this forum I might have a couple useful hooks. First I grew up on and am heavily involved in a family livestock farm that does business with Cornell Vet hospital. Second, our primary Vet is a Cornell grad with a large well known practice. I will mention in the essay, breeding and showing livestock in 4H and attending a couple Cornell cooperative extension classes.</p>
<p>My question is how to best convey my hooks? I don’t want to come off as “hey my parents do business with you so you better let me in” but rather show my sincere, committed involvement in ag science and longer term possible interest in becoming a large animal vet or research scientist.</p>
<p>conventional wisdom is that the term “hook” applies to only 4/5 things: URM status, recruited athlete, legacy, development admit or celebrity.</p>
<p>What you’re talking about are your unique features. Most people do not have a true hook (as defined above). To your question:
mention the connection in your pers statement but emphasize WHAT YOU DO, </p>
<p>2) have you ever worked for your VET? Does he/she know YOU and your work, consider asking him/her for a recommendation. However if you’ve never worked under him, then DO NOT DO SO – the casual Cornell affiliation means nothing. You didn’t mention this so I think this is a dead end.</p>
<p>While I have never “worked” for the vet I have done a variety of tasks directed by the vet necessary to assist in maintaining our livestock such as AI, worming, calfing/foaling, beef castration, IM needles for hormones, anti biotics, etc. I won’t do IV shots and am just learning how to ultrasound mares this spring (only had 4 mares to try on and this takes time to learn). I am using the essay to convey some of this experience in a generalized way. I guess I wish my life’s experiences would help make me a more competitive canidate for CALS.</p>
<p>Ahh, yes fit is a better way to put than hook. Thanks. No I didn’t take the regular SAT as I was competing out of state in my sport last spring. I looked at the fall ACT dates but there is only one OCT date available before the deadline for ED. I know my ACT is a weak point, I only sat for the test once with a couple days prep out of the ACT study guide. Between school, fall sports and chores I doubt i will have much prep time and imagine i would get the same result. Do AP results count? I have taken 5 so far with 4-5’s and one 3 (taken in tenth grade).</p>
<p>I don’t have updated info, but for the class that entered two years ago, the middle 50th % ACT scores for Ag were 28-32 Composite. (So, stats for enrolled students, not accepted students. Accepted students’ stats tend to be higher than enrolled students’ stats b/c of those who are accepted and choose to attend a ‘more selective’ school.)</p>
<p>These scores only seem to increase as each year passes, so a score of 28 leaves you closer to the bottom than top, a position I would not want as an otherwise unhooked applicant. Am not trying to be discouraging, but just attempting to use the little data available. </p>
<p>I have no idea how Cornell considers AP scores, but we do know they look at ACT & SAT scores and report those results. You have to imagine that the hooked applicants are the ones closer to the 25th % mark. I am just guessing here…</p>
<p>Pull out the red book and plow through a practice test. Improving that score by a couple of points seems your best strategy.</p>