I have consistent As in Math and Science in freshman. I have shown an upward trend from Cs to As in languages and social sciences in freshman year.
(we have 4 exams in freshman year)
Otherwise, my 10th( valedictorian in state board exams) and 11th (IB Diploma 41/42) grades are excellent.
So, would those few Cs and Bs really hurt my chances at Cornell? Or would that be outweighed by my upward trend in grades?
If you can explain the grades (illness, death, general life circumstances), that will help. Your upward trend is great, and colleges love a good success story. I would still apply to Cornell, especially if you’ve got great test scores and ECs.
It depends what your overall GPA is. While junior and sophomore years are more important, a low overall GPA due to a bad freshman year will diminish your chances.
Test scores matter a lot. Some Ivies do cut freshman grades and recalculate GPA, and that would really hurt you.