<p>What I get from reading Cornell’s admissions statistics and its site is that Cornell doesn’t put as much emphasis on test scores compared to other schools. I think in contrast to other Ivy League and top schools, Cornell likes to see their students well-rounded not just smarties. Does anyone else think so? I could be wrong</p>
<p>What I get is that Cornell likes kids with passion that will take the utmost advantage of what Cornell has to offer. The Any Person, Any Study mantra is important to them. They aren’t looking for prestige hogs, but rather a bright and motivated kid with specific interests. They also style themselves as “Land Grant University to the world” … as it is NY state’s land grant college, but does extension work all over the world. </p>
<p>So … to answer your question … I think ability <em>plus</em> passion/direction is the key to Cornell. Read some of the history of the founding of Cornell … it gives you an interesting perspective on the place. I think it’s very cool up there – literally and figuratively.</p>
<p>So that is what sets them apart from other schools: they want the most passionate students, not just the ones who excel academically. I have read up a bit on Cornell’s history and watched a youniversity clip of the the college campus and history; it is pretty cool</p>