Deferred Cornell ED then Wait-listed.

Colleges & Universities Cornell University
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<p>Hello, I am an Asian-American girl from Washington State who applied Early Decision to Cornell’s CAS and got deferred.
Then I just found out on 3/31 that I got wait-listed… ugh.</p>

<p>What do you guys think of my chance of getting accepted off the wait-list? I kinda think that many students who cannot afford an expensive private school will turn down Cornell and go to a state school in this harsh financial crisis, so there’ll be more room for wait-listeers to get accepted… but I’m not too sure because I also read an article saying that Cornell enhanced its financial aid for students… Well two people at my school who got into MIT, Stanford, and Duke are thinking of just going to University of Washington (in-state) because of $$$$$$$$$ so I hope there’re many Cornell acceptees like them… hehe… sorry I know it sounds mean and I’m just joking… :(</p>

<p>When I was deferred from Cornell I was upset and a bit disappointed, but then I didn’t really expect to get accepted (because of my GPA and SAT) so I was rather thankful to be given even a deferral. Cornell was still my dream school, top choice so I sent an additional letter of recommendation and my own letter to show that I was still interested, with a paragraph explaining my recent achievements. </p>

<p>I really really hoped to get accepted during RD but now I think wait-list is not that bad at all… I know Cornell CAS has been my reach with my stats and everything, and I feel better after knowing that even people from my school with more stellar stats and ECs than mine got flat-out rejected. (I know numbers are not everything but still they’re the most important factor in college admissions and fact that the the higher the better/more advantageous never changes… maybe excluding the essays) Actually, a lot of people from my school applied to Cornell and I’m the only one who survived the rejection and was placed on waitlist instead… </p>

<p>I’m trying to remain very positive and determined. I believe that waitlist is a lot better than a rejection and I still have some hope, even though it may be only a 0.1%, but still. I am waitlisted and not straight rejected because of reasons… I am never thinking of giving up on Cornell so I eagerly want to do everything to help me get accepted in May… and here is the thing. I NEED HELP FROM CC CORNELL FORUM PEOPLE!!! I just have a few questions:</p>

<li><p>Will writing another letter of interest/appeal help again? I had already sent one in February after I got deferred ED, but I was a bit running out of time so I don’t think I wrote it that impressively/touching/convincing, etc. Maybe the reason I didn’t get rejected from RD is the letter but I wonder if it would help again. I’m so going to state that “if admitted, I will 100% enroll” and express my interest in Cornell with stronger passion. 8D. Oh and how about sending an additional recommendation letter… ehh I’ve sent this one too after deferral so sending another one seems too annoying maybe? Helpful? I don’t know :/</p></li>
<li><p>I recently won the Grand Prize at WA State Japanese Speech Contest, and has been selected as a top 15 finalist to participate in the National level Contest in May 30th. Okay… these are actually the only achievements I’ve done since January, but will writing about this on the letter above still help? I mean winning the first in State Contest is great, etc. but I’m pretty sure most Cornell acceptees are like that so it’s not something that stands out? But still, I plan on majoring in Asian Studies and have done many activities related to Asian languages and cultures, and these awards are related to my possible major, showing my passions, abilities, and dedication.</p></li>
<li><p>I have been publised on local community newspapers 5 times so far – some are the ones I wrote and some are just about me. I’m thinking of collecting them all and send them to Cornell. Will it be helpful also? The newspapers are just community wise so they’re not as big as Seattle Times, New York Times, but I think they’re still something cool, lol. Oh by the way they’re all in four different languages- Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and English. Haha. </p></li>
<li><p>I also plan on visiting Cornell University if time and money allows. Don’t be surprised, but I’ve actually never been to the school of my dream. However next week is Spring Break so I have a week off and my mom is also happy to let me go there. I hope to meet and talk with the dean of admissions … what do you think about this?</p></li>
<li><p>Although Cornell’s FA is need-blind for US citizens, I’ve heard that it doesn’t count for wait-listees. Should I cancel my FA request and tell Cornell that I’ll pay for the full tuition if accepted? In this economy I’m sure that colleges are happier to have students who don’t need FA to attend, as mentioned in a recent article in New York Times…</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Ok, so I’ve just written five questions about my plans, and WILL THEY ALL HELP?
What other things could you think of to help me get accepted off the wait-list?
Also I’d love to have any of your opinions on wait-list this year…</p>

<p>I truly appreciate for taking your time to read this long thread. I desperately want to go to Cornell (don’t ask me
why because I have a long list of reasons and am too lazy to write them all to make this post even longer, lol).</p>

<p>Seriously, I am never never never giving up on Cornell and will hear the best news in my life in upcoming May.
Waiting is pain, but maybe Cornell is tesing my patience, haha.</p>

<p>Thank you very much!!!</p>

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<p>If you can speak Japanese, Chinese, and Korean all fluently, you must tell Cornell (if you didn’t already). That is HUGE!</p>

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<p>Haha I speak native Korean and English and fluent Japanese but not Chinese! Oh and your username sounds similar because Kartrider is actually a name of this Korean online game… are you Korean by any chance? lol.</p>

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<p>I’m in the exact same position as you, except i just went with RD. Honestly, i think we have a good shot. Cornell is my top choice, and as soon as i was waitlisted i went into have a talk with my counselor, who was once an admissions officer at Carleton College.</p>

<p>To answer some of your questions…

  1. Writing a letter of interest is the best thing you can do. Assert that Cornell is a top choice. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>I’ve heard from many sources that Cornell’s waitlist is unranked. I am not surprised. Being placed on the waitlist means Cornell knows you are qualified and talented. You do not need to prove anything further to the school. Interest is the most important part. After that, just mention in passing your new accomplishments.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m not sure that the admissions office would want to read them. Once again, being waitlisted means they know you are qualified.</p></li>
<li><p>Quote from an article
"“We tell students: Send additional academic information only. Still, students will send us seven additional recommendations, email us endlessly or have everyone they know call us. It doesn’t help. We know the affluent students from Long Island and California will fly here to tell how much they want to come, but we want a level playing field for the northwestern Indiana students who don’t have the gas money in their pocket to visit.” — Terry Knaus, senior associate director of admissions at Indiana University at Bloomington "</p></li>
<li><p>Supposedly, the waitlists at top colleges, including the Ivies, are need blind. Money is not supposed to affect their decision. However, quoted once again from the same article,
"“It never hurts to remind schools know you will be a full-paying student, especially this year. The rules even change at need-blind schools when it comes to the waitlist. It’s not an official practice, but admissions officers are human. They know endowments are down and cost-cutting is essential. If a full-paying student says he’ll definitely come, letting him in can be a relief.” — Karen Crowley, consultant for College Coach, a national education-consulting firm, and former admissions officer at the University of Pennsylvania "
However, think to yourself, is it really worth paying that extra ten thousand+ dollars to increase your chances to get in by a tiny fraction? Moreover, think about the amount of aid that the university is giving out. If Cornell is enhancing their financial aid, do you really think they are willing to risk their reputation for being need blind?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Furthermore, I think the waitlist selectees are sometimes picked in the way that would best round out the class. For example, if very few kids from Hawaii got in this year, or very few french scholars, or too many biology majors, then i’d think they would pick to balance that out.</p>

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<p>I would definitely write a letter and visit, if possible. But don’t go overboard with it. </p>

<p>I also don’t think that Cornell is need-sensitive on the waitlist, and I can imagine your plan to offer to pay full tuition (while commendable) might not sit so well in the minds of some Cornell adcoms.</p>

<p>Keep in mind you can always transfer. That is one of the nice things about Cornell.</p>

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<p>I think that writing a genuine, heartfelt letter expressing your desire to attend Cornell over any other university will be helpful. Also, definitely mention that Japanese award you just received! I don’t know about the offer to pay in full, that can come off as “I’ll buy my way in!” rather than “I love your school so much I’ll even pay full fare”.
Good luck, I know firsthand what it feels like to be deferred ED (it stunk) and I can’t imagine how torturous it would be to be waitlisted RD after being deferred!
I truly hope you get accepted off the waitlist!</p>

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<p>Thank you very much for your responses. I’m definitely sending a letter of interest along with an updated information on my recent achievements and activities (I will also include those newspaper pages I have appeared on). I also think that visiting is helpful too.</p>

<p>Any other advices?</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Meh. Don’t do this unless you have something particularly notable. And I don’t think being in your local newspaper is notable enough.</p>

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<p>Well, winning 1st in the State Competition is something notable, right…?</p>

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<p>BUMP… sorry but I’m so desperate :(</p>

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<p>Everything is notable. The thing is, they dont really care about what you’re doing. They know you’re ready for Cornell, and they would be too if they had space. On an unranked waitlist, they’ll chose based on who they think will enroll.</p>

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<p>Of course, I will 100% enroll at Cornell University if accepted later. I just found out that two people at my school also got wait-listed at Cornell. When I asked them what they would do with it, they said they would just wait till the final decision… so I think that express a genuine, sincere interest at Cornell is definitely helpful, right?
Oh and I’ve heard that even though Cornell does not rank the wait-listed applicants, it divides them into some groups… is that true? If so, what categories specifically?
Thanks. :)</p>

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<p>

Waitlists are meant to manage the demographics of the 2013 class, so I’d think it’s not unreasonable that waitlistees are categorized. </p>

<p>Sorry I can’t help. Hope you get off the WL :)</p>

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<p>Fiona :

CayugaRed :

</p>

<p>So…a full pay student wouldn’t catch anyone’s attention…but a URM might?
and an ORM might be ‘hurt’?
(very broad use of hurt)</p>

<p>That sounds an awful lot like RD…</p>

<p>I still think the waitlist is just something they use to protect their yield.
I’m not sure there’s much we can do other than update them/let them know we’re in love with Cornell.
btw…Cornell adcoms ■■■■■■■■ about: (I’m in love with Cornell! PM me! )</p>

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<p>i’m in the same boat! deferred ED from cornell, then waitlisted. bummer. but you’re doing the right thing. sending extra letters of rec. helps, and so does solidifying your interest with themy by sending them letters saying that you’ll def commit if they admit you and stuff like that. just don’t bombard them. good luck!</p>

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<p>When do they start looking at the Waitlist ? Before May 1st as they start receiving responses from those accepted or after May 1st when they accurately know their yield ?</p>

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<p>^ a little bit after May 1st when they’ll have all the deposits in.</p>

<p>Remember, the deposits have to be postmarked by May 1st, so some internationals will be coming in a bit late (I was informed May 1st is a national holiday in Germany = no mail).</p>

<p>Once they know their yield, they’ll know whether they can take any student(s) from the waitlist.</p>

<p><em>makes oblation of bread and earth to a fire, utters an ancient verse, and praises the sun god</em> </p>

<p>^ maybe that’ll work? lol</p>

<p>Also, I seem to recall the month of June being mentioned on that blue waitlist information paper they sent us…it could go on for a while fellas. (and gals)</p>

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Where did you wind up? My D was deferred and is still waiting to hear. We do not have high hopes…