Hi,
I am in love with Cornell’s PAM (Policy Analysis and Management) program. I know that HumanEc is an easier college to get into, but does anyone know if PAM is actually competitive? I will post some stats and basic ECs for you guys to see. Let me know my chances and any suggestions!
ACT: 32 (35E, 35R, 27M, 32S)
GPA: 3.93/UW and 4.28/W
ECs:
- mock trial all 4 years and over 20 regional/state/national/international competitions, very good mock trial program and about 20-25 hours per week all school year long. (Captain all 4 years)
- moot court all 4 years at Duke University and the University of Denver (Captain all 4 years)
- National Honor Society
- Spanish Honor Society
- Leader of IBIP program assisting men and women in Africa to help research ideas for their businesses.
- First high school student to be a Judicial Intern for federal district Judge.
- Club Basketball for 2 years
- Summer Mock Trial Program all 4 years
Awards:
- Numerous mock trial awards for best attorneys and witnesses at national/state/regional level.
- Named Advocate of the Year at high school
APs: 7 in total, the scores I have got back have been (5,4,3,2)
Class Rank: Top 5% of class
Community Service: Worked with many different organizations to feed the homeless/provide them with essentials.
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Will not apply for financial aid
Let me know what you think and if you need anything else!
Hi,
Current student here. PAM is a very competitive program; don’t apply for human ecology col for the primary purpose of hoping that it is “easier” to get into.
Given your statistics, I would say it is highly unlikely that you would be admitted. PAM is a very statistical heavy major, and the 27M and 32S are very low for the major, so I don’t know if they will even move to your EC’s. Students also tend to have a series of 5s for the AP’s, so leaving out scores below and including 4, your AP profile is comparatively very poor. Your EC’s are slightly better. The mock trial activities are good (not too related to PAM however) and the other ones are ok (nothing too special).
I don’t want to discourage you but I don’t you think your chances are good. your ED is valuable, and in my opinion, I would apply for PAM in the regular round if you’re really intent, but definitely not ED. Feel free to ask if you need any advice or help if you do decide to apply.
I wouldn’t be quite as negative as the first poster, but agree that you may have made the mistake that I have seen other applicants make: assuming that higher acceptance rate = ‘easier’.
The 27M could be a flag, as there is an explicitly quanty side to public policy. Do you have some solid math in your profile? Number of APs is considered in relation to your school, but in general 7 as a number is seen as fine, and based on your class rank, I’m guessing your grades in those classes are fine.
Your mock trial EC is deep and strong (though be aware that when people see ‘Captain all 4 years’ they wonder if it is a small team? otherwise why would 12th graders choose a 9th grader to be Captain?), but it reads “law school/trial law”, not policy development.
The challenge for you is going to be writing the essay that shows why you are a good fit for the program. HumEc can be touchy about people thinking that they are the back door into Cornell. Be sure to push yourself on your thinking-they will spot the superficial or simplistic.
“Easier” is a very relative term when talking about Cornell. Easier for admission than Dyson? Sure. Easier than a lot of other colleges, no. HumEc is really, really looking for fit. Have you read their mission statement? I don’t see anything in your profile that screams good fit for Hum Ec specifically.
I also agree that the math subscore is going to raise red flags. 2s and 3s on AP tests are also red flags. Don’t submit for sure but understand that they’ll see the AP classes on your transcript and make assumptions if you don’t self report as well.
Cornell, for any of their colleges, is a reach for even the strongest applicants.