Did I miss something …yea.
Comparable ?
I missed JHU. It rolled to the next line. MY BAD.
Thought it said CMU vs Cornell. Not sure those two are comparable but we know nothing about the student.
I would ensure they can afford. No merit at Cornell.
Would love to know more about OP - desires, pursuits etc but in the end you are right - pick the one that’s right for you, not simply your best odds. And odds at these schools will in part depend on major…especially Cornell.
I can likely guess the major or main area but don’t want to do so.