<p>The whole GT thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be and yeah, I’m excited about next fall, but it’s an awkward situation to be in right now. I got an IB diploma, was a valedictorian, yet am going to community college this year. It’s really hard to explain that to peers, teachers, etc. regardless of whether or not I’m ending up at Cornell eventually. The fact that I haven’t had the traditional four-year school college progression is still something I’m not completely comfortable with. </p>
<p>I’ve taken to telling people that I’m taking a year off and going to Cornell next fall as a sophomore, as opposed to explaining what the GT entails. I’m taking my required classes, but they’re easier than anything I ever took in high school and it feels like I’m not doing any schoolwork at all. I’m working 25-30 hours a week, though, so when asked, I tell people that I’m saving money for school during my “gap year.”</p>
<p>I mean, personally, grantortue, I’d take the Cornell swim test over all of this, but that’s just me.</p>
<p>Well, if it makes you feel any better, at least your classes seem relatively easy (from how you describe them). I’m currently attending my second-choice school right now, which is an institution far from “easy”, hence potentially jeopardizing my GT. </p>
<p>I do know what you mean, though, about the awkwardness of telling others how exactly a GT works. Even my high school counselor didn’t know what I was talking about…</p>
<p>wow, i’ve never looked at it like that. Indigo, I put myself in your position and that must be so awkward/boring. I def. see where you’re coming from. And diehldun, I can understand how much pressure it must be to meet the gpa minimum in order for the GT to be active, that must be really stressful. I suppose there are a lot more cons than I first thought of, but I still think it’s a lot better than an outright rejection and then having to apply as a regular transfer.</p>
<p>to those of you who were stating that when you applied you didn’t see the choice of GT…keep in mind, I applied to Cornell 4 years ago…before they switched to the common app and changed their application prodecure…</p>
<p>I’m pretty much in your boat too. I’m an '11 GT to ILR with a B- in some fringe music department class that’s open to all majors. Other than that though, I’m getting A’s. </p>
<p>My impression as the mom of a 2011 GT is that Cornell decides who gets an offer for a GT, not the student. In other words, we never saw anything that suggested that as an option, second choice, etc. on any application materials that I can recall. That could just be in the college my S’s trying for, though (which is not ILR). It might be different in other colleges at Cornell.</p>
<p>I think the “gap year” is a good way to explain it, indigo. The GT is so complicated and involved to explain to people you see on the fly, you just need some quick way of explaining it! That’s true for the student’s parents just as it is for the student, I might add! I lobbied our S to go to a CC for the year, but he wanted to get some of the “college experience” of living away from home under his belt, and he said at semester break that he’s glad he’s going where he is rather than at the local CC. I think he wanted to avoid some of the feelings you’re having, indigo. He’s no partier, so he’s earnest about just making himself get adjusted to dorm life, etc… He thinks it will make going to Cornell easier for him next year (if all goes well!), since he will have new surroundings to get used to, but he will already be used to having to do the things he does now.</p>
<p>Personally, I was delighted to see our S get the GT offer over a Waitlist. The GT is <em>guaranteed</em> as long as you meet the requirements they set out. That puts the burden on you, but it’s on you alone. No one can take your GT spot away from you but you. I know my S feels a lot like he’s already going to Cornell, in a way, especially since he’s taking classes for their requirements that he would not have to take for his major elsewhere, including the school he attends now. </p>
<p>It’s a weird limbo existence, that’s for sure. Speaking as a parent, I would like to add that the whole family is involved in the uncertainty and waiting also, not just the student. We’re very excited, though, that our S has this wonderful opportunity to attend the college he’s had his heart set on from the beginning. We know that if he just gets through this year and gets himself up there, he won’t look back very much at his freshman year–he’ll be focused on earning that Cornell degree!</p>
<p>diehldun–I think I may have just seen mention of your current college in another post of yours on another thread. That is a <em>very</em> good school, so you are in a good spot if your GT doesn’t go through! My goodness–you have no worries, diehldun! ;)</p>
<p>Haha, thanks Dr_Mom! The fact that it’s also a really good school makes meeting all the strict GT grade requirements all the more tricky and nerve-racking! Though honestly, I’m hoping that the “caliber” of the school might pull some weight in the application as a whole.</p>
<p>I’m certainly happy where I’m at right now, but I think I’ll be even happier if the GT works out. We’ll see. :)</p>
<p>Hope your son’s second semester is going well too!</p>
<p>i was accepted to ILR last spring with the gt option and am going through the same thing you all are! its a very lonely path to take…but its all worth it for that ivy league diploma!! During the fall i got a c+ in astronomy, but every other class i received a’s and b’s, and my GPA is still over 3.3. Does anyone know how much they take a medical condition into consideration when looking at why a GT was not able to meet the requirement? The pressure for the spring semester midterm grades is intense! ( I am at a highly respected SUNY)</p>
<p>retroglamour–I don’t know the answer to your question, but I would explain any circumstances that you think may have affected the C+. Also, I think the fact that the only grade below a B was in Astronomy, when you are planning to be an ILR major, will work in your favor. </p>
<p>Good luck this semester with the GT!</p>
<p>And to the person who said students offered the GT are given that because Cornell is not sure they would succeed at Cornell–that’s probably true in some cases (and it’s certainly true if that’s what you were told by Cornell), but we were told by Cornell that it was a matter of available space in my S’s particular major, which is tiny.</p>
<p>Dr_Mom, how would one find out the reason for why they received the GT. The reason that I ask is b/c I think that Cornell sends out a generic GT letter to everyone after they first received it. In mine, it just said that there was a limited # of spots and they had no space for me and thus they are offering me a GT if I am still interested for hte following year. I am just curious if everyone else got the same one.</p>
<p>blazinyan300, it’s hard to say. I highly doubt though, that they would send a specialized letter to each GT candidate; it’s probably generic for each school.</p>
<p>I think if you really wanted to know the reason in your particular case you’d have to ask the GT person at the college you’re trying for (admissions, etc.). We were told this in a phone conversation with the college in reference to my S and his intended major. I’m not remembering the wording of the letter exactly, but I seem to recall it was more generic, though I think it did mention his major. </p>
<p>All of the courses I am taking this semester have two mid terms. Should I file the mid term report after both mid terms are given, or only send in the first mid term grades?</p>
<p>WTC–The best advice is to contact the college at Cornell where you have the GT and ask their preference for midterm grades and midterm grade reports. In my S’s case, his current school issues formal midterm grade reports, but these are due to come out a few days after his Cornell college’s GT application deadline. So, he asked Cornell how they want him to handle that. They told him what they’d like him to do. It’s always best to get your instructions straight from Cornell, you know?</p>
<p>On the other side of things–Your professors decide if they’re able to incorporate grades from a midterm <em>exam</em> itself in time into a midterm grade <em>report</em>. They should be able to tell you what was included or left out in your midterm grade. In many college courses, a midterm <em>exam</em> grade is not necessarily the same thing as the midterm grade. In some courses, it may be, however. </p>
<p>For example, say a professor’s grades are due at noon on a Monday, and the midterm exam was just taken on Friday. The professor may or may not have included grading time and calculating time to include that exam’s score in the overall midterm grade. S/he will be able to tell you whether the midterm exam got included or not. Other things may not be included, as well, such as labs that may be graded by TAs. It’s important to know what grades your professor expects to include in your midterm grade and also, after the fact, what grades actually went into the midterm grade.</p>
<p>Some colleges don’t issue formal midterm grade reports at all, and in some colleges midterms are only issued for certain courses. It’s important to know what your current college does and know from Cornell directly how they want you to incorporate that with your GT application.</p>
<p>hey everybody!
my S is a guaranteed transfer for CALS too
he is a biological sciences major, and must obtain a 3.5</p>
<p>he is different than most kids entering and now is in a very sticky situation
i really need some help and advice</p>
<p>my S accepted into cornell originally through the EOP program
but he had to “successfully” complete the EOP summer program
he was unable to due so, and a week before cornell orientation for class
of 2011… they had given him a GT for fall 08
so here we were … a week before school, and nowhere to go?
so i enrolled him into a nearby 4 year college
but he was very unhappy
he knew he had to obtain a 3.5 but in his first semester he took
BIO 1- B-
CHEM 1- B-
Writing- A-
Calc 1- F</p>
<p>but he received the F because hewithdrew after the withdraw deadline</p>
<p>So i immediately took him out, and placed him in a CC,
and now hes taking
BIO 2, CHEM 2, SPEECH, STATISTICS AND HES RETAKING THE CALC</p>
<p>since hes retaking the calc, the first semester one will disapear
but i think cornell will still see the grade</p>
<p>One way is to take more credits this semester (if the add/drop deadline has not passed yet) and do good in those classes. That may raise the culminative GPA.</p>