Help me with CALS please

Colleges & Universities Cornell University
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<p>Hello, I’ll be applying to CALS soon as a transfer, under an “Agricultural Sciences” or “Natural Resources” major, and am starting to volunteer in parks. One of the main things they look for is making sure they see your interest in it, and I have done/will be doing the following but don’t know if it will even be enough. I might not do ALL of these but most I think I will:</p>

<p>**-Summer Clean up project

  • MillionTreesNYC program
  • Effort that will be organized at Weeping Beech Park<br>
  • Central Park- Every Saturday, general horticulture and maintenance work.
  • Riverside Park: Work in all sections of the park, assisting with horticulture and general maintenance projects.
  • Brookly Bridge Park- Green Team- volunteer stewardship team- providing hands-on care for Brooklyn Bridge Park.
  • Get Dirty In Central Park
    WEEKDAY Volunteer Work Sessions: Zone Assistants
    -Corporate Groups (Volunteer group basically): A Day In The Dirt- Not-For-Profit: A Day In The Dirt
  • Get Dirty In Central Park
    WEEKEND Volunteer Work Sessions: Green Team -Work with a group of volunteers to complete large-scale horticultural and maintenance projects throughout the Park</p>

<p>Most of these events will be 3-4 hours long each
**</p>

<p>Then I also have a volunteer permit, so I can just go to any park nearby whenever I want, and just clean up and whatnot. I will also be a part of the horticulture club and maybe Biology Club in my college. </p>

<p>What other types of volunteer stuff can I do to show interest in an Agricultural Sciences or Natural Resources? I mean, if I just volunteered at one park for 1000 hours, and that was it, then the volunteer hours wouldn’t really have much significance, they will be the only Extracurricular I have. What can I do to show more interest??</p>

<p>Also, I’m planning on doing research, but I don’t know how to start! Do we just ask professors if they need us to do research for them? How does it work?</p>

<p>Thanks a lot! Does it look like I show interest in the major so far?</p>

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<p>Bump :stuck_out_tongue: had to re-edit this thread sorry for those who posted.</p>

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<p>Bump 10 characters please :P</p>

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<p>I think that’s an excellent amount of major-oriented stuff. I would be proud to have it on my app personally.</p>

<p>I don’t know how you find research opportunities because I haven’t actually gotten there so I will not even try on that part.</p>

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<p>Thank you, but remember, some of these I might not do, I think I’ve missed out on a couple so far…</p>

<p>Anyone have any advice on other stuff I can do, and can others also post please? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>I studied Natural Resource Policy and Management at Cornell. I guess my first question would be what is your potential focus? Are you interested in managing wildlife populations, overseeing urban park systems, affecting federal policy, or diving into international development (to name a few)? </p>

<p>Whatever you choose should probably determine the types of activities you pursue. It’s hard to say by your list, but I’m a little concerned that you’re just trying to rack up resume boosters. It comes off as a little transparent - like you just threw together a bunch of Saturday mornings to try and impress admissions. </p>

<p>The Natural Resource Management program is in no way full of urban environmentalists who like to clean up trash on the weekend and eat tofu. Cornell, in general, has a pretty realistic approach to global issues (which is what owes to the incredibly unique experience you will have in the beautiful Finger Lakes region). </p>

<p>Even though my focus was on urban ecology, I gutted dead deer with local hunters at check stations, assessed the market value of tree stands for timber output, electrically stunned streams of fish for studies, analyzed urban socioeconomic dynamics of neighborhoods and park systems, and studied the philosophies underlying man’s relationship to the natural world. Given your heavy focus on urban parks, you might want to consider “City and Regional Planning” as a major or at least a minor.</p>

<p>If you’re a really hands on person, get your hands dirty. If you’re more of a philosphical thinker, maybe immerse yourself in a political campaign to improve a local environmental situation. Don’t try to sell them what you think they want to hear - if you have a passion, show them. Their program is quite flexible for individual interests, whether it be as a writer or a researcher or a politico. People will come out of Nat Res working in the hinterlands of Wyoming and in downtown DC or NYC. They have a really good program in Washington, DC you should check out if you’re interested in policy.</p>

<p>Is there an environmental club at your school? If not, could you start one? Or, better yet, start a club to bring environmentalists and entrepreneurs together. Are there environmental science classes? If not, could you lobby to have one? Could you initiate some sort of program - perhaps studying the water quality of a stream that goes near your campus or lead some sort of park management project rather than just volunteering for a bunch? I had the benefit of being an Eagle Scout, owning a business, and having a passion for the environment, so my ECs just naturally blended with my focus on Nat Res and business. I don’t remember going out of my way to craft a sellable set of ECs.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to sound down - maybe it is enough. It’s just that you’re applying for an Ivy League school and probably need some leadership experience in there.</p>

<p>Also - you list “Agricultural Sciences” or “Natural Resources”. While Nat Res is in the Ag school, there’s no overlap with the farm programs. Your Nat Res studies will be quite unique, in that you will study field biology, chemistry, economics, ecology, philosophy, etc…, with options of studying urban planning, landscape architecture, and other programs in other schools. The Agriculture program is far different and more intensely focused on farming.</p>