@efefsef Looking after the sled dogs sounds to most of us like an honorable responsibility, but we don’t have a great context for understanding what it means to your community. What you’ve alluded to in post #50 suggests that it’s a great honor not bestowed to just anyone. You have an opportunity to connect your life, experiences and aspirations in a way that will make you not only an interesting admit, but also a compelling addition to the schools to which you apply.
Oh, I’d say he has “more”. Looking after sled dogs, helping family, speaking a unique language, and killing a seal for a rite of passage to adulthood are all far MORE than most applicants will offer - and great essay topics too! OP is also well spoken and seems to have the writing ability to articulate his story and “who he is within that story or as a result of that story”. He didn’t write his essay for us…that is a next step.
This is silly. OP is also a youth leader, and just judging from his responses on here, this kid is in a different class from most applicants on any number of measures.
CC tends to fetishize the idea that there are so many amazing candidates out there. There really aren’t. Even most “great” candidates are mostly great because they played a game well. The best candidates to my mind are the best not for what they did but for who they are.
I love the story about having to wait three months for SAT prep books to arrive and then having to fly presumably over a thousand miles to take the test. Meanwhile on another thread here people are debating spending $7500 for private prep classes. There is so much material to work with here and I think OP has the maturity and unique perspective to present it well.
The only big question is how OP will be viewed as an international candidate needing significant aid. I don’t know the answer to that and it’s probably unknowable anyway because the colleges will never be honest.
Definitely keep us in the loop, OP!
I agree with @SatchelSF .
This candidate has achieved way beyond what is expected of her/him (are you male or female, OP?) in the context of his/her environment. In contrast, the typical international candidate from, say, India, China, or Korea, is, for the most part, continuing on a path that is expected: get good grades, be an academic superstar, and get into the best college you can – preferably in the U.S.
OP, based on everything I’ve read so far – your circumstances, your accomplishments, your story and how you have articulated them on this thread, I’d think hard about applying ED to Cornell. Your option to get out of the ED contract is only if the FA is not enough to make it affordable, not that there are better offers/lower net price choices. Cornell is not known for the generosity of its FA, and its FA package is likely to consist of a significant loan component. HYPS, if they are of interest to you, are 100% need met by grant. They may calculate your need number differently so the net prices may turn out to be slightly different, but you should be able to get out debt free. Your better strategy if any one of those schools is a fit for you is to apply to one of them SCEA and apply Cornell RD. That may give you better leverage in negotiating your FA package with Cornell if at the end of the day it still fits you the best (and of course assuming you get into multiple programs). Best of luck!
This is EXCELLENT advice, @BKSquared . I agree.
Yes, but. I haven’t gotten OP to describe anything he does with the youth group or leadership council. I asked what else. And I agree the cultural involvement and stats are impressive.
But when Cornell puts together a class, managing the dogs is interesting and obviously different. But not one of the attributes or traits they look for. It’s color, of course. An honor. A serious responsibility. (I’m aware how important this is.) But what shows how OP interacts with peers, steps up in other ways, his good will and other plusses a tippy top wants?
Of course, I believe it’s there. But OP needs to show, not just tell. Adcoms don’t just see a line in activities and say, ok, he must be this or that sort of person. Some here are reading between the lines.
And I wonder if you believe URM makes a sure admit, just for being URM with high stats.
Again, the stats are stellar. Yes, OP writes well here. But we all need to see the need to make his app relevant to the college. Not change him, but uncover this “more.”
Not a neurotic suggestion. More like CYA. Why not? This is no different than, say, a farming kid with lots of responsibilities, remote, etc. Let’s look for the “fit and thrive” he can show. On campus.
Peace.
@BKSquared : He will be able to back out of a Cornell offer if the loan component is too much for him. While technically you might be correct, you need to keep in mind that Cornell has thousands of qualified applicants waiting for an offer of admission & that OP comes from a very low income family (below $38,000 US per year) & from a very low income community. Either Cornell gets the full picture or they do not–in which case they may decline to accept him based on his need for full funding.
The reason for applying ED to Cornell is due to the Food Sciences program. Doubtful that Harvard, Yale, Princeton or Stanford offers a similar program. No problem in applying to the schools which you listed if open to a different course of study.
@brantly I am a male
Unless the Food Sciences program is the end all be all for OP and ED is going to give him a huge boost, why limit your options? He can still apply to Cornell RD. In his case, I rather doubt ED is going to make or break his app. He is not a “borderline typical high achieving applicant” – they’ll either love him or he’ll fall short because the subjective parts of his app just don’t work. Just a quick perusal through HYPS websites indicates to me that all the schools have very robust life, ecological and environmental sciences programs, areas that fit OP’s stated interests. Perhaps OP would be better off starting with a more generalized liberal artsy undergraduate education and then focus on a specialty either in grad school or through the job he chooses. Food Sciences is pretty narrow.
I will definitely elaborate my community involvement (what I can offer) more in my essays.
As a mentioned previously, one of my essays will be about working on a farm in Ontario for one month, which I will incorporate/explain more about my culture while also showing CALS why I’m a good fit.
Thanks.
Cornell ED maybe because OP wants the process over as quickly as possible in order to save money by not having to make additional applications.
@Publisher That’s part of the reasoning. Another thing is that if Cornell ED is not enough (I prett much require fully covered tuition to make it financially possible), I can always opt out of the contract and apply RD to colleges with much better financial AID
^Equally applies to SCEA HYPS but leaves all options open. Arguably Cornell Ag School is less selective than HYPS, but then it is OP’s call whether or not Cornell Food Sciences is so far ahead of all other options that he doesn’t need options. I also point out if FA is a concern (amount and type) and he believes he might be able to pull out of Cornell if FA not there, it implies he will be applying to other schools RD pending Cornell’s award offer.
That was my point about your situation in post #67. I do not think that there is any meaningful risk to you whatsoever in applying ED to Cornell. But another poster is suggesting that Cornell may meet your full financial need with a burdensome amount of loans, rather than all grants. My thought is that is unlikely based on your situation, but even if it does occur that you could decline Cornell’s offer due to unaffordability & apply elsewhere RD.
“Yes, but I haven’t gotten OP to describe anything he does with the youth group or leadership council.”
Why would I talk about this when I have a much more personal and meaningful identity that I’d rather show? It seems like the default thing any applicant would talk about. Talking about youth group or leadership council does not show my culture. I can easily mention these in the activities + additional information section.
The common app essay prompt I am answering is: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”
Which do you think is more meaningful to me and better portrays my identity?
Life as an Inuit kid/my responsibilities in the Inuit community? Or being on the student council?
Also, please differentiate that my common app essay (the one that will be used for all the schools I apply to, not just Cornell CALS) is about my Inuit background and the responsibilities that I have in my community.
For the supplemental Cornell Essay (probably the one you are talking about), I will talk about working with others on a farm for one month… in Ontario.
"This is no different than, say, a farming kid with lots of responsibilities, remote, etc. "
I disagree. I’d say it’s completely different, but you still probably wouldn’t understand unless you actually come to Nunavut and live here for a month, or a year. First off, there are no farms up here. The beginning of my interest in agriculture/farming/food begin when I volunteered on that farm in Ontario. My story is how I developed a passion for something that is foreign to the place I was raised in.
These are my overall essay ideas.
I think your background and your interest in CALS is super compelling and complimentary. As I’ve said before, I think you are a great fit. Cornell is very transparent about seeking out diversity.
OP, I don’t think pulling out of your ED contract is as easy as you think. Maybe @Publisher is correct that Cornell will either give you the right aide package or deny your application. What I do know is Cornell’s typical aide package will include loans and perhaps grants (after family and student contribution). HYPS as policy are 100% grants after family and student contribution. I am just advising you that imo you should take the path with the greatest number of options and the greatest potential leverage against Cornell or any other school when it comes to FA. Your decision.
@efefsef : I agree that the more your application reflects your true situation, that it will be more compelling than trying to fit into a standard prototype of “how to write a college application”.
Certainly @BKSquared is offering solid advice, but I still think that you are safe applying ED to Cornell.