<p>Hello,</p>
<p>Here is some information about me:</p>
<p>Graduation Year: 2010
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
State: Oregon</p>
<p>School: Small international school
GPA: 4.0 (unweighted)
Class rank: 1 out of 20
SAT: 2400, 12 essay
ACT: 35 composite, 8 essay (I think most schools will disregard this in favor of the SAT score?)
SAT Subject Tests: Math 2, Chemistry, Biology (I plan to take these soon)
Courses: IB diploma candidate</p>
<ul>
<li>IB English HL</li>
<li>IB History HL</li>
<li>IB Biology HL</li>
<li>IB Math HL</li>
<li>IB Chemistry SL</li>
<li>IB Mandarin SL (I’ve heard that this makes my application unique… does it?)</li>
<li>(IB) Theory of Knowledge</li>
</ul>
<p>Recommendations: At least good, probably pretty good.</p>
<p>Extracurricular activities:</p>
<ul>
<li>Model United Nations - 4 years - Founder, President/Ambassador all four years</li>
<li>Student Government - 3 years - Founder, Public Relations Officer</li>
<li>Boy Scouts - 7 years - Eagle Scout</li>
<li>Jazz Band - 3 years</li>
<li>School Newspaper - 2 years - Founder, Editor-in-Chief</li>
<li>Interact Club - 1 year - Founder, President</li>
</ul>
<p>Awards:</p>
<ul>
<li>National Honor Society</li>
<li>Eagle Scout</li>
<li>AMC 10/12 school winner - 3 years running</li>
<li>National Merit Semifinalist (projected - PSAT 223)</li>
</ul>
<p>This summer, I will be working at a renewable energy company. I will also be working as an intern at Portland State University, researching solar energy.</p>
<p>Please give me your honest appraisal for my chances for admission at Cornell. Thank you very much!</p>
<p>Scores and rank and GPA are definitely good enough. When it comes time to write essays, just make sure you can find a way to show how Cornell is a good fit for you, and how their mission will help your education.</p>
<p>Being Indian doesn’t really help, but you’ve got pretty much the best scores out there, so as long as you can put together a good application and pull out some good essays I’d say you’ve got a darn good shot.</p>
<p>To be honest, I don’t think there are very many schools you WOULDN’T get into. Either you’re a ■■■■■ or one helluva candidate. That app is going to make a lot of others look like crap.</p>
<p>Why does everyone who asks for chances forget to put down college/major?</p>
<p>Let’s see, since you didn’t put a major, I’m assuming you’re going for Hotel Administration, in which case you clearly have no passion.</p>
<p>@chendrix - That’s a really good point, thanks for reminding me! I want to major in chemical engineering.</p>
<p>@malan89 - Everything up there is definitely true.</p>
<p>In your essay, stress your work with the solar company to show your interest for chem eng</p>
<p>IB mandarin hmm that does sound unique
I took IB and I didnt even know that was a course</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m actually thinking about writing an essay about it. What do you think of this (rough) topic: </p>
<p>IB Mandarin was the only class in which I felt “dumb”.</p>
<p>well thats a convo starter.
its catchy</p>
<p>Yeah, I thought it was pretty funny :D</p>
<p>I would talk about how it was the the class in which I had the biggest challenge, and that I had to work extra hard just to keep up. I would also explain what I learned from the experience - respect for diversity (of course), things don’t come free, humbleness, all that good stuff.</p>
<p>meh, essays on a class usually dont end up very good imo, but w/e you like</p>
<p>Why do you say that?</p>
<p>kinda shows the adcoms that you dont do much outside of school i guess</p>
<p>That’s true. Would it be good in combination with other essays that discuss non-school activities?</p>
<p>yea or just talk about how learning the language influenced your outlook on life in a diverse community. just keep going about the diversity and they will eat it up</p>
<p>That sounds good, thanks!</p>
<p>You have GREAT chances at Cornell. The solar project at PSU is a real plus to your application. The only thing you may be lacking is community service outside of Boy Scouts/earning your Eagle Scout Award (great work with that btw!!!)
I am from Oregon too!
Do you go to ISB?</p>
<p>@clinegirl - Thanks! Yeah, I go to ISB. I’m assuming you go to one of the BSD high schools?</p>
<p>I would have gone to SHS, but now I go to St. Mary’s in downtown.
Did you go to ISB for middle school? I went to Cedar.</p>