<p>I need to stand out, as I wish to get into Cornell University’s CALS. Because of my mess- up freshman year of high school, if I give it all I’ve got (which is what I’m doing), my weighted gpa will only be around a 3.65 by the end of junior year, and my unweighted will be at around a 3.55. Ugh. All those B-'s freshman year are killing me, but I can’t give up. I want it to be clear that I have a passion for environmental sustainability. I NEED to stand out to have a good chance, and so I’ve come to conclude that I will start a fundraiser, and donate the proceeds to a local environmental organization (I volunteer for it as well). What would be a good amount to have as a goal (total amount of money raised)? I want it to be outstanding, but not unrealistic. I was hoping that I could acquire a letter of recommendation from my local state congresswoman, who I will try to volunteer for as well to get closer to. I will explain my situation to her in a year from now (when I’m finishing junior year), and show her all the environmental work and accomplishments I will have done for the state and my community by then…which gives me a year, although it’d be nice if the fundraiser was quicker. Would these two factors (operating a successful fundraiser and getting a good letter of recommendation from my congresswoman) be hooks/ major stand out factors? If I do well on the ACT/ SAT, and with this (plus a bunch of other ECs that I’m doing but will not list stats right now) be enough to combat my poor (ish) gpa? And once again, what would be a good amount of money to set a goal to raise?</p>
<p>vip: may I share this perspective? What about your eventual application won’t be dripping of naked resume padding? From your inquiry here, it’s plain that all these “things” you’re doing are solely mercenary events.</p>
<p>You mistakenly believe that doing a laundry list of seemingly-important and “passion” filled events makes you more viable. To selective ccollege admissions officers,they’re simple banalities. It’s not what you do, it’s who you are.</p>
<p>What actions would you do in the next two years if you didn’t plan on going to college and didn’t care who saw your accomplishments?</p>
<p>Pick and choose a few of those and that *just might get you on the right path *rather than becoming another one of the forgetable resume padders seen by the hundreds here on CC and elsewhere.</p>
<p>I think a fundraiser is a great idea…if you’ve identified a cause you really believe in, and you want to raise money in support of it.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a way to get into Cornell, or any other selective university or college, you’re going to end up disappointed. Cornell is looking to admit people who will be good students, not necessarily good charity fundraisers. If academics are the weakness in your application, you need to show them that you’ve changed with good grades in hard classes and high SATs or ACTs–not to distract them from your transcript with a dog and pony show.</p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>
<p>Truth is, lots of hs kids think fundraising is hot stuff, but rarely does this amount to much without adult support- and adcoms know it. Letters from public figures aren’t tipping factors. We’d need to know more. GPA, possible major and current responsibilities.</p>
<p>Because of my poor performance freshman year, my gpa will only be around a 3.55-3.65 if I work very hard from now on (which I am doing). I feel so helpless :{</p>
<p>Sent from my SCH-I405 using CC</p>
<p>I get that, vip. But no amount of wanting to go to Cornell will change one basic fact: when you’re applying to selective universities and colleges, you can’t make up for a deficiency in your academic credentials with extracurricular accomplishments. (Unless your extracurricular accomplishments involve bankrolling the construction of new science labs or dunking a basketball with two hands. Those extracurriculars actually do make up for academic deficiencies.)</p>
<p>If you want to go to Cornell, your best hope, IMO, is to turn your academics around and then ask your guidance counselor to highlight that fact in the letter he or she writes to go with your college application.</p>
<p>And when it comes time to apply to college, every student (including all the valedictorians) needs to make an appropriate list that includes safeties, matches and (if desired) reaches. But rather than fixating on Cornell or any other university, you’d spend your time more profitably working on that list. Good safeties–places that you’re sure you can get into, and you’re sure your family can afford, and you’re pretty sure that you’d be successful and happy if you went there–can be very hard to find.</p>