UCLA v. Cornell, ED v. Regular, quandry

College Search & Lists
1

What do you think.

I’m a Californian, and my #1 choice would probably be UCLA (mom went there, I’ve been there a lot, love the campus, etc.)

But Cornell would probably be my #2 choice, maybe #1a depending on the day of the week. My dad went there, and I’ve been there many times. I like their PAM major in the College of Human Ec.

33 ACT, 3.9 unweighted, 4.3 weighted, good ECs, nationally ranked athlete (not good/devoted enough to play at UCLA - too much time spent on academics and not enough on sport, but Cornell and other Ivies have shown some interest since my sophomore year).

Cornell does ED, and it seems like it makes a huge difference. Human Ec has a higher acceptance rate than most of the other colleges at Cornell (all 7 colleges at Cornell do their own separate admissions). I’m also a legacy at Cornell, which seems to matter a little bit.

UCLA has no ED. I’m legacy too, but that seems to make zero difference. I’d apply probably undeclared Social Science or something like that (not a hard science major).

Realistically, if I could choose, I’d take UCLA.

But as a Californian, I think it’s harder for me to get into UCLA than Cornell ED, and esp. Cornell Hum Ec ED.

What do you think my chances are at each school?

If I got into Cornell ED, I’d probably take it, even though it’s not my first choice, because UCLA seems so random with admissions. Agree/disagree with that logic?

2

I think you have taken your logic too far. Usually the school which is harder to get into is … harder to get into. Cornell’s SAT scores are 100 points higher than UCLA’s and their overall admission rate is lower. I understand that you are considering distinctions between ED/RD and the particular standards of Human Ecology at Cornell, but I think your level of analysis would be more appropriate if these colleges were only narrowly separated in all of their key admissions metrics. The exception would be if Cornell intensifies their interest in recruiting you as an athlete. A denial for you at UCLA is possible, but it would essentially be randomly based, and therefore should not be excessively planned around.

3

“If I got into Cornell ED, I’d probably take it”

Cornell ED is a binding agreement.