Advice needed after ED rejection

[Anonymous]

Cornell is weird this year. It used to take a large number ED from our school. This year they took zero. Even legacies got deferred. I almost think they may have a different admissions policy this year.

[Anonymous]

What EA apps did they submit? Are there target schools where they have a strong chance? We need to know where else they have applied to advise you. Are they only looking at small privates? Would they consider selective public schools?

[Anonymous]

I hate to be rude but it is late to be figuring this out. Even for the "perfect" applicant there are no guarantees so one has to be assuming a rejection. Your child sounds excellent but you never know. Hopefully you managed expectations as I know this can be very hard, but unfortunately, as you have clearly, wisely noted, there is no time to mope and you have to move on to Plan B.

Now to be more constructive:

What other schools were high on the list? As others have asked, what were their favorite attributes of Cornell? Where do you live? It is hard to help without some more details (not asking for too much).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid got rejected from Cornell. Excellent private school that sends 40% of kids to top 30 schools. They are top 30% of class. SAT of 1550. Humanities major. Any ideas on strategy for ED2? Going forward? TIA. Please be nice.

Any other results for calibration? It would be very helpful to have an EA safety/target admit.
For RD, assuming you have a safety/target admit, then you can include 4-5 targets/high targets, 3-4 reaches.
If you don't have an EA safety/target admit, I would be more conservative.

We had a miserable ED1 deferral but yesterday got an EA T50 admit with merit. DC is now really motivated to work on essays during the break. DC eliminates all the safeties on the list, replacing them with target/reach. Psychologically, it's really helpful to get one or two strong EA admits before RD deadline, so you could adjust your RD list accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid got rejected from Cornell. Excellent private school that sends 40% of kids to top 30 schools. They are top 30% of class. SAT of 1550. Humanities major. Any ideas on strategy for ED2? Going forward? TIA. Please be nice.

Why would you expect an applicant in the top 30 percent of a class where more than half the kids end up at lower than the top 30 schools to get into Cornell? Does your "excellent" private school have a college guidance department?

You need to be looking at schools in the 30-50 range, not the Ivy League.

[Anonymous]

I’d go for Vandy, more fun and will love that score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cornell is weird this year. It used to take a large number ED from our school. This year they took zero. Even legacies got deferred. I almost think they may have a different admissions policy this year.

Agree. Speculation from our CCO is they will take A LOT in RD.

But the cornell essays MUST focus on the specific cornell ethos. Its unique....and also nichey-a kid who gets into Yale often won't get into Cornell. Same for many SLACs. Very different focus/vibe and you need to convey in your essays (including personal essay)......

[Anonymous]

What major in the humanities?
What ECs?
What was the application narrative/through-line?

For competitive schools, you need #3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the GPA is low(er)? They are only top 30 percent? Did the counselor advise ED to Cornell?? That seems really odd and a waste of ED. You have to go down the ranks like Tufts BC EDII. Add U Rochester Case Western Pitt to the RD rounds.

I kind of agree with this. The "40% to top 30 schools" is probably WAY inflated by hooked kids.

If Cornell was a denial then I would do something similar ED2 (WashU, Emory, Tufts) and then make sure you go to Rochester, CWRU, in RD.

In my experience with a decent but not top 10% kid from a "top private" who got deferred from a lesser Ivy last year---RD was pretty bad for top30s. They got into 2 of 20+ schools in the top35. A lot of deferrals and denials.
You don't want to get shut out. Maybe sure they have a lot of matches and safeties in RD and I would definitely ED2. My kid did not and we regretted it.

[Anonymous]

If DC is top 30% and 40% go to T30 schools, unless there’s a hook it seems like T15-T30 are realistic targets.

[Anonymous]

what college (at Cornell) did they apply to

[Anonymous]

What does DC want to study?

Cornell has such breadth, a kid who wanted to go there for agriculture would probably make different decisions in ED2 than a kid who wanted to go there in hotel management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid got rejected from Cornell. Excellent private school that sends 40% of kids to top 30 schools. They are top 30% of class. SAT of 1550. Humanities major. Any ideas on strategy for ED2? Going forward? TIA. Please be nice.

Not an "excellent private school"

If you wanted Cornell you do public how is this hard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d go for Vandy, more fun and will love that score.

Waste of money

It is in Tennessee do you not understand how the laws are changing there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Understand that all of these schools are single digit admit rates and in ED, they are taking their athletes and legacies. An unhooked kid should not be applying to Cornell ED and your college guidance should have told you that (ask me how I know, LOL...BTDT)

This advice is not quite correct.
My unhooked, public school kid got in Cornell ED for engineering. No legacy, non-athlete. No national awards.

OP- good luck with the next round, rooting for you!