I am a current junior at Cornell University, and I recently came across a Reddit post that inspired me to share my story. Recognizing the immense luck I’ve had in the admissions process, I wanted to pay it forward to future college applicants who might find themselves on a waitlist. I was on the waitlist for Emory University, Northeastern University, and Cornell University. By the end of May of my senior year in high school, they offered me an acceptance to Northeastern and Cornell University. Here is my story, and I’ll be willing to answer questions in the comments.
One thing before I begin — I was not in any way a special applicant, with incredible extracurriculars or a spectacular GPA. I am a female, n-URM, Asian American who attended a New York City high school. I slid through most high school as a little above-average student. Below are my statistics during application:
Statistics:
Cumulative GPA: 94.30/100.00
SAT Superscore: 1540 (Reading: 760, Math: 780, Essay 19/24)
ACT: 34
SAT Subject Tests: Biology 730, Chemistry 760, Math 2 790
Transcript:
English [Regular English, Writing Seminar, Honors Speech, AP Eng Lang, AP English Lit]
Social Studies [AP World History 1, AP World History 2, AP US History, AP Macro Econ]
Mathematics [Algebra, Geometry, Algebra2&Trig, Precalculus, AP Calculus AB]
Sciences [Earth Science, Honors Biology, Honors Research Lit, Intro Engineering, Honors Chemistry, AP Psychology, Physics, AP Psychology, Post AP Psych, Horticulture]
Foreign Language [Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish Honors III, AP Spanish Lang]
Arts [Photography]
Extracurriculars:
Girls Varsity Cross Country, Girls Varsity Indoor Track, Girls Varsity Outdoor Track, Key Club, Intern at a Law Office, Nursing Home, and a Cultural Language Volunteer Program, National Honor Society,
Acceptances from Early/Regular Admissions:
University of Michigan, Boston University, New York University, SUNY Stonybrook Honors College
I wrote two different personal statements and sent the first to my early schools, then wrote another one and sent it to my regular schools. I wouldn’t say one worked better than the other. The first focused on one specific extracurricular that I did and the lessons I learned from it; the second focused on my hobby and I paralleled it to larger themes of my character (work ethic, persistence, determination, etc).
I was rejected from every Ivy League except Cornell to find out I had been wait-listed on Ivy Day. I found out that Cornell had admitted 5,288 applicants (ED + RD) and offered 6, 684 students a place on the waitlist. After viewing these statistics, I was incredibly dejected as statistically, it would be harder to be admitted as a waitlist applicant than as a regular or early decision candidate. This was my last hope, and I put mine all into it. I put together an appeal essay and send it to the admissions officer.
The Appeal Essay
Below, I have included the appeal essay I sent to the admissions officer of Cornell. I thought this was a great way to show the full extent of my character, as the Common App restriction of 650 words did not bound me. I wasn’t really sure where to start, so I began by searching up and reading other students’ appeal essays on the Internet. From there, I tried to grasp what I needed to show the admissions officer I hadn’t already exhibited in my personal statement and Common App application. I had to give myself time to recollect my thoughts and really ask myself why Cornell, and why me. I then used a sample waitlist appeal letter, attached below, to plan a general outline.
I think the first place to begin is to ask yourself, ‘What is there left to show?’ I was at a point where I felt like my version of the Common App didn’t do me justice. I was a multifaceted character with experiences unique to myself, and I learned from the admissions process.
The second question to ask yourself is ‘Why Me?’ When I received the waitlist notification letter in my Status Portal, I resigned myself to thinking I was going to end up at the University of Michigan. Albeit, an excellent and prestigious state school, I thought I deserved another chance at Cornell. I knew deep within that I worked incredibly hard in some aspects and that if I did not pursue this to the end, I would regret it for years to come. I think it’s important to do some self-intro/retrospection and be honest with yourself. ‘Do I really deserve to get in?’ and ‘Have I put in 110% effort?’
The third part of this process is to show what you have learned from the time of submitting your application and the present day. Growth is very much possible in months, and I felt it was vital to show that the way I thought and perceived the world was fluid. I wasn’t bound or restricted to remaining the same person who I was 5 months prior.
Finally, I did some extensive research on the school. When I was applying during the regular decision, I applied to roughly 15–17 schools. I didn’t have a dream school, and I felt I did not do enough research on any school. I reused and recycled the “Why — —, ?” repeatedly, tweaking minor details to match the school. Hence, it was really time to dig deep and learn about Cornell. I aligned the growth aspects of my essay with specific connections to Cornell clubs and organizations. It was my time to show that I saw a place for myself at Cornell, and these were the specific niches in which I would pursue my passions and interests. I think this was really important because it showed I had done my research and that I was a forward-looking go-getter.
Of course, these points are personal and there is no right way of going about this, but this worked for me. As for the appeal essay, I omitted personal details as not to identify myself, but mostly, it does not hinder the point I am trying to get across.
Sample Wait List Appeal Letter
Name
Address
Current Date:
Name of Admissions Counselor (if you know it)
Name of College or University
College Address
Dear — — -,
My name is — — — -. My purpose in writing this letter is to reaffirm my desire to attend — — -, as it is my first choice, and to update you on recent developments that have taken place since I applied.
In your 2nd paragraph, show things you feel are important for the college to know.
In your 3rd paragraph, talk about why you feel the college would be good for you.
In your 4th paragraph, talk about things you feel was important in your application that you want to remind the admissions officers about that are not academic.
Thank you for taking the time to review my additional information. I look forward to making a strong and lasting contribution to (name of college) if accepted off the waitlist.
Sincerely,
— — — — — -
My Appeal Essay
App-ID: [your unique application ID, you can find this on the Status Portal]
Dear Cornell Admissions Office, or to whom this may concern,
Hello! My name is — —, — and I am a current senior at — — High School. Before I go any further, I would like to thank the admissions committee and its officers for taking the time to brief me through my application and take their valuable time reading my humble essays and personal information. After this thorough process, I received the admissions decision to be wait-listed until further notice. I am grateful to even be considered as a waitlist applicant.
I would like to say that the entire college process has taught me many valuable lessons that have allowed me to mature into a better human being and deepen my understanding of who I am as a person. To be honest, I was going through an identity crisis at the start of senior year. I was faced with the daunting task of writing an essay in 650 words about myself, my values, and the many facets I represent. There are so many aspects of my character that I could not encapsulate within one essay. Thus, without knowing myself, I found it was difficult to identify myself with a specific university. I was still discovering myself, and to this present day, I still am.
From the time I applied to this very moment, several life events have changed the course of my life. To begin, I was able to get a job at a place that I grow to love more day by day. My current job is in the food industry, working on improving my hospitality skills and branching out into a field that I could never experience before. My employment is critical to me in that I can now see how much happiness and passion I can derive from doing activities and pastimes that I truly value. I have spent countless hours chasing after extracurriculars to discover what I truly enjoy doing. Currently, I enjoy conversing with customers about anything from their orders to political current events and overlooking the systematic operations within the store. When my superiors are not in store, I manage the operations within the store such as regulating food temperatures according to the Department of Health and making sure that customer services are running smoothly. My job allows me to comprehend that when I value the work that I do, it drives me to put in a higher level of commitment and effort. Similarly, if I were to take part in Work-Study or any extracurricular at Cornell University, I know I would work even harder because I love what I do and also take pride in what I do.
Protesting with my school and my city as part of the national movement against gun violence has enabled me to open my eyes to social causes that affect our daily lives and how we as students and as a society can combat these issues. I can still vividly remember our chants of “show me what democracy looks like”, “never again”, and “enough is enough” which leave residual feelings of sorrow and ignite powerful bouts of passion. It was said at a rally that this is not an elitist or intellectual movement that only educated and higher-income people can be a part of. As long as we share the same feelings, the same pain, that is enough to merge ourselves and demand change. Not all communities are perfect, yet we strive as a complete entity to better ourselves and propel ourselves to a brighter tomorrow. Likewise, at Cornell University, I believe that I will have that opportunity through engagement with a variety of political groups such as Amnesty International, Big Red Bipartisan, and the Future Political Leaders of America. The first step to making change always begins with awareness. It takes the indignation and the charged responses when you learn about such injustices and use those emotions as a foundation to fight for what you believe in. This is an issue that has afflicted everyone regardless of age, race, gender, religious beliefs, and sexual identity. Thus, at Cornell University, through diverse groups, it would be possible to create change because there is power in numbers and a congregation of informed students could achieve what they set out to accomplish.
I was able to attend a talent show at a specialized high school in New York City, namely — — — High School. I have never felt such a strong sense of amazement and wonder as I watched the step dance teams perform. This was my first time watching step dance at a coordinated event, and the strength and beauty purely inspired me in their performances. I have never been exposed to a community or institute where step dance was a viable option. Fully knowing that it comes from a culture I was never engaged with makes me determined to find a community that would teach and include me. A direct option includes my next step in education or Cornell University. Phenomenon Step Club aims to diffuse the culture of South African Gum Boot Dance through stepping performances. Knowing that I can matriculate into a school where I already have established interests is a powerful appeal. If my secondary educational institute does not have a diverse multicultural step team, I believe my chances of learning step dance and being part of this cultural experience will diminish. If I were accepted into Cornell University, I would definitely join the Phenom Step Team.
Finally, my passion and undisputed interest in law are still in the undertaking. I have applied and been accepted into the — — — — -Law Internship Program for the summer so I could continue to engage myself in the legal world while meeting new peers and honing my leadership skills. This program aims to place high-achieving inner-city students with legal employers over the summer helping them to prepare for a legal career. As mentioned in my prior essays, Cornell University provides enormous support for undergraduate students looking at a career in law. For example, there is a pre-law advisory network, a pre-law program in New York City, and their seven undergraduate schools which will allow me to explore different fields of law. Not only this, but Cornell University has a plethora of clubs such as the Club of Mergers & Acquisitions, Minority Undergraduate Law Society, and the Mock Trial Association. By joining these clubs and taking part in student life, I believe that I will fill my college life with contentment and lead me on a sturdy path to becoming a lawyer who advocates for weaker people. On a side note, as an aspiring future lawyer, I give my 100% written commitment to attend Cornell University if I am granted acceptance.
Besides this, I could witness the powerful and positive transformation of my sister who attends Cornell University. Throughout my entire life, I have followed in the footsteps of my sister who has been one of my biggest role models. She was the stoic entity in my life who showed right from wrong, the value of hard work, and braving the news that every opportunity offers. Since childhood, she has been a quiet and reserved child while I had been the rebellious and daring child. Even now we are opposites like hot and cold. However, during her freshman year as a college student, she has radically transformed into a bright young lady who doesn’t falter when it comes to deciding or speaking up in group situations. She is currently involved in — —, — — Student Association, — — (a cultural music club), and also does Work-Study by spending several days a week working in a dining hall. I could have never imagined my sister to throw herself out there and actively engage with her community. She has turned a new leaf and showed me a side of her I never thought existed when we were in high school together. The milestone that can account for this radical change is her attending Cornell University. I believe the positive influence that Cornell University radiates will also transform me into a student and a person who can reinvent herself for the better and simultaneously improve the communities and institutions that I am part of. Engagement with an undergrad population of over 14,000 is more than enough for me to create ripples of progress and find a new place to call home.
If there are a few last words I could say, I am very grateful that you took the time to read my appeal letter and that I truly am interested in attending Cornell University. Since I was young, I have been a typical “late bloomer.” As I was born at the end of the year, I have struggled in elementary grades trying to keep up with my classmates who were nearly a full year older than me. As we all grew and matured, that gap became nonexistent and this is the concept I would like to apply to myself. Although it may seem that I lack potential or what it takes to belong in Cornell University initially, if you would give me the chance to prove myself and show my full potential, that is all it would take. Even though our starts might be different, I can show in the end we all finish together. It is ubiquitous knowledge that actions speak louder than words. Here are my words, and given that I am granted acceptance into the Cornell University Class of 2022, my actions will speak for themselves.
Best,
— — — — — -
Recipients of this Essay:
Initially, I intended to write this one essay and send it to one admissions officer. But as time passed, I felt I had nothing to lose and actively searched on the Cornell website to see other relevant faculty members to whom I could send the appeal essay.
The first email went out to my regional admissions officer, based on my state and zip code which I found under Cornell’s Undergraduate Admissions website, under the subheading ‘Contact an Admissions Representative.’
The second email went out to the college I applied for. I emailed the relevant college admissions office and received a response that it would be added to my application.
The third email went to the Dean of the College.
The next emails went to:
Professor, Dean Associate, Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education, Advanced Placement Policy, Admissions Special Interest, another Dean of the College.
I looked up all relevant faculty in the admissions process and endlessly shot my shot in simple terms. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”
I received a response from the College Admissions Office and the Regional Admissions Officer, stating they would add it to my application. They specifically stated they are interested in “receiving new grade reports, information about new honors or awards, and updates on your activities.” In fact, my regional admissions officer directed me towards the College that I was applying to and recommended that I directly “reiterate my interest, ask any questions, and inquire about any specifics related” to my application. I also forgot to mention that one of the first things I did before writing the appeals essay called the admissions office, to which they humorously told me calling would not give me a leg up. It was an optimistic phone call and gave me hope.
I sent out my first email on April 24, 2018, and received a phone call from the Dean of Admissions on May 11, 2018. In fact, the faculty member who called me was one individual to whom I directly sent my appeal essay.
Wrapping Up
I hope all that information helped, or at least some of the information is useful to current and prospective college applicants. I want to say that my life has changed because of my college experience and to go after what you want unabashedly and fearlessly. This is the age where you and I can relentlessly pursue our goals and ambitions in a low-stakes, low-consequences circumstance. Our naivete is a defense, and we should use it to our ultimate advantage. Wishing the best of luck to the Class of 2025!
