Getting Accepted to Cornell

All right, families, I have a special guest for you this evening. I have Miss Felicity on the line. Welcome to the show, Felicity.

Thanks.

So today I wanted to share some exciting news. Felicity, maybe you should share the excitement. Yeah, you'll be too humble. Felicity was just accepted into Cornell Animal Sciences. And I cannot wait to hear about the experience of getting there. So the first thing parents always want to know is what's the secret? Do you have a secret of getting into Cornell, period, or Animal Sciences, or both?

There's not really a secret. It's just, I don't know, I really just made the most of my high school years and enjoyed getting into different extracurriculars and keeping up my grades, but there's not really really one thing that's like the it factor.

Could you maybe share, now that you're in and you're secure, maybe the highlights, the things that you're most proud of, so parents will have an idea? You know, back in the day it was a GPA and a test score, so let's start there. What was your GPA and what was your test score?

My GPA is a 4.18, and I actually didn't end up submitting my test scores. I know they're going to be required this next year, but my SAT test score was 1400.

Okay, so there's the two parents. Now on top of that, what else, what else helped you stand out?

So the biggest thing for me was I'm from North Texas. I live, I'm over by Fort Worth, and I've been in rodeo since I was 7 years old, and I know they don't have a lot of that up there. So just all of my different rodeo accolades with barrel racing and stuff like that, I think was one thing that really helped me stand out as an applicant.

And you are so humble. Can you share a few of those accolades? Sure.

I've, I've won the 4-H state finals all-around title for speed events. I've won a few world titles in the American Paint Horse Association, Quarter Horse, and Pinto Horse Association. I've won the county fair a few times with rodeo speed events and judged events and just a few things like that.

Wow.

Okay.

Just a few little— yeah, few little things like that. So I'm sure you had more to your application than just rodeo. So what else would a parent be wowed by?

Another thing, I've been in band all 4 years of high school. Last year I was the section leader for the saxophones. This year I was the drum major. I've been in one act play all 4 years of high school on the cast. I've done, um, UIL academic competitions. I've done Ready Writing. I made it to state last year in that. I've been in art all 4 years of high school and have county and state titles in that. FFA, I've shown goats and chickens and dogs and everything. FCCLA, I've done star events and medaled in that as well. And I've been a lot of— a part of a lot of big community service projects in my community as well.

Yeah, wow. Now we're picking up momentum. I know, now we're hitting there. I know it's, it's hard for you to, to be that person, but I'm gonna keep pulling it out of you. Let's talk about Let's talk about your community service. Not all of them, but what was your favorite one?

So there's really two big ones that I've done. One thing is the Big Event. So if you know anything about the Big Event at Texas A&M, where they have groups of students go out into the community and just do yard work and stuff for people who might need a little help. My school has like, uh, kind of built off of that and does that with our high school as well. And so I've been a team, or I've been on the planning committee for that every year, which is basically where we help formulate the entire project and get everyone set up. And then I've also, also did a passion project where I built this website called jacketofeducation.org where I put a bunch of free educational video games that schools can put onto their laptops and like ClassLink. For low-income schools to have that advantage to help them out with test scores and things like that.

Wow, we're building, it's getting better and better. I know, I know. And so, um, these things were unique. They're way on, way over, right, the GPA and the test score. What would you tell your, your younger self, maybe in 8th grade or 9th grade, Is there anything that you would have done differently or would you, would you have done the same thing that you did?

I'd probably have done pretty close to the same thing. I've always just kind of been a go-getter and I just like to enjoy doing all these different things. And so really just to get involved and stay involved in those extracurriculars. And yeah, I've been class officers since sophomore year for these different clubs. And so really just not being afraid to go at it and try new things.

Yeah, right now you're thrown in leadership, right? So we had a little, little hint of community service and now we're having a little hint of leadership. Let's talk about leadership is so critical. So what leadership positions did you hold?

Oh goodness. Okay. So as I said, in band, I was section leader and drum major. For my class, my freshman year I was a class advisor. Sophomore year I was vice president. Junior, senior year I was president. In FFA, I was a Greenhand vice president, which basically means Greenhand, it's like your first year at FFA. And then I was first vice president in FFA my junior year. I was an FCCLA vice president twice. And I'm trying to think, oh, I've been vice president president and secretary of my rodeo club as well.

Yeah, just a little bit of leadership. I know, I know, it's so hard. Let's talk about application season. On top of all of your busy schedule, this is where most students have big hopes and dreams, and then they get down into it with all the essays and everything that's needed. And I know you, you got fortunate and heard earlier than later, which is a blessing. But let's talk about how did you balance it all? You only have the same 24 hours that every other student does. So how were you able to juggle all of it? Any suggestions?

So the biggest thing for me was there were a couple of things. First, I asked for, um, letters of recommendation at the end of my junior year so that way the teachers would have time because I know they were going to get down in the dumps like start of senior year. And so that helped out a lot, and I asked for a couple of extra ones, which helped out because we had one teacher that moved out of district and was like gone. So I know that helped a lot. And then I got started on my essays pretty early. Like, I started working on those over the summer to make sure. And to be honest, I'm— I always get stuff done with deadlines, but I kind of push things off, and that definitely made it more stressful than it needed to be. Like, I know I got a lot of my stuff done in that last week before applications were due, just because I was, um, I was kind of stressing out myself about the essays. But I know I would have— it would have been a lot easier if I started like back in August really working on writing all of those out, right?

What was your main essay topic on? Everybody wants to know. Tell me about the essay. What got you in? Goodness.

So let me think. With my different essays, I kind of talked about big different aspects so they could see different aspects of my personality. But for my main, um, we'll talk about my main Cornell essay because it's kind of, you know, it talks about Ezra Cornell, any person, any study, and it's like, how do you apply to this? How— where are you going to fit in at Cornell? And so I talked a lot about my experience traveling around the world um, this past couple summers and, um, how that's intertwined with my relationship with God. So I've been to— I talked to about my trip to Guatemala and India and stuff like that, and seeing all of these different communities and how they fit together and just how all these different aspects of humanity are what makes it like such a beautiful thing. That it's so diverse and how that applies to the diverse student body at Cornell.

Oh, yeah, that's a good one. Oh, yeah. And that is you. There was nothing about that that was made up or not real. You, you are a diverse, successful young lady. So let's talk about the essays. That was kind of your concern or the thing you procrastinated on. Out of the application, or, or was there another piece of the application that you were just like, uh, this is so hard?

So really, that— it was that essay that was the biggest thing, because for me, I like to write. Like I said, I've done UIL Ready Writing, which is where you have basically 2 hours to write as much as you can. Like this— well, not really as much as you can, but to write an essay about a topic. And I'll write like 6 pages in 2 hours. But the word count for that, the word maximum was 650. So I know some people have trouble getting up with it, but with me it was figuring out how to cut everything down and make it really clear and concise but still have a voice in the essay.

That's so perfect. That's spot on what we teach. I absolutely love the way you put that. Was there any part of the application that you felt like you were not where you were nervous or not as qualified as maybe you had hoped to be? Was there any section, or did you feel really, I had it all, my plan worked? Did you go in confident?

Well, the really, the biggest thing was, let me think, the biggest thing I'd say was the test score. Because, um, I mean, I know, like I said, I know everyone's going back to test required to submit it. But I was wanting to, um, get like a 1500-something SAT score so that way I could submit that on my resume. But I just didn't end up having time or didn't end up making the time really to study for that test score. And so since I didn't submit that, I was a little— that was the one thing I was really worried about was if someone else had a bunch of accolades plus the 1500-whatever-plus SAT score.

So true, right? I mean, you were fortunate that you— they didn't just flip the switch and say, sorry, you have no test, you can't apply. So what a blessing. You like got right in there. And then let's talk about why Cornell. Why did you feel that was the best fit school for you?

Oh, absolutely. So I am wanting to be an equine veterinarian. And living in North Texas, everyone, or everyone wants to go to Texas A&M.

Okay.

And that was going to be my second choice. I would get automatic admission, or I got automatic admission there with my, um, class rankings because Texas rules, like top 10% can get into any public, um, university. And they have a great vet program, but I've always looked at Cornell as well because they have one of the best in the country, or the world, one of the best, um, veterinary science programs, and they're also the only Ivy League school with an ag program, with an ag school. And so I saw that and saw their statistics and just thought it would be, you know, a great education. And then I went and toured the campus last April and just fell in love with it. I mean, anyone who's seen Cornell can tell you it's a beautiful campus. There's waterfalls outside of the outside of the dorm rooms. And then another big thing was their band. The Big Red Marching Band is like very— they love having new people and bringing people into the band. And that's something that I would love to pursue in college if I can. And so just kind of the combination. Oh, and they have like over 1,000 student-led organizations, which I was really excited about, all of their leadership opportunities in that and being a R1 research school where I could get in on research projects and then study abroad programs. And they're just kind of the perfect all-around school for me, for sure.

There's no doubt. When I heard, I'm like, there's just no doubt. That is— it was the perfect fit, I think, academically and socially. Um, are you going to get to take your horse with you?

So I probably won't because, um, For one, they don't have a rodeo— that's actually a funny story, I'll tell you about in a second— but they don't have a rodeo team or any rodeo clubs. So that is one thing. I could start a rodeo team up there, which I've thought about, if there was enough interest, because they have a big equestrian program, just not rodeo up north. Um, and it's really— rodeo is really intensive, and going into such an intensive major, I didn't want to have to worry about balancing those two. But after I submitted my application with all of my rodeo accolades on it, we heard that the polo coach was asking about it. And so, like, if you can see, I'm in my truck right now. I'm just on the way back from Houston learning how to play polo. So I might end up doing that at Cornell.

You never cease to surprise me. Let's just go. It reminds me when my son went to Harvard, he had played soccer all the way through high school club. But, and then one day his senior year, he's like, I'm done. And I'm like, what? I want to row crew at Harvard. And I'm like, you've never been in a boat. And it sounds like you're going to be the next polo. Wow, that is fantastic. And you know, you're going to continue. There's no doubt about it. Is the ultimate goal to open up your own veterinary clinic? Is that what you're hoping for?

Yes, that'd be great. So right now, I mean, I'll get to see all the different professions. I've just scored an internship with Outlaw Equine Indicator, so I can kind of really get to see what it's all about being a veterinarian. They have a great facility. But right now I'm either wanting to go into equine reproduction or surgery, and I would love to open something like that. Like, my family has a ranch where we breed, um, hundreds of horses a year, and so if I could do something with family's ranch and helping out with that, that would just be amazing.

Absolutely. I mean, I don't know, it, it— you have blended so many parts of you, and that is— it's not easy to do, truly. And you do it like it's no big deal. You, you amazed me the first time we talked, and now I'm still amazed. So as you move into going to Cornell, is there one thing that you're looking most forward to?

Gosh, there's a lot. For one, I'm really excited to meet the community there because I know they have people from over 100-something countries coming in, and so I'm very excited just to meet the diverse student body and all these amazing people there. And then the other thing, like I mentioned before, is the Big Red Band. I love marching bands so much, and so I can't wait to see what that looks like in, um, a collegiate setting.

We are so excited for you and just being on the journey with you. Your, your, uh, college consultant, the whole team, we are so proud of you. So as you go into your future, don't forget about us. Come back as a mentor, and I'm sure we'll be talking again soon. Thank you so much for being on the show.

Thank you.