Humanities, Sciences, or Engineering: Which is Easiest at Cornell?

I'm seriously considering applying to Cornell University, but I'm not entirely sure which college within the university would potentially have lighter competition. Has anyone heard anything or have any insight on this?

While it's true that some colleges within Cornell University have different selectivity rates due to the number of applicants, this shouldn't be your primary factor when making a decision. Your choice ought to be guided by your academic interests and goals for your career or future studies.

Each of Cornell's colleges has a distinct academic focus, from the College of Arts & Sciences which houses humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, to the College of Engineering with its nitty-gritty technical concentrations.

It's also important to remember that 'ease of admission' is relative and subjective. For instance, the College of Engineering may statistically have a higher acceptance rate, but if you're not strongly inclined towards Engineering and don't have a solid foundation in mathematics and science, the application process would actually be even more competitive for you. If, say, your passion is in history or literature and you flourish in those areas, you'll have a much stronger application for the College of Arts & Sciences, even though its acceptance rate might be lower.

Also, within each college, certain majors may have different levels of competition. As a simple example, within the College of Engineering, Computer Science might be more competitive than Environmental Engineering, simply because the former attracts far more applications.

The bottom line is - instead of trying to game the system, aim to pursue what truly interests you. Irrespective of the college or major, admissions officers are looking for genuine passion and commitment to your field of interest. You'll be much happier and more successful studying what you love, rather than trying to find the 'easiest' way into an Ivy League school.

Good luck with your application process, and I hope, whichever Cornell college you choose, it turns out to be the right fit for you!