Cornell University Commencement

Time flies. It has been 4 years since I left my alma mater - Cornell University. Below is the commencement ceremony write-up, as well as the commencement speaker - David Plouffe, Election Campaign Manager for Barack Obama.

Those are quoted from here and here .

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Skorton urges graduates to focus on public service, not an uncertain future
By Susan Kelley

The 6,000 Cornellians who graduated today (May 24) have far fewer employment opportunities than two previous generations of alumni. But rather than dwell on their own uncertain futures, they were encouraged at Commencement ceremonies "to realize that the world stands in desperate need of your skills and talents."

Speaking under sunny skies in Schoellkopf Stadium, Cornell President David Skorton began his theme of service by congratulating those graduates who have joined such service organizations as the Peace Corps, Teach for America and AmeriCorps, and the 18 ROTC cadets commissioned May 23.

He departed from his prepared remarks to 32,000 family, friends, faculty, trustees and other university leaders to also congratulate a few seniors who could not attend Commencement: members of the men's lacrosse team. They are in Foxborough, Mass., preparing to take on defending NCAA champion Syracuse University on Memorial Day. It will be Big Red's first fight for the NCAA title in 21 years. "Somehow," Skorton said, "I think they would rather be there today than here."

The Class of 2009 faces daunting economic challenges, Skorton continued. Nationally this year, less than 20 percent of graduating college seniors who applied for a job actually have one, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers -- a decrease of more than 30 percent from two years ago. Nonetheless, he urged the graduates to embrace optimism. "I have no doubt that virtually all of today's graduates will find satisfying jobs -- and that many of you will do it by a road that will be distinctively your own."

Cornellians have the advantage of a liberal arts education, perhaps "the most useful and versatile education of all" especially in a time of national and personal economic uncertainty, he said. A liberal arts education offers five important "habits of mind": critical thinking, self-expression, a nuanced view of the world that comes from exposure to the arts and humanities, a sense of ethics and cross-cultural understanding, he said. "The depth, the richness and the diversity of our ideas inspire cross-fertilization and originality."

At the term "cross-fertilization," one section of soon-to-be veterinarians gave a rousing cheer. The audience applauded as Skorton ad-libbed, "If it has to do with nature, folks from CALS and the Vet School will be there."

But the audience offered its strongest applause when Skorton talked about the importance of ethics. "Indeed," he said, "some would argue that a lack of an ethical foundation is at the root of many of the problems we face in our society."

One thing is clear despite the uncertainty of the future, he said: that building a path to a better tomorrow will require the deep knowledge, skills, ethics and habits of mind that come from a liberal arts education. "The world needs what you have to offer now more than ever."

"I urge you to be creative and forceful in bringing your skills to bear on the problems we face, including the current economic dilemma, 'to be more useful' to your country and to humankind."

He continued: "We need your creativity, your courage, your optimism. We need your clarity of purpose. We need you to volunteer in your communities, to serve on school boards, to participate in the political process. We need you to contribute to nonprofit organizations. Most of all, we need you to put those hard-won skills and habits of mind to use not only in your professional lives, but in service to your community and to the world."

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Sending seniors on way 'with passion,' Obama's campaign manager salutes young for historic election
By George Lowery

Barack Obama would not be the 44th president without the votes of people under 30, observed the president's election campaign manager David Plouffe, before giving his address to Cornell's Senior Convocation in Schoellkopf Stadium today (May 23).

Plouffe, whom Obama called "the unsung hero" of the campaign, added, "We would not have won the Iowa caucuses if younger people had not turned out at historic levels that no one thought was possible, and that happened time and time again" during the campaign.

"One thing I learned in our campaign was that this generation of young Americans need not wait 20 or 25 years before they take the stage," Plouffe continued. "They're ready to lead right now. They're ready to innovate. We need them. We need their leadership. They helped determine the course of history in our campaign, but I think they can determine the course of history in ways large and small, right away."

It was a theme that Plouffe continued in his convocation address, telling the graduating seniors they "are now prepared to play a large role in shaping history for generations to come, who will be studying their accomplishments in these hallowed halls." But, he warned them, "You must have passion for your work. And you'd better really treasure and get the most out of your non-working hours ... those are the increments of time that will define your life."

At a meeting with the media before entering Schoellkopf, the slightly built, boyish-looking Plouffe, 42, noted that for the first time in decades the share of votes cast by people over age 65 in a presidential election declined, "not because older voters turned out in lower numbers, just because younger people participated." Of 5,000 people working in the Obama campaign, he said, "probably 95 percent of them were under 25."

He said: "I'm excited to be here because I'm excited about this group of people who are beginning to enter leadership roles in our country, and I couldn't be more excited to watch the work, talent and dedication they're going to bring to improve our country and our world in the years to come."

Credited with running one of the most effective and innovative presidential campaigns in history, raising $500 million on the Internet alone, Plouffe said grass-roots outreach, particularly in battleground states such as North Carolina, Ohio and Indiana, was equally important. "Change is never going to emanate from Washington; it's got to come from the country to Washington," he said.

"So many people in our country -- not just young people -- live most their lives through technology. Why should their interaction with politics or our campaign be any different? No matter who you are ... you have to realize how people are living their lives. You've got to reach them at their doors, in their e-mail boxes, on their Web pages, on their radios and TVs, and I think we did a good job of that."

Young volunteers helped shape the campaign's electronic strategies. "I think one thing that's never been properly appreciated is how many people -- parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts -- supported Barack Obama because their children felt so passionately about him. I think millions of people voted simply for that reason alone," Plouffe said. "It's a very powerful thing."

At Senior Convocation, it was announced that the Class of 2009 raised $36,655 for its class gift. The gift will fund the Class of 2009 Stephen H. Weiss Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of the late Cornell trustee, to benefit Cornell seniors. Trustee Martin Tang '70 matched the class gift, presented to President David Skorton on a giant check for $85,654.

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Cornell Increases Class of 2013 class size

Cornell has issued a statement to all alumni yesterday.

One of the significant point is that the class size of Cornell Class of 2013 would be grown by approximately 100 this year, from 3,050 students to about 3,150 students. This would be good news for those who hope to make it to Cornell University!

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Board of Trustees Presidential Message
Mar. 6, 2009


Dear Members of the Cornell Community:

I write to update you on the state of our university as the economy worsens around the world and at home. Even though Cornell's financial situation has become more challenging, I remain confident in our collective ability to re-imagine the university in ways that will not only get us through the immediate crisis but also set us on a sounder long-term course, with our excellence undiminished and our commitment to student access preserved. This communication continues my pledge to proceed with transparency and accountability through the difficult days ahead and to keep the Cornell community informed.

The size of Cornell's required budget reductions has grown in recent weeks, reflecting diminished investment performance and other factors dictated by the realities of the marketplace. Today, at its meeting in Ithaca, the Cornell University Board of Trustees approved the following additional initiatives to help us through these difficult times:

The board has authorized the sale of up to $500 million in taxable bonds to provide working capital and institutional liquidity. This approach - which is similar, though more modest in size, to that being utilized by other large universities - will alleviate pressure on the endowment and other sources of funding as may be necessary over the next several years to meet operating shortfalls and other potential liquidity needs.

To address the decrease in endowment earnings, which we expect to continue for the next two to three years, the board has agreed to reduce endowment spending by 15 percent, effective July 1, 2009, with additional reductions planned in fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

These actions are to be taken in addition to those already reported to you in earlier communications, including: pausing construction through June 30; reducing base budgets across the university; tapping reserves (uncommitted fund balances) to pay down existing lines of credit; increasing charges for tuition, room and board; growing the size of the Class of 2013 by approximately 100 students; and beginning to develop institutional and academic plans that will inform our budget decisions over the longer term. Specifically, these measures include:

Budget adjustments:

$60 million base budget cut that will net $50 million in savings for FY10;
$50 million budget correction based on strategic planning in FY11; and
$35 million allocated from the endowment for financial aid starting in FY10.
Use of uncommitted fund balances:

$75 million reallocated from unrestricted fund balances (reserves) in FY09; and
$75 million reallocated from unrestricted fund balances (reserves) in FY10.
It is clear that, in addition to the pause on external hiring currently underway, Cornell will need to reduce its workforce over the next few years to bring our budget back in balance. Faculty and staff retention remains a top priority during this operational review, and we will continue to examine solutions that temper the need for layoffs. Last week, Vice President Mary Opperman announced two voluntary retirement programs that give eligible staff members the option to consider retiring and enable the university to reduce its payroll through a voluntary workforce reduction strategy.

With these actions now in place, we must come together as a single university and embrace strategic planning for the university. Such planning has a checkered history in higher education, but our ability to choose wisely those areas to emphasize and to invest in will be completely dependent on developing a shared vision of our future.

I appreciate the more than 650 suggestions that have been submitted to help set Cornell on a better course and the sacrifices that many in our community have already made as a result of the financial crisis. We still have much work to do before we are in a position to rebuild the university, but I am heartened by the willingness of so many to think creatively about the future.

In less challenging times, we might have avoided some of the difficult decisions that lie ahead. But a new reality is at hand for higher education, as well as for the rest of our economy. We are at a defining moment in Cornell's history. It is time to reconfigure the university in ways that not only guard our excellence and breadth, preserve our accessibility, meet our responsibilities to the local community and the State of New York, but that also consolidate our academic and administrative functions in imaginative and cost-effective ways.

I thank you for your patience and understanding in these difficult times and welcome your suggestions and insights as we move forward.

Best regards,


David J. Skorton

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Cornell Malaysian Association - Malaysia Cultural Night (22nd Feb, 7pm, WSH Memorial Room)

The Cornell Malaysian Association (CMA) cordially invites you to the Malaysia Cultural Night -- A Malay Wedding Affair.

Come join CMA to celebrate a Malay Wedding at the WSH Memorial Room, 22nd Feb (Sunday) 7pm, starting with the marriage ceremony followed by a dinner feast, malay style!

Menu:
- Nasi Kuning
- Beef Rendang
- Chicken Curry
- Sayur Lodeh
- Chicken Satay
- Sambal Kang Kong
- Roti Canai

Featuring MP3 Player Raffle, Henna Tattooing sessions, Handicrafts Booth, a chance to be part of the wedding procession....and many more!!

PLUS an authentic Malay wedding souvenir for every guest!

Tickets: $7 (advance) / $10 (at the door)

For more info, contact Jun Hui Erh (je96) or Xiaorui Loo (xrl2).

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Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share

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Jay Walker - 2009 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year

Priceline.com, one of the best online services ever created and guess what, the founder is a Cornellian!

And this year's Cornell University Entrepreneur of the Year goes to Jay Walker, Founder of Priceline.com .

To read his profile, go to here . He would be giving talk at Cornell campus on 16th April 4:30pm.

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Jay Walker '77, chairman of Walker Digital and founder of Priceline.com, has been named the 2009 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year. He will be honored on campus during the Entrepreneurship@Cornell Celebration April 16-17.

Walker has founded a number of successful startup companies, including Walker Digital in 1994. A privately held research and development lab based in Stamford, Conn., Walker Digital has invented hundreds of solutions for businesses in 15 industries.

Walker is best known as founder of Priceline.com, the billion-dollar travel company. He also co-founded Synapse, a company that used the credit card processing network to revolutionize the magazine subscription business. For his work as Synapse's marketing leader, Walker won the Direct Marketer of the Year award in 1999.

Currently, Walker leads a team that launched the world's leading Web site for English-language learning, yappr.com.

A prolific inventor, Walker is named on more than 800 issued and pending U.S. and international patents.

Walker has twice been named by the editors of Time magazine one of the "50 most influential business leaders in the digital age." Business Week selected him as one of the 25 Internet pioneers most responsible for "changing the competitive landscape of almost every industry in the world." Newsweek cited him as one of three executives at the forefront of the Internet commerce revolution.

Walker graduated from Cornell in 1977 with a B.S. degree in industrial and labor relations. He serves on the board of World Information Transfer, a United Nations nongovernmental organization, is a frequent speaker on college campuses and appears often on TV and radio shows.

As the Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year, Walker will give a public address on campus April 16 at 4:30 p.m. at a location to be announced.

Since 1984 the Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year award has been presented annually to Cornell graduates who exemplify entrepreneurial achievement, community service and high ethical standards. Recipients include Sandy Weill '55, former chairman of Citigroup; Howard Milstein '73, co-chairman, president and chief executive officer of Emigrant Savings Bank; Kevin McGovern '70, chairman and CEO of McGovern Capital LLC; and Robert Toll '63, chairman and chief executive officer of Toll Brothers Inc. A committee of Cornell alumni, faculty and students select recipients.

For more information visit the Entrepreneurship@Cornell Web site.

Kathy Hovis is a writer/editor for Entrepreneurship@Cornell.


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Interview with Doris Davis, Associate Provost for Cornell

This article is reproduced from Cornell Daily Sun, which every Cornellian reads every single weekday on campus during academic year. :)

The statistic for Cornell Early Decision in the article below is as follow:-

Class of 2010 - 1,109 admits out of 2,848 applicants (38.94% admitted)
Class of 2011 - 1,139 admits out of 3,015 applicants (37.78% admitted)
Class of 2012 - 1,101 admits out of 3,094 applicants (35.59% admitted)
Class of 2013 - 1,249 admits out of 3,405 applicants (36.68% admitted)

This represents out of a class size of 3,050 for Cornell University, 36.4% filled via Early Decision for Class of 2010, 36.1% for Class of 2011, 37.3% for Class of 2012 and 41.0% for Class of 2013.

With this admission rate, there are only about 1,801 places left for regular decision for Cornell. Of course, the number admitted would be a lot higher, due to yield rate, but the admission rate this year would drop by quite a bit, if total applicants for Cornell went up!

The article below is quoted from Cornell Daily Sun

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Cornell hopefuls for the class of 2013 have turned in their applications, and it is now up to the admissions office to determine who will receive acceptance letters. The Sun sat down with Doris Davis, associate provost for admissions and enrollment, to find out about this year’s crop of potential Cornellians, the changing face of early decision and what is next for financial aid.

The Sun: This year is riding on the heels of last year’s record high number of applicants ever to Cornell. But, with a financial crisis also threatening to deter many college hopefuls, do you think the number of applicants will be up?

Doris Davis: We think. What I think will be the true test is if the applicants have a broader range of economic diversity. That is one of the goals — for students whose families that, because of the economic crisis, think that they can’t afford to come to Cornell — [end up applying].

In the fall, as a pilot program, we hosted two financial aid workshops in New York City — one in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan at the Cornell Club. In both, it was standing room only. It was students and parents who came out on a Sunday afternoon to learn more about financial aid at Cornell. Those financial aid workshops were so successful that we already know we are going to be doing them in the spring and next fall. So getting the word out to families about our financial aid programs is absolutely one of our top priorities.

Sun: How have other universities been affected by the financial climate?

DD: What we’ve been hearing reported in papers is that most of the flagship state universities have been way up in applications [at places] like University of Michigan, University of Virginia and University of California. Students who are residents of those states now have a much more affordable choice given the economic crisis.

We’ve also read early on — there was a report in The New York Times — that highly selective schools like Cornell and the Ivy League schools would still see an increase in applicants. Even with the economic crunch, parents and students realize that attending a school like Cornell is an investment. And that long term, you don’t want to sacrifice students’ long-term career and personal goals because of short-term economic challenges. So people might be willing to do more in the short term to make it possible for their son or daughter to go to a place like Cornell. So, we’ll see. The economic crisis is not going to affect all families and all students in the same way.

Sun: This year’s early decision class, in addition to having a record number of applicants, also saw an increasing percentage of the class admitted early. Why was this?

DD: Last year, I think it was about 35 percent of the class admitted early decision. This year it’s about 35 to 36 percent. It’s nothing that we manage to a science. We don’t tell the colleges there’s a number we admit. We don’t have quotas, but we do want to make sure that the number doesn’t rise in a sharp way. I think there is kind of a self-monitoring [system]. They know that we don’t want to admit what some Ivy’s were doing eight or nine years ago, which was admitting half the class early. We’ve never been that high. We have a sort of understanding that we don’t want to have [those] numbers go way beyond what it’s always been. In the time I’ve been here, it’s been between 34 to 36 percent.

Sun: A few years ago, Cornell was pondering getting rid of early decision altogether. Now, the increase in acceptances through early decision seems like a step in the opposite direction. Is the elimination of early decision still a possibility?

DD: I think for now we’ve put the idea to rest. At least for now, we are comfortable with the percentage of the class admitted early. We recognize that students who are admitted early decision represent a portion of the class, but they don’t represent the entire class. Our goals remain constant, and that is to enroll the best and brightest students, and to also have socio-economic diversity, even though on the admissions side we are need-blind.

What’s really going to be interesting is that when Harvard announced that they were eliminating their early decision program, they said it was for the time being, and they would reevaluate after three years to see if the elimination of their early program had any effect on the composition on the overall class. One of the real tests will be in another year or two if Harvard then definitively says yes, we’ve eliminated early [decision].

I’ve been working in admissions for over 25 years now. There’s been an evolution of early programs. Harvard’s decision, I felt, represents this continuing evolution, and I didn’t feel it should necessarily represent this permanent change in practice at any one institution because I can almost guarantee you that in another five to seven years, someone is going to change again.

Sun: In the spirit of the evolving early decision programs, do you think Cornell’s early decision process will see any changes?

DD: I don’t think so. But, you know, who knows? Every year brings unexpected developments and we are constantly assessing the appropriateness of our admissions and financial aid programs.

Sun: Early decision is often thought to be a process that favors wealthier applicants who don’t need to compare financial aid packages. As it stands now, do you think Cornell’s Early Decision program allows for socio-economic diversity?

DD: That is absolutely correct, and it would be a major concern were it not for the fact that Cornell’s financial aid programs make Cornell’s ability to recruit low-income students very competitive. For example, if a student comes from the lowest income, if the family income is below $60,000, [there are] no parental contributions. If a student comes from a family where the family income is below $75,000, there are no student loans. For a student to know that you can go to Cornell and have no loans and your parents have no parental contributions, that student can take that assurance and look at other schools and see how it would stack up. We want those students to feel that they have the same ability to apply early, as opposed to students who could just pay for those costs.

Now where we still have challenges, and where we’re making great strides is in what we call the middle-income family — the family whose income is above $75,000. Right now, the lowest income students should absolutely feel that early decision is a viable option for them.

Sun: Will the next financial aid initiatives be targeted towards middle-income families?

DD: Absolutely. One of our top priorities, for understandable reasons, has been the lowest income students, but we are absolutely committed to students who come from along that economic spectrum. And so we have addressed the need of students in the middle income through loans where we have reduced and capped loans.

Admittedly, it’s going to be more difficult for us because of the economic crisis, but it’s not something we are going to give up on.

Sun: The beginning of this year marks nearly a full year since Cornell announced that it would reduce and cap loans for low and middle-income students. How has that worked out?

DD: We absolutely saw immediate results. Students who were at Cornell saw the results as well in terms of the reductions of student loans.

One of the hopes is that when students graduate from Cornell, they make career choices based upon their interests, and not based upon the loans they have to pay back.

In the first phase of the initiative, we didn’t address loans for families [whose incomes were about] $120,000. So in the second phase, we addressed it by capping loans for those students.

Sun: It has been said that one reason Cornell announced its second phase of the new financial aid plan in October is because it was losing many of its athletes to schools with bigger financial aid programs. Is the newest plan helping in the recruitment of athletes?

DD: We’ll see. [One phase is] to reduce parental contribution for select students whose incomes are above $60,000 a year. And those students may include students who are of an enrollment priority. Some of those students may be athletes and some may be mathematicians and physicists. So there are a range of students who are going to qualify for those enhanced initiatives. And that piece, we will see, because those students [effected by the new plan] come in fall 2009.

Sun: Last year, Cornell announced that it would allow applicants to apply to two different colleges within the University. How has that changed the admissions process?

DD: In the class of students who came in the fall of 2008, there are about 65 students who were admitted through their alternate choice college. One of the reasons why we implemented primary/alternate was to more accurately reflect the experience of Cornell students. When students come to Cornell, you’re not limited to one college, you’re life doesn’t exist solely in one college. We see that when students apply to Cornell, that they have a range of interests.

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Applications Jump for Class of 2013

Various top U.S. Universities are seeing a great jump in applications for Class of 2013. This continues the uptrend of increase from Early Decision here .

For a number of universities, it is the highest increase ever. I'm still waiting for the number of my alma mater, but I think it would also increase quite significantly following the trend of other peer institutions.

Brown - Up 21% (to 24,900)
Stanford - Up 20% (to 30,348)
MIT - Up 17%
Duke - Up 17% (to 23,780)
Virginia - Up 17% (to 21,750)
Yale - Up 14% (from 22,817 to 26,000) - For Class of 2012, admits 1,952
Dartmouth - Up 9%
Harvard - Up 5.6% (from 27,462 to 29,000) - For Class of 2012, admits 1,948
Princeton - Up 2.3% (to 21,869) - For Class of 2012, admits 2,122
NYU - Up 0.3% (to 37,180)

Source:-
1. Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth, Brown here
2. Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Princeton, MIT here
3. Yale here
4. Yale, Virginia here
5. NYU here

If anyone finds the statistic for more universities, do kindly leave it at the comment area and I'll update this post for the benefit of everyone who is reading this. Thanks! :)

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Prof. James Maas - Cornell Faculty

As I was reading a lot of application essays and being bombarded by questions from a bunch of students, some of the conversations went to classes in Cornell.

I guess one of the Cornell professors - James Maas, would be someone that anyone in Cornell, within the past 4 decades would know.

This is an article about him and his course in Cornell. Too bad I never took Psychology 101, but I did attended one of his public lectures then.

This is cited from NY Times

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Lining Up to Get a Lecture; A Class With 1,600 Students and One Popular Teacher

By KAREN W. ARENSON
Published: November 17, 2000
James B. Maas, a professor at Cornell University, teaches a large class. A really large class. With nearly 1,600 students, it is one of the largest lecture classes in any American university, so big that no classroom is large enough to hold it. Instead, the class, Psychology 101, meets in the university's 88-year-old concert hall, with hard-backed wooden seats, bare floors and no desks.

It hardly sounds like a class that an Ivy League university charging nearly $25,000 a year in tuition would boast about. Lectures these days are generally looked down upon as money savers for colleges, the fastest way to put students to sleep.

But year after year, decade after decade, Dr. Maas's Psych 101 has been Cornell's most popular course. Students keep flocking, and when they finish, they send their friends and their children.

''My father went here in '74 and took this course, and he said be sure to take it,'' said Jennifer Basarab, a gum-chewing freshman biology major from Lancaster, Pa.

What makes the class the talk of the campus -- and an icon among psychology professors -- is a combination of show business and personal contact, traits students say they do not often find even in smaller classes. Dr. Maas crams the lectures with show and tell. He talks about his family. He shows clips from ''Candid Camera,'' demonstrating, for example, that people entering an elevator will face the back if three other people are turned that way. Although the course is a lecture, there is no blackboard in sight. And he tries to pull students in. Not by calling on them and putting them on the spot, but through exercises, games and a constant stream of slides and videos.

Last week, for example, he wanted students to think about memory. He challenged them to try to remember a list of about a dozen unrelated word pairs. Words like Locomotive-dishtowel. Jacket-asparagus. Oyster-telephone. Alligator-thermometer. He divided the students into two groups, asking the first group to try to remember the words by repeating them over and over and the second to associate them with pictures in their minds.

Then he tested them. A show of hands clearly illustrated that the group with the mind pictures did far better -- and that imagery can be a powerful memory aid.

Next was a demonstration of how paintings serve as a ''mirror of the mind.'' He flashed slide after slide of drawings by schizophrenics onto a large screen in the center of the stage, commenting on each as an art history professor might. There was a drawing of vases and columns by a 16-year-old homosexual boy with a fixation on choking his mother to death. Another was by a patient concerned about morality and sex.

''Far from being stupid, idiotic or retarded, these people are extremely bright,'' he told the class, suggesting they not easily dismiss such people.

Some professors try to squeeze as many facts as possible into their lectures. For Dr. Maas, the goal is to convey three or four concepts and entice students to seek more through the textbook and computer programs that accompany the course. For students who have questions, he uses a corps of more than 20 teaching assistants, available 12 hours a day. If students want discussion, they can sign up for a separate one-credit companion course that focuses on a topic in depth -- like psychology and the law -- but only about 150 have done so.

It is not unusual to find introductory psychology among the largest classes on a campus. It is a juicy topic for students seeking to understand themselves and the world. And it is often viewed as a gut course (though the average grade here is below a B).

Even the best universities run large classes, some by star lecturers, although large usually means a few hundred students, not 1,600. At Harvard, a course called Justice taught by Michael Sandel, a professor of government, has 779 students this semester. But few courses attain the near-mythical status that Dr. Maas's has achieved.

Educators are quick to point out that large classes do not necessarily mean bad teaching any more than small classes guarantee good teaching. Administrators at Cornell and elsewhere say that lectures may be appropriate for subjects that have no labs, do not require daily essay writing and are suited to a staged presentation.

''If this were the only mode of instruction, it would not be a great way to go,'' said Biddy Martin, Cornell's provost. ''But a good lecture is not just an educational experience, it can really be an aesthetic experience, too.''

Students talking about Dr. Maas often sound like groupies raving about the latest rock star.

''He is amazing; you're in for a treat,'' Keri Rodgers, a sophomore Spanish major from Columbus, Ohio, told a visitor before the class started one morning last week. ''Psychology is not up my alley,'' she continued from her perch on the edge of the stage before class. ''But I love this course. He's just funny.''

On stage, Dr. Maas, 62, looks more corporate than punk, dressed in a blue Oxford shirt and a striped tie, a slightly heavy, balding man with a mild, unassuming manner. He has taught the same basic course for 36 years -- he has not missed a year -- but still approaches it with the air of a boy in a candy shop. He spends hours preparing each lecture and refuses to go to a movie or party the nights before he teaches.

He comes to class 40 minutes early, unpacking slides, videocassettes and other props from a boxy legal briefcase. When he is sure that the projectors and sound system are working, he heads out to talk to students. By the end of a semester, Dr. Maas estimates, he knows perhaps 200 or 300 student names.

''What are you studying?'' he asked Adrien Desbaillets, a young, dark-haired hotel-management student hunched over a textbook in the front row of the mezzanine.

Mr. Desbaillets said he was preparing for the coming psychology test. Then he and Dr. Maas chatted about whether the professor might visit Singapore in the coming year.

Several other students cornered Dr. Maas to ask about the exam, one of three -- all multiple choice -- that are given. Teachers often dislike talking about the minutiae of exams, but Dr. Maas smiled amiably, as if there was nothing he would rather discuss.

He tries to get to know students in other ways, too. He invites them to brown bag lunches where they ask about everything, from what it is like to be a psychologist to questions about his family. He draws in students through research. (In the coming months, a squad of undergraduate research assistants will fan out to question high school students about their sleep habits, to help Dr. Maas on his next book about the need for sleep, which is his specialty.)

Still, being a student in such a large class can be daunting, said David Kaplan, a senior from Middletown, N.J., who took Psych 101 as a freshman and is now a teaching assistant.

''For me,'' he said, ''the course was definitely overwhelming -- to be in a class with almost 2,000 other students and the professor is a little figure up on stage.''

His strategy was simple: ''I'd try to sit as close up front as possible.''

He said, however, that Dr. Maas helped offset the feeling of distance with his open-door policy and willingness to talk to students.

About six years ago, four students who had worked for Dr. Maas said he had gotten too personal, kissing and hugging them and making suggestive remarks. Cornell reprimanded him and said he was ineligible for a raise that year. He challenged the fairness of Cornell's procedures for sexual misconduct inquiries, but lost in court. The episode, however, does not appear to have diminished his popularity as a lecturer. Last week, he called the proceedings ''absolutely unfair,'' but he said the experience had had ''no bearing on the course whatsoever.''

Dr. Maas's path to Psych 101 was serpentine. As a student, he planned to be a dentist. But premedical courses were difficult, while psychology was ''a piece of cake,'' he said.

The first hint that he might make a good teacher came during his senior year at Williams College in western Massachusetts, when he taught a psychology seminar and some of his fraternity brothers told him that he had really helped them understand the material.

His aim after earning his Ph.D. at Cornell was to return to Williams. But just as he was about to head back, Cornell asked him to teach for a year. Thirty-six years later, he is still there, teaching Psych 101 three days a week each fall and a seminar in the spring.

He has also written and edited articles and books, made numerous films and become a staple on television talk shows and on the corporate lecture circuit, where he often talks about the dangers of not getting a good night's sleep.

His biggest delight is still the Psych 101 course. He recounts with pride how two of his students helped thwart a suicide attempt one afternoon after a class in which he had talked about how people hesitate to be good Samaritans and the importance of not standing idly by.

Such tales become fodder for future lectures -- the kinds of anecdotes that keep students riveted.

''Students love hearing about these things,'' he said.


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Boon Jim (Cornell University Class of 2013) Sharing on His Early Decision Application to Cornell University

Congratulations again to Boon Jim from Inti for getting into Cornell University Class of 2013 as Early Decision.

After he got in, I actually asked him to write an article to share on any tips he can provide for those who are applying this year or future years. Hope this sharing could be helpful for you guys.

It is amazing that he is able to write this whole piece within half a day of him getting the offer from Cornell University! Great enthusiasm and willingness to help other students! Hope this can be inspiration for other students!

Below is his sharing, quoting fully from ReCom.org - The Worldwide Malaysian Students Network

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My Cornell Application Checklist

1) Resume
2) Commonapp form + Essay
3) Supplement form + Supplementary Essay
4) 2 Teacher’s Evaluation Forms
5) 1 Secondary School Report
6) 1 Mid Year Report
7) Other recommendation letters
8) SAT 1 & SAT 2 scores (sent by Collegeboard)
9) TOEFL score (sent by ETS)

Resume:


I listed my achievements and activities with one or two sentences to explain every achievement and activity. You can also include your work experience if you have any. You don’t have to attach certificates, but it shouldn’t be a problem if you do.


I wrote about my skills e.g. computer skills, languages that I’m proficient in, musical instrument that I can play.


Do include anything about yourself that you think will interest the admission people.

Commonapp form + Essay:

The form is just plain and simple, like any ordinary forms that ask for a bunch of your personal details (name, date of birth, family details, bla bla bla).

For the essay, I chose a title which was mainly about ethical dilemma. My essay was about why I did not stand up to my belief and how I felt after that. Everyone’s essay should be unique, so I won’t disclose too much about mine.

You can choose the essay titles provided or you can write about any topic you want. The topics never change, so you can start working on your essay NOW! There’s no time sooner than now.

Give yourself plenty of time to think about your essays and do get comments from other people. To be unique, you must write about things that you think people will not usually write but don’t go off topic!

Although there’s no word limit, always try to be as concise and straightforward as possible. Do the admission officers a favor by not beating around the bush too much. Also, try to avoid using passive voice, use it only when it is necessary. Passive voice doesn’t sound good, but when the subject is unknown, it can’t be help.

Supplement Form + Essay:

There’s nothing out of the ordinary about the supplementary form, it’s easy to fill.

For the College of Arts and Sciences, the essay topic is Describe your intellectual interests, their evolution, and what makes them exciting to you. Tell us how you will utilize the academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to further explore your interests, intended major, or field of study. The word limit is 500 words.

I wrote about my participation in the Young Enterprise Program and how the program made me interested in Economics. In addition, I wrote about other programs in Cornell which caught my interest such as the Language House Program.

You should write about the activities that you have done which develop your interest in a particular field. Alternatively, you can write about something that happened to you and made you interested in the field you choose to pursue.

You should also browse through Cornell’s website and discover other programs in Cornell that you find interesting. In your essay, tell them about the programs that interest you. Remember to explain how those programs can be useful to you.

Teacher’s Evaluation

I approached my EST and Add Math teachers to fill in the Teacher’s Evaluation forms.

You’ll need at least 2 Teacher’s Evaluation Forms and recommendation letters from your school teachers and 1 Secondary School Report and recommendation letter from your school counselor.

When requesting recommendation letters from your teachers, you should:

1)Choose 1 teacher who teaches arts stream subject (e.g. English, Economics, etc) and 1 teacher who teaches science stream subject (e.g. Add Math, Physics, etc). It would be even better if one of them is from your secondary school, and the other is from your preparatory college.

2)Choose teachers who know you well, preferably those who are close to you.

3)Approach your teachers early, give them enough time (at least 1 month).

4)Remind your teachers not to list down your achievements in the recommendation letters because the list should be included in your resume. Your teachers should write about your character and substantiate it with examples. Statements like “John is eager to learn.” must be supported by examples.

5)Discuss what they should write. Some teachers may not have written any recommendation letters before, so don’t be shy to tell your teachers what you want them to write about you, but never make them write things that they do not want to.

Secondary School Report

My Secondary School Report was filled by my secondary school counselor.

If your counselor doesn’t know you well, he can write about you based on your school records (academic performance and extracurricular achievements) from Form 1 to Form 5. If your school doesn’t have a counselor, then the principal can fill in the Secondary School Report and write the letter. Again, do give your counselor plenty of time and guide them through the Secondary School Report if they have doubts.

If your results have been consistently good, you can also get your school results from Form 1 to Form 5 and ask your counselor to attach it with the Secondary School Report.

Mid Year Report

My mid year report was filled by some admin lady in my preparatory college.

It is advisable to include your college result in your Mid Year Report if you enter college right after SPM / Form 5 because you want to show them that you have 12 years of formal education. However, remember to write a separate letter to explain that your college education is equivalent to 12th grade in US school system. Cornell mentioned here http://admissions.cornell.edu/resour...wer.cfm?num=15 that if you’ve done college level work, you shouldn’t be applying as freshman. So the explanation letter is very IMPORTANT!

Other Recommendation Letters

I was a St John’s Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM) member. So, I asked an officer from SJAM to write a recommendation letter for me. My piano teacher had also written a letter for me.

You should try to get additional recommendation letters unless you know nothing good will be written. These letters not only further explain your personality; they also describe the activities that you participated. You can get additional recommendation from:

1)Sports coaches
2)Part time job employers
3)Charity organizations that you’ve joined
4)Music teachers

SAT 1 & SAT 2

I scored 2090 for SAT 1, breakdown: CR 600 (I know, it’s horrible!), Writing 690, Math 800 and 2400 for SAT 2 (no typo, that’s the full score alright!) For SAT 2, I took Math 2, Physics, and Chemistry.

To prepare for SAT 1, all you need to do is a whole lot of practice! I don’t know of any other ways to prepare for SAT 1.

The 3 SAT 2 subjects which I took was easy because the syllabus was rather similar to SPM syllabus. Just try a few practice tests and you’ll understand how simple the questions are (if you can fully master SPM syllabus).

TOEFL

My TOEFL score was 113.

TOEFL is easy as long as you have a decent command of English. Many people can easily get above 110 without doing any preparation. Yup, that’s how easy it is!

However, do familiarize yourself with the format of the test before taking the test. There’re 4 sections all together (reading, listening, speaking and writing), each account for 30 marks.

Last Words

It was actually Chen Chow’s suggestion that I write this post. Hopefully, you will find it useful. Do feel free to publish it wherever you like, if you want to. =)


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Class of 2013 Early Decision/Early Action from Malaysia

I know many of you are visiting my blogs for latest results of Early Decision/Early Action for Class of 2013 in Malaysia.

Congratulations!

Cornell: Chang Ha (ISKL), Boon Jim (Inti)
Brown: Charis (INTEC)
Stanford: Kimberley

Hope to hear more good news from others! Do update me if any of you know of others who make it!

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Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share!

New SAT Score Choice Policy

This article by Newsweek is definitely self explanatory. It is about Score Choice policy for SAT. Students planning to apply for Class of 2014 for Cornell, Stanford, UPenn, Pomona and USC may not appreciate this news positively!

Would post it for your review.

This is fully quoted from Newsweek .

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No. 2 pencils ready? Today's question: will the College Board's new Score Choice policy for the SAT, which lets students hide bad scores in their College Board records from universities, (a) lower anxiety for high-school students; (b) raise anxiety for some when they discover that a loophole allows admissions offices to override the policy; or (c) infuriate some colleges? The answer is all of the above—and the already pressurized universe of students, colleges and helicopter parents is in turmoil over it.

Until now, students who took the SAT more than once had to send all scores to admissions committees. Score Choice abolishes that, effective for high-school seniors applying next September. Announced by the College Board earlier this year with the goal of "reducing student stress," Score Choice permits students to send only their best overall score from a given test date. So students can take tests repeatedly with no apparent penalty. Indeed, according to guidance counselors, many high-school juniors are signing up to take next month's SAT, just as they did this month. The juniors are doing so because they figure it's a free swing at a good score, and they can always re-take the test in March or May.

There's one catch. Colleges can opt out of Score Choice and require applicants to report every SAT score. And some colleges have now decided to do so, NEWSWEEK has learned. Stanford, Cornell, Pomona, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California told NEWSWEEK their applications next fall will demand all scores. Other elite schools, including Harvard and the University of Chicago, say they'll honor Score Choice; many, such as Yale and Princeton, say they've yet to decide. A few, such as Colby College and Williams, say Score Choice is irrelevant to them because they already cherry-pick the highest individual math, verbal and reading scores from among multiple tests. (The top score on each part is an 800, and a 2400 is perfect.) Because Score Choice may wrongly suggest to applicants that colleges look only at an entire test given on a single date, says Steve Thomas, admissions director at Colby, "students may be doing themselves a disservice" by suppressing scores that could be beneficial.


Score Choice once again puts the College Board in the crosshairs of an endless debate over testing. Opponents of the new policy say it's financially motivated. The SAT has been losing market share to the ACT, another admissions exam, which already has a version of Score Choice. The Board denies the motivation, though an internal e-mail from February, obtained by NEWSWEEK, suggests otherwise. Laurence Bunin, general manager of the SAT, referred to "less kids taking SAT," thereby "threatening the viability of the program itself."

Officials at many elite schools excoriate Score Choice. In an e-mail discussion among them earlier this year, Pomona's admissions dean worried "how much more financially well-off kids could play the selection- and score-reporting game." Rice's admissions director mocked the College Board for professing to be motivated by concern over students. "I've never known the CB to cave into pressures from students," she wrote to colleagues. "What spin."

But other admissions officials thought the critics "do protest too much." "Railing against" Score Choice, wrote Bill Conley of Johns Hopkins, implies top schools "really are dissecting scores at a level we publicly claim not to." If "a student submits a single best sitting of 2320," he asked, does anyone really care "how low were her other score sets?" In an admissions subculture fixated on the SAT, the unkind answer would seem to be yes.

With Samantha Henig and Matthew Philips




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Early Decision Class of 2013

To all of you who are applying for Early Decision/Early Action for Class of 2013, I would like to wish Good Luck to all of you!

Congratulations to all of you who have made it through Early Decision/Early Action. For ED candidates, this means that your college search has fully completed! Congratulations! For EA candidates, this could mean your college search has fully completed, if you choose to do so! :)

For those who get defer, don't get sad. What it means is that now, you should try hard to furnish more info to the universities. What is more important is that you should work hard to enhance your applications to other universities. You are border line cases for the university that you apply for Early Decision/Early Action. So, do try a bit harder! Good Luck!

For those who get rejected. I know you would be sad. But take it positively. This tells you that your application is not too good. You still have about 2-3 weeks to fine tune it for your other applications! Work very hard on it!!! Good Luck!

For Cornell this year, 10 Early Decision applicants from Malaysia. As of now, I have heard of 2 students from Malaysia who got in! Chang Ha & Boon Jim, Congratulations! :) Hope to hear the good news from the rest!

Congratulations to Charis for getting into Early Decision for Brown University Class of 2013. Syabas!

If anyone has any info of other students from Malaysia who gets into Early Decision/Early Action of Class of 2013 in Malaysia, do update me their success story, so I can highlight it here!

To all those who have been waiting to see who gets into Early Decision/Early Action, thanks for your support. I have seen a huge spike in traffic to my blog yesterday and this morning.

Good Luck for all of you who are applying for Early Decision/Early Action! :)


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Kent Fuchs Promoted to be Provost of Cornell University

It is great to always get updated on what's happening at my alma mater. And it is great to hear that W. Kent Fuchs, the Dean of the College of Engineering, has been promoted to be the next Provost of Cornell University, replacing Biddy Martin, who stepped down earlier, to be the Chancellor of University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Kent Fuchs has been a great leader for College of Engineering. He came to Cornell in 2002, and I had the opportunity to work indirectly with him through Engineering Students Council and Cornell Engineering Alumni Association. He has been especially supportive of the students' events, including the Diversity Dinner and Almost Alumni.

Congrats Kent Fuchs! I am sure you would bring Cornell to greater heights.

The news of his promotion is taken from Cornell Chronicle .
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Among next provost Kent Fuchs' priorities:
Boosting academics and encouraging optimism
By Susan Kelley


Among the top priorities of Cornell's next provost, W. Kent Fuchs (pronounced "Fox"), when he takes up the post Jan. 1 will be to bolster individual academic departments and to encourage optimism across campus.

"I will have a slightly different focus than we've had as an institution explicitly in the past 10 years," said Fuchs, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering at Cornell since 2002, in an interview Oct. 21. "The department and school are the academic home for faculty and students, and it's where teaching occurs and scholarship is conducted. My personal goal is to understand the aspirations of the faculty and students in those departments, to encourage departments and schools to develop plans -- explicit aspirations -- and make sure that the provost's office is supporting them," he said.

"We will also continue to encourage and enable interdisciplinary and cross-college collaboration and in particular to support important centers and institutes."

Announcing Fuchs' appointment in his State of the University address Oct. 17, President David Skorton praised Fuchs' "great knowledge of Cornell, strong leadership abilities and clear vision of the future." He also thanked Deputy Provost David Harris "for serving so effectively as interim provost during the past several months." Harris will resume his deputy provost position Dec. 31.

While the new provost's long-term focus will include leading efforts to implement Cornell's strategic plan, among the issues that will take his immediate attention will be careful understanding and management of the budget in the midst of economic uncertainty. In this, he said, it is important to include Weill Cornell Medical College and the rest of Cornell's New York City campus in leading and planning on budget issues as one institution.

He also discussed the importance of working to enhance undergraduate financial aid. In his address, Skorton committed to raising an additional $125 million for undergraduate financial aid, increasing the campaign goal for undergraduate scholarships to $350 million from $225 million. "The fundamental point is to call upon our donors to increase their philanthropy so that we can grow our endowment for financial aid," Fuchs said, "and in the meantime to work with all of those who oversee the budget to determine how we can reallocate resources to financial aid."

However, he said, the current worldwide economic crisis may delay some of Cornell's important initiatives, such as new facilities projects that have not yet begun. Yet the crisis does offer Cornell a competitive advantage in recruiting diverse, outstanding faculty and students. "That has to be at the top of our priority list regardless of other projects that may get delayed," Fuchs said. "It's actually a great opportunity and allows us to also renew the focus on those academic areas that are the highest priorities -- and to make progress, particularly relative to our competition."

Fuchs' engineering background will influence his take on the provost's post. As the engineering dean, he introduced a model of planning and evaluating progress that he would like to scale up to the campus level. Departments created goals and strategies and timelines to achieve them, which informed the college's goals. Campuswide, he would like to see schools and colleges develop ways to chart progress toward their goals. "It's important that we have a clean set of metrics for measuring success and then being accountable as we move forward," Fuchs said.

But it is not planning, but realistic optimism and transparency that he points to as his most important contributions as dean, two values, he noted, that he shares with Skorton. "The college has a strong sense of enthusiasm for the future, of which I'm immensely proud." He fostered this optimism, he said, by trying to model it. "I am constantly reminded of how blessed we are to be at Cornell and how much progress has been made across the university in recent years."

Besides engineering, Fuchs will bring his master's of divinity studies to the new job. The three-year graduate program reinforced his focus on service to people. "The combination of focusing on people and service to others is what is truly important. It's the faculty, staff and students who give us our excellence and the community we call Cornell." The seminary, he recalled, also broadened his appreciation of the social sciences, humanities and the arts and honed such personal skills as public speaking.

As Cornell's 15th provost, Fuchs will succeed Carolyn Martin, known as "Biddy." She held the position for eight years -- the longest term for any provost in Cornell history -- before accepting the chancellorship of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May. "I go by Kent. I never had a nickname," Fuchs said with a laugh. "And I'm not sure I want to start one."




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Documentary on Cornell

Thanks to Susan Chang from Cornell Club of Singapore, I managed to get a chance to watch a 1-hour documentary on my alma mater -- Cornell - Birth of the American University. It was an interesting documentary, where President Lehman and also some current/ex university archivist were featured in it.

It showcased how Cornell started, from Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. It was very powerful story of seeing how Ezra Cornell worked hard for many years and used his fortune to donate to build Cornell University, and it tapped on the top brain of AD White and AD White became the 1st Cornell President. He helped to recruit a bunch of top notch faculty and that started Cornell in 1868. This year, it is 140 years already.

It really showed how they were passionate to educate the future generation, and wanted to leave a legacy. Ezra Cornell didn't even have proper education. he was educated up to 3rd grade only, but he realized the importance of education and he has been using lifelong learning himself and have always been very observant.

Watching it definitely brought back a lot of memory for me. While the flow of the story is very slow (especially at the start), I would say that it is nostalgic. Looking at how Cornell was in the early days and then look at some of the recent photos. That brought back 4 years of my memorable there in Cornell!

If any of the aspiring Cornellians or even current Cornellians or Cornell alumni want to watch this, just let me know!

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Cornell Class of 2012 Admit Rate

Being an alumnus from Cornell University and also from Cornell Alumni Admission Ambassador Network (CAAAN), I should be sharing insights on Cornell Admission too.

These details are taken from Cornell Admission Office page.

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Early Decision - 1105/3094 = 37.0%
Regular Decision - 5689/29979 = 19.0%
Freshman Decision (Overall) - 6794/33073 = 20.5%
Transfer Application - 801/2918 = 27.4%

CC's Note: Apply Early Decision to significantly enhance your chances of getting into Cornell!

Top 10% in high school - 2644/6121 = 43.2%
Next 10% in high school - 142/1078 = 13.2%
20% to 40% in high school - 37/587 = 6.3%
Last 60% in high school - 16/204 = 7.8%

CC's Note: If you are in the top 10% in your high school, you have very high chance of being admitted to Cornell University

SAT Critical Reading Score
700-800 - 3550/9568 = 37.1%
650-699 - 1483/7060 = 21.0%
600-649 - 956/6396 = 15.0%
550-599 - 257/3379 = 7.6%
500-549 - 154/1867 = 8.3%
400-499 - 42/1141 = 3.7%
200-399 - 0/134 = 0%

CC's Note: If you can get above 700 for critical reading, your chances are very good. Or else, do try to get at least above 600.

SAT Maths Score
700-800 - 4709/16229 = 29.0%
650-699 - 1033/6422 = 16.1%
600-649 - 481/3416 = 14.1%
550-599 - 228/2017 = 11.3%
500-549 - 73/931 = 7.8%
400-499 - 18/488 = 3.7%
200-399 - 0/61 = 0%

CC's Note: To be competitive, do try to get above 700.

Admit Rate by College:-
Human Ecology - 452/1406 = 32.2%
Engineering - 1902/6527 = 29.1%
Industrial & Labor Relations - 238/945 = 25.2%
Hotel Administrations - 211/944 = 22.3%
Agriculture & Life Sciences - 1028/4697 = 21.9%
Arts & Science - 2840/15474 = 18.4%
Architecture, Art & Planning - 163/1053 = 15.5%

CC's Note: The easiest colleges to get in are put on top.

Good Luck!

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Martin Tang '70 does matching for Cornell International Scholarships

Read of this very good news for Cornell. Thanks a lot, Martin Tang! Really appreciate your generosity and initiative to do this matching give to bring more international scholarships to Cornell University!!!

Martin Tang is the Chairman of Asia Spencer Stuart and has been in Cornell Board of Trustees since 1994. Met him a few months back in a Cornell Asia Pacific Alumni event in Singapore. A very nice and generous guy.

Lets hope that this would mean more scholarships soon for international students!

This is fully quoted from Cornell Chronicle
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May 22, 2008
Trustee Martin Tang '70 creates challenge for international scholarships
By Susan Lang


Cornell is a leading destination for international students, but many top-notch students from overseas decline acceptance because Cornell can offer them a very limited number of scholarships. To encourage more support, Cornell Trustee Martin Y. Tang '70, a Hong Kong businessman, has made a gift to create the Martin Y. Tang International Scholarship Challenge.

The Tang Challenge will match cash gifts and commitments of $750,000 or more, on a $1 for $3 basis, with the goal of creating 12 scholarship endowments of $1 million each, with every $750,000 gift matched with $250,000 from the Tang Challenge. To be eligible for matching, commitments must be made between May 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009, although payments on multiyear pledges may be made over a period of up to five years. Deferred gifts, such as estate designations, are not eligible for matching.

Cornell ranks 13th in the nation among colleges and universities in enrolling international students, with 3,200 undergraduate and graduate international students from 120 countries. International students comprise almost 8 percent of the undergraduate student body at Cornell.

"Higher education is one of our country's best policy tools to level the playing field for millions entering an increasingly globalized society and to alleviate inequality and poverty," Cornell President David Skorton has noted. "Whether international students return to their home countries or stay in the United States to work or continue their studies, they contribute to America's strength. One of the fairest pathways to this goal is through education."

Tang is chairman of Asia Spencer Stuart, a global executive search firm in Hong Kong. He has served on the Cornell Board of Trustees since 1994. For more information on the challenge, contact Jim Mazza at (607) 254-7497 or e-mail at jam16@cornell.edu.



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Cornell Club of Singapore - World of Wines 2008

This is an event by Cornell Club of Singapore

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Event Information :

World of Wines 2008
To take a breather from our gourmet expeditions, we're having a little outing to the park to spend
a leisurely afternoon sampling 50 premium wines (Bolinger, Cloudy Bay, Coppola, Parker etc) from across the world.
Organised by Hermitage Wine and 3rdOpPR (a Cornellian-owned public relations and events firm),
at $50, it's a great deal! There'll also be a free flow of canapes with every ticket purchased.
Bring friends and choose between mingling with fellow alum or wandering off on your own.
Date: 3 May 2008
Venue: Botanic Gardens Function Room
Event Time: 12pm-8pm
Group Meeting Time: 5pm
Price: $50.
Please RSVP Sonia at sonia.ong@gmail.com
***************************************************************************************************************

The Cornell Club of Singapore aims to help the Cornell community in Singapore keep in touch with each other and with Cornell. Support the club by becoming a sponsoring member!

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Cornell Acceptance Rate Drops Marginally

Disappointly, Cornell's Acceptance Rate drops marginally only. :(

Quoted from Cornell Chronicle

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America's 'Hottest Ivy' attracts record number of applicants
By Franklin Crawford

Cornell has received an all-time high of 33,011 applications for freshman admission, the Office of Admissions and Enrollment announced last week.

The record number of applicants represents a 9 percent increase over last year and a 17 percent increase over the past two years -- which also were record years. There was no increase in enrollment figures. The selection process for the Cornell Class of 2012 ended March 31.

The overall admit rate -- including early decision and regular decision -- is 20.4 percent, slightly down from last year's admit rate of 20.5 percent, according to the Undergraduate Admissions Mail Date Report. A total of 3,432 students were offered a place on the waitlist; in 2007, 3,223 students were waitlisted.

"About 6 to 7 percent of our applicants do not complete the process and another 3 to 4 percent withdraw before the notification date," said Jason Locke, director of undergraduate admissions.

"This is typical for most institutions of higher education."

In addition, 19,305 students were denied admission this year, also a record. Last year 18,419 students were denied admission.

Admissions in general are down at elite colleges across the country, according to an April 1 article by The New York Times. Harvard and Yale universities both reported lower admissions percentages as did Brown, Dartmouth, Bowdoin College and Georgetown University.


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Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share!

Cornell University Class of 2012

Have received final number of applicants from Cornell University for Class of 2012.

There are a total of 33,009 applicants for Cornell University this year! A huge increase from previously.

79 applicants from Malaysia too! Lets hope for the best!


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Cornell Spanish Speaking Country Study Abroad

Obtained this from a Cornell University International Living Center mailing list from Windi Sasaki, Residence Hall Director (RHD) of Holland International Living Center (HILC).

If you are interested, do apply!

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STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITY!!!!
If you are studying Spanish and would like to improve your language skills and gain confidence speaking the language, if you are a medical student and would like to work with real doctors and real patients in a Spanish speaking country , if you are looking for volunteering opportunities, if you are interested in Spanish culture, or if you are looking for something fun to do this summer in an Spanish-speaking environment, THIS OPPORTUNITY IS FOR YOU!!!!!
Six-week study abroad program, all included even round-trip airfare, housing, trips, classes, and much more for only $2850.
For details visit:
GoSpanish.org

Hurry!!!! Enrollment is limited!!!

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For further info, contact:-

Brisa Teutli
Associate Chair for Language Instruction, Department of Romance Studies
FIR, High Rises
Cornell University
403c Morrill Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
Tel. (607)255-1377

Click here for Brisa Teutli's Website




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Cornell Engineering Alumni Association

Just realize from the Cornell Engineering Alumni magazine that a decision made in April 2007 (I know that it is a long time ago), that Cornell Engineering Alumni Association (CEAA) has now abolished all of its dues collection. With that, all of us, Cornell University College of Engineering Alumni would automatically become its members! Hurray!!!

This is definitely great news for Cornell Engineering Alumni like me. CEAA definitely is a sentimental organization for me, since I served for a year in CEAA Board of Director, representing Engineering Undergraduates in it. Karl Miller was the President then. It was then that I got chance to have my voice heard by CEAA fellow Board of Directors, whom many of them consisted of distinguished alumni, who might either own a company or in senior positions in various companies. That one year is a great learning experience for me, and it always amazed me seeing how those much more senior alumni listening to an undergraduate like me on how alumni could play a bigger role to support undergraduates' experience.

Hope to see more Cornell Engineering Alumni play a bigger role in our alma mater. For each year, we have about 700 Engineering graduates, so easily multiply that by 50 years, we have about 35,000 living Engineering alumni and I believe the actual number could be bigger. Of course, I assume that there were 700 Engineering graduates too 50 years ago (I don't have the stats then).

Thanks a lot to CEAA committee, led by Jaclyn Spears.

For more info on CEAA, go to here

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