One important thing you should know about Cornell undergrad… its made up of multiple schools, and some of those colleges are state schools. Specifically, for your interests, you should look at the school of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The fact that you are a NY state resident will make your chances of getting in much better. The college of Arts & Sciences, the large, private college that most people are referring to when they refer to Cornell, may be a reach for you, unless you kill your SATs (1400 plus) and get a bunch of extracurriculars on your resume.

Regardless, don’t worry about having to go to, say, a LI school for undergrad. If you do well there, you’ll have a good chance at Cornell Vet School.

GOOD LUCK!

Do your udergraduate work at less prestigious University. Try to maintain as high a G.P.A. as you can. Take advantage of tutoring in classes where you have difficulty maintaining top grades.

Participate in campus activities and seek out opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research and writing in your major’s department. Participation in such projects will look great on your college applications, help you build contacts, and lead to letters of recommendation. Such projects will impress the admissions commitee at Cornell far more than a degree from a top ranking school.