Determining Placements

Our Goal
Unlike competitive job placement programs such as On-Campus Recruiting, we do not try to find the "best candidate" for an externship. Rather, the overall goal of the Cornell Extern Program is to extend the opportunity for at least one externship to as many students as possible.

How it Works
To accomplish this goal, the computer program used to place students in externships first identifies externships where there is only one applicant and places that student in the externship (if s/he meets the sponsor's requirements). For example, if a student applies for three externships and is the only applicant for their third choice, they will automatically be placed in that externship. Therefore, filling externships is a more important criteria than order of preference.

Matching Process
After single-applicant externships are filled, the placement process suggests matches by considering: previous application and extern participation (especially if not placed), class year,* sponsor preferences, student choice and corresponding college of sponsor to student. Then we review the introduction essay and resume to determine whether it would be an appropriate match.

*Seniors who have not previously participated have highest priority. Juniors and sophomores who were previously unmatched are considered before seniors who have done at least one externship. Juniors and sophomores who have not previously participated in a winter externship are considered equally.

Further Ties
In the case of further ties, applications are reviewed by a team of staff who consider a variety of variables, primarily which student will benefit most from the externship based on the student's application statement, previous exposure to the career field, academic background, prior externship experience, etc.

Review of Placements
All placements are reviewed to ensure that:

1. students meet all sponsor requirements;
2. the introduction essays are developed adequately enough to give the sponsor direction as to what the student hopes to gain from the experience and indicate the student's interests are an appropriate fit for the externship;
3. the students' CornellTRAK profiles are up to date;
4. the Extern Participation/Hold Harmless Agreement has been signed; and
5. that students have met their obligations in previous extern programs, including completing an evaluation form.

Please note:

• If the introduction essays are not well developed, we will use our discretion either to match the externship with another student or request a re-write before we confirm a match.
• Seniors who have submitted resumes through on-campus recruiting to an organization that is offering an externship will be withdrawn from that externship choice, even if the externship is in a different city or division.

Round 2
Students who applied in Round 1 but were not placed will have priority for placement, again by class year (e.g., juniors and sophomores who applied and were not placed have priority over seniors who have had an externship previously). Students who are are applying for the first time in the second round have priority over students placed in a previous externship, including in the first round who want a second externship.

2007 Overall Placement Results:

Class Year	Applied	Placed	Placement Rate
Senior	102	95	93%
Junior	194	167	86%
Sophomore	162	137	85%
Total	459	399	87%

2007 Round 1 Placement Results by Class Year and Choice Number:

Class Year	Applied Round 1	Placed Round 1	Placed/1st Ch.	Placed/2nd Ch.	Placed/3rd Ch.
Senior	54 (22%)	47 (87%)	35 (74%)	8 (17%)	4 (9%)
Junior	99 (40%)	79 (80%)	51 (65%)	18 (23%)	10 (13%)
Sophomore	93 (38%)	63 (68%)	47 (75%)	10 (16%)	6 (10%)
Total	246	189 (75%)	133 (70%)	36 (19%)	20 (11%)