KLARMAN HALL—While his peers are preoccupied with looking for jobs, Simon Rice ‘26 is getting a head start on crafting the perfect Common App Resume. Although he’s now a senior in college, his role as president of the Model UN club is sure to wow any college admissions board.
“If I keep working hard while wearing this snazzy suit, I know I’ll get into an Ivy League school one day,” Rice said, apparently not realizing where he was.
The senior has devoted his life to Model UN, arguing that it is a much more worthwhile endeavor than National Honor Society or Senior Beta, and more clearly exemplifies his passion for government than Rho Khappa.
Unlike the thousands of Cornell students wasting their time engaging in an array of extracurriculars, Rice knows he needs a “hook.” So, in following his counselor’s advice, he has quit nearly everything unrelated to Model UN to help him stand out, including useless resume padding, such as helping his local community.
“Volunteering with the homeless was no longer serving me,” he said. “Everyone applying to college helps the homeless, but how many of them roleplay diplomatic relations?”
Other Cornell students voiced confusion at Rice’s dedication, saying they hadn’t given any thought to Model UN since they were 16 and weren’t aware of any 22-year-olds still in Model UN.
“I didn’t realize this was something people still did,” Wanda Herd ‘27 said. “What’s next? Joining the marching band?”
Despite the steps he’s taken to secure his spot at an elite institution, Rice knows that a solid resume alone won’t get him through steep acceptance rates. At press time, he was seen ticking the “legacy” box on his application.
