Since you are visiting Cornell University, I assume that you will be meeting with couple of professors working in your area. If not, please ask the graduate student co-ordinator to arrange meetings with few professosr you would like to work with. I did the following and was able to impress 2 professors.

(a) If you have publications (i.e. conference paper or journal paper), make a folder for each professor with your academic resume (not industry resume) and publications. Put your name and contact information on each folder.

(b) Research about the professors you will be meeting with. Discuss intelligently with them about their research and correlate how your interests match with their research agenda. This is very very important to get funding from them. Keep one thing in mind. Graduate students are mostly funded by research grants. TA is one option, but doesn't work in private schools since private schools are very expensive. Cornell is one of them.

(c) Dress and act professionally. Don't call professors by first names. In my school, we call professors by their first names. You will be meeting with students. Get information from them (funding history, professor nature). You don't want to work with crazy professor. You have to deal with them day in and day out once you work with him.

Good luck!!