<p>I think people are being a bit harsh about the SAT scores. Granted they are low compared to averages at these colleges, but lower scores might be common among people who are not native English speakers. EC’s could have a huge effect. The opinions would be very different if you were, for example, a recruited athlete.</p>
<p>Re:financial aid. Be careful not to overgeneralize. I believe that Brown has more endowment per student than does Cornell. Cornell’s endowment is larger, but the university is also much larger.</p>
<p>If you need money, you may want to look at places that offer merit scholarships. None of the Ivies do this, but plenty of colleges do.</p>