<p>Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 760 Math, 640 Reading (Retaking in November)
ACT: 29
SAT II: 700 Math Level 1, Gonna take a science this October
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.95
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/38
AP (place score in parenthesis): No APs offered until Senior Year (Small Private School). Did dual enrollment instead.
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Dual Enrollment (Done at a state university): ENC1101(A),ENC1102(A), AST2003(A),AST2003L(A),CHM1045(B+),CHM1045L(A),PHY2053(A),MUH1011(A),GEA2000(ASOP3015(B),ECO 2013(B). Total of 30 credits.
Senior Year Course Load: Toughest Course Load available.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): President's Gold volunteer service award (Grades: 9,10,11).
Excellent rating in State Solo Ensemble.
Bausch and Lomb Science Scholarship award from University of Rochester.
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Music E.C: All State Percussionist, Section Leader in my school band (9,10,11), Participated in Solo Ensemble every year and scored well, etc.
Medical E.C: Did a research project at Bascom Palmer (Junior year), did a NIH sponsored Internship (Senior year), Volunteered at a Hospital.
Other: National Honors Society president, started a shoe drive and collected 1000 shoes, participated in Indian dances for four years in a row. </p>
<p>Job/Work Experience: NIH Internship for my senior summer. Worked for my parents in their retail stores.
Volunteer/Community service: 1200 Hours. 400 Hours from one research lab, 400 hours for an indian association. Other 400 were scattered, but most of my volunteer hours aren't scattered.
Summer Activities: NIH Internship (Senior), HHMI Summer Scholars program at Bascom (Junior) Palmer, Dual Enrollment (Sophomore), Volunteer at Hospital (Freshman).
Essays: Very poignant, it will make the reader cry.
Teacher Recommendation: Great, going to a small school helped a lot.
Counselor Rec: Great, she loves me and really wants me to get into a great school since not many go. The last kid who got into a top school (Cornell) graduated 5 years ago.
Additional Rec: LOR from a prestigious doctor (wrote some really good things about me)
Interview:
Other
State (if domestic applicant): FL
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Small Private
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: 90k
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Parents went to a business/vocational school in India? Don't know if I'm first Gen.
Reflection
Strengths: E.C, Rank
Weaknesses: SAT. </p>
<p>Should I do CAS or CALS Bio if I want to pursue medicine? Do I have a chance at other Ivy Leagues if I get my SATs up?
Thank you guys I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>I think you will bring up ur score in October, so don’t worry,
but why dont u go for Intel project if u had internship at NIH?
Just out of curiosity? u live in MD?</p>
<p>Nah I don’t live in MD. I’m doing a science subject test in October, so I won’t be able to retake the SATs until November I didn’t know about the Intel project until you just mentioned it lol, oh well.
Even if I don’t improve my SATs, do I have a decent shot at Cornell? Oh and I got a 690 on Writing if that means anything…</p>
<p>don’t listen to ithacakid. I don’t know what kind of nerdy crowd you run with, but I know a lot of people here and very few of them actually got 2300+. There are even a few kids who I think got like 1900s on their SATs and are here. But yeah, your SAT is pretty low, although you’re the valedictorian with extracurrics, so I think you’d fit in ok here.</p>
<p>His ACT is below 30. That shouldn’t be accepted here.
Also you aren’t first gen if your parents went to a college. And being valedictorian is no great accomplishment in competition with only 37 other students.</p>
<p>Thanks dontfeedsparky. I took the ACT again today… would it look better if I got a 31 on it compared to my 1400 SAT? I’ve heard a 31 ACT is better than a 1400 lopsided SAT, since the lower reading score would pull down the school’s SAT reading average (compared to getting a 31 ACT which is the median the ACT score range).</p>
<p>If you get a better score on your ACT, you would have a better chance against your current SAT score (though I understand from your post that you are taking the SAT in November, which is after the ED deadline). I also noticed that you said your essay will “make the reader cry,” if crying will allow the reader to know more about you, go for it, but in my opinion, cry-cry-sob-sob stories are extremely cliche’. Your ECs are also very good, so that’s a plus. Although, you are an ORM, so that will complicate things. Overall however, you seem to have a strong chance. But this is the Ivy Leagues, so don’t expect anything. I hope this helped you.</p>
<p>Ithacakid…Do you even attend Cornell? Did you read the EC’s this kid has? I am beginning to think you are not even a student at Cornell to have made that post.</p>
<p>You guys should not even be posting these chance me threads because highschool kids and even students at Cornell do not fully understand the admissions process.</p>
<p>By the way OP…I think someone like you can raise your scores considerably with some practice…Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>Thanks, I appreciate the comments.
Also, I received my ACT results just now and scored a 30. Not much of an improvement lol.
From what I read on Cornell website, it seems that they are accepting November SAT scores for consideration during the ED round.
I’ve heard many rumors that ED would provide a slight bump since the applicant is committing to go; however, I’ve heard rumors that it’s not good to apply ED with “subpar” scores.
What is the truth to this?
Would it be of my best interest to apply ED or RD?</p>
<p>A good number of my friends got 2300s just as a good number of my friends got 2000s. A good number of times my friends who got 2000s are just more impressive people than those who got 2300s. Scores are really not everything.</p>
<p>Bump.
I received a 600 on SAT Bio, 720 on SAT Math level 1, and a 640 on Math level 2
I’m planning to do Early Decision to Cornell. How important are subject tests to Cornell? Will these scores hurt me? Should I try other subject tests and then apply RD?</p>
<p>To be honest, your subject test scores are really low. I’m not trying to put you down but your top two scores are 720 and 640. Even with those, they are both math and unless you are a math major, it would look bad if u didn’t send a science/history subject test. So… I wouldn’t do early decision to arts and sciences if that’s what you were thinking man</p>
<p>Hate to say it but I outscored you on math and science and I’m studying neither here. You really aren’t competitive against the competitive bio department here. @Mommathree-I assure you that I’m thriving here. I can prove my student status with knowledge of the school-For example, did you know that both low rises and high rises are organized into suites? Or that the stir fry station is RPCC’s best attribute as a dining hall? Also, I think that students know as much as anyone that would comment on chance threads considering that we interact with other students on a daily basis and can estimate how real current students compare to prospective applicants.</p>
<p>@Goud. Yeah I figured. I wouldn’t want to be rejected in the first round either, so I guess it’ll be better to improve my scores before submitting my app. </p>
<p>@Ithacakid I don’t care if you outscored me in math and science. I never asked if I would be competitive enough in the Biology department, all I asked was whether I should RD or ED and how important the subject tests are in the admissions process.
Realize that I come from a relatively small school and the fact that I even attempted to take a subject test is a pretty big deal here. Also, the last time I took Biology was in 9th grade ( and this was not an AP course).
Honestly, people like you give Cornell a bad reputation. Instead of belittling people (I’ve seen you do this in other “chance me threads as well”), why don’t you give some useful advice instead of creating controversy?</p>
<p>I think you should try it - ED really gives you a boost here. I’m in CAS '13 and Bio , and no I didn’t have 2300+ SATs. I have to agree that yes, your test scores aren’t exactly stellar (especially your Bio one if plan to be a bio major…). Your EC’s will help you out, especially research.</p>
<p>And about IthacaKid, I kind of doubt all your friends had 2300+, you’re in ILR no? Half joking here ;)</p>
I didn’t know about the Intel project until you just mentioned it lol, oh well.