I am a low income high school senior interested in becoming an engineering major. Using fee waivers I took SAT subject tests for Math II, Physics, and Chemistry. Needless to say I did not perform that well and only got a 670 Math II and 610 on Chem and Physics. I have a 33 ACT and I do not have any more fee waivers. I am also URM.
Most of the colleges I am looking to apply to (except Carnegie Mellon) do not require subject test scores. Are my subject test scores too low for a school like Cornell Engineering or should I apply to CALS for a major such as Environmental Engineering and transfer later if I choose to do so?
Cornell engineering is challenging. Some of the best and brightest from all over the world come to Cornell for the opportunity. When my son was there, he said that many international students who wanted to study engineering in the states wanted to go to MIT or Cornell. The average GPA for an engineering student is about 2.7. That being said…it’s hard to know what you were exposed to in high school and if that could explain your low subject tests. You have some exploring to do before you decide how to proceed. Ask the people at Cornell. They are amazingly friendly and extremely helpful.
@leaguemaster420 Being a URM and that nice ACT score could help offset those subject tests. Do you have high grades too? Generally it seems a little easier to get into CALS, but depending on where you’re from and what else you have to offer in your resume of talents & activities, either CALS or the COE could work out. Have you visited the campus? If not, try to do so and attend info sessions in both schools to make an educated decision. Good luck!
@MOMANDBOYSTWO My grades are fairly high. I have a 3.8 uw and 4.7 w GPA taking 11 AP courses, as well as taking a Multivariable Calculus course at my local community college. My transcript indicates that I am valedictorian of my class, although I am actually in the top 5% due to the rank being shared by others and based on a GPA cutoff. I cannot visit Cornell since it is far away from where I live (NC). I’ll try and look into info sessions or potentially contact a Cornell admissions counselor. Thanks for the tips