<p>I wasn't planning on applying ED to Cornell, or any other colleges as a matter of fact.
But due to certain reasons, I became convinced that I should.
Keep in mind that I had this "change of heart" 36 hours before the deadline.
That meant I had 36 hours to prepare my entire college application, which I hadn't even started (besides sending the transcripts, recommendations, scores).
And considering the fact that I'm a horrible writer, that also meant my essays would be unrevised and low-quality.</p>
<p>I got accepted surprisingly, which even my parents had a hard time believing.
I'm assuming it was mainly due to my scores, which got me thinking...
Would an extremely well-written essay compensate for a mediocre GPA and/or SAT scores?
Or does the essay section not play a major role in the admissions process?</p>
<p>Depends on how ‘mediocre’ it is. If an applicant has less than a ~1400 SAT and no hooks, then i seriously doubt an excellent essay can salvage your application.</p>
<p>^basically what cortana431 said.
The essay is always important, considering that it is one of the few things that can separate you from everyone else.</p>
<p>I had average scores, average EC’s, and an above average course rigor applying ED and I think the essay was the topic that distinguished me from the other applicants.</p>
<p>Essay can make a huge difference! My son had GPA and test scores in lower 25% but had good recs, unusual ECs, and a stellar essay that was funny and that really showed his voice. He just got a likely letter. I did not expect him to get in, but I knew the essay really helped his application. And he took really hard classes that showed he challenged himself in high school even though he had a lower gpa for Cornell.</p>
<p>Hmm…I wrote an essay about how I hated the dentist and wanted to create a machine free of pain (applied to engineering). I may be a little bias, but I felt as though it was unique and definitely showed my voice. The essay definitely sets you apart from the average students who are applying with the same GPA/test scores.</p>
<p>OP, it’s entirely possible that your essay was actually great.</p>
<p>I have often pondered whether student essays are often over edited by well-meaning parents, guidance counsellors, etc. The danger is that one winds up with a technically perfect essay in which the student’s personality has been edited out.</p>
<p>Assuming that you didn’t make any gross grammatical mistakes, your essay may have been a breath of fresh air.</p>