<p>I'm a rising senior and I plan on applying to Cornell School of Engineering ED in the fall. I'm taking 3 SAT Subject Tests in October and I'm retaking the SAT in November. I got a 1490/2270 on the May SAT and really want to improve my CR score (720). Since the application deadline for ED is 11/1 and I won't be receiving my Nov. SAT scores until early December, am I obligated to send in my score? Cornell requires students to submit all of their scores. I might score lower on the Nov. test because I already got a great score and therefore don't have a lot of room for improvement. I don't want a lower score to jeopardize my chances of getting accepted.
The only reason why I want to retake the SAT is that almost all the schools I'm applying RD superscore. Since I've only taken the SAT once, taking it again doesn't make me look test-obsessed, does it?</p>
<p>I'm a lower-middle class Asian female who goes to a large public school on the East Coast. My GPA, class rigor, and class rank are all stellar. However, I don't have any amazing ECs or awards. They're all very generic (Ex: editor of school yearbook, NHS member, etc). Thanks for reading!</p>
<p>I don’t think you need to take SAT I again. I would focus more on your essays and application. D2 applied ED this year with lower SAT I, and she got in. But she worked very hard on her application and essays - many re-write of her main essay.</p>
<p>As a lower-class student, if you don’t have a lot of parents paid ECs or summer programs, not to worry. If you had to work/babysit at home, therefore you didn’t have as much time to participate in a lot of ECs after school, that is understandable. Make sure you list any volunteer work, jobs, research you have done. Try to think of your application as a marketing material, and the subject is you. Try to tie your ECs, awards, and essays together - like you are telling a story about you. As an example, D2 actually put reading down as one of her ECs, and she tied that into an essay she wrote.</p>
<p>Thanks for responding! I walk my neighbors’ dogs twice a week, but that doesn’t constitute a “job”, does it? Your daughter is very much like me. We both enjoy reading However, putting down “reading” on an app doesn’t look as impressive as putting down “President of FBLA.”</p>
<p>I don’t have any major leadership positions, which is why I’ve been contemplating about retaking the SAT. A magnificent score will surely compensate for a lack of leadership positions.</p>
<p>No, I don’t necessary think SAT high scores will compensate for anything. It’s just a piece of information about you.</p>
<p>D2 spent a lot of time reading, even in the bath tub (a funny fact about her). She wrote about books she loved and why. It gave adcom some insight to her critical thinking ability and her personality. </p>
<p>You may not think you have “major leadership positions,” but what have you been doing in the last 4 years besides studying. Of course, walking your neighbors’ dogs is a job. You need to be responsible and trustworthy to do something like that.</p>
<p>If you’ve done everything right (and did very well in school) besides setting yourself apart, it would seem that ORMs would do pretty well in ED round for Cornell.</p>
<p>2270 is more than good enough. I really do not believe that higher score would give you much advantage, if any, over other applicants. Remember, of course, that I am speaking from experience, which has been quite extensive these past 2 years.</p>
<p>I agree with the posts above. Try to make sure your essays supplement the info. you provide about yourself. Connect all dots as best as possible. Many people with ECAs that are not “life-changing” tend to make the mistake of writing whimsical essays about nothing in particular. While some can pull this off while marketing themselves properly, most just fail. So write essays that connect your ECAs(or lack thereof).</p>
<p>You don’t need to take the SATs again, but that leadership deficit will hurt you in the Cornell admissions officer’s eyes. You’ve got 4 months to address it before you turn in your ED app.</p>
However, putting down “reading” on an app doesn’t look as impressive as putting down “President of FBLA.”</p>