<p>Does anyone know if the adcom really reads the SAT essay you write? Or do they turn to it as a "well, we can't decide... let's get another sample?" Or perhaps not at all? Here's my problem:</p>
<p>First time I took my SAT, I walked away 11/12 on the essay, but a lower writing score. Second time, my essay was somehow a 9/12. That is the one Cornell will most likely read (as it was part of my higher score), I'm guessing? Or do they take the highest essay score as well...?
The problem is, the topic I wrote my personal essay on for my application... well, with it fresh on my mind, I related to it in my 9/12 SAT essay. I don't want them thinking of me as redundant, et cetera.</p>
<p>Basically, is the adcom likely to read my SAT essay? And secondly, will they read the top essay score, or the lower one that was a part of my top writing score as a whole?</p>
<p>They take the highest scores you get for verbal, math and writing. It doesn't matter if you didn't get them all in the same sitting. They don't read the SAT essay. I think it's great that you piggybacked one essay on another. If you go to grad school that will come in useful!</p>
<p>the only answer is that there is no answer....... things have changed in drastically .. absolutely....... so all confirmation would come in abt 1 yr in the next cycle . . . . we are the guinee pigs</p>
<p>They'll still get an idea of how well you write polished and un-polished from both sources. I don't know what they read. The new york times ran an article saying colleges are taking writing scores with a grain of salt for a few years to see how indicative they are of students' success at college. Either way, if you did well on writing, it won't matter if it's redundant. The SAT essay isn't part of your app, it's part of your SAT score, so they won't judge you on it in that way.</p>