<p>
I agree with everything you said, except this statement. The effort it takes to improve your SAT score could not so easily be used to improve other areas of your app. You can’t improve your ECs by spending a couple hours studying and then a Saturday morning. In fact, 2250 is a rough cutoff, but in reality, there are so many hooked applicants, unhooked applicants will likely need more than that to not have a (slight) disadvantage. Why go in with a disadvantage?</p>
<p>I concede your point about UCB. But I was comparing UCB to HYP rather than Cornell. 
Not as numbers-oriented as before, but a high SAT score holds more importance there than at Harvard for example.</p>
<p>
I don’t think he was referring to himself in that statement.
Plus, for me, I would rather not have my race be known as “naturally gifted”. But if it is, I can’t change it anyways, so I guess I’ll take pride in it and brag a little lol.</p>