<p>This is a repost. I originally posted it up on the uMich Ann Arbor forum.</p>
<p>So I sat for the SAT last year while doing my first year of A Levels and got a 1900.
( CR 510 M 790 W 600 )
I understand it's a really bad score for English but I'm an international applicant ( Asian, if that makes any difference ) and English isn't my first language. BUT I took English as a first language for the CIE IGCSE the year before and I got the highest grade, an A* . It seems very confusing considering I got such a high score for the Cambridge exam in contrast to the horrible ones I got for the SAT 1. I'm planning to apply for the Jan intake so there is no way I can study and get it up in time because the next sitting is in October.</p>
<p>I'm hoping my ECs would help though the rest of my grades are alright, all straight As with the occasional B ( We do not have A+, A-, B+ etc. instead it's just A* A B C etc. and I took all the science subjects and an additional art subject ), but I swear I can draw above average decently and I'm probably sending in a portfolio incase? I can speak, read and write 3 other languages and am self learning another atm. Am an assistant tutor at the Math club at school as well as student council president.</p>
<p>Musical involvement is nothing big, piano ( Grd 6 ) and self-taught guitar and flute. I play at charity concerts to raise fund.</p>
<p>In the athletic field, I'm pretty alright, a competitive state representative, but no where near the seniors that have been recruited before me into the Ivies. I've only been playing for 2 now 3 years also, which isn't long and I might not want to continue it competitively in college.</p>
<p>Volunteer work is not a big thing in my country. And in my city it's a very small circle. All the people for different causes pretty much overlap in several, different associations. My mom was one of them, so I grew up very involved in community work for different associations. When I was old enough, I volunteered on my own as a tutor and admin staff at the local centre for autistic kids, part time on school days ( 3 hours/ week ), and full time during the holidays (8 am - 5 pm, 3 days/ week | month before event, 5 days/ week). I work there ( unpaid) for 3 years now. And every Sunday, for as long as I can remember, my mother and I volunteer at the Cheshire Home for the abandoned, old and disabled.
Sorry, this is getting long, I volunteers at a few other places but these 2 are the ones I commit most of my time to. I also organize fund-raising events for them. I could go on forever about volunteer work and I'm thinking of using this as a hook? ( Advice on this too, please! )</p>
<p>I'm really worried because my SAT is bad in comparison with the other Asians applying for the same science course so if you guys have any advice,comments or suggestions I'm open to all! </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>