A few days ago
Meg

What should I do about SAT/ACT scores?

I really want to get into Cornell University. It just seems like the best school out there that fits me. I have a 4.0 GPA [taking all the honors/AP classes that my school offers]. I haven’t been able to take AP in much of anything because I believe we only have 6 at my school, and 4 of them are only offered Senior year. I have a lot of good extracurriculars and leadership activities. But my standardized test scores aren’t so hot. I’m ok with my ACT score [composite of 30..with very high writing, reading, and math separate parts] but the ever-stressed SAT [i live in NY] I didn’t do so well on. I got an 1820 with a 630 on both Math and CR, and a 560 on writing. My SAT II scores are Math 2-590 [will take it again], Chem-620 and US History-650. Those aren’t great in comparison either. I did report my SAT II scores, did my SAT reasoning scores go there too? And can I get them to look at my ACT scores over SAT scores when considering my app? What do you think my chances are of getting in?

Top 5 Answers
A few days ago
quepie

Favorite Answer

It sounds like you are a good candidate for Cornell. You have a perfect GPA, for one, with the most challenging course load available to you. Don’t worry too much about the availability of AP classes, though, because when you apply to a college, your guidance counselor sends a course list of what’s offered at your school if one has not yet already been filed with them, and colleges do make an effort to understand the curriculum at each individual school.

Do understand that standardized test scores are only one of many factors in the admissions process. It sounds like you’re a great overall candidate, with a lot of outside-the-classroom endeavors.

That said, your SAT scores are on the low side. Because you’re not a midwesterner, SAT is more widely used in your region (and Cornell’s, then, obviously). Most students submit SAT scores to Cornell rather than ACT ones. However, your ACT score is exactly average among Cornell students, so congrats on that. Your SAT scores, however, either fall at the low end of the mid-50% or fall below that range. Yes, your SAT reasoning test scores are submitted along with your subject test scores. Because your ACT scores are considerably higher than your SAT ones, I wouldn’t worry too much about the standardized test score department, but I would definitely recommend a retest after some studying because that tells me that you are capable of doing better. There is really no way to make them consider your ACT scores over the SAT scores; colleges will use all of the information you provide to create the most complete idea of you that they can. If your SAT scores can’t be improved, then you hope that your other factors are strong, and you hope that you get a sympathetic admissions officer.

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A few days ago
Anonymous
I agree with both Jenny and Slave in some parts. It is true that you only need to send one score, so either the ACT or SAT, but it also really depends on what Cornell wants. That being said, Slave was right too. Your school seems to be on the easy end and that is why they have the SAT, so that they can compare you with everyone else. Just because you have a 4.0 doesn’t necessarily mean you really deserved it(maybe you did, I’m just saying). Maybe you got it because the teachers were easy, etc. And yes, they might start to question on how a person could ace all of these AP classes and be so involved and have a 4.0 but can’t be able to break a 2000? So, yeah, just retake the test and remember that gpa is not everything, there is a lot in the process on how they choose their prospective students.
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A few days ago
cranberry
quepie is WRONG WRONG WRONG! That is a lie, you must good in both your ACT and SAT. if you only do good in ACT, they’ll raise eyebrows. look, your school seems to be on the easy-end. how do you think that you get a 4.0, which is WITH weighted classes, and still not even break 1900 on the SAT?

this is why they have SAT’s. because they know how some classes aren’t really AP and classes aren’t really as hard as they say they are!

ok sorry don’t mean to be so negative but it’s the truth. all I can say is hope to retake the SAT. take a prep class or buy a book or something. sorry that’s all I can offer.

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A few days ago
Jenny
slave, that is NOT true at all. you dont need to have good ACT and SAT scores. you only need to take one test or the other. some people take both and send in the better of the two scores. i would go with sending in your ACT score to cornell. if u got a 30 ur first time, you can take them again and try for a even higher score.

anyways if u ended up sending both ur ACT and SAT scores in, its ok, colleges look at the better of the two.

also i think cornell is a special school where many of there colleges require the SAT twos as well.

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A few days ago
Wocka wocka
Just try one more time. Your ACT is great, but even I did better on the Math and I’m going to state college. Study!
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