Should I retake my SAT or ACT?1?

Test Preparation
1

My top choice school is Brown with their PLME program as I want to be a genetic pathologist. I was recently deferred from early decision and I think my test scores might be a factor. My guidance counselor thinks I’m overreacting. My scores and info are :

SAT (breakdown): 2200; 790 R, 690 M, 710 W, 10 essay
ACT (breakdown): 33/34(if superscored), 31 W, 34 R, 34 M, 35 S, 10 essay
SAT Subject Tests: 720 Chemistry, 720U.S. History, 770 Math 2
Unweighted GPA: 4.0/4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 4/457
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Language (5), , APUSH (4), AP European History (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: AP Lit, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Gov, Stats Honors, AP Calc BC
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Honor Society, National Business Honor Society, AP Scholar with Distinction, top 10% in Class, 17 Science Olympiad Medals, 2 National Awards FBLA, 4 State Awards FBLA, 4 Regional FBLA awards, Tennis Athlete Scholar Nominee, Quiz Bowl 2 year champions

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Science Olympiad (6years, Team Co-captain),
Varsity Tennis, FBLA (state vice president, region secretary, local chapter vice president), Key Club, National Honor Society, Student government, Minithon Nourishment Committee, Quiz Bowl
Job/Work Experience: Intern at Darenth Valley Hospital U.K. and at GP office
Volunteer/Community service: Key Club, National Honor Society, and FBLA, and Student government activities on regular basis; get at least 10 hours each month; also participated in huge fundraising event while in U.K.
Essays: I think my common app essay was pretty strong. I wrote about how I was shy and then came out of my shell. For the Brown-specific questions, I focused on how I want to be a pathologist and tried to subliminally focus each question on that.
Teacher Recommendation: I submitted three: one from my AP Calculus teacher, whom I really bonded with and was probably my favorite teacher of high school thus far and had for two years; my current AP Physics teacher, who I also had for two years; and my AP U.S. History teacher whom I had junior year.
Counselor Rec: I hope very good, I have had a strong connection with him since freshman year and am a regular in his office.
Additional Rec: Submitted two recommendations from doctors I had met in my internship in U.K. and one from a past alumini.

Do you think my scores were the reason I got deferred or was it something else? Please help, I have no idea why I was deferred and will retake these tests if I have to. Thanks!

2

A lot of the items on your list look very academic. Did you highlight any holistic things?

3

@camtheman98 Could you please explain what you mean? I mean I talked about being trilangual and coming from a diverse family background.

4

Your scores look fine. Your extracurriculars look fine. But there is nothing that looks outstanding from your application and that is why you were deferred. There were a huge number of early action applications this year and a lot of disappointed seniors, including my D16.

The one takeaway we got from the EA season was that the essays really have to give the admissions committee a reason to believe that you will fit into their school. Your essays have to be tailored and explain what it is about YOU that fits well with their mission and will help THEM. Don’t just write about your aspirations. Write about the qualities that you currently possess which makes you an ideal candidate for the program.

5

@bouders Thank you for your advice. Any advice about what I should next regarding Brown? Would it be appropriate to write them a letter?

6

Yes, it would be appropriate to write them a letter. If the program is your first choice, tell them that and emphasize why you’re a good fit. If you have any awards or other things that would add to your application, send them along in the letter. Send one letter, don’t send multiple pieces of information.

7

Don’t retake either the SAT or ACT. You got deferred because you COULDN’T live up to Brown’s expectations. Reading your major awards and extracurricular list made me crack up, because most of them didn’t even look appealing. Just accept the fate, bruh. I’m sure a crappier college would love to add a cough cough “overachiever” like you in their school.