Consolidated EA/RD 2013 results thread

[neuschwanstein]

Deferred

Stats:

• SAT:2390
• SAT II:800 math2, 800 chem, 800 phsycis
• ACT:na
• GPA:4.0 uw, 4.5 w
• Rank:1/306
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): qualified AIME 3x; AP tests (all 5): comp sci ab, calc bc, chem, physics c m, physics c e&m, art history, english lang

Subjective

• Essays: long was bad, optional was good, shorts were good
• Teacher Recs:1 great, 1 good, 1 meh
• Counselor Rec:decent
• Supplementary Material:research abstract
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): HA! ._.

Personal

• Location:CA
• High School Type: public
• Ethnicity:asian
• Gender: f

Other

• Extracurriculars: sci bowl, prez of sci club, prez of math club, prez of chem club, piano, volunteer at hospital, tutoring, TA for ap chem, ocean sci bowl, etc...
• Awards: the usual stuff, 9th place national sci bowl
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: expected it. Friend flipped a coin--heads in, tails out. he thought he flipped a tails, but turns out he was unfamiliar with the austrian shilling and it was actually heads, so i guess i'm getting in rd! *hope and pray*

[Redundant]

Deferred

Stats:

• SAT: 2260
• SAT II: Math II 800 Physics 760
• ACT: 35
• GPA: 3.95
• Rank: 5 of 114
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB):

Subjective

• Essays: I thought they were good
• Teacher Recs: Probably incredible
• Counselor Rec: Most likely ok
• Supplementary Material:
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize):

Personal

• Location: Wisconsin
• High School Type: Religious
• Ethnicity: White
• Gender: Male

Other

• Extracurriculars:I play percussion and do the math team (2x MVP, 25 medals, MSOE OP first place in a tie, etc)
• Awards: National Merit Scholarship, NHS

[bco09]

Deferred

Stats:

• SAT: 2200 (800M, 730CR, 670 WR)
• SAT II: 800 Math II, 790 Physics, 730 US History
• ACT:
• GPA: 4.0UW/4.28W
• Rank: no rank
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): 5's on AP Chemistry, Physics B, US History, English Language, Comparative Politics. Currently taking AP Art History, Physics C, English Lit., US Govt., Comp. Sci AB, Calculus BC

Subjective

• Essays: Good imo
• Teacher Recs: Did not read
• Counselor Rec: Did not read
• Supplementary Material: none
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): none

Personal

• Location: Southern AZ
• High School Type: Top 25 US News, Public
• Ethnicity: White
• Gender: Male

Other

• Extracurriculars: Eagle Scout, Varsity Track and Soccer, Science Club, Science Olympiad, Programming
• Awards: NMSF, AP Scholar With Distinction, Placed high in state math competition
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: 0/2 between MIT and Caltech... should have just applied to CMU ED =(

[Nocturne]

Deferred

Stats:

• SAT: 800/800/800 (80/12) (Ironically enough, I just got my QAS results and I apparently got every question on the entire test right - some good it did me)
• SAT II: Chem 800, Math II 800, US History 800
• ACT: 36
• GPA: 4.000 unweighted
• Rank: 1 of about 200
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): five APs, 5s on all (several self-studied); AIME 5 (not that great for MIT, I know, but I just want to be a chem/bio major!)

Subjective

• Essays: I felt pretty confident about the short ones, and thought that the long one was fairly good, but I don't have anything to compare them to. Perhaps not creative enough? A friend of mine wrote hers (for a different school) about how her car wouldn't start in the morning - I just discussed an influential person in my academic career.
• Teacher Recs: I haven't read them, of course, but to my knowledge both individuals considered me highly.
• Counselor Rec: New counselor for the year - tried to get to know as much as possible, brought resume and packet of related material to her, talked about it - I don't know what I could have done better.
• Supplementary Material: Interview was over three hours long, and we got along really well. My EC even let me borrow a (really awesome) book about MIT's hacks for two weeks. I don't know how much of a role the interview plays, though. I also included a bunch of clarifying material on various features of my application - I hope the extra information didn't disadvantage me, in terms of time to read it (?!)
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): I'm not female, URM, or particularly athletic.

Personal

• Location: Midwest
• High School Type: public, suburban, ~1,000 (rapidly growing, hence the seemingly low graduating class size)
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Gender: Male (yes, the kind subject to 9.1% admit rates last year, and probably even worse this time around)

Other

• Extracurriculars: I didn't found a charity or discover a new species of lizard or become a multimillionaire - is that what I was 'supposed' to be doing? Short of that, though, I did pretty much everything I could - strong, multi-year commitments in about half a dozen activities that I really enjoy, less major ones in a few others (not for resume fluff - I just didn't have time to get more involved), research, a few hundred hours of community service, part-time job.
• Awards: NMSF, Eagle Scout, AP Scholar with Distinction, some random other stuff, but nothing super-high level as of the time of application.
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: I don't understand what I did wrong, or failed to do right for that matter. I've wanted to go here since my fifth grade year, and through tons of college research, that has never changed. Ultimately, a demographic bulge and a terrible economy are collaborating to ruin the plans I have tended so carefully for so long.... I feel absolutely horrible.

[stuck]

Deferred (!)

Stats:

• SAT: 2220 (800 M/670 CR/750 W)
• SAT II: 800 Math II/800 Physics/790 Chem
• ACT: 36
• GPA: 4.6 something on 4.83 tops?
• Rank: 1/480ish
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): 97.5 AMC 12/4 AIME/5 on CompSci AB, Physics B, US History, English Lang & Comp, Calc BC, Chemistry
  

Subjective

• Essays: Quirky-ish short answers/optional essays, main essay about how I gave up a huge opportunity and learned to create for myself many smaller ones.
• Teacher Recs: Pretty good, along the lines of "one of the top students in my career", though refused to answer the "how does this student respond to setbacks" because I had none??
• Counselor Rec: Probably great, he's advised student council and me for 4 years, know him well
• Supplementary Material: Recommendation letter from research advisor at Fermilab
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): nope
• Location: Illinois
• High School Type: Suburban public, rarely HYPSM
• Ethnicity: White/Polish immigrant
• Gender: M
• Applied for Financial Aid: Y
• Extracurriculars: Math Team, Scholastic Bowl, Science Olympiad, Student Council Treasurer, Newspaper, Soccer until recently, Varsity Tennis, Tutoring, NHS, Research in astrophysics at Fermilab over the summer, Stanford EPGY
• Awards: 2nd state compsci, AMC school winner, National Merit Semifinalist, Math Student of the Year (woo)
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?:

Well, I, for one, am ecstatic to have made it this far. My classmates are a bit disillusioned, as I keep getting text messages about how they want to burn MIT down (watch out for a short blond girl wielding a torch). :P This is great for me, though. I know there are a few places where I can show them that I can improve, such as USAMO qualification. I think it was the right decision.

EDIT: And please, no Panglosses here.

[dewey550]

Accepted

Stats:

• SAT: 2350 (CR: 800; Math: 800; Writing: 750)
• SAT II: Chem: 800; Math IIC: 800; World History: 800 (but probably doesn't matter)
• ACT: didn't take
• GPA: W:4.2something (our school switched to weighting last year)
• Rank: top 1% (no exact rank given)
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): AMC 12: 107.5 AIME: 5; 10 APs w/ 9 5s and 1 4

Subjective

• Essays: the small ones were okay; the big one was pretty good
• Teacher Recs: should be great if not better
• Counselor Rec: again, should be great
• Supplementary Material: sent in an abstract of a paper
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): i guess i fit what they want

Personal

• Location: IN
• High School Type: large suburban public (~4k)
• Ethnicity: asian -_-
• Gender: male -_-

Other

• Extracurriculars: big leadership roles in 4 clubs and freshmen mentoring group
• Awards: NM semifinalist (so far), siemens regional finalist, state acs competition winner, usnco qualifier
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?:

best of luck to the deferred people and future applicants!

[sselbor]

Deferred

Stats:

• SAT: 2290 (M:780, CR:750, W:760, E:12)
• SAT II: Math IIc: 800, Physics:800
• GPA:3.9/4.9
• Rank: Top 5%
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): AMC:102.0, Calc BC:5, Env. Sci.:5, English Lang.:5, Physics B:5, US History:3

Subjective

• Essays: Diversity in my life (faced culture changes and racism, etc.) and band.
• Teacher Recs: One really good, the other probably so-so.
• Counselor Rec: Just the generic...
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): Maybe taking College Calc?

Personal

• Location: NC
• High School Type: Public
• Ethnicity: Multi
• Gender: Male

Other

• Extracurriculars: Band (Section Leader), Tri-M (VP), NHS (Treasurer), Community service at church
• Awards: Calc BC Achievement Award, AP Scholar with Distinction, All-County Band, NM Semi-finalist. I don't know if I included all those though.
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: Eh.

[_ria__]

Accepted

still can't believe I'm in..

Stats:

• SAT: 2250 - CR, M, W 750
• SAT II: French750, Lit 700, MathII 780, Bio 740, Physics 650 (fail)
• ACT:36
• GPA:4.0UW, 4.4... W
• Rank: 1/269
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): PhysicsCMech4, French Lang5, Eng Lang 5. Six APs this year. Not well on AMC at all...

Subjective

• Essays: Main essay about my cultural rift and I really liked it. It talked about my status as an immigrant and how I found my own identity. Cliche, but it works. Umm.. the short answers were fun. I wrote a sonnet for the "what do you do for fun?" question and talked about my passion for genetics. I did one additional essay and talked about a physics project I did last year. :]
• Teacher Recs: Phenomenal. They adore me.
• Counselor Rec: Great! She made me stand out from a lot of others and I felt like the rec had soul.
• Supplementary Material: Music (piano) supplement, Rec from Summer program teacher
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): maybe minority? Idk, I am not special or eventful at all. I still can't believe it!!

Personal

• Location: Western MA
• High School Type: Public - Large and downright awful
• Ethnicity:Russian/Turkmen
• Gender: XX

Other

• Extracurriculars: Hahah... I do a tonnn of stuff. Band concert and marching, Key Club treasurer, Best Buddies president, Foreign Language Club officer, Mathletes, FIRST robotics, NFHS, NAHS, NHS treasurer, Tri-M treasurer, A lot of volunteering, art club
• Awards: RPI medal, AP scholar. All school things and nothing major. I am completely uneventful
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?:

Umm.. I still can't believe this is happening!!! I feel like had a moderately strong app and a really good interview. I never did intel or anything but I went to SSP and did a bunch of summer programs and school science programs. I skipped precalc and french four. I took VHS/dual enrollment and got the best out of high school. I guess MIT is the only school I felt I belonged to so maybe its meant to be?

[WaterIntoAcids]

Accepted

Stats:

• ACT: 35 (E: 35, M: 36, R: 36, S: 34, W: 12)
  
• SAT II: 780 Math II & 790 Chemistry
  
• GPA: 4.0 Unweighted (4.22/4.33 where A+ is equal 4.33)
  
• Rank: School did not provide rank
  
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): AP Statistics 5, IB Spanish B SL 6, (IB Diploma Candidate)
  

Subjective

• Essays: A mash of a tiger, a priest, and me being gay. Other was about calligraphy, but centered on the idea of failure / creating from seemingly insignificant experiences (I think). They were entertaining to write. I am not sure how "amazing" they were, however. I also wrote an MIT sonnet; it was a lot fun to put together. I just tried to convey my quirky sense of humor, if you can call it that
  
• Teacher Recs: Psychology Teacher and Chemistry Teacher (MIT PHD Grad). They both have helped me find myself and my passions.
  
• Counselor Rec: I happened to know my counselor well, so I am sure he was kind to me.
  
• Supplementary Material: I sent in an additional recommendation from my Principal Investigator. I am guessing he was effusive, since he is one of the most incredible and caring guys I have ever met.
  

Personal

• Location: Maryland
  
• High School Type: Private / Parochial
  
• Ethnicity: Hodgepodge of European ancestry, aka a mutt
  
• Gender: Male (I feel so heteronormative filling this part out…haha)
  

Other

• Extracurriculars: Main / Almost all extracurriculars centered around LGTB Activism/Activites. Also did research in a lab with some absolutely fabulous people. I really just did what I loved and believed in.
  
• Awards: Mostly school and state awards, some poetry awards, LGTB Awards, Tennis - nothing fancy. Some of you all's awards are simply breathtaking. I am taken aback when I read some of these incredible accomplishments.
  
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: I wish everyone the best : )!
  

[2coll]

Deferred

Stats:

• SAT: 2330; CR 800, M 790, W 740
• SAT II: CH: 800, Math IIc 790
• ACT:n/a
• GPA:4.0 UW; 4.35 W
• Rank: 12/424
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): Calc. AB, Chem, Phys B 5, USH 4

Subjective

• Essays: Good
• Teacher Recs: Excellent I hope; Did not read
• Counselor Rec: Excellent I hope; Did not read
• Supplementary Material: Rec. from Research mentor who is developing an AIDS Vaccine.
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): Lots of Research work; Community Service; Awards

Personal

• Location: OH
• High School Type: Suburban
• Ethnicity: Asian Indian
• Gender F

Other

• Extracurriculars: Singing, MUN, SciOly, Math League,
• Awards: Tomorrow25,Alexandar Hamilton Citizenship, Bausch & Lomb, NMSF, AP Scholar with Honor, State Science Fair 1st Prize.
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: Hope for the best.

[annapoof]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accepted

Stats:

• SAT: 2360; CR 760, M 800, W 800 (superscore)
• SAT II: Chem: 800, Math IIc 800 Spanish 750 bio M 730
• ACT:n/a
• GPA:3.93 UW;
• Rank: top ten percent
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): Chem, AP US 5

Subjective

• Essays: one about moving, one about art, two about cryptography
• Teacher Recs: great i guess?
• Counselor Rec: fabulous
• Supplementary Material: Rec from community service director
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): fluent in multiple languages, skipped a grade

Personal

• Location: MA
• High School Type: public
• Ethnicity: Russian Jewish
• Gender F

Other

• Extracurriculars: exchange program coordinator, capt of math/science team, tennis...
• Awards: Natl merit semi, USAMTS award, school math award
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: I am flabbergasted

[lkr220]

Accepted

Stats:

• SAT: CR- 710, Math- 790, Writing- 750
• SAT II: Biology- 780, Literature- 710, Math II- 750, Chemistry- 690
• GPA: W 4.69 (don't know UW)
• Rank: 2/300 something (technically my school doesn't rank, but I know I'm 2nd)
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): AP Bio- 5, AP Chem- 4, AP English Language- 4, AP US Hist- 4
  

Subjective

• Essays: I wrote my main essay about my FIRST Robotics team. I wrote about the research I am doing for my Research in Molecular Genetics class and elaborated on all the leadership positions I've held on my robotics team for my optional essays.
• Teacher Recs: Very Good (AP Bio teacher/XC coach/Academic Decathlon coach, AP English teacher, and an extra one from my Robotics Coach/MIT Alumnus)
• Counselor Rec: Very Good
• Supplementary Material: Just the extra recommendation
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): my research, I have held a lot of big leadership positions
  

Personal

• Location: NJ
• High School Type: Public
• Ethnicity: White
• Gender: Female
  

Other

• Extracurriculars: US FIRST Robotics, Marching Band, Cross Country, Academic Decathlon, Science League/Math League, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society
• Awards: PFO Science Award (10th grade), National Merit Commended Scholar
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: Just be yourself.

[lenabean]

My son's results:

Accepted

Stats:

• SAT: CR 770 Math 720 Writing 690
• SAT II: Physics 760 Math2 770 Literature 730
• ACT: 35 (36 Math subscore might have helped) (Science subscore definitely did not help)
• GPA: 3.7ish unweighted
• Rank: 1/30
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): APMEH 4, AP Eng. Comp 4, AP Physics 5, AP Calc AB 5

Subjective

• Essays: creativity of his unusual family and neighborhood; the hoverboard he made; why he wants to be an engineer
• Teacher Recs: told they were good and spoke in a holistic way about him
• Counselor Rec: same
• Supplementary Material: music supplement, link to hoverboard video, contacted the coach of a club sport, lol!
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): Don't think so, but who knows if his unusual family or interests appealed to them?

Personal

• Location: Midwest city
• High School Type: small private, sends a few kids to selective schools but usually not MIT
• Ethnicity: White
• Gender: Male

Other

• Extracurriculars: nat'l and int'l piano; state cycling and speedskating; a little service through youth group
• Awards: NMSF, AP Scholar with Honor, school awards
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?:

Good luck everyone! This process is a mystery, but it has definitely taught us how many excellent schools are out there. There were probably 5 other schools that would have made him really happy, even though MIT was his first choice.

[FantomBassoon]

Accepted

Stats:

• SAT: M: 800 CR:800 W: 730
• SAT II: Math II: 800, Physics: 790, Math I: 780, Bio: 750, World History: 700
• ACT: 35
• GPA: 4.0
• Rank: Top 2%
• Other Tests (AMC, AP, IB): AMC12: 105 AIME: 5

Subjective

• Essays: My experience in the North Reading Community Band; I liked it...
• Teacher Recs: Should have been good...
• Counselor Rec: No clue, but I think she likes me?
• Supplementary Material: Bassoon recording; didn't do the supplemental essays
• Hook(recruited athlete, legacy, Nobel Prize): Bassoonist

Personal

• Location: Boston-area
• High School Type: Public
• Ethnicity: White
• Gender: Female

Other

• Extracurriculars: Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras for 4 years, Math Team for 3 years, NEC Youth Symphony/Philharmonic for 2 years, NRCB for 10 years, Cross country/track for 2 years
• Awards: District, All-State, All-Eastern on bassoon, other school awards, AP Scholar, NMSQT Commended
• Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: I honestly am stunned. I was not expecting it at all. AND MY BEST FRIEND GOT IN!

[1001]

Accepted

Stats:

SAT: CR 730, M 760, W680.
SAT II: Chem 640, MathII 680, Lit. 740
GPA: 3.93
Rank 3/43


Subjective:

Essay: Personal Background. It didn't blow me way but I liked it.
Teacher Recs: Awesome.
Counselor Rec: Awesome
Supplementary Material: None
Hook: None, I think.

Personal:

Location: Puerto Rico
School: Super small. Only one other student has ever applied to MIT and he got rejected.
Ethnicity: Puerto Rican
Gender: Male

Other:

ECs: NHS VP, Science Team captain, Math Team Founding member, Mathcounts Assistant Coach, Robotics Team Student Mentor.
Awards: School Science Fair 1st place three years in a row, National Merit Semifinalist, National Hispanic Scholar, Puerto Rico Mathematical Olympiad, second place at a robotics competition.
Advice? Commiserations? Feel like bragging?: Can I get a 'Hell Yeah!'?