cdawson

I have to say that while your standardized testing and grades aren't the strongest on paper, if your school has a good reputation with the schools you want to apply to you should have a slightly better chance.

Your extracurriculars are good. Lots of schools will be will note that you're passionate about snowboarding. It certainly sets you apart from the crowd! Also, that international thing is cool (but maybe I'm a bit biased because that aligns with my hobbies, heh).

I'd recommend that if you want to boost your chances with MIT, you should try some academic competitions like the AMC12. It's good if you're AIME qualified.

Good luck!

ham

Thank you everyone.

The matriculation results just came out and a whopping 24% of the senior class at my school will be going to the ivy league. (25% of THOSE are athletes, though). Since my grades place me in roughly the top 20%, it is going to be close in that respect.

ham

bumpppppppppppppppp

Sidfromaus

Wharton will be very hard, i think. But for some reason, i feel that MIT will like you. Just try to create a good personality in your applications, and you should be fine.

ham

Out of curiosity, what makes you think MIT will like me?
I agree that Wharton is too much of a reach. I've decided to apply for the school of arts and sciences at Penn instead of Wharton because it's not realistic.
I have also come to like Dartmouth and Brown very much-- more than Princeton Yale Harvard etc, so I would say my top 4 choices in no particular order are MIT, Penn, Dartmouth, Brown.

Do you think my chances at Penn, Dartmouth, and Brown are any better than they were for HPY? Maybe an early app is in order? Thanks

Sidfromaus

I like your ECs...they arent extravagant, but they are very genuine. I feel that if you can write the right essays, and portray your personality well enough, then MIT will like you. Although it is a tech school, i know many students there with few math/science related ECs. Most do a fair bit of sport, or community work - basically what they are passionate about. I know its cliched, but once u go through the admissions process, you will realise that some very qualified students do not make such schools because they don't have anything passion to offer. In your ECs, i dont see some1 forcing himself to do things that are resume jot-downs... I like the fact that your ECs arent common, and the fact that you have taken a risk and gone ahead with them, especially the Lawn Mowing business. I mean, i know that 1500 isnt much, but the fact that you were determined enough to go along with it speaks tons about your character. I also like the fact that you arent all study focused and have a few jobs.If you can show that you are just so damn passionate and excited about the acitivities you do, whilst getting good grades, then you're projecting yourself as some one who can use MIT's education and apply it for some good in the world.

Look, you obviously dont know this, but I did activities in the same genre as you - business ventures, sports, community service, jobs and leadership conferences - and i was able to make it to MIT as an international. I think i had an edge on the ECs compared to you, but you certainly have an edge in the academic category going to a top 5 school which provied a lot of recognition. Here, you can have a look at my profile and see the similarity: MIT, Caltech and Stanford

PS: Work hard to get close to 800s on the SAT subject tests because, even though you don't have a complete lack of math and science awards, if you are able to score well, then you ll have covered that area of your application.

I hope all that makes sense and provides some confidence boost.

ham

Does anybody have any opinions on early applications? If i am correct, MIT is the only EA school out of the four I may consider applying early at: Brown, Penn, Dartmouth, MIT. However, MIT's early acceptance rate is very low. Should I apply ED anywhere? Also, I heard of some people applying early to MIT and ED somewhere else... does anybody know about that?

frogger_1234

It looks like your SAT would be your only problem. If you raise it say 100 pts i'd say you have a pretty decent shot anywhere (especially if your school is as hard as you say it is)

newyorka

Well, ther are many top schools competing for the trophy of top 5, I'll assume you mean you go to one of: Andover, St. Paul's, Exeter, Hotchkiss, Choate...I'd say the ivies will be tough for you if you're not hooked.

The reasons: Many of your classmates have way higher scores (have you looked at your scores compared to your school on CB? 740 math was 50% at mine, 800 CR was 93%!), many are legacies, many are recruited athletes, many are the most qualified URMs in the Country. I went to a similar but day school and the unhooked suffer.

Barely top quintile, I'd say don't expect to get into your list. Youm may make a couple with higher scores, but you have heavy competition.

The good news is the next level down will great you with open arms: Tufts, Northwestern, Mudd, Colgate are schools where you'll have a good shot IMO.

newyorka

Ham, at those schools it's never the top of the class that gets into the top schools. I'm always shocked that the secret is kept at some schools until senior year.

ham

well, i'm just going to apply and see what happens. I've had some mixed responses so we will just have to see.




Early advice anybody?????

Sidfromaus

if you love MIT...apply EA... btw you might want to check out MIT Admissions coz Snively wrote an excellent entry on EA vs RD

ham

hey sidfromaus do you have a specific link to that entry... I can't find it.

Equilibrium

Your EC's are very good and better than the average ivy applicant.. and many of them are interesting and show passion and all those characteristics the admissions officers want to see.. However, your courseload doesn't seem so strong. You only have 3 AP's, and your SAT's are okay, but not that good, so the ivys/MIT are reaches.

Sidfromaus

EA vs RD: MIT Admissions | Blog Entry: "Early Action versus Regular Action"

What MIT looks for:MIT Admissions | Info For Schools & Counselors: What We Look For In Applicants