Agree with @rothstem (thanks for your helpful comments btw!)
@rugitusastra I didn’t have that many STEM activities, so don’t worry. I know quite a few who didn’t. Most of my stuff was more artistically geared, though I guess video is sort of a middle ground. I know one of my friends who got in did a lot of music stuff. Another person in my class was heavily committed to dance. There are so many unique interests, so don’t worry! As long
And what you said is super important; all of your activities should be what you want to do. Schools value this real interest. If MIT can see that you’re passionate about what you do and you present it in an organic and interesting way, odds are they’ll love it just as much as you do. Think of the admissions panel as a group of people who are honestly interested in what you love. They do their job because they really care about students.
Good luck! 
Do you think applying EA to MIT would give me better chances than RD? Also, what do you think was the best part of your application that helped you got in (your stats? Essay?)
@arisiv
Hmmm…I’m actually not sure! According to here http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats the acceptance rate does seem to be a bit higher and you can get deferred and reconsidered in RA. But these are a year old I think so I’m not sure what my year’s was and they always change!
Honestly I think EA is really good if you feel very prepared; your grades and scores are up and you can write the essays and all without winter break to finish. And if you’re really passionate about the school. A lot of EA people had MIT as their #1, so you’re looking at that and I mean, passion for a school can make for a killer application. But everyone is different. It’s a hard metric.
Best part of my application? Probably my essays and there’s this optional question (like a “Anything else you want us to know?”) thing that I made a video for and I thought it was really solid and very me.
Hope that helps! Sorry I didn’t have a super awesome answer! 
I was looking at some information for a friend and stumbled across this post. I myself was admitted Early Action for the Class of 2019 as well. Guess what?
I got a 32 on my ACT.
My unweighted GPA is below a 4.0
However, like you I played a varsity sport (basketball) at my high school and participated in a few clubs.
Dude, just apply. You have as much of a chance as anyone else applying. It’s your dream. Go for it.
Yay I’m not the only one who thinks people should apply even if they have doubts! 
THANK YOU FOR COMMENTING @omwash and being encouraging and just…yay! People like you make me excited for MIT.
So as I said in my comment to @JackLuzzy and as @omwash just said; APPLY! DO IT!!!
Good luck to all!
@omwash @2015Comp
Thanks for the positive reinforcment. I know that students on CC tend to be more of the “extremist” students, but their scores still terrify me. Nonetheless, I’ll most likely apply. Out of curiosity, were you’re personal statements based on science and/or math? Currently mine was based off of my sister, who has Down Syndrome. Would I need to change it?
@JackLuzzy I’m not sure what you mean by “Personal Statement”, as MIT has several short essays. It’s not common app, which is what I think you might be thinking of. But here’s a note on MIT essays, it might help you, http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/part2
But essays in general should be personal to you. There is no right or wrong answer. It’s all about treatment of topic. I can’t tell you what to do and neither can anyone else because it’s your own story and experience.
And what I wrote doesn’t apply to what you write and that’s kinda the cool part. But I’d pop in with your guidance counselor as they’re the real experts and know you and your circumstances better. Also make sure to see what will or will not fit the prompts.
But in general, not just in college but in life, don’t write what you think people want to hear, write what you know and what you’re passionate about.
Hope that helps and good luck!
@2015Comp Yes, by Personal Statement I was thinking of the Common App. It slipped my mind that MIT wasn’t on the CA. I’m definitely going to discuss all this with my counselor. From what I hear (only met her a few times), she’s great. I’ll try my best to shine my interests through! I attend one of the only STEM schools in Chicago. Hopefully, I’ll have a lot to write about :). I’d like to thank you for all you advice. I understand getting into MIT is a slim shot, but I’ll still be applying. I guess that reason why I seriously doubted myself was because I posted into the Chance Me. Bad idea. I’d ask if I could get into Madison Wisconsin and everyone is so doubtful on that forum.
@JackLuzzy I agree with @2015Comp on his post on essay treatment. When we did our applications, there was a question about what world we came from and from what I’ve seen, that question tends to stay on the app from year to year, so maybe you can talk a little about your sister their. There’s also an extra info space at the end of the app for anything you want to say. One thing I would say is the first question is usually “what do you do for fun?”. Make this unique and you; MIT admits people, not robots who do multivariable calc in their spare time.
Also, remember MIT is not on the common application, if you haven’t already, make an account at my.mit.edu.
Hope this helped! (and @2015Comp you’re amazing)
@omwash Thanks! I just signed up for my.mit.edu. Man, I’m getting really excited. I visited MIT during Spring Break and loved it! I loved looking at all the “pranks” and such. They even have a nuclear reactor!! Ha, congrats on getting in man. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Thank you both! And @omwash you are equally amazing!
And good luck in your college applications @JackLuzzy! I’m sure you’ll end up somewhere awesome! Maybe even MIT But if not you’ll still do great!
Hi 2015Comp, thank you so much for all your advice and enthusiasm. If you don’t mind, could you please share your experience with the interview and any advice on that. Thank you and best wishes
@ReminiscingDad not a problem!
So my interview for MIT was great! It was my first college interview so I was a little nervous at first, but the nerves (at least mine) naturally go away once you start talking a bit. I like to think that interviewers don’t mind. I would advise any applicant to do the interview! MIT Alumni volunteer to be Educational Counselors and do interviews because they love MIT so you’re guaranteed to get someone who is passionate and knowledgable about it. Which was really awesome, at least I thought.
My interviewer also happened to have a son who is a current student in my major (whom I met at CPW because he was part of an event I attended), so he was able to answer my questions on recent stuff at MIT. And geek out over the Media Lab with me because that place is amazing. I don’t remember all of it, but it was about an hour and just flowed really naturally. He asked me about my interests and we talked about things I’d done in high school and why I wanted to go to MIT and my interests in technology. I also asked him questions and took out my iPad to show him some of the websites I had made. MIT people are very hands on and love to see things, we have a huge making culture. So if you have something that is easily accessible, like a site or app or art or something I would definitely bring it and if it comes up pull it out to show them. It was also nice because I could really show him features and explain how I’d programmed them and what languages/elements I’d utilized.
Overall the MIT interview is a lot less formal than other interviews, at least from my experience. It’s supposed to be a conversation and a chance to get to know the applicant. In the sense that you don’t provide any pre-interview info; it’s not a test. It’s up to you to email your local EC to get an interview. And while it is optional, it’s highly recommended. The way I look at it is that the interview can’t really hurt your application unless you say something really out of line or just don’t show up or something; it’s only a matter as to how much it can help it. But I really think it adds another dimension to you as an applicant. And honestly, there’s no way to go wrong at it unless you’re rude or say “Michigan Institute of Technology”.
So your interviewer goes in with nothing but your name and that you’re applying to MIT. Pro tip, though, Google them so you know who you are looking for. It’s less awkward if you know who to approach or wave at (or at least who not to). This gives you the opportunity to really have an honest conversation and not worry about the buzz activities. Don’t recite your class schedules and stuff. Talk about what is important to you, maybe what you do for fun, what you did last weekend, things that might be harder to explain on the written application, like specific clubs or projects. A lot of it, at least from what I understand, is also to gage your personality and passion and authenticity. Can you articulate your passions? Did you do things in high school because you cared about them or are you just padding a resume? What’s your personality like? Are you someone they’d want as a lab partner or roommate? Just things to keep in mind and things that are hard to convey in print.
The best advice I can give is to not prepare too much. Do some homework and maybe go in with some general questions or topics you want to know about. This is also an opportunity to learn more about MIT and the experience there. And just know how to explain some of the activities you’ve done clearly (remember they don’t know you or your school).
Hope that helps a bit!
Thanks so much 2015Comp! Great tips. So the interviewer won’t have your resume or essays before the interview? Did you email them to him/her before the interview? Regarding the timing of the interview, is it best to do it early, even though your application is not sent yet or do you have to wait until it’s sent to schedule the interview? I heard mixed advice regarding this. Many, many thanks for your time and kindness
@ReminiscingDad no, they won’t. I wouldn’t recommend emailing them your resume or essays, because MIT doesn’t take resumes and they don’t sit on the admissions panel so they really don’t need your essays. I doubt they’d have time to read them. They really want to know you as a person, not an application.
You do have to email them to schedule an interview though, but that should just be a simple “I’m so and so and you’re my EC please let me know when you can interview me and thank you for all you do” type of email (obviously better than what I just typed). You don’t have to give them a background; that’s what the interview is for so they can get to know you!
The deadline to schedule your interview is actually before the application is due. For EA it’s October 20th and RA it’s December 10th, while the applications are due Nov 1st EA and January 1 RA respectfully. The dates are on mitadmissions.org, which is an excellent resource. Because the interview is optional and not everyone can interview because of their location, they are independent of one another. But if you do interview, most of the time it will be before your application is complete, unless there’s scheduling conflict, etc.
But I know some schools are different so check their sites for info.
So you don’t have to wait till your application is sent or till you’re even done with it. However I would recommend looking at the application just so you can get in the mindset of talking about MIT and yourself. I definitely wasn’t done with my application before I interviewed though. I emailed my interviewer as soon as my ECs info became available. I interviewed the first week of September, quite early (I was actually his first interview for the admissions cycle!) because I was in marching band during the fall and I was worried about my schedule and I didn’t want to go to an interview exhausted after a rehearsal or performance. Also the school year tends to wear on you a bit, because first semester senior year is very very busy. So I would recommend the sooner the better.
Hope that helps!
Good luck!
*edit to above, I meant the interviewers probably wouldn’t have time to read essays. Admissions will read your essays!
Your interviewer will send a little report to admissions about you though, but I don’t know the details of that exactly (someday I will when I’m an alumni).
Just to clarify.
Thank you again, 2015Comp, all very clear and useful!
As an EC, I can confirm that we get the applicant’s name, Address, e-mail (sometimes), Date of Birth, Secondary School name and whether they are an international or domestic applicant. We do not see any part of the application. We do not see grades, we do not see test scores, we do not see essays. Nor would we want to. It is our job to meet the individual and see the person behind the application. We are looking for those things that do not appear on the application already. We are not going to ask about stuff that MIT already has on the application. (Of course, there are thousands of EC’s around the globe, your mileage may vary).
Hi @2015Comp ,
My top choice college is MIT and I really want to go into a physics or astronomy program; I love the stars and learning about space. I’m currently unsure if I have a decent chance or if I should spend more time looking at other schools. A bit about myself: rising Junior, high school class of 2017. My gpa is 3.88 UW 4.24 W but that should go up (Weighted at least) this year to around 4.4 as I’m taking 5 advanced classes this year. I taught myself Japanese from scratch (no prior knowledge, has been 1.5 years since I started) and got a 5 on the AP Japanese language and culture exam and a 780 on the SAT 2 subject test. It’s one of my passions and I’m going to take the highest level of the JLPT (Japanese language proficiency test) this December. In addition, I went to Japan this past summer and volunteered for 2 weeks at a multicultural camp. I was honestly a transformative experience because the kids were so great. The hours will be on my school transcript as they verify all volunteering. My other passion is that I like to work with electronics, and I’ve built several projects; I intend to submit one as a maker portfolio. (This one: http://www.instructables.com/id/Electric-Arduino-Go-kart/). I spend a lot of time on these projects and I think they are my most defining talent. I also am a skilled programmer, and I know several languages, but I don’t have any major accomplishments in programming. I’m confident that I can get 2350+ on the SAT 1 which I’m taking in October. I also participate in the Science Bowl competition.
Subject tests:
Math level 2, 800
Biology E, 780
Japanese w/ listening, 780
AP tests:
Calc AB, 5
Japanese, 5
Tests I’m planning to take:
AP Physics C, E&M (self study)
AP Physics C, Mechanics (self study)
AP Comp Sci
APUSH
AP Lang
AP Calc BC
Sorry for the overload of info. I’m just wondering if it’s actually realistic to aim for MIT because I’ve seen a lot of people who are science fair winners or science olympiad champions, which is a bit intimidating. I read your response saying that it wasn’t important, which is a relief, because I personally don’t enjoy those competitions. I think my hands-on electronics ability gives me quite a bit of individuality, but I don’t know how it will be viewed. TBH I want to stop worrying about college and actually focus on building something exciting, but well here I am. Thanks so much for reading and please give me any input you have.