Chances for MIT/other schools

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Sophomore here, just wondering if you guys could give me a quick eval. on what my chances would be if everything goes right from here on out. Colleges: MIT, University of Maryland, Stanford, Harvard. Any recs for comforts in Northeast? I’m in Maryland. EDIT: Planning on going into Physics/Math, Possibly Engineering/Comp Sci

Currrently: GPA 3.4 UW, 4.2 W

If I get straight A’s with my projected schedule for the next three years that would be a 3.8 UW, 4.7 W GPA. Freshman year was a bit overwhelming, hence the lower than optimal grades, but I’m doing pretty well so far this year (mostly A’s, two B’s at 1st quarter interims). A more realistic (still optimistic) final GPA, with some B’s, would be something like 3.6 UW 4.5 W.

(GT weighted same as AP)
Courses last year:

GT US History ©
GT English 9 (B)
GT Biology (B)
GT Precalc (A)
Honors Intro. to Eng. Design (A)
Honors Spanish 2 (B)
Gym/Health (A)

Courses this year:

AP Calc. AB
AP Gov
Honors Spanish 3
GT Prin. of Comp Sci
GT English 10
GT Prin. of Engineering
GT Chemistry

Next year:

AP English 11 (Lang.)
AP World History
AP Physics C Mechanics
GT Comp. Integrated Mfg.
GT Digital Electronics
AP Calc. C/Multivariate Calc.
AP Comp. Sci. A

Senior year:

AP English 12 (Lit.)
AP Macro/Microeconomics OR GT Eng. Design & Dev.
AP Physics C E&M
Television (Fine Arts credit)
GT Intern/Mentor Program
GT Discrete Math
GT Diff. Equations

ECs:

Last year:

FIRST Robotics Team
MSA
Table Tennis(?)

This year:

JV Football
FIRST Robotics Team (Team Leader)
MSA
Table Tennis(?)
Math Team

Future:

NHS, possibly incl. Technical, Math, and/or Science NHS
Varsity Football
Robotics (Team Leader, possibly club president/co-president)
MSA
Math Team
Table Tennis

No specifics yet for volunteering, internships, jobs; planning to work next year once I turn 16

Any critiques would be appreciated as well, thanks!

2

You really only have the next two years to improve your gpa. You have to get straight As from here to have any kind of shot and even then it will be hard because you’re competing with kids who have perfect grades. You have to have ECs that really stand out for Harvard, Stanford and MIT. Not just a couple of clubs and a sport. I think you have to realize that those three schools are accepting the very top kids in the nation and the world. If you are not even the top kid in your local HS, why would they accept you? Last year’s class included the 1st and 2nd place winners at Intel STS and a polyglot who speaks 17 languages all self-taught (he posted a YouTube video where he walked around NYC speaking to everyone he came across in their native tongue). University of Maryland is a more realistic goal at this point. Good luck!!

3

Thanks for the response.

I do see where you’re coming from, and I will have to really strengthen my ECs to have a chance. Like I said, I do plan on doing volunteer work, as well as holding a job + internship(s). I might move the research class I listed to next year so I can use it on my application with the results and awards, if any, or just look on my own for opportunities this year + next year.

University of Maryland is definitely a more “realistic” goal, but MIT is pretty much a reach for anyone; I don’t think that they get 1000 polyglots to admit each year :slight_smile: .

Thanks again, I honestly didn’t even know that these competitions like Intel STS even existed before you mentioned it, so you’ve really helped.

4

You seem very motivated! If you can get that GPA up to a 3.7+ im sure you will be a very competitive applicant. Granted MIT is a very tough school

5

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/302001-list-of-top-prestigious-awards-p62.html

If you didn’t know about IntelSTS, try looking at this thread to get an idea of what kids are doing. You need excellent grades first and foremost which are then supplemented by interesting and a high level of achievement in ECs some of which are highlighted in this thread.

6

I think @Falcon1 said it best in the first post - you’re going to need to get straight A’s in addition to accomplishing some meaningful EC that sets you apart. If you are interested in volunteering, may I suggest starting a volunteering project that is unique? For this EC that is going to set you apart, make sure that you are doing something you like - otherwise, it probably will be hard to achieve anything unique. In addition, you’re going to need some other club participation and leadership.You have high course rigor going for you, but you still need to get up the UW GPA. Good luck & chance back:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1810951-chance-me-columbia-ed.html#latest

7

The GPAs that you cited are not competitive for Stanford, Harvard and MIT.

8

You were 2 for 6, but expect to go 21/21 next three years?

MIT, Stanford, Harvard, etc might already be out of reach. Scratch them out.

If your best is the 3.17 academic GPA you are at now, set your college list accordingly.