Chances?

Colleges & Universities Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Hi guys, my GPA is bad but the rest of my stuff is ok, do I have a chance at MIT?</p>

<p>GPA: 3.83 UW (Top 10%)
ACT: 35
PSAT: 230
SAT: 2310 (Math: 800, Verbal: 750, Writing: 760)
SAT II: Math 800
AP: World History 5, Calculus BC 5, Going to take AP Micro and Macro economics, Physics B and C, and US History at the end of this year.
EC’s
Small Violin and Piano awards
Principal’s Council Member (Principal handselects top 8 students in each grade and asks for feedback on how the school is run)
Iowa ARML A Team
Small math awards
Governor’s school
AMC: 128 (School high scorer)
AIME: 9
USAMO: 10 (Third qualifier in school history)
Community Service: 150 hours at History Museum Gift Shop
Varsity Golf
Fed Challenge 3rd place regional team captain
Academic Bowl team Captain (various high scorer awards)
Knowledge Master team Captain</p>

<p>What are my chances at MIT? What can I improve in the next year or so to help my chances? Any feedback would be appreciated! Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I’m assuming you’re a junior- correct me if I’m wrong. I think you have really good chances due to USAMO. Get involved and do well in other prestigious activities (Physics Olympiad perhaps) to seal the deal. Some sort of math/science summer activity would also help. Best of luck.</p>

3

<p>First. Learn math. You’d be class of 2011. Lol.</p>

<p>Anyways, Your stats look legit. Good GPA/SAT scores. Very similar to mine.</p>

<p>Good ECs. More than mine.</p>

<p>Write a good essay, show passion like a little byotch, and you have as good a shot as anybody.</p>

4

<p>Lol yeah, I put 2010 because I wasn’t thinking and everyone else had 2010 after their name. MITman was already taken :(. Isn’t my relatively low GPA at least of some concern? Also, isn’t physics olympiad AFTER applications are due? If i make it to like the semifinalist round, should I send that to them as like an additional achievement? (I think that’s like the top 200 people)</p>

5

<p>Hey that’s super impressive.</p>

<p>Just so you know, if you are applying to MIT, you have to take another SAT subject test in science.</p>

6

<p>lol - don’t worry about chances man. just apply.</p>

<p>My UW was 3.74ish…don’t worry about it.</p>

7

<p>I need another SAT subject test? It was my understanding that taking the ACT meant that I didn’t need to take any subject tests…</p>

8

<p>MIT requires 2 SAT II Subject tests, a math and a science, regardless of whether you submit the SAT I or the ACT:

</p>

9

<p>i don’t think your gpa makes much difference at all so long as its in the range (and you get A’s and A+'s in science classes). About the physics thing, just go ahead and send it in after the app is due as an additional achievement if you make semis. What type of stuff are you doing this summer?</p>

10

<p>I’m going to PROMYS hopefully if i make it. Will this help? It’s a mathcamp at Boston College…</p>

11

<p>yeah it All helps. You know, just do things you really want to do, things you love, and make them shine in your application. When I started filling my app, everywhere I read the same thing: “admission officers want to know you, let them see your real personality and what you really love from life and you’ll be all set”, and I always had my doubts about it, but you know, after hearing the same thing from so many people, I decided to use that hint and I wrote my essays and filled the whole application, putting my own touch on it. I didn’t allowed anyone to read my application, ever, and sent it. And guess what? It worked out.</p>

<p>I don’t have great stats, I didn’t attend many great math or science camps, I just did things I really love, and I worked hard on them and I came up with a good application.</p>