<p>I currently am a junior in high school, and I would appreciate it if you guys would help me improve/build up my application to MIT.</p>
<p>No preparation:
June 3 2006 SAT: M 670 CR 520 W 530</p>
<p>Avg. Practice Tests after June 3 SAT:
M 710 CR 580 W 710</p>
<p>GPA: 4.64 (5.0 scale) 3.712(4.0 scale)</p>
<p>AP Computer Science A: 4
AP World History: 3</p>
<p>Clubs:
Mu Alpha Theta
Chess Club(Secretary)</p>
<p>Extracurricular Activities:
Programming: C++, Java
Community Service with Campus Watch(70 hours) for 7th and 8th grade
Working at a small company that puts my programming skills to practice since 9th grade.</p>
<p>Major:
Computer Science</p>
<p>============================================
What do you guys feel is the first thing I need to improve?</p>
<p>Well your critical reading score jumped out at me. Maybe instead of taking practice tests you should do more reading. I’d guess you would want some science APs. What is Mu Alpha Theta? Is chess club just an in school thing or do you have a rating?</p>
<p>Mu Alpha Theta (M–A–TH) is a math service society.At my son’s school they are required to tutor other kids, e.g., those preparing for ACT/SAT, or kids in lower level math courses. Also, guest speakers teach the members how to use programs such as Mathematica, and local university professors talk about careers that use math, that sort of thing. The group was defunct at S school for many years until one of the teachers resurrrected it just last year. It seems to have attracted a good number of high perfoming students. I am under the impression that it is a national organization, but perhaps it is stronger in the midwest than elsewhere.</p>
<p>A perk of working more on your critical reading by actually reading is that it’s likely to help you with your writing score as well. While the latter won’t make or break anything, it’s cool to have a higher number to show.</p>
<p>Since I am a junior, I know I can definitely raise my SAT scores. I also plan to join Key Club for Community Service.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for all your help. We will continue to work on my application so that it can be free of anything in my power that would undermine my chances of being considered by the admission officers.</p>
<p>You will need to improve everything pretty much. First and foremost, you gotta bring your SAT scores way up. Those AP scores need improvements as well. For a computer science major, i think ud be expected to have a 5 on the AB exam, especially with your programming work. I dont know how much time your programming job takes, but it looks like youll have to work on your ECs/awards too. If programming really is your thing, enter in some competitions, such as USACO. Maybe get some research experience this year and enter westinghouse or Intel next year. It will be hard work, but if you really want to get into MIT, you can do it.</p>
<p>Just do what you do and forget about college for a few months. If you want to study for the SAT, it wouldn’t hurt, but other than that I don’t think CCers can tell you what your interests are. People who know you better may have some suggestions for your “next step.”</p>
<p>I am a HS senior now. I have been fortunate enough to have some excellent mentorship from one or two teachers throughout HS. Take it from me: sometimes, other people can see aspects of you that you can’t - but those people aren’t on CC.</p>
<p>Your new SAT scores are quite all right. ACT Math usually works more for actual mathy-types, from my experience. I’m still mad at the SAT’s word problems…</p>
<p>But other than that, I would just chill out, wait for the app to come out in the summer, and write some killer essays. Lots of passion and whatnot. It seems you’re hardcore into computer science, so write about that. If you’re itching for something to do, you could probably write that optional essay on “Something you’ve created” about a program or something. </p>
<p>But above all, just do what you want to do in high school - adcoms can usually tell when people join activities just to pad their resumes. It’s not nearly as big a deal as people make it out to be. If you do your best, and really show who you are in your application, and you still dont’ make it…well, then it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe you were needed somewhere else, to do something different, to meet different people. I don’t know. But Perplex is 1000% right - we CCers are wackos, and usually don’t give great advice. We can occasionally spit out a word or two of wisdom, but it’d be best to take the whole site with a rather large bag of salt.</p>
<p>At my school we mostly go to and prepare for regional math competitions; National Honor Society does most of the tutoring. Often the higher-level kids do help the lower-level kids, though.</p>
<p>College essays can be more freeform if you like. Why don’t you go to the library and read some books with sample essays? There’s a huge variety of what is acceptable.</p>