<p>My freshman year I participated in Quiz Bowl, Girl Scouts, tutoring and softball. In 10th grade I continued with the Girl Scouts (I’ve been in it since 1st grade) but the quiz bowl team got dissolved because our school is having some major budget cuts. I did not do softball because I did not enjoy it enough to continue. However in 10th grade I joined the swim team and I loved it, I was planning on doing it for the rest of high school and possibly college if I am good enough. The problem: first off, do to budget cuts, the price to participate in sports almost doubled and they offer no financial aid. This would be very hard for my family to put me through. Second, my mother is moving out, almost 3 hours away to go to college and my dad has to work a day job and teaches 4-5 classes at a community college just to make up for my mom not working. While he is busy with work, I am expected to take care of and pick up/take to their after school activities my 3 younger siblings. This means I couldn’t even do swimming even if U had the money because swimming and other sports take 15-22 hours a week and the times that I would have practice, I have to take care of my little brother and sisters. In 11th and 12th grade I will be in NHS because it is later in the evening when my dad will be home, and I can volunteer on my own time. I have been involved in girl scouts for a significant amount of time and I have a lot of leadership there, if that counts for anything. I don’t know how MIT will take my apparent lack of ECs, but would they take into consideration that I have huge family commitments that prevent me for doing swimming and more ECs? My “decsison” isn’t really a decision I guess. But I only figured that out after writing this. I guess I just want to know how bad this will look on my MIT app.</p>
<p>MIT doesn’t care about a long list of EC activities. I think your story will interest admissions officers at all sorts of schools. However, it isn’t clear to me why you’d like to study at MIT. You can play softball, swim, and engage in quiz bowl activities at liberal arts colleges. Why is MIT a good match for you?</p>
<p>I love math and science. I want to be a scientist or engineer, I am not completely sure about a specific field yet, I am interested by it all! In my search for a college I was most fascinated by the atmosphere of MIT and the amazing research opportunities offered there. I mean, for anyone who loves science and math, who wouldn’t want to attend MIT? I have other schools in mind, but I like MIT the most, and I just am terrified that my situation will put me at a disadvantage. It’s not like I am going to enjoy not having a real life outside of school, it would suck if it affected my chances at MIT too.</p>