@anchen I wasn’t planning on commenting, I really have to say this. I did MITES this past summer, and it honestly makes me a little sick that you think building shelters for homeless children in Africa is what you need with it comes to community service. I really hope you weren’t being serious. Volunteering at the DFL or whatever else you do is significant and it wouldn’t be overlooked by admissions. I don’t know anyone from MITES last year who had the opportunity to build facilities in another country. I’m sorry if I sound annoying, but I just hope you really don’t think that.
@programmer8 I just feel like volunteering at the DFL is more of a kind of thing where it’s not the directly-affecting-those-in-need kind of thing, you know? Like I’m not volunteering at a soup kitchen I’m walking around rich neighborhoods with a clipboard. I always joke with my friends that there’s a special spot on the Harvard application for exactly how many schools you’ve built in impoverished nations-- my own weird way of dealing with how I don’t seem to be doing anything of much significance I suppose (is there an emoji of great internal turmoil because it should be right here). Thanks for your feedback though-- that’s so cool that you’ve experienced it!
Hey guys, I’m applying to MITES 2015 too! What do you think my chances are?
PSAT: 217
ACT: 32, but retaking in Feb for a higher sore
SAT: Taking in Jan, expecting a 2200 or above
GPA: 3.7, but I go to a very competitive high school
I’m not first generation and household income is around 70,000, but I do have an interesting story on my African heritage. Since I was born there and revisit Africa frequently, I am diverse in that way.
My ec’s arent heavily STEM-based. I have National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, National Latin Honor Society, Latin Club, Alabama Technology Fair awards, National Latin Exam awards, Math Club, Junior Civitan (where we do volunteer work), and church activities.
I expect my recommendations to be decent, my math and science teachers like me. Also, my essays are pretty good as well, I reference my African background a lot.
I really hope I get in! 
Do you guys think I should even apply. I don’t think I’ll get good recs because my science teacher allegedly hates me and I know that my math teacher doesn’t know me well (probably doesn’t know the names of the people in the class).
Just started my application today, hoping to get into MITES!
Hi guys,
so I go to a very new and tiny inner-city school. Because we are only only as old as our highest class (my class, class of 2016, will be the first graduating), it is not uncommon for our staff to constantly be changed. Therefore making it very difficult to build relationships with my teachers. I have only had my current AP Calc teacher for about 1 academic year and my current science teacher for 1 semester. I don’t expect them to write outstanding letters of recs, considering they haven’t known me for such a long time. Do you guys think this lack of relationship with my teachers will hurt my chances of getting in? Is there any way I can explain this to MITES without sounding like I am making excuses?
@Fibanaccii Well since MITES asks for recs from current teachers of junior year I think you have no other choice really. Plus, you’ve had your AP Calc teacher longer than I’ve had mine (since Sept.) MITES knows that they don’t know you so well. They’re probably just trying to guage what kind of first impression you leave on your teachers and how much of an impact you’re making in the classroom right at the beginning of the year and compare it to what kind of an impact you’d make at MITES. When I asked my calc teacher for a rec he was delighted to do it, along with my AP Bio teacher (known her for the same amount of time). For some reason they like me and from so early on. Kind of surprised me, as it was only in November when I asked.
I think it’s a factor but not a huge one, I believe your essays are what you should focus on instead of worrying about stuff you can’t really by your account control. For instance, asking my AP Calc teacher who I’ve known since last year because I had him in 10th grade felt like pulling teeth not becuase I’m not an active participant in the class but becuase that’s just the way he is. @Fibanaccii
Hey everyone! I’ve looked at CC posts before through Google but I’ve never had the urge to make an acct until now… I’m applying for MITES (even though my chances are infinitesimally slim) because trying never hurt anyone, right?? (Well okay depending on the circumstances but you get my drift.) How do you guys think my chances are?
Race: Asian (South Korean) (qq… good luck to all the URMs though!! I think it’s amazing how a program like this supports URMs.)
Gender: Female
PSAT: 228 (R/M/W - 68, 80, 80) (I suck at SAT reading)
SAT: taking January… I should be studying more… Hopefully 2200+? Extra hopefully 2300+?
Idk what other test scores they ask for (my counselor needs to tell me some stats before I move on in that section of the application) but I have pretty good SAT II scores for Math II (800) and Chemistry (750).
GPA (excluding junior grades): 4.0 unweighted out of 4.0, 5.19 weighted out of 6.0, probably top 2-5%, maybe 1%? (My class is pretty competitive)
ECs: President of Honor Council, VP of Competitions of Mu Alpha Theta, VP of Activities of Science National Honor Society, Treasurer of National Honor Society, pianist/flutist/poet, have some chemistry/science/math competition awards/honors, volunteered at a Biochem/Molecular Bio lab over the summer (one of my favorite experiences to date)
Essays: Working on them! I love writing (particularly poetry) but not sure how strong my essays will turn out to be… and I heard that essays are the make-it-or-break-it section. :((
Recs: Not too worried about, I know my physics teacher & counselor very well and my stat teacher and I mutually like each other. I don’t think my stat teacher isn’t the best at writing though.
I really want to do MITES because even though my course work is pretty rigorous, I want something more and I feel like I could get that at MITES. I want to be challenged further and immerse myself more into science and math. My main concerns are a) Asian b) possibly weak essays? hopefully I can not make that a problem and c) I think my ECs are weak and not STEM-y enough??? I don’t know… d) Asian…
Gah. This is stressful. I’m trying not to hope too much but I’m still hoping. I have some other backup programs that I’m thinking about, but MITES is definitely my #1.
@Poisonivy20 I didn’t have the ‘best’ first impression in my AP Calc teacher, since I never really asked for help too much, but over time I’m sure she’s realized how much I love math. I always try to show her how serious I take my math courses. For example even though I had gotten As on every exam throughout the semester I still stayed up 'till 2am the night before studying to get the highest score on the Final. Sure enough I got the highest score and received a 100% in the class :). As for my Chemistry class though, people stand out a lot more than I do, which sort of makes me look closer to only proficient rather than excellent…
@brendauo101 You’re right. I shouldn’t worry about it, and I realized that. I am just focusing on doing my best to perfect what I do have control of. On the positive end, I had the same problem with my counselor. Our current counselor has only been in our school for a semester, and I have barely spoken to her. So I had my principal, who I’ve known for 5 years now (she was the principal in my old school and the primary reason I transferred) contact MITES and they understood. So now I will be having my principal who has seen me grown as a student writing me a letter
@jaewonm009 It is applicants like you who make me want to not apply at all. Haha I kid. You seem like a very solid applicant, especially because of your test scores! Your academics can only help your application, if that is what you are worried about… (You shouldn’t be!)
@Fibanaccii omg please, I’m sure you’re also a perfectly solid applicant as well! Also I just read your post and I’m sure that if you contact the office or maybe mention it in your 6th essay, you’ll be fine + I think the essays will have the most weight out of all the sections! Wishing you the best of luck
@jaewonm009 If I do get in, it will because of the obstacles I overcome, not because of my academics. I hate to say that I am your typical Mexican-American kid who lives in the ghetto and whose parents never got an education, etc. Lol. Which makes it quite difficult for my essays, as it is very hard to not sound cliche! 
I also had a question about that 6th essay; I know it says if we have further information we want them to know, to include this in Essay 6. But do we simply say all the things we want to say, or do we still have to structure it as an essay with a thesis and organized/structured ideas?
The 6th essay is optional. Do you chose to write it or not?
Is anyone else going through the “I’m over the 300 word limit” struggle?
hi, i feel like im joining this thread really late but I just found out about MITES and am super interested!
but i have few questions about the program that hopefully some of you guys can answer. (any alumni?)
- What is the regular day schedule?
- how rigorous & challenging are the courses?
- acceptance rate?
- and basically i’m just confused about the whole feel of the program, so does anyone know what it’s like?
- Starting my application now, goodluck to everybody!
@brendauo101 Yes, me too. I am finding it just so difficult to concise everything i want to say and make my essays less than 300 words.
For the 3rd question about ethnicity, does it strictly have to be about your academic development? I kinda branched out a bit and talked about my experience in Argentina and how it has made me want to pursue projects dealing with energy-saving techniques…and I didn’t exactly talk much about “academic development”…what do you guys think?
^btw, I am half-argentinian
@brendauo101 yes! I just wrote an introduction to one of my essays and it is 154 words long. So now I’m kind of like…wow. Lol. 300 is really not as much as we think.