MIT reinstates ACT/SAT test requirement

Darcy123
Sat, 02 Apr 2022 13:36:49 +0000

I have posted before, but will again as there are so many misconceptions about disadvantaged students on this thread. I went to an inner city high school where more than 50% dropped out. Less than 10% went to a 4 year college and essentially all of them went to a UC or CSU - back when acceptance rates were normal there. No one dreamed of private schools, let alone MIT. I took AP Calc AB my senior year, so no score to look at (5 end of the day which was irrelevant as MIT doesn’t accept AB). The only other AP offered was Biology which I also took senior year, so no score on application. I’d never even heard of any of these math or science competitions so utterly irrelevant. My EC consisted of working, and working some more. But I had a decent SAT - pre-1995 reset of 710 - and MIT took a chance that a kid with potential could make it. I will forever respect their process as they truly look for kids who didn’t have all the advantages - does it suck that literally every single legacy family I know even double legacy with donations’ kids didn’t get in (and we’re talking about a TON of kids) - yes. And neither of my kids applied, as it wasn’t a fit for them. But most of you have not the slightest idea of what it’s like to be a kid at a disadvantaged school and should really just not opine on your opinion on their success or not. Scores helped me and I fully understand why MIT needs them to find the kid at a school where more kids drop out than go to college.