***Official MIT RD Results/Discussion Class of 2021***

yanguin
Mon, 20 Mar 2017 10:08:00 +0000

**Decision: Rejected **

Objective
SAT I: M-770 CR-760 W-770 Essay-8
ACT: E-36 M-36 R-36 S-36 Essay-8/12
SAT II: Math-800 Bio-800
Unweighted GPA: 3.82 (converted, so probably not accurate)
Weighted GPA: 4.78 (converted)
Rank: 5+/291
AP: World-3 APUSH-4 Eng. Lang-5 Chem-5 Physics 1-5
IB: none
Senior Year Course Load: AP Bio, AP Calc BC, ASL, AP Eng. Lit, AP Micro, Gov’t (my schedule was messed up)
Number of other applicants in your school: none that I know of
Major Awards : 1st in Science Olympiad event at nationals
Common Awards: AP awards, NMH finalist, high honor roll, NHS member

Subjective

Extracurriculars: Science Olympiad (7th-12th, officer), swimming (6th-10th, state qualifier), Jazz Ensemble (10th, lackluster)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community Service: helped out at a local children’s museum weekly, spent a summer selling produce on a truck in impoverished communities
Summer Experience: self-taught some computer programming

Writing:

Essays: (6/10) I wrote about moving around a bunch when I was younger, helping a person through difficult times in their life, and my passion for science olympiad. I’d like to think I put quite a bit of effort into these but rereading them make cringe a bit. I’m not a very good writer, and I can see it clearly after setting them aside for a few months.

Teacher Recommendation #1: AP Chem (9/10) - My teacher really liked me. I was one of his best students, despite falling asleep in his class.
Teacher Recommendation #2: APUSH (6/10) - My teacher liked me, but that was all. He probably wrote a generic “good student” rec.
Counselor Rec: (7/10) I’m on good terms with my counselor, but we didn’t really know each other personally.

Interview: Lackluster. I met a very nice older lady. We talked for an hour about what I’ve done in high school and the future of AI. Looking back, I feel like I sounded like a generic student, and I was most likely a bit pretentious.

Other

Date Submitted App: 12/31
U.S. State/Territory or Country: NY
School Type: public
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: male
Income Bracket Range: ~$110,000
Hooks: nothing of note

Reflection

Strengths: science olympiad…?
Weaknesses: essays, interview, recommendations, lack of leadership, lack of work experience, ethnicity

Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: I didn’t really my passion for MIT shine through. It was my first choice, but I didn’t give any indication that I admired the whimsical architecture of some of the buildings, the motley assortment of clubs, or the light-hearted nature of hacks.

What would you have done differently?: If I could redo one thing, it would be my interview (see above), even though it probably had the least amount of impact on my decision. I also wish I had written my essays, put them aside for a few weeks, and come back to them later.

Where else did you apply?:
Accepted: SUNY Stony Brook, University of Rochester, UCLA
Rejected: Caltech
Pending: Berkeley, CMU, Cornell Stanford

**Other Factors: ** nothing of note

General Comments & Advice: If you ever get an interview, show your passion for the university and the field you’re vying for. On the other hand, let your essays show who you are. If you think a particular university is the best possible fit for you, the committee reviewing you application will see it. The number of academically qualified students is maybe 90% of applicants. The 4% that are admitted have the passion and personality that fits the campus (as deemed by the admissions committee).