Unusual Circumstances in Applying to MIT

Colleges & Universities Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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<p>So lets cut to the chase. I’ve been self-taught since 13, although I was technically homeschooled (never went to High School), it was only for a year, and I read about 4 books. Chemistry, Western History, Cultural Anthropology, and Geology, these were all at college level. I never completed any official tests for the subjects and my dad did not check my work or even if I was reading. I took a semester of college at Lane Community College where I took Theories of Reality, Archaeology, and Critical Reasoning 101. I did well in my classes averaging a B across the board. Sometime after that I decided to take my ACT. Over the course of 3 months, I reviewed the algebra I knew and studied Geometry, and some Trigonometry. I know algebra, some geometry, and some trig thats all. After the 3 months was up I took my ACT and scored a 26. A decent score, but disappointing never the less. I met a guy, my friend now, who was accepted to MIT but turned it down in hopes of joining the military he seems to think I could get in if I applied myself, which I have been doing. I’ve been studying Physics on my own and its very easy. My first question is if I take 9 months and solidly learn Physics, Chemistry, Trig, Pre-Calc, Calc 1, and Calc 2, score well on my SAT and possibly take my ACT over again, what are my chances of getting into the EECS undergrad program? I want to go into the computer sciences and no other university offers the kind of program MIT does in regards to building systems. </p>

<p>A year ago I was diagnosed with paranoid schziophrenia. I took my ACT at the time when I thought people could read my thoughts and tele-communicate with me. Awful stuff. My other question is should I include this in my application somehow, and how would I go about it if I did? I’m very creative and very disciplined, and would like the oppurtunity to go to a very high level school. I have other reasons for going to MIT but some things I should probably wait to talk about till I’m filling my application out. </p>

<p>The cons are pretty obvious and hopefully the pros are fairly obvious too. I didnt do much in the way of extra-curricular activities because I was always on the move. After reading about other peoples amazing test scores, lists of awards, and extra-curricular related activities I’m wondering if my application will be laughed out of the office. Give me some insight.</p>

<p>Please feel free to ask me any questions. On a side-note, regardless of whether or not I get accepted I intend to continue my intense study methods especially where the sciences and math are concerned. I would possibly like to become a Quantum Physicist someday.</p>

<p>Another thing about the standardized test I’m reasonably certain that with a little studying I can score between 30 and 36 on the ACT and between 680 (low) to 800 on my SAT. I missed out on 4 years of school after all went through some intense mental problems, took my ACT while I was hallucinating and did well nevertheless. Just wanted to make that clear. Thanks.</p>

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<p>wow, you have an amazing story that I think would catch the attention of the MIT adcoms. </p>

<p>you should probably check out the admission stats for scores but I dunno, as long as they’re near that range its probably good.</p>

<p>if you can show that you triumphed over all of those mental problems and still ended up doing excellent in math and physics and other classes, I think you’d have a shot.</p>

<p>i’m not qualified to say anything though.</p>

<p>what grade are u in by the way? (or how old are you i should say?)</p>

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<p>wow, great story. i think u should try to apply to MIT and show how much you’ve overcame your obstacles. I also have a disability too (physical rather than mental, but defs impact my life and studies a lot). I did write an essay about how I tried to compensate and work out with my disability and the low expectations I faced. PM me if u want to.</p>

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<p>Amazing story. I’m rather humbled… I’ve had it so easy and I’ve complained so much… </p>

<p>I truly hope MIT will accept you when you do apply - you’re the kind of people any university worth their salt wants - someone who’s hard-working, resilient, and unwilling to let even superhuman obstacles stand in their path.</p>

<p>I want to read about you one day in a science journal. Best of luck and don’t worry about anyone else’s credentials. I assure you that you will NOT be laughed at in the admissions office. If anything, they’ll be as impressed as we all are here.</p>

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<p>Sorry, double post…</p>

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<p>Thats really good to hear. I’m 21 by the way Prime235. So I guess they wont mind if I go on about the mental illness? I’d like to talk about it, its a pretty important part of my life. Ok, yea, I think I’ll do it. Thanks again.</p>

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<p>One thing to remember…you need to make it clear that you are functional enough to handle MIT life. It’s one thing to have your mental illness under control and have demonstrated that you can do the work with it controlled and respond in healthy ways to setbacks, and another to be uncontrolled and trying to get in on the basis of intelligence without any evidence that you can commit to schoolwork.</p>

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<p>yea, the thing is to show that actually triumphed over your problem.</p>

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<p>I was deferred from both caltech and uchicago EA, and from that, I’ve given up hope that I’ll get into MIT EA, since how can I get into MIT EA if the other two top schools deferred me?</p>

<p>I wonder, are they “real” or “fake” deferring me? Are they afraid to reject somebody like me, so they defer me instead of rejecting when they think I probably have no chance of getting into those schools? I would rather them to reject me if I had little chance of getting into school than giving me a false hope that I"ll might get inot those schools.</p>

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<p>What could I do to improve my chances even more? I think I’d like to build something or do some serious research and I imagine that would help a lot, but is there anything else?</p>

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<p>contact a local professor. probably a good start.</p>

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<p>A brief comment:</p>

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<p>Just wanted to make sure you knew that MIT doesn’t admit you into a specific school or program. You’re admitted to the Institute as a whole, and given a year to decide what major you want to declare. And of course, you can change it at any time afterwards provided you can complete all the required classes in time for graduation. As such, it’s not like getting into course 6 EECS is any harder than getting into the others =) I wish you best of luck; hope to see you in my dept. in the future!</p>