@StrikerX That is true that being around intelligent people makes for an amazing learning environment. But many of my friends who were accepted to Harvard or MIT…opted not to go. The environment there is extremely competitive, every classroom is filled with valedictorians/2400’s/Physics, Bio Chem Math Olympiad champs, and none of them stop to wait and help the others who are falling behind.
I had a friend who unexpectedly got into Caltech. He went there, killed himself two years in. The competition, especially at MIT and Caltech is absolutely brutal. That’s just something to think about when you’re applying. But if you think you can handle the challenge, which I think you are very much capable of, then by all means apply. Soze is more of just reminding you what you are getting into if you decide to go to MIT/Caltech/Harvard.
A lot of colleges use the bell curve which means a limited amount of people get A’s and B’s on every test. Essentially you’re competing with your classmates for that A and you’re competing against the academic elite of the country who especially at STEM heavy institutions like Caltech and MIT, are just incredible.
It’s both a plus and a minus. You can learn a lot from them but also the competition to get into MIT is tiny compared to the competition actually at MIT.
BTW: The chess may help as it shows a lot of talent and potential. What rating are you?