<p>I posted this in the MIT section, but I have not gotten any responses, so here I go:</p>
<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I will be applying for MIT this fall and would just like to get your advice/opinions.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I am half Korean and half Chinese. I see myself as more Korean than Chinese, but during admissions are all Asians grouped together? Or is there an advantage to applying with one ethnicity?</p></li>
<li><p>How do my grades/ec's look?</p></li>
<li><p>gpa shows noticeable improvement from freshman to junior year
Approximate GPA's: </p></li>
<li><p>9th: 3.75 (uw) / 4.20 (w)</p></li>
<li><p>10th: 3.85 (uw) / 4.65 (w)</p></li>
<li><p>11th: 3.92 (uw) / 4.85 (w)</p></li>
<li><p>Sophomore year AP's: AP Physics B</p></li>
<li><p>Junior year AP's: AP Physics C (EM & M), AP Calculus BC (with AB subscore), AP U.S. History, AP English Language, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science</p></li>
<li><p>Senior year AP's (will take in Fall): AP Spanish, Ap Statistics, AP U.S. Government and Politics, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics (need class credit), AP English Literature</p></li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>Most ap tests were 5's besides English... Always been strong in math & science... never great in English... lol.</li>
<li>Note that all physics tests were taken prior to having taken any physics classes.</li>
</ul>
<p>EC:
- Currently an intern at CalTech
- Tae Kwon Do for 11 years (instructor with 6 years of competition experience)
- 13 years violin; member of orchestras for 7 years</p>
<ol>
<li>How do my test scores look?
SAT (R/M/W): 640/790/620 (only took once)
SAT II (All taken in one seating and in this order. Scores seem to have a decreasing trend...):</li>
<li>Chemistry: 790</li>
<li>Math IIC: 770</li>
<li>Physics: 710</li>
</ol>
<p>Colleges I am interested in: MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Columbia, UC Berkeley, Caltech (?)</p>
<p>1) There’s no distinction between Asians. Unfortunately with that, there will be higher expectations for you. It’s unfair, I know, but thats just how it works. </p>
<p>2) For most of these schools, your GPA is decent. Nothing spectacular, as there are hundreds of applicants with 4.0’s, but the upward trend is nice. Could be better though. </p>
<p>3) Your SAT score is going to kill you. If you apply with the score you have now, you’ll most likely be rejected at all of those schools. You need to get it into the 2250+ range. Otherwise, your chances will be slim for schools like MIT. Also, for subject tests, don’t submit the physics test.</p>
<p>One more thing: your ECs. They’re ok. Unless you’re a really really good musician, the EC’s are fairly weak for most of these schools.</p>
<p>What type of internship do you have at CalTech? Are you doing research? If so, how involved are you in the actual process, and have you done any tangible work (i.e. written papers, applied to competitions)? </p>
<p>If not, then I would suggest working on this. Your ECs are average - nothing special. How good of a musician are you? 1st violin in a well known orchestra? I know these may seem like unfair questions, but if you’re going to tote your musical experience in order to get into these schools, you need to let people know why it makes you stand out from the crowd. </p>
<p>Your SAT grade is average; unfortunately this will not get you in to your schools of choice. MIT, while it stresses math highly, will not overlook your other sections. My advice is take it again with extra emphasis on the CR section. I don’t know if MIT superscores, but even if they don’t you still need to improve that score. </p>
<p>Rigor of schedule is good, keep it up. </p>
<p>Overall: My advice to you is to consider taking a non-science SAT2. If MIT doesn’t work out, schools are going to want to see your ability to span the subjects. If you’re going to take APUSH consider taking the SAT2 for American History (although this won’t work if you apply ED). Going in to your senior year you still have time to make a couple improvements, of which your top priority should be improving your ECs, maintaining your grades, and writing a stellar essay. </p>
<p>Internship:
I am doing a research-based internship at CalTech. I am working with a professor and one of his postdoctorate fellows. I am pretty involved in the experiments and data.</p>
<p>I am planning to take the September ACT. Really hoping to never see the SAT again even though I did not study prior to taking my first one (only took once). haha.</p>
<p>Some people just naturally do better for the SAT and others do better for the ACT.
And its probably not a good idea just to “haha” at tests that are very influential for colleges.</p>
<p>If your non-studying scores are worth 2nd tier colleges, it should be very easy to just study a little and have 1st tier college scores. Although it is pretty late already, unless you bump up your SAT score or get a 34/35 on your ACT, retake your lower SATIIs, and have an EC that shines, you won’t get into any of the colleges you listed. Even UC Berkeley is starting to look like a longshot.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I would have prepared for physics, but I never got a chance to take a physics class. Read off a PR review book.</p>
<p>I think I have time for 2 more tests.
September - ACT
October - ACT/SAT I/SATII Physics
(I will probably take whichever one may help me the most after my september act results come out)</p>
<p>I was just too tired to take 3 satii tests in succession… I should have scored a lot better on the satii physics…</p>
<p>I think you will have to write exceptional essays to have a shot at those schools, AND that includes either retaking the SAT or scoring very well on the ACTs. </p>
<p>All the schools you list are likely to have many kids with your particular profile - moderate ECs but narrow, great grades, strong science and math. The SAT scores you have don’t show well given the rigor of the courses you have taken. Does your school send many students to the schools you are looking at?</p>
<p>I haven’t actually applied to college yet, so I may not be right, but…</p>
<p>I feel like it is both an advantage and disadvantage. It is a disadvantage for a couple reasons, the two that stand out to me is that your counselors/teachers are probably less familiar with the schools/their admissions which means they won’t be able to help as much, it is also bad if you go to a school that has some unique aspect that would help you stand out (perhaps an especially rigorous core curriculum) since they are probably not familiar with it. It can help though, I know there are some local colleges that are fairly competitive that will only take so many people from the local high schools that produce a lot of applicants (I don’t know if it is the same for students that are not local).</p>
<p>Hi! Your SAT score will significantly lower your chances at MIT. Judging from your 790 in Math, your application might look like that of a typical Asian. Therefore, it’s essential that you use your EC’s (make sure they relate to your chosen major so you can show passion for what you want to study) and your essays to stand out from other applicants. Write a really funny essay. Or make it really bubbly. Or really heart-felt. Whatever it is, you should feel like it really represents you. If you can catch an admissions officer’s eye with your essay and unique EC’s (assuming you try to find a few more) and raise your scores, you have as good a chance as any! Good luck!
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1365139-chance-me-princeton-4.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1365139-chance-me-princeton-4.html</a></p>
<p>My internship at Caltech definitely supports my engineering/science/math passions.</p>
<p>I am planning on taking the September ACT (since I did not prepare for my SAT I, I hope studying can help boost up my score a bit).</p>
<p>Also, I am planning to retake SAT II’s if I have time. I took all 3 in one sitting and in that order (Chem, Math II, Physics)… Scores getting progressively lower… lol. Got a bit too tired/sleepy during physics. :(</p>