<p>I know chance threads are bunk, so I'm not asking for that. Instead, I'm asking for advice. I am currently a sophomore/rising junior. I have been taking the hardest classes my school will let me, and I'm wondering what I should be doing over the next few years. I'm male, white, and go to a small private school in Alabama. This is my (tentative) schedule:</p>
<p>no SAT
GPA: 3.95</p>
<p>Sophomore year:
World History 2 - A
English 10 - A
H Algebra 2 - A
H French 3 - B (Will this hurt me? I plan to drop French next year)
H Chem - A
Human Phys. - A</p>
<p>(planned) Junior year:
AP US History
AP English Language
H Precalc
H Physics
AP Chem
Comparative Anatomy/Microbiology </p>
<p>Senior Year:
AP Physics
AP Calc (BC?)
AP Bio
AP English/Euro</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Science Olympiad (some state medals, going to nationals)
Varsity Crew (not really competitive, working on this; possible captain senior year)
webmaster for rowing club
NHS
Mu Alpha Theta
Science Bowl (next year)</p>
<p>Summer Stuff:
full time internship at biotech corporation doing genomics (upcoming summer)
family vacations, plan to learn guitar, other random things
community service (mostly rowing stuff)
web/video games/geeky things
more rowing</p>
<p>Also, I spent three years living in Turkey (military family), and my brother is an admitted prefrosh. My entire grade was required to go to a "preparing for college" seminar last night, which caused me to come here. So, what should I be doing if I want to go to MIT?</p>
<p>academically, it looks great. What is not clear is your passion outside of the classroom, is it rowing? You will need to show your passion, your creativity, your leadership, what you really care to do outside classroom and in the classroom. MIT selects candidates in an holistic approach. Good grades, good sats is just the beginning. Good luck but please enjoy High School, do worry to much about colleges now. :)</p>
<p>^looks like Science Olympiad and internship/research are his main passions. That’s fine. Science Olympiad was my main EC in high school.</p>
<p>One suggestion is to try to submit his research to Intel/Siemens senior year. Don’t worry about it now, just try to get experience this summer, but maybe junior year summer look for a way to work on a defineable project.</p>
<p>I’d say it looks fine to me. Nothing overwhelming on your record, but MIT has lots of people who just had good grades/stats with some state science competitions like science olympiad. Don’t worry about the B in foreign language sophomore year. Even Caltech won’t care about that. Generally, one or two B’s in non-math/science are ok.</p>
<p>Don’t overextend yourself too much. If you do community service, think about trying to do it in a way where it’s not spread out so it hurts your academics. Like, for example, maybe habitat-for-humanity for spring break. </p>
<p>Also, think about taking the AMC. You look like you have enough math to be able to qualify for the AIME if you know your stuff.</p>
<p>It’s neat how you get to double and triple up on science at your school. Also the biotech internship looks like a good opportunity. As collegealum said, the internship might give you good experience and background to think about doing an original project for Intel/Siemens senior year. If you have any science fairs near you like ISEF or Science and Humanities Symposium, try to do at least a small project to submit junior year.</p>
<p>Also apply to RSI your junior year, it’s awesome. The deadline to apply is in January(?) so look at their website in the fall, at the latest.</p>
<p>My last bit of advice isn’t about preparing for MIT specifically, but it will help you wherever you go: Learn to talk to adults you respect, ask questions and for advice, and take the initiative to follow up on the advice they give you. This will help you get the most out of the internship you have this summer.</p>