To be perfectly frank, I’m wondering how to best play the college admissions game here. I’m a rising senior and like tens of thousands of other students my age, MIT is my #1 school choice. However, I’m very aware of just how few of those thousands are actually accepted. I simply don’t know where I stand among the applicant pool - whether my chances about line up with average 8%, or whether that’s too optimistic. I know that asking such questions is usually fruitless, but I’m wondering if possibly abandoning dreams of pursuing an education at MIT would be worth it if I were to apply early decision to Penn, another school high on my list, and significantly increase my chances of admission there. Should I possibly sacrifice my dreams of MIT to maximize my chances at another great, but more realistic, school?
Another secondary question: I’m a student who does a whole ton of stuff, the majority of which individually isn’t too impressive but when considered collectively maybe suggests superior time management skills and a well-rounded personality. I included everything I could think of here for the purposes of this post, but should I narrow down what I brag about on my actual application?
GPA: 4.0 unweighted, weighted hasn’t been released yet for sure but is definitely >6.0 (I know, my school is ridiculous)
Rank: 1/450
Standardized Testing:
•ACT - 36 Composite, 12 on the essay
•SAT II Math II and Chemistry - 800 and 800
• Straight 5s on 8 AP exams so far: Chem, Psych, Euro, Bio, Microeconomics, BC Calc, Lang and Comp, and US History
Extracurriculars:
Summer fellowship in a research lab at Fox Chase Cancer Center developing more useful/accurate model of liver cancer in mice
Took part in the Immersion Science Program, a highly selective, 10-week cancer research program at Fox Chase Cancer Center wherein I conducted an independent research project on the effects of burdock extract on fruit fly oogenesis - was one of five invited back to work in a lab over the summer (see above)
Drama Club - 2 years - earned featured roles in six musical productions (this is a very substantial time commitment, upwards of 30 hours a week, and is a big part of my life, which I plan to highlight in essays)
Tennis - 2 years
Math Club - 4 years - President for 1 - took part in numerous math competitions
Band - 8 years on Baritone Saxophone
Science Olympiad - 4 years - Physical Science Officer for 1
HiQ, an established interscholastic academic quiz competition - 3 years - had a starting spot each year and won 2016 national championship
Newspaper club - 3 years - editor
National Honors Society
Instructor at Kumon Math and Reading Center - 2 years
Private and Volunteer Tutoring - 4 years
Chorus - 1 year
Volunteer at Virtua Marlton Hospital - 1 year
Archaeology internship at a local grist mill - 1 year
A few hackathons over the years
Counselor at science/engineering summer camp for kids - 2 years
Awards
AIME Qualifier
MIT Math Prize for Girls Qualifier
USA Biology Olympiad Semifinalist
National Merit Semifinalist (at least, but I have a good shot of getting the scholarship I think)
National AP Scholar
1st place at Science Olympiad Regionals 2016 - Air Trajectory
2nd place at Pennsylvania Science Olympiad States 2015 - Air Trajectory
Delaware Valley Science Council $500 Cash Award
All-Delco Hi-Q Award - one student from each HiQ team receives this
Elected for “Made the Best of a Small Role” award by fellow drama club members
Just some other details, I’m a white female. I’m by no means an extraordinary writer, but I’d venture that I’m slightly above average given time and revision. My research mentor and principal investigator, who is fairly well-established in the field of cancer research and has numerous publications, has offered to write me a supplemental letter of recommendation in which I suspect he will paint me in a very positive light, if you think that makes a difference. Thank you for reading all of this, I know it’s rather long-winded but I don’t know how much is necessary to include so I simply threw it all in here
MIT is a high reach for all. However, with your stats, you would have a greater chance of admission related to other students who are applying. Your essays will really be the tipping point. Good luck!
As a female (you are URM in STEM), I personally believe that you would be a match for MIT, (IMO that means more likely than not to get admitted), not a certain thing but with a couple of decent essays I’m pretty sure they would take you. FWIW I would apply EA to MIT and RD to Penn.
Do you feel you know what MIT or Penn look for? If not (and I mean having looked into what they actually say, not assumptions ,) then you have some fast work ahead of you.
Don’t let anyone tell you to cut out some of the breadth sctivities you have. They show nice rounding and varied interests. Just see what can be consolidated when listing them.
I also think that you are a very competitive applicant for MIT.
Do finances matter at all? ED is pretty much telling a school that if you get in then you will go there, without regard for financial aid. I agree with @CU123 that I would recommend applying EA to MIT and RD to Penn (assuming that Penn doesn’t have EA, which is my vague recollection).
If MIT is truly your #1 choice after considering all factors, based on your stats and EC’s, I’d say apply EA to MIT (with decent essays, short answers, and LoR’s, you should have a decent chance). Again with decent essays and LoR’s, I don’t think you need the ED boost for Penn. You wouldn’t want to wonder if you could have gotten in to MIT if MIT is a clear favorite over Penn.
I’m not sure EA helps much for MIT either because I was deferred EA, but accepted RD. If MIT is your first choice though, I wouldn’t go ED anywhere else.
MIT is EA, not ED. I would take advantage of the fact that it’s not restrictive and do multiple EA or rolling schools and wrap up a match or safety acceptance at the same time.
MIT EA is not like ED in one other way: they don’t seem to feel obliged to actually give everyone a decision. The “defer” rate is surprisingly high, and you need to be prepared for the letdown of having to wait until March after all.
Yes, EA is not going to give you an an edge but I think with your profile they are going to want to give you an incentive to attend by accepting you EA. Check out the accepted 2017 EA profiles on the MIT thread.
You have great chances relative to most others who apply to MIT. Maybe 30-40%. However, what could hurt you is that you are too well rounded. Selective schools, especially STEM schools like MIT, look for students who have developed a “spike” in their application.
Your EC list is way too long. You can only fit 10 in the Common App unless you use the additional information section which I do not recommend. Pick your top 10 and make sure most of those ECs relate to one another. Take out the archaeology internship, chorus, tennis, etc. Use the additional information section to elaborate on the 10 ECs you chose because some of those will not be familiar to admissions officers.
What school would you apply early to at Penn? Penn can be just as hard or maybe even harder to get into than MIT.
You are in a very good position. You’ll probably get in somewhere amazing.
Nice. You have insane stats. But as everyone has said, MIT is a reach. For now, I would recommend you start practicing essays. You honestly have a good chance. Not to offend anyone, but ive seen people use Girl interested in STEM as a hook? not sure how credible this information is but if it is, then it works for you(Correct me if I am wrong). Your ECs are great. Really the only thing you need to focus on is your interview(its important) and your essay.
Also not sure if someone said this, but common app only allows 10 spots for ECs so put the ones that you are most dedicated to and passionate about.
What a determined kid needs to focus on is strategy. Yup, that implies knowing what you’re doing.
This OP has a nice range of activities. It conveys a lot. No one should tell her to limit just because there are 10 spaces in that section. Do not remove the ones that show you’re an interesting and empowered indivudual. Some of you miss the point.
MIT doesn’t use the Common App. See this from their Admissions webpage:
"Activities
Please use our form, not a resume, to list your activities. There is only enough space to list four things - please choose the four that mean the most to you and tell us a bit about them. This will tell us more about you than any “laundry list” of everything you’ve ever done in high school.
You are welcome to submit a supplemental resume, but submitting a resume instead of filling out our activity list can hurt you (so don’t)."
I really appreciate all the helpful feedback! I didn’t realize that I was limited to 4 activities… if that’s the case, should I choose four that showcase one area of expertise (math and science), or pick, say two math and science ECs and a couple artistic ones? To demonstrate well-roundedness, as lookingforward suggests?
You should really pick the four that means the most to you but given that some of your ECs will be in awards section, I’d go with Chase Center, Drama, a volunteer and one of band or newspaper. This assumes that HiQ, Olympiad, match club competitions are in the awards section. Good luck!
I’d get on the MIT site and create an account to start your app. How they phrase what they want in that section may drive you to which ones to choose. Generally, I would say choose the ones in which you have achieved the most and spent the most energy. Also ones that your LoR writers are familiar with and can factually highlight with anecdotes about you may serve you well. Also, it might depend on what you write in the essays portion. Essays, EC’s and LoR’s ideally should tie into a coherent picture of a candidate that MIT will want to have as a student. Read the blogs on the Admissions website. There is another piece about applying “sideways” that might give you some direction.
They do not disallow a resume. However, how and what you choose for the four well tell them much about you, your thinking, your understanding. Thus, whether you intrigue them.
No one can “tell” you which four. But if you’ve read through all MIT has said about what they like, including the blogs, it is not just the unilateral, just what you were devoted to or relates to your major, or what can be elaborated on.
This OP has ventured past the usual hs thinking, those bounds. She appears to be multi-faceted. We should not discourage her based on any common assumptions.
