<p>Hello. This is about me and MIT. To start, I've been in honors/pre-ap my whole life, whenever possible. I don't do any community service or anything, but I will join NHS whenever I get the opportunity. I am in the second semester of my first year of high school. My GPA is a 4.1 with PAP Geometry, PAP Bio, PAP English, and electives. I am on the Tennis team, not varsity though, but I plan to play Tennis for the rest of my years at high school. Technology is basically all that my life is about and I have mastered computer building, overclocking, everything that deals with computers. I also have experience in running and recoding game servers with high quantities of players (not so sure I would tell that to the people at MIT xP). It is my dream to go to MIT and master in engineering. I'm not really a mathematical genius but my whole life is about technology. MIT chooses applicants to admit based upon unique characteristics. Is building computers from an early age something that I can use to my advantage, or is everyone applying to MIT going to know how to build computers? Also, how would I go about conveying my passion about technology to the admission officers through my essay and interview? Some may say it is too early to begin worrying about these things, but I shun said notion. The last thing I will include is that my parents are Persian, which means I will list myself under White: Middle Eastern. Will my minority race increase my chances? I've seen so many insane college applications that look like the applicant has dedicated their whole life to getting into MIT and they were rejected. I'm not a mathematical genius and I'm not valedictorian or #1 in my entire school or anything. I do, however, know more about technology than probably anyone in this city. I have an ability to easily grasp technological concepts and since a very young age I have been interested in technology (and literally getting my hands on circuit boards and whatnot). I haven't entered any competitions ever and I am afraid that the college admissions officers don't know me, so that will make it hard to convey to them my deep passion for technology.</p>
<p>The “computer building” case would put you in a somewhat smaller group, but it’s not totally “unique”, as I too have been building computers from a young age… but just portray your passion for technology and it would help you get in…</p>
<p>In what ways can I portray my passion for technology? I don’t think an admission officer would want to sit down and read all about how great I think motherboards are. By the way, is there somewhere where I can get the application essay and other application materials that require writing? If the prompt will not change by the time I apply, I would like to start thinking about it early.</p>
<p>First, if everyone applying to MIT is already a computer genius, what’s the point of opening course 6 (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)? But I’m not saying that you’re a genius (be a little bit humble; if you’ve already mastered everything, then why do you have to stay in high school instead of going to Intel?). You don’t have to be completely different from the others. If MIT loves you, they will take you.</p>
<p>Second, will your minority race increase your chance? Probably, as long as you take full advantages of all conditions provided. Being in a minority won’t directly give you any chance.</p>
<p>And third, it’s good to prepare for your future and pursue your dream early. But no one can tell you how to write YOUR essay, answer YOUR interviewer’s questions and fill out YOUR application. Every time I read a how-to-get-into-MIT thread, most people on CC forum said, “Follow your passion, do whatever you love, blah blah blah”. They are right. Now if MIT is truly your dream, then you will figure out how to convey your passion for technology when filling the application. It will be your own way, your own style, though may not be so different, but has to be yours. By the way, use your own brain and heart (I’m emphasizing both; without real emotion and mature thought, everything is futile).</p>
<p>P.S: Because it’s still too soon, I think you should now focus on other things. Don’t miss any chance to do what you love.</p>
<p>Hey nice! A techie! :D</p>
<p>I’m into similar things too. Although you seem deeper into the hardware bit - I’m more into software (although not ‘mastered everything’, I’d say - I keep learning new things every day - both discovering things myself, seeing things in other people’s work, watching stuff on the internet, discussing with other people - part of why I love open source so much). Into making computer games, with fun physics and math. And also into general computer science (more abstract - like data structures, lambda calculus, set theory), LISP, Haskell etc. You can see my projects on my website [url=<a href=“http://nikki93.github.com/projects.html]here[/url”>http://nikki93.github.com/projects.html]here[/url</a>]. Check out my latest project, ‘GraLL 2’. It’s a 3D game I’d been working on since April this year.</p>
<p>You should try making things easily visible - make a website/blog/etc., put up information about what you’ve done there (should be easy with your tech skills). Just make it very visible - you can just give a website URL to people to allow them to learn more about you - it’s also a great way to find other people with similar interests, there are so many people like this you can find on the internet. It might even help other people if they want to learn more about similar things.</p>
<p>Also, try getting deeper into things you’re into. I mean, like, see how the electronics behind motherboards in computers work (just giving an example - you seem interested in hardware), how it can be improved etc. It’s a great way to learn traditional ‘electricity & magnetism’ physics while also doing what you love. I was able to learn a lot about mechanics and 3d math (like vectors, matrices, quaternions) while working on games.</p>
<p>Just exploit the resources you have. And have fun. :-)</p>
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<p>Yes, and no, respectively, but it won’t make or break your application.</p>
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<p>You do not have to be completely unique (obviously everyone is unique, but you know what I mean) to be admitted to MIT.</p>
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<p>You don’t have to be. You have to be smart, qualified, and come off like the sort of person who would succeed at MIT, benefit from MIT, and be a boon to the MIT community (I don’t mean that in a “you have to want to do all the student activities” kind of way - the community also includes, for example, faculty and research staff, and the MIT name itself, which is affected by what its degree-holders go on to do).</p>
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<p>They don’t know most applicants. 
And you don’t have to have entered competitions. Competitions are one way to show that you are smart and qualified and care about what you are doing, but there are many others.</p>
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They’re admissions officers at MIT – they are very used to hearing about the science and technology interests of applicants. They want to hear what it is that excites you.</p>
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There is no guarantee that the prompts won’t change. I know they were thinking about changing them this past year.</p>
<p>“I do, however, know more about technology than probably anyone in this city.”</p>
<p>lol… come on</p>