An Aspiring Freshman for MIT

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I visited MIT and about half of the Ivy League last summer, and I was blown away by the atmosphere of Cambridge and the surrounding area of intellectuals.</p>

<p>I've decided that I want to shoot for MIT. Math and science have always been my favorite classes, and it's pretty obvious from my stats:</p>

<p>I'm an Asian attending a slightly competitive public school in Texas offering the IB program, which, for those people who are not familiar with it, is an extremely rigorous college-level program that not only includes a tough course load, but a huge 5000-word (I believe, if not more) essay and a large "Creativity-Action-Service" requirement.</p>

<p>Grades</p>

<p>**Class Rank<a href="as%20of%20fall%20sem">/b</a>: 7/1004</p>

<p>**9th Grade<a href="1st%20Sem%20Only;%20expect%2093-100%20in%20next%20sem">/b</a>:
Pre-AP English I: 95
Pre-AP World Geography: 98
AP Calculus BC: 97
Pre-AP Biology: 98
French II: 98
Intro to Electronics: 98
Tennis: 100
Art I: 98</p>

<p>Summer:
General College Physics I (community college)
General College Physics II ^_^</p>

<p>**10th Grade<a href="expect%2093-100%20in%20everything">/b</a>:
Pre-AP English II
AP World History
AP Statistics
AP Physics C
Pre-AP Chemistry
Pre-AP French III
AP Computer Science
Scientific Research & Design: Engineering
Differential Equations (1st Sem at Community College)
Calculus III (2nd Sem at Community College)</p>

<p>**11th Grade<a href="expect%2093-100%20in%20everything">/b</a>:
IB English SL (AP Eng Lang & Comp)
IB Regional Studies (APUSH)
IB Biology HL (AP Bio)
AP Environmental Science
Scientific Research & Design: Engineering
IB Math HL
IB French IV SL
Tennis
Discrete Mathematics (1st Sem at Community College)
Calculus IV (2nd Sem at Community College)</p>

<p>**12th Grade<a href="expect%2093-100%20in%20everything">/b</a>:
IB English HL (AP Eng Lit & Comp)
IB 20th Century Topics
IB Chemistry HL (AP Chem)
Scientific Research & Design: Engineering
IB Further Mathematics
IB French V HL
AP Micro/Macroeconomics
Tennis
Linear Algebra (1st Sem at Community College)
Complex Analysis (2nd Sem at Community College)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars<a href="pretty%20tentative%20here">/u</a>:
Poetry Club (9,10)
French Club (9,10,11,12)
Astronomy Club (9,10,11,12)
Chess Club (9,10,11,12)
Solar Car Team (9,10,11,12) (I am Vice President of Research currently, hope to become president next year)
STEM Academy Vice President (10)
STEM Academy President (11,12)
School Treasurer (11,12)
Debate Team (10,11,12)
JV Tennis (11)
Varsity Tennis (12)</p>

<br>


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<p>I will create a Mu Alpha Theta chapter (an honors society with emphasis on mathematics) in my school with the help of my current Calculus teacher.</p>

<p>Will apply for RSI (at MIT FTW) and SSP.
Currently studying for the AMC 10/12 for next year, will hopefully take AIME
Will take USABO open exam, will hopefully take semifinals</p>

<p>Test Scores<a href="Not%20tentative;%20I%20took%20these%20tests%20already">/u</a>:
SAT Subject Test: Math Level II: 800
SAT Subject Test: Biology M: 760
PSAT: 183 (OMG. Didn't really prep for it, I was quite disappointed)
I'll bump up my scores. Most definitely.</p>

<p>Erm, can you guys give me a reality check? Can I keep doing what I'm doing and get into the college of my dreams?</p>

2

<p>Your doing fine, you’ll probably make it. IB always looks really nice, (I’m assuming you’ll get the degree right?) and so does being in the top 0.7% of your class. You’ll have another shot to take the psat, so don’t worry about it… just do a few practice tests. Make sure that whenever you apply to RSI, you PSAT math is at least 75. If you get into RSI, you should have no problem getting into MIT, but on the same note don’t screw it up.</p>

3

<p>At least you’re on the right track.</p>

4

<p>kid…just do what you really want to do…its good that you have your priorities straight, but do you really have a passion for most of this stuff, or is it just for MIT? nice SAT math 2 score though. you seem like a really bright person :)</p>

5

<p>We can’t really assess your chances without seeing how your next few years actually pans out. But, assuming you keep your grades up and beast your SATs, you seem to be on track.</p>

<p>My main concern is your insane, unfocused tentative list of ECs. This would be my revised version:</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (pretty tentative here):
Solar Car Team (9,10,11,12) (I am Vice President of Research currently, hope to become president next year)
STEM Academy Vice President (10)
STEM Academy President (11,12)</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>I will create a Mu Alpha Theta chapter (an honors society with emphasis on mathematics) in my school with the help of my current Calculus teacher.</p>

<p>Will apply for RSI (at MIT FTW)
Currently studying for the AMC 10/12 for next year, will hopefully take AIME
Will take USABO open exam, will hopefully take semifinals</p>

<p>I was pretty liberal in what I cut, but what I’m trying to show you is that you should focus on accomplishments in a narrow set of interests rather than useless club memberships. Memberships don’t matter–unless, of course, you do something significant through that club but just happen to lack a title. (I’m in French club too, but just for the food–I don’t plan on putting it on apps.)</p>