Any point in applying to MIT?

Overide · September 13, 2012, 5:46pm

MIT would be my dream school however I feel like I don't really have any chance of getting in. I would be very grateful if a few people could support/refute my suspicions, even if their opinions were subjective. Thank you in advance.

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Personal Info:

Age: 17
Class: Senior
Residency: Florida
Intended Major/Interests: I am interested in getting degrees in biochemistry, neuroscience, psychology and/or other similar majors. I am interested in these majors because I am interested in the science of cognition (and modification of cognition) as well as aging and life extension.

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Family Info:

My family hasn't been incredibly stable. I've lived with my mom since the age of four and she had not ever held a job for more than a few weeks. Our income has been consistently nigh nonexistent. I've moved about half-a-dozen times since I moved to Florida at the age of 11, usually switching between apartments, my Grandma's house, or elsewhere.

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Universities I am considering/need to research/would like advice on:

*University of Central Florida
University of South Florida
*University of Florida
Florida State University
Florida Institute of Technology
*Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Maybe others.

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Statistics and Test Scores

GPA entering senior year: ~3.45 unweighted, ~3.9 weighted.
Weighted Class Rank entering senior year: 50 of 256

First SAT:
*Total: 2250
*Math: 790 (-1 MC)
*CR: 750
*Writing: 710 (6/12 essay, -1 MC)

Second SAT:
**Scheduled for October.

SAT Subject Tests:
**Biology, Physics, and Math 2 - Scheduled for November.

First ACT:
**Composite: 33

Second ACT:
**Scores aren't back yet. I feel confident that I got a 35 or 36.

Advanced Placement:
Taken as a Sophomore, 2011:
**WH - 3

Taken as a Junior, 2012:
USH - 4
English Language - 4
*U.S. Government - 5
*Environmental Science - 5

To be taken as a Senior, 2013:
**Calculus BC
*Biology
*English Literature
*Psychology
*Statistics

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Detailed Classes:

Seventh Grade:
**Science Research - No credit afaik

Eighth Grade:
*Science Research - No credit afaik
*Spanish 1 (Maybe honors, not sure if counts for high school as credit, but it was a pre-req)
**Algebra 1 Honors (Not sure if counts for high school as credit, but it was a pre-req)

Freshman Year:
*Geometry
*Drafting and Design 1
*English 1 Honors
*World History Honors
*Biology Honors
*ROTC 1
**Career Research and Study Skills (Required Course...)

Sophomore Year:
*Algebra 2
*English 2 Honors
*AP World History
*Chemistry Honors - AP not offered
*Communications Technology 1
*ROTC 2
*Driver's Education - 1 semester
*Computer Science - 1 semester
**Spanish 2 Honors

Sophomore/Junior Summer:
*Dual Enrollment 'College Algebra' at a community college.
* Dual Enrollment 'Success Strategies for College and Life' at a community college.

Junior Year:
*AP English Language
*AP U.S. History
*AP U.S. Government
*AP Environmental Science
*Precalculus (Honors)
*ROTC 3
**Physics Honors - AP not offered

Senior Year:
*AP Biology
*AP Statistics
*AP Psychology
*AP English Literature
*AP Calculus AB
*AP Calculus BC - Semester 2
*Experimental Science Honors 1
*Experimental Science Honors 2
**Economics Honors - 1 semester - AP not offered

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Extracurriculars:

Won an 'inventor competition' in an elementary school gifted program competition for designing a futuristic rover that made use of materials such as fullerenes.
Third place in engineering at county science fair in 8th grade. Also won a 500$ savings bond + award certificate from an engineering corporation.

Mu Alpha Theta for 11th and 12th grade. Highest score in school-wide tests. (Not the AMC, just a school-wide thing.)
Member of both Robotics Club and Computer Science Club in 12th grade.
Debate club member in 11th and 12th grade.
Founder and current President of our school's Secular Humanist Society.

24 hours of volunteer service for Relay for Life.
Upwards of 30 volunteer hours from ROTC and tutoring. I'm not sure of the exact number.
"Hey _____... I just want to say thank u for everything u did for me with my Math grade! Ur the best tutor I've ever had! So THANK YOU! " - Email quote from one of my peers.

Was the flight commander of an ROTC class in 9th grade. Flight sergeant for a one or two semesters. Element leader for most of the other semesters. Founder and original team captain of ROTC Academic Team that made it to national, but I wasn't able to go to the finals myself and an alternate took my place.

Not sure how much this counts, but I own a business in a program/game called 'Second Life' selling programs/scripts. I've learned some pretty decent linear algebra through programming as well as critical thinking and computer engineering (from transistors, instruction sets, and assembly to caching and branch prediction). I have written, for example, ray-box, point-sphere, point-box, point-cylinder, point-capsule, point-cone, and other similar intersection algorithms that make heavy use of linear algebra. The scripts I make are actually some of the most efficient on the 'grid' (the world of Second Life), and I take pride in that.

Indianboy1 · September 13, 2012, 6:20pm

You should apply, there is no harm in applying and you never know…

Overide · September 13, 2012, 6:42pm

Ah, yes, I do agree that you never truly know. Although it is important to note that it does cost time and money. The cost of money can be averted, however, if I mail them a letter or a collegeboard waiver, which I do intend to do. :)

I think I simply mistitled the thread. I don’t think I was ever going to not apply, but I was interested in hearing people’s opinions on my chances.

Rachelsophie · September 13, 2012, 9:55pm

If you raise your SAT score I think you have an okay chance of getting in. However, I don’t think you can put elementary and middle school achievements on your college applications, which is unfortunate because yours are very good.

Cedardog · September 13, 2012, 10:06pm

I would apply if I were you. You have a strong resume and you never know that you can’t get in.

Jugglingkid · September 18, 2012, 11:36pm

I don’t think you need to retake the test, you have a good enough score.

Sikorsky · September 18, 2012, 11:49pm

I agree that there’s no point in your retaking SAT or ACT. Your scores are good enough to keep you competitive at any college or university in the country, including MIT. You’ve already reached the point of diminishing returns. Better scores won’t make your application significantly better.

Unfortunately, your GPA and class rank are really not competitive for MIT. MIT and its peers usually admit applicants who are among the top few achievers in their graduating class; in places that are somewhat off the beaten path, so to speak, successful applicants to MIT and its peers are often the most remarkable graduates their schools have had in many years.

I don’t like saying it, but I believe the fact that roughly 20% of your high school class has outperformed you makes MIT much more of a reach for you than it is for most applicants. Sorry.

PCHope · September 18, 2012, 11:53pm

With your GPA and ranking, your chance will be extremely slim to none. Your only hope is to write the essay of your life, on your life.

bleach340 · September 19, 2012, 2:52am

MIT is not the only good school out there. That doesn’t mean you have to settle for UFs either. Try middle of the pack top schools like Boston college or wake forest.

scourge566 · September 19, 2012, 11:01am

I think you have good chance for MIT…but your GPA hurts you a little…however overall its okay. If I were you I would retake it once for a perfect SAT(for being safe)…

Give it a try to MIT man!! NOW>>1.Retake SAT (for a perfect score on October)
2.Work out for an extraordinary essay
I’m positive you’ll get in.

Sikorsky · September 19, 2012, 12:21pm

I absolutely agree with bleach340: this country has hundreds of good colleges and universities, where you can get a really sound education, that aren’t MIT. And you’re a good candidate for a lot of them. So there’s not really cause for despair.

On the other hand, I think scourge is absolutely talking through his hat about the value of a perfect SAT. I recommend you read this blog post: [What’s</a> the big deal about 40^2? | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/whats_the_big_deal_about_402]What’s”>What’s the big deal about 40^2? | MIT Admissions). (It dates from the days before there was a Writing section to the SAT, so where it says “1600,” just pretend it says “2400.”)

cortana431 · September 19, 2012, 1:23pm

Scourge, unless you’re trolling, what you don’t understand about MIT is that applicants typically need to have outstanding achievements and/or ECs in math and science and be well advanced in the math and science track to have a realistic shot.

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Any point in applying to MIT?

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