<p>Yes, I did do an interview. I feel it went well, it lasted for an hour, talked about the EC's engineering practice, what it was like when he was there, and so on. Thanks for the advice. </p>
<p>If anyone wants to read my essay, I'll read yours.</p>
<p>Do the above stats look good enough for UC Berkeley even though I'm out of state?</p>
<p>Dude....like the kid a few post above said....you have nothing to worry about for any of the schools you applied to....in fact ,Berkelely will be kissing your a*s to go there...seriously.</p>
<p>Do you realize that no qualifying for AIME puts you out of the top 10,000 math students in the nation? So much for the "Of course, I'm a very nerdy math and physics geek."</p>
<p>Your research may look good, but without any research awards, it doesn't look very legitimate. Nowadays, anyone can go to a local university and work in a lab for a professor. MIT and Caltech are probably reaches.</p>
<p>Why the hell would you want to be a nerdy math and physics geek... Correct me if I'm wrong, but MIT does not accept only nerdy math and physics geeks...</p>
<p>In addition, it might be easy to do research in a lab for a professor washing dishes, but it's hard to find and do the research that relates to what you really want to (especially for high-schoolers since it would be a waste of time for the professor).</p>
<p>I only said I was "a nerdy math and physics geek" because I was speaking truthfully. Of course MIT accepts more than just nerds, but many applicants, as well as much of the student body, in some way qualify as nerds. Even MIT has said similar statements. Of course I realize not qualifying for the AIME looks like you're rather "stupid," but I tend to very poorly on math contests only to figure out my mistakes immediately after I'm done. I'm sure every math contest taker faces the same difficulty, but this has really messed me up in the past. It would be ridiculous to use this as an excuse of some kind in my application; that's why I use the top 1% on a statewide math competition(MMPC) to back me up on this matter. Participating in ARML and so forth helps too; I won't pretend this makes up for "failing" the AMC, but MIT representatives have said they seek students with appropriate academic backgrounds and a matching character for the institution. Few students fail the academic "requirements" for admission; it's the character, motivation, and so forth that messes everyone up. I don't know about Caltech. Please let me know if anything I've said is false or some way in the negative. Thank you for the comments everyone.</p>
<p>1232112321, it's fine to criticize my part in the project, but to insinuate my mentor is somehow unqualified in her profession by saying "...it doesn't look very legitimate" is completely inappropriate. This is simply an informational paper to be presented amongst other biologists at an international conference to share knowledge with the scientific community. Her paper is not some joke, hastily prepared "just for the fun of it." Sometimes, not all projects are appropriate for a student to enter in a competition such as Siemens. Simply because no awards were won in no way means the research is total bogus. It's rather amusing that someone who certainly doesn't have a Ph.D feels they have the right to criticize someone possessing abilities far greater than theirs.</p>
<p>I don't know where you got the idea that I'm insulting your mentor. I didn't say her research wasn't legitimate. Today, anyone could easily help a professor out at a lab with mixing solutions or whatever. Obviously the student could list that as "research" but is it really legitimate? </p>
<p>So I ask you, if what you did is really worthwhile, why didn't you enter Siemens or Intel? Even in your own post, you put research in quotes. Why?</p>
<p>"...I helped a biologist (technically a teacher, but she has a doctorate and has published other works) with a math model for her work on evolutionary diversity based primarily on size, typical velocity, and so on.(it's similar to "research," the paper would be submitted as a supplement and as far as I imagine, reviewed using the same procedures for an abstract)" Does this suffice? I'm appalled that some people would do what you mentioned above, but I certainly hope admissions officers don't look at all research projects/abstract excerpts/etc. like this initially. Regardless, the math addendum was the work of solely myself and another student. Our mentor "directed" the type of model she was looking for, nothing more.</p>
<p>No one else wants to swap essays?</p>
<p>Many juniors (and some underclassmen) would like to see results. It's better to use the same thread than clog up another one with a half-page description of grades and so forth.</p>
<p>In order of preference:</p>
<ol>
<li>MIT- rejected</li>
<li>Caltech- accepted</li>
<li>Berkeley- accepted</li>
<li>Columbia SEAS- "rejected" the waitlist offer</li>
<li>Brown- accepted</li>
<li>Rice- accepted (Trustee's Distinguished Scholarship and Century Scholar)</li>
<li>NYU- accepted (Presidential Honors Scholar)</li>
<li>Wash U- waitlisted (will not accept)</li>
<li>Case Western- accepted (Provost's Scholarship)</li>
</ol>
<p>Will attend Caltech in fall 2008.</p>
<p>Well I guess I'm too late but........congrats on getting into Caltech. Based on your math and science courses/EC's, you definitely deserved it. And whoever said that taking BC in 8th grade "is no big deal" is ignorant. The AOPS did not say that taking calculus early is not an accomplishment. It said that it's not recommended; it said that students should develop complex problem solving skills in lower level classes, then continue on. Regardless of what some internet article said, if taking BC in 8th grade was no big deal, then everyone would be doing it and I'll bet you that kids would be taking it in like 6th grade.</p>
<p>Hey OP, where did you end up then?</p>
<p>i think you have a good shot at caltech</p>
<p>Congratulations on Caltech. Since everything is said and done, would you mind if you posted/sent me your essays to see what worked?</p>
<p>Could you PM me your essay?
i would love to read it
THanks :)</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the only computer I have now is a laptop I bought less than a year ago, so I don’t have access to files before then. It isn’t really about “what works.” My essay was honest and discussed a number of anecdotes for my love of math and science. The topics weren’t really that unusual. I’d say honesty is your best bet.</p>