<p>I'm applying to MIT this year, the problem is that I didn't participate in any competition (and therefore I don't have any awards). However, the reason is that my school is in an odd situation: it is a french school located in Mexico and because of that there aren't any competition (french or mexican).</p>
<p>My grades are very good; I plan on taking the toefl (I don't think there will be any trouble) and I got good SAT scores. My teachers' recomendations are excellent and I also have extracurricular activities (I haven't finished my essays, but I think they're fairly good).</p>
<p>I have 2 questions: Will the lack of awards hurt my application a lot?
How can I show that I'm really interested in mathematics and science even if I didn't participate in competitions?</p>
<p>I am guessing you are applying as international.
THAT will hurt your chance by a lot since you are basically competing with many other people in the world who are internationally placed for math and physics . etc.</p>
<p>Just do your best showing how you are excited about them. What have you done for them . for example, staying up till past midnight trying to finish a robot or something even though one is sleepy enough to accidentally saw off his hands... jkjk , taking math science classes that your school doesn't even offer , really go out of the way to do what you like etc. etc. you get the point</p>
<p>Now I'm getting worried. I knew I have to compensate in some way that weakness and I really like math and science. I take math and physics courses my high school doesn't offer, worked in many projects, etc (the bad thing is I'm missing the part of finishing a robot past midnight lol).
However, when I had my interview, the educational counselor (who is very familiar with my school system) said that I shouldn't worry about the awards that much because she would explain very well the situation of my school, but that I still had to show that not having any award was not because of my lack of interest.</p>
<p>so is everyone else!
Worrying isn't going to help.
here is the word i got from a senior last year
"When you are applying, don't think about whether or now you are going to get in. only think about making the application as best as you can"
really that is all you can do.
i think in your situation it is not the fact that you have no awards, it is the fact that the international pool is CRAZY smart... like i mean, come on ,many people that represent their country at international Olympiads are going to apply. and out of those... only like 4% gets in. Just do your best on the apps! no one can be not worrying about MIT... I mean it is MIT. I think you are definitely competitive !</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Hatake Kakashi, (very un-original name as a naruto fan I would say)</p>
<p>Go talk to: Jessiehl or Mikalye or Mootmom or Molliebatmit</p>
<p>These 4 people are actuall people who know the admissions process. Mikalye is an international EC. Privately email these people, and you will get the answer you are looking for.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, I'll see what I can do.</p>
<p>(off the topic: What can I say?, Kakashi rocks!)</p>
<p>
[quote]
I knew I have to compensate in some way that weakness and I really like math and science. I take math and physics courses my high school doesn't offer, worked in many projects, etc (the bad thing is I'm missing the part of finishing a robot past midnight lol).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>See, all of these things are good. Competitions aren't mandatory. Your being an international will be a much bigger obstacle than your lack of competitions (because there's an upper limit on the percentage of admittees who can be internationals, and so the admittance rate is much lower).</p>
<p>Question: I know that the admittance rate is much lower for internationals, but why is this? I mean most internationals are supercompetitive, so why don't schools just take a larger portion of international applicants if they are more qualified domestic ones? How does it benefit the college for accepting less qualified domestifc applicants?</p>
<p>Personally, unless there is a good reason (which I'm sure there is), I don't think this is right. That's like being obviously more qualified than someone of another gender/race, and then the other person being accepted in your place because they are of a preferred gender/race. People should be admitted off of merit, not who they know, nor where they're from, nor what gender they are, nor what race they are. I'm a domestic applicant and obivously I'd like to be accepted, but if someone is clearly more qualified than I am, I don't want to take their spot just because I'm a domestic applicant unless there's a good reason.</p>
<p>At least that's how I see it.</p>
<p>It's lower for internationals because there is a cap on international admits.</p>
<p>MIT, even though it is a private university, receives huge amounts of funding from the taxpayers via the American government. I think it's quite reasonable, therefore, for MIT to reserve the large majority of its undergrad spots for American students.</p>