<p>The B+'s and A-'s are the lowest grades on my transcript, but will it hurt even more since these are math and science courses? Assuming I have standardized test scores to back up my math/science strength (2 800's and a 4 or 5 on an AP exam by the time I apply) are these effects somewhat mitigated?</p>
<p>I'm trying to gauge whether it's even worth it to apply EA or not. </p>
<p>A 3.7 math/science gpa although quite low for MIT is probably not absolutely disqualifying if the rest of the application is strong. Quite a bit depends on context too. If your school is very deflated then those grades might be ok while if your school has lots of grade inflation it could raise serious questions about your abilities. You would be better if the low grades were in humanities instead of math/science but not much you can do about that now.</p>
<p>Relax. I got plenty of Bs in high school. Just as good grades won’t get you into MIT, lacking straight As won’t keep you out. If you’re going to get into MIT, you have something much more important, much more impressive than your grades. If you have that something, then it’s okay if you get a few Bs; if you don’t, then straight As probably wouldn’t have gotten you in anyway.</p>
<p>When you’re applying to the top schools, the determining factor is usually something other than grades (personality, recommendation letters, “potential”). I wouldn’t worry about a couple B+'s, especially if you can notch 4’s and 5’s on the corresponding AP tests.</p>
<p>A B won’t kill you. A bunch of B’s won’t kill you. Provided that you have evidence that you can do the work, and additionally have evidence of what you were doing apart from the classwork. For what it is worth (not a lot), I got into MIT early and graduated in the 92nd percentile of my class (which I acknowledge is unusual). Almost of my SAT2’s (and I had quite a few of them) were 800’s (I think I got a 790 in Literature).</p>
<p>Your application is read as a whole. Everything is considered, and taken into context. An B+ at one school might mean a very different thing from a B+ at another. I know of an IMO medalist who did not get an A in his HS math class. Every data point is looked at and valued.</p>
<p>The key caveat to all of this, is that just because a B or a smattering of B’s will not keep you out of MIT, obviously it is easier to get in with a stellar transcript. Your mileage may vary.</p>
<p>@Mikalye, I know an IMO gold medalist who failed his reading class…and still got into Caltech with a full ride.</p>
<p>Yes, they do read your application as a whole, so there is no “required” GPA or SAT score. My SAT I scores were quite low for MIT (610 R, 660 W, 800 M) but I had other things on my application that compensated for it.</p>
<p>Well the thing is your MIT classes and activities will probably be more mathematically/scientifically intense than what you did in high school unless yours is one of the most elite. This would be true in any strong school for the discipline you are studying. </p>
<p>So it’s “bad” if those classes represent the culmination of your mathematics and science achievements and experiences, and you haven’t been making significant efforts to improve (which anyone going to a strong school planning to study a mathematical or scientific field ought to do). </p>
<p>When people reassure you, they’re really saying - it’s not the end of the world. But reality is: most people with B’s in math and science will not get into MIT. Most people won’t get into MIT period. And people with B’s in math and science might be less likely to end up at the most competitive schools for math and science, unless they show other evidence of stellar resumes in that direction.</p>
<p>Your 800s in math and science might make up for it in some admissions processes, but others who just see a B vs an A might be more narrow-minded and simply favor the one having A’s.</p>
<p>I’d assume B’s correspond to an AP test score of 4. Of course, there are schools where the average grade is a C and the average AP score is a 5, and others far from what is standard.</p>
<p>So it won’t redeem it, but I think the point is that if the class the student was taking was pretty hard even for someone who has high math/science ability to get an A in, then the B+ isn’t going to make or break them anywhere really. If the record betrays egregious gaps, that’s more concerning.</p>
<p>In addition to Mikalye’s near-perfect SAT scores, I understand he also was a math team star. While his admission shows that MIT doesn’t strictly go by the statistics, his admission may not apply to the OP’s situation.</p>
<p>The other part that it seems like you want advice on but haven’t given us enough information about is the opportunity cost of applying to MIT EA. In general, the opportunity cost of applying to a college is fairly low while the utility from admission may be extremely large so applying even if you are very unlikely to get in [even <1% chance] may be a good idea. However, restrictions on early applications may complicate the analysis.</p>
<p>Why are we sugar-coating it? Yes it’s bad to have B’s. But if you believe that you can show your passion for math/science elsewhere, and if MIT is really your #1 choice, then apply EA. Otherwise, apply regular. Just because it’s possible to get in with a few B’s doesn’t mean it’s not detrimental to your application. It’s a holistic evaluation. </p>
<p>For example, if you’re a male ORM, getting more than one or two B’s will almost definitely keep you out. There are always rare exceptions (to people who want to complain about my previous statement).</p>