Chance an insecure international student.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Hi. I have to say I’ve kind of been alone throughout this whole process (just as most international students are) so I haven’t had much to gauge my chances against. I know its a crapshoot but any thoughts would be much appreciated! I tried my best, but just wanted to see what you all thought. MIT sounds incredible (coming out to the NE in April to visit/holiday, can’t wait!!!) so I’m just hoping I’m one of the three or so UK students who gets accepted this year. I presume pretty much every applicant is fantastic, so I wish everyone the best of luck. I hope everything works out for us. Cheers.</p>

<p>Location/Person:</p>

<pre><code>* State or Country: UK (but parents live in the Netherlands). Have lived in US, Malaysia, Scotland, The Netherlands and other places. Expatriate lifestyle.

  • Info: Male, White, Middle Class, No Legacy, International

  • Major: Engineering (particular focus on Comp Sci and MechEng). Hoping to fast track first year and work part time for IBM).

  • Graduated June 2008- Currently on 9 month internship with IBM UK, before going to another company in May (hopefully Apple/Shell/something else)
    </code></pre>

<p>Stats:</p>

<pre><code>* SAT I (by section): 660 CR, 760 W, 760 M (2180)

  • SAT IIs: Maths I 740 Chem 740 Phys 770 (2250)
  • GCSEs- 6A*'s, 5A’s
  • GCE A-levels- 3 A’s- Maths, Physics and Chemistry (plus AS level in Economics)
  • GPA: 4.0 uw (moving on the presumption that an A at A-level is a 4)
  • Rank: within top 5 out of 100
  • School Type: highly competitive boarding school in Gloucestershire. In the year before me, 20% of people got into Oxford or Cambridge.
  • Course load: Fairly tough, but most stress was developed by EC’s and 6 day school week (yes, we worked saturdays… and yes, it blowed!)
    </code></pre>

<p>ECs/achievements listed on app: </p>

<li>Engineering- Recipient of Arkwright Scholarship (2 year engineering scholarship with job opportunities) and Abbeydale Trust Prize (for engineering contribution). Academic Scholars Society. Scholastic Achievment Awards (top 5 students) for 3 years running. Two patent applications under review. Been shortlisted for IBM Extreme Blue scheme for summer 2010.</li>
<li>Journalism/Publications- I run three websites. One is down at the moment (updates- [Taxomni](<a href=“http://taxomni.com%5DTaxomni%5B/url%5D”>http://taxomni.com)</a>) but the other two are [The</a> Cold Cut](<a href=“http://thecoldcut.com%5DThe”>http://thecoldcut.com) and [Be</a> All End All - College applications made simple.](<a href=“http://beallendall.org%5DBe”>http://beallendall.org). My interviewers were all really interested in hearing how succesful these were… fortunately, my music site has been going for 2 years now and somehow featured on rollingstone.com amongst other things. I love writing about music and also helping other people out so its one of my main passions. Last year I was fortunate enough to attend a number of European festivals as press, a huge step for me and something I hope to continue this year. Be All End All is actually a site I’m starting with another international applicant, offering advice for people in our situation. We know how tough/lonely it can be, so we wanted to help, using our experience. </li>
<li>Music (Instrumental)- Grade 7 Saxophone (Distinction), Grade 5 Music Theory (Distinction), School Choir, Amateur DJ. In most school bands (concert, jazz, sextet and combo). 1st saxophone. </li>
<li>Community Action- As a team lead in the community action team, I helped put on concerts and workshops for the local schools and care homes. 200 hours.</li>
<li>Drama- Dip VCM (Hons)- Diploma Victoria College Of London (Honours)- gives me letters after my name-, Lamda Drama Grade 8 (Merit). Roles in school productions and musicals (both supporting and leading), and weekly drama lessons.</li>
<li>School prefect- (kind of like Student Govt., but perhaps more hands on). Elected by staff and students (and confirmed through interview), prefects act as school representatives and help to run the school on a day to day basis (ie supervising meals, chapel, breaks, punishments).</li>
<li>Debate/Speech- Competitor in school public speaking competitions- highest rank of 2nd on competition where I spoke as Chairman and Speaker. </li>
<li>Sports- nothing varsity, just stuff to keep fit. I was hoping to run the Flora London Marathon this year but didn’t get a ballot place- going to try next year. Also play squash, swim and run to school standards (not varsity though!).</li>
</ol>

<pre><code>* Job/Work Experience: 3 week work placement at Comic Relief during the Sport Relief Campaign- raised £3000 in time there, and helped on event day at BBC Media Centre by chaperoning celebrities. 1 week work placement at Macmillan Cancer Research in Events team. Another 2 week work placement at Comic Relief in different teams second time around, primarily Product (RED) initiative. 2 week work experience for Shell at their global HQ working with chemical engineers. Currently on 9 month internship with IBM UK working as a software development engineer. Work experience at Aston Martin obtained for summer 2009, after IBM.

  • Essays (subject and responses): The world that I came from- my parents are expatriates so I talked about all the different cultures and countries I’ve lived in, and how it has shaped me as a person, broadening my perspective. Related each country to the characteristics it gave me, and how the conflicting education systems made me mature rapidly and develop different skills. Probably high quality but not excellent in comparison to standard US college application essays.
    </code></pre>

<p>Essay on my activities since school- great opportunity to talk about the work done at IBM and my summer activities without appearing to brag. </p>

<p>Essay- ‘Perseverance’. Talking about my defining quality. I’m not the smartest or best, I’m just driven to keep going and never give up. Particular examples included how I emailed Steve Jobs for work experience, leading to phone interviews and now potential internship this summer/next summer. Still in application process. Capitalised on experience when applying for jobs for my gap year (in the UK, some people take a year out before college to work and earn money/experience)- obtained jobs with a fair amount (~10) of companies, but applied to 50! Never gave up. </p>

<pre><code>* Teacher Recs: Both great, if different. One is from a Dr. of Chemistry from Cambridge, who spoke at length on how I was ‘only getting better’ and that ‘what is already there is extremely impressive’, talking about my development through school. Another from my housemaster and Economics teacher who spoke of my ‘drive’ and ‘unbelievable sense of where he was going’. Candid… not sure how US rec letters are usually written.

  • Counselor Rec: An analysis of my time at school and how I managed to maintain my EC’s, grades and social life whilst going beyond the norm and succeeding in my professional life.
  • Extra Rec: Current boss at IBM. Talking about how I have made an impact in my short time at IBM- very unusual to get a personal recommendation from an employer, so I was extremely appreciative. IBM letterhead etc- looks great!
  • Applied on: 12/20
  • Pseudo-Hooks (if any): Web-entrepreneur , international student with worldwide experience? Unsure of this one.
    </code></pre>
2

<p>^ Your ECs kick ass.</p>

3

<p>^
lol
thats exactly what i was thinking
your ECs are so amazing
but the CR on the SATs are kinda weak
but dont worry
your ECs make them up</p>

4

<p>Wow. Thanks a lot guys- first of all for the quick response, and second for being positive. </p>

<p>Haha, yeah my CR score is a little low- it was very strange to be honest, I was getting 700+ on that and about 690 on M and W, but it switched around on the day. As for my ECs, they are basically quite widespread because I went to a boarding school and my days went on from 8 in the morning till 9 at night. They kept us busy so we didn't mess around!</p>

<p>I just wanted to make sure I had a chance so I can keep hoping! Good luck to you both in wherever you have applied!</p>

5

<p>Hey, still looking for more chances if possible...</p>

<p>Also, does anyone have any advice on submitting updates to MIT? Is it worth writing to say that I have been shortlisted for Extreme Blue (the premier IBM summer internship program- only about 25 students get it). I think it may be relevant and important to them as Extreme Blue is also run at the Cambridge lab about a mile away from campus? Any advice would be much appreciated.</p>

6

<p>To send an update at this point, a quick e-mail would probably be fine (include all relevant information and probably a summary of what this internship / award thing is). I know that the admissions office tries to select all the internationals on the same day / couple days so you probably want to get that in as soon as possible, I'm not sure if they do this at the beginning or the end.</p>

7

<p>So, as I kind of expected, I got rejected. </p>

<p>What can I say, MIT is an absolute crapshoot. I know only 2 people (ish) get in from the UK each year, but that doesn’t take away the pain.</p>

<p>Either way, congratulations to all admits- you guys are incredible (no doubt!), do the rest of us proud. Have a great 4 years, and for those of us who weren’t so lucky, you will find happiness. </p>

<p>Peace. </p>

<p>Will</p>

8

<p>What did you mean by “alone” through the process? I’m not certain how I was less alone, but I don’t know much about the differences between US and non-US applications.</p>

<p>I’m sorry you weren’t admitted :confused: Admission is extremely tough - especially for international students. But your info above shows that you are a proactive and intelligent person. MIT would’ve been great, but you’ll kick butt anyway :D</p>

9

<p>I think I meant ‘alone’ in that I’m the first person from my school ever to apply to a US college, and therefore the process was new! Also, I’m not actually at school anymore (on an internship with IBM) so I was distant and it was hard to get all the teacher forms completed. I did it though!</p>

<p>Thanks for your comments. Fortunately, I applied to 8 other colleges (HYP etc etc) and I hope I will be admitted to at least one place. Either way, this has been fantastic experience!</p>

10

<p>Ah, I see. It doesn’t seem that the UK has a drastically different system - though certainly more organized. </p>

<p>Good luck :D</p>