Chance me MIT Applied Math?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Hello!
I am a first-generation Asian male in the class of 2018. I’m looking to study a major in either a field of Mathematics or Natural Sciences, and possibly a minor in Computer Science. I will be applying next year so I came here to look for reasonable choices I should pick. Here is my information:

Demographic: Asian Male

Other Hooks: First Generation, Parent is single, bad high school

Residence: California (Do not mind moving out of state)

GPA: Unweighted 4.0, Weighted 4.57, UC GPA: 4.5

SAT: 1530 (730 English, 800 Math) Essay 8/7/8 (Took Sophomore Year)

SAT II: 800 Math 2, 780 Chemistry

AP Classes taken: AP Biology (Did not attempt exam), AP Language (4), AP Literature (will take senior year)

Dual Enrollment Classes: Introduction to Statistics, Calculus I, II, III, Childhood Psychology, Japanese I, Music History, Chemistry 1A, 1B, Communications 1A, Introduction to Computer Information Systems, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations (Will Take: Physics 4A/4B/4C, Introduction to Astronomy, Discrete Mathematics)

Degrees: I will earn two Associates’ Degrees by the end of Fall 2017, one in Mathematics and one in Natural Sciences.

Military Leadership: I go to a school where a military aspect exists and is the focus. Consequently, test scores are much lower, as more time and resources are put into the military side. The school is divided into four ‘companies’, each with specific student staff running. I was the Training and Operations Officer in my Sophomore year, then was promoted to the Executive Officer position my Junior year.

Clubs: Due to my school being a military school, student-ran clubs were not a thing. However, I was able to convince the superintendent to allow clubs to be a thing, and I started up a research club, where members share interesting technological devices that they looked into, and described its specs, etc.

Extracurriculars: Kumon tutor, tutored at another less known tutoring place, Community College paid Math tutor/helper, unpaid summer internship, 200+ volunteer hours (from tutoring, helping at library, food bank), private SAT tutor, Junior summer internship, school TA for AP Calculus AB/BC, went on an organized volunteer trip to a less privileged country to help children with education needs

Letters of Recommendation: Principal, Professors, Bosses

My school is academically lax and has crazy grade inflation. Thus, I chose to take advantage of Concurrent Enrollment instead of doing AP classes. I broke the record for the highest new SAT score of 1380, and that was from the graduating class this year. The second highest SAT score in my grade is 1240. Many students have a 4.0, but that is due to easy classes and no one really looks to go above and beyond.

Thank you!

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If you’re looked at as an URM, I think you have a solid chance. If you’re looked at as an Asian male, you have no chance. I’m not sure which way the admissions committee will view your application. I suggest you emphasize in the essays the obstacles you had to overcome as a first generation applicant. Good luck.

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I might have misinterpreted your status. What do you mean by first generation? That term is typically used to mean that parents never attended college.

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@brassratter yes, neither of my parents attended college.

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The best advice I can give you is to apply to MIT EA. Your minority status might help you get in early.

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You put for your title “Chance me MIT Applied Math”, so let me say this first… your title should say “Chance me MIT” because you are not applying into the Math Department or EECS or any other major. You are applying to be a major-less freshman. You don’t decide your major until after you have been admitted and gotten the chance to get a bit more familiar with MIT. When I first came to MIT, I thought I would go aero/astro. But in my sophomore year, I declared a different major.

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@nakoruru Ah, I see. Thank you for clarifying that for me. How do you think my chances are though?