Hi I’m currently a junior and just want to see how I’m doing.
I plan to apply for nuclear engineering but if the school doesn’t offer it then chem engineering
Schools: MIT Stanford Princeton Northeastern Georgia Tech Vanderbilt Auburn and Boston College
Info: I’m from a small public school in Alabama that is interested in nuclear engineering
Stats: SAT 1500 (750, 750)
Could only take one AP sophomore year (APCSP) and got a 4
Plan on taking SAT chemistry and SAT math 1 as well as retaking SAT
ECs: FBLA first place in state competing in Information Technology and competed in
Nationals
Founded debate team
Ran track and field and cross country but more than likely wont in college
Work 20+ hours a week and volunteer through a family owned business for multiple
years
I have been accepted to Vanderbilt Summer Academy but it isn’t very selective and i’m waiting for stanford summer school responses.
I am currently trying to publish a research paper on the topic of nuclear chemistry.
This is my first time so if theres any more info i can give lmk
Otherwise please share tips and chances!
All of these schools are either private or out of state, for the exception of Auburn. Chances are as good as any other applicant. Just an FYI, nuclear engineering is not a very employable job market, so you really don’t want to go to a specific school for that. The average college student changes their major about 3 times. Keep an open mind and make sure your choices are affordable.
There was a similar thread about Univ. Tenn. and Univ New Mexico being desirable nuclear engineering choices because of nearby Dept Energy employment opportunities.
Consider applying to U Alabama as a safety for that sweet full ride.
As you said, you should get your SAT up when you retake it, and just really nail your essays.
Matches? Auburn is a safety (though, as @daunt18 write, U Alabama is a better safety).
MIT, Stanford, Princeton, and Vanderbilt are high reaches, and you are almost certainly not going to be accepted at any. This is not because you are a weak student, but because tens of thousands of students who are as strong as you are also applying to each of these schools, and they will only accept a few hundred. As an OOS applicant, Gtech is a reach, and Northeastern is also a reach. As @TomSrOfBoston writes, BC does not have engineering.
With this list, you will almost certainly attend Auburn, which is a great school, but you would probably be happier at U Alabama. Improving your SAT will only slightly improve your chances, if at all.
It’s impossible to say given the information you supplied. However, I am hesitant to say you won’t get into all these places.
First, do you have any hooks? Seems like you are not a recruited athlete, but did you look at MIT’s stats? I don’t know about track, but MIT sports have gotten quite competitive.
Are you 1st gen? URM? These are huge at MIT. Do you need FinAid - MIT has a strong preference for applicants who need fin. aid.
You come from a small town in AL - that is a plus for MIT and a lot of colleges that want geographic diversity.
Yes, retake the SAT - maybe try the ACT. Also, you need the subject tests for us to figure out what you need. What math are you taking - are you sure you don’t want to take Math 2?
As far as nuclear engineering goes, there is not reason to not list this - if you have pertinent experience and strong reasons for saying nuclear engineering (are you considering ROTC and the military) then that will not hurt you. MIT wants a diversity of majors, so if you choice is genuine, it will only help.
I have thoughts on other schools, but won’t comment since this an MIT string.
I have no clue why someone would think Bama is a better safety than Auburn, especially in engineering…doesn’t make sense to me. However, if you plan on nuclear engineering…I don’t believe either school has that as a major. North Carolina State University does thought - and they are a great engineering school. You will likely get in there.
I think an equally important topic in addition to your chance of getting in is your ability to pay. Do you know what your expected cost of attendance is at MIT (or your other schools), and do you know what your family can afford?
If military service is an interest to you, MIT does have ROTC programs. However, I would only recommend this if the military is truly the direction you are interested in, not just as a means to pay for school. Nuclear engineering is a preferred degree for the Navy.
FWIW- my S20 was also very interested in Nuclear engineering. NC State has a competitive application 3 week summer nuclear engineering program. It is very affordable, and gives a great overview of the field. (Application deadline is in April, so it isn’t too late).
i’d appreciate comments on other schools! I am low income and work a lot and have kinda developed that into a hook. My town is definitely rural so geo diversity is a plus.
I think i havent really done a lot of good STEM ec’s so i applied to summer programs like RSI.
I don’t know what other people are saying but your gpa and sat is very good. As you say, you also come from rural Alabama which to me seems like an interesting hook. I would apply to wherever you want including the list you put above because you never know and with those stats you have a chance.
First of all, MIT does offer a nuclear science and engineering major (Course 22).
In fact, MIT has a 6 MW nuclear research reactor right on campus. It is the 2nd largest university-based research reactor in the US. As such, you will see lots of radiation detectors on top of campus buildings as a precaution.
The reactor was used to research boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for treating brain tumors and skin cancer. Nowadays, it is used for plasma research and for doping silicon. In fact, MIT makes millions of dollars by doping silicon, which it then sells to chip manufacturers.
Some classes will even give you the opportunity to tour the inside of the reactor. I took a 6 unit seminar in nuclear engineering and we got to tour inside. They have you carry a radiation meter when you enter and measure how much you got exposed to when you leave. The control room looks like NASA mission control. It was awesome.
But getting back to your original question… “Chance me nuclear engineering MIT”. Unlike some other colleges and universities where you apply to a specific major, you do not have to worry about that at MIT. Instead, you declare your major AFTER you start school. Some students declare their major during their freshman year, but that is not required. In actually declared my major after the 1st semester of my sophomore year. You can even change your major later on. MIT gives you that flexibility. You are not expected to know what major or career you want to pursue when you are just a high school senior. At MIT, you can explore, try out classes in different fields, and see what you really enjoy doing.
As such, there is no chancing you for nuclear engineering at MIT. Rather, the more appropriate question would be “chancing you for MIT”… period.
I am sure you have great qualifications. You obviously have a great GPA. But MIT gets LOTS of highly-qualified applicants every year, so chancing you would be nearly impossible,
All I can say is apply anyways. I am sure you will get into a great school, MIT or otherwise. Best of luck!