Chances at MIT, Caltech EA, and others RD

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>(I posted this a few months ago, but things have changed since then)</p>

<p>I'm planning to apply to MIT and Caltech early action in November. What do you think my chances are, given the following:</p>

<p>Numbers:
- Unweighted GPA: 3.98/4.00
- Weighted GPA: 8.0/8.3 (8.3 is an A+ in an honors/AP class and an 8.0 is an A in an honors/AP class)
- Class rank: 1/~250 by both weighted and unweighted GPA (my school figures it by weighted anyway, though)
- PSAT as sophomore: M:80, V:67, W:74, Total:221
- PSAT as junior: M:73, V:65, W:72, Total:210
- SAT as junior: M:780, CR: 800, W:730, Total: 2310</p>

<p>AP Classes:
- AP US History this year (5 on practice test)
- AP Chemistry, AP Physics, and AP Calculus next year
(It is basically impossible to fit any more than five AP classes into my school's trimester schedule)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
- Math team - publicity director, probably captain next year
- School newspaper - news editor, editor in chief next year
- Student Council - elected sophomore class president, student body vice president
- School Webmaster and member of technology steering committee
- Amnesty International - publicity director
- National Honor Society - member</p>

<p>Awards:
- Winner of 2001 ArsDigita Prize
- Second highest scoring freshman, highest scoring sophomore, and third highest scoring junior in Tri-State Math League
- National Merit Commended Scholar (to-be)
- Third place in DuPont Challenge Science Essay Awards Program 2003
- Honorable mention in Macromedia Student Web Design Contest
- Recipient of American Legion Award
- Life Scout</p>

<p>Work:
- Freshman summer - paid internship at local communications firm, developed script to generate results of a survey for a large insurance company
- Sophomore summer - worked with high school computer department
- Junior summer - not sure yet, but either work or high school honors at BU
- Freelance - have accepted five freelance Web site clients over past four years</p>

<p>Community service:
- 150+ hours of community service in band, various fundraising activities, and technical crew for five school plays</p>

<p>If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Just so you know, I will be taking SAT IIs in June.</p>

<p>Here is my current list of colleges. Please comment on my chances at any of them.</p>

<p>MIT EA
Caltech EA
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Stanford
Princeton
Harvard
Carnegie Mellon
Columbia
Cornell
University of California at Berkeley
University of Illinois
University of Michigan</p>

<p>Thank you in advance for your consideration.</p>

2

<p>ur not gonna be National merit scholar commended. I got a 212 my junior year and I didnt get the letter. My friend who got a 214 got his letter a month ago</p>

3

<p>my brother went to caltech, and you did just as much as he did, if not more. chances look promising, good luck!!</p>

4

<p>I would say your list a little too reach heavy, put in some more safeties in there.</p>

<p>Your EC's, while they may seem very "up there" doesn't allow a picture of what your passion is. Why did you do newspaper? Do you have a passion in journalism? What did you do with that passion besides just sitting in the news room, writing some stories and editing? Shadow a real reporter? I mean, you have the title "news editor" ok, so WHAT? What did you do with that title? I mean WHY do you do the EC's that you do? (The LAST answer they want to hear is "because I have passion" if you can't prove it, or "for college."</p>

<p>Perhaps what I blabber about may be something of less importance. But when I went to visit colleges/ivies last year, this is what the adcoms all told me.</p>

5

<p>I got into CalTech this year as a Junior. If you want my stats and particular experiences with the school PM me or IM me. You look like a strong applicant though.</p>

6

<p>
[quote]
ur not gonna be National merit scholar commended. I got a 212 my junior year and I didnt get the letter. My friend who got a 214 got his letter a month ago

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I already got the letter placing me in the top 50,000 about a month ago. In September, according to the National Merit Web site, 34,000 of the top 50,000 will be commended, and 16,000 of the top 50,000 will be semifinalists. That should mean that I will at least be a commended scorer, right?</p>

<p>Thanks everyone. Bump.</p>

7

<p>if your score report for the PSAT junior year didn't say 99 percentile, you probably won't get it. but your stats are all right. what was your SAT II Math IIC score? try to make it above a 780. 800 would look good.</p>

<p>your applying to math colleges, so make sure your math grades are good.</p>

<p>apply EA to caltech. it is a GREAT school. better than MIT, but less prestigous. i have two friends who go there, they love it. really good science program.</p>

8

<p>No, Jose, you keep thinking of semifinalist. Commended is different. A score of 201-202 qualifies you no matter what state you are in.</p>