Chances at MIT, Stanford, Caltech

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Just want to see what other people think about my chances, I'll be applying early to Caltech and MIT come fall. And if it's relevant I go to TJHSST in northern virginia which will probably make it harder for me due to the high number of qualified people coming from here.</p>

<p>Classes (all are at least honor level):</p>

<p>7th Grade:
Algebra 1 - A</p>

<p>8th Grade:
French 1 - A
Geometry - A
Algebra 2 / Trig - A</p>

<p>9th Grade:
Principles in Engineering and Technology - A
Biology 1 - A
English 9 - A
Precalculus - A
Japanese 1 - A
Accelerated Compsci - A (+ took AP Compsci AB test and got a 5)
PE - A</p>

<p>10th Grade:
English 10 - A
World History 2 (1500 on) - A
AP Calculus BC - A
Artificial Intelligence (1st sem) - A / Computer Architecture (2nd sem) - A (both post APCS classes)
Chemistry 1 - A
Japanese 2 - A
PE - A</p>

<p>11th Grade:
AP US History - B+
English 11 - B+
DNA Science 1 (1st sem) - A / 2 (2nd sem) - A (college introductory microbiology class)
Multivariable Calculus (1st sem) - A / Linear Algebra (2nd sem) - A
AP Biology - A
AP Physics C - A
Japanese 3 - A</p>

<p>Overall GPA weighted: 4.08 / 4 (A = 4, B+ = 3.5, +.5 weight per year long AP or post AP course)
Unweighted: 3.96 / 4</p>

<p>Planned 12th Grade:
AP English Lang
AP US Government
Geosystems
AP Japanese
Differential Equations / Complex Analysis
Economics / Street Law (need to fulfill humanities req)
Mentorship (leave school early for the first semester to continue research described in EC stuff)</p>

<p>Tests and whatnot:
PSAT: 220
SAT: haven't had time to take the new one yet, will in October, old SAT score: 1550
SAT2 Math 2: 800
Chemistry: 750
Will probably take another 2 or 3 in November</p>

<p>ECs:
1. I own my own webhosting company (selling domains names, design, coding, servers, anything in that niche) that I started entirely on my own (<a href="http://galaxisweb.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://galaxisweb.com&lt;/a&gt;) and have now grown to have 5 employees excluding myself and hundreds of clients.
2. Head Systems Administrator for my school, in charge of maintaining all of the computer and infrastructure including 20 servers running Linux, and hundreds of computers across the school. Also includes the school website at tjhsst.edu and our innovative intranet that allows students to access all of their files from home, check their email, look up the information of their friends, and sign up for our 8th period.
3. Completed research project using wavelets and fourier transforms to reduce noice in 2d signals (images) with Daniele Struppa (former dean of GMU, <a href="http://cas.gmu.edu/deans_welcome/about_the_dean/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://cas.gmu.edu/deans_welcome/about_the_dean/&lt;/a&gt;)
4. Research project in progress using simplexes for complex social models with the same person. A simplex is a generic structure in some finite space (usually a triangle), for example a 0-simplex is a point, a 1-simplex is a line, a 2 simplex is a triangle, and a 3-simplex is a pyramid. Currently all social networks only use 1 simplexes, that is, one person knows another person who knows another person who knows another person, a large number of lines but no higher order structures. We're currently trying to come up with a computer model to simulate networks using higher order simplexes, which could have applications in defense technology. For example, trying to simulate terrorist networks and determine how to most efficiently disrupt them.
5. A project I just started a few weeks ago in Biotechnology, using proteins to make miniature electrical circuits. Certain combinations of amino acids (that make up proteins) have characteristic electron flow rates, and I will be attempting to come up with a general model that can predict this given a certain structure. If we could understand how to make circuits out of proteins it would be a tremendous advance in nanotechnology because it would allow extremely small production, and extremely fast production. Bacteria could be used to mass produce circuits at a rate of millions per hour.
6. BigSib coordinator - life at TJ is fairly hard, so in an effort to get the freshman acclimated every year we have a bigsib program. I am one of 5 who is in charge or coordinating the program, roughly 200 upperclassmen chosen out of 400 applicants, 450ish new freshmen, planning activities and making sure that everything stays on track. I also designed and made an online system for the potential BigSib applicants to signup and put in their information, and the same for the LittleSibs so we could use a computer to find an "ideal match" for everyone and save us days over the summer.
7. Japanese stuff - have an interest in japanese culture, won a scholarship to go to japan for 6 weeks last summer, member of the japanese national honor society, member japanese club
8. laundry list of other clubs I participate in: math team, senior computer team, debate (freshman-sophomore year), biology olympiad, physics team (no officer positions in these because with all of the other stuff I did, especially the research I didn't have the time to devote to adequately do the job</p>

2

<p>I would apply early to your local state school and hope for the best.</p>

<p>JK, you look to have very good chances at whatever school you choose to apply to, especially engineering type schools.</p>

3

<p>could always go to uva :)</p>

4

<p>Oh and AP Score:</p>

<p>AP CS AB - 5
AP Calculus BC - 5
AP Biology - 5
AP Physics C: Mechanics - 5
AP Physics C: E&M - 5
AP US History - Unknown</p>

5

<p>Two notes:</p>

<p>First, Ivies (and MIT/Caltech) are interested in rank, not just GPA; and
Second, Weighted GPA is computed by adding 1 additional grade point for each honors course taken. Since you've taken nothing but honors courses, if you were 3.96 U/W GPA, you'd be 4.96 W GPA (although these schools will probably count both your B+s as 3.0, not 3.5, meaning you would be 3.92 UW GPA, and 4.92 W GPA.</p>

<p>P.S. Based on the info given, I can't imagine you having any difficulty at all in getting into MIT and Caltech, but I'd still like to see the rank score. Stanford is always impossible to judge.</p>

6

<p>I would have said "Go for it!" if I had not seen those two B+</p>

7

<p>Great chances...that website looks amazing by the way...I've always wondered how the whole webhosting thing works...</p>

8

<p>Try community college.</p>

9

<p>I think you have a good chance...but, as you said, MIT is selective with TJ.</p>

10

<p>to Calcruzer:</p>

<p>my school doesn't rank, but based on the people I know in my class, which is near all of them, I'd say I'm pretty much at the very top, in terms of gpa and achievements</p>

11

<p>OH LOOK AT ME!!! MY NAME IS VICTOR AND I AM ANOTHER CPANEL RESELLER THAT CLUTTERS UP THE INTERNET AND OVERSELLS HOSTING! LOOK AT ME, I CAN BUY AN ACCOUNT FROM THEPLANET.COM!!</p>

<p>oh boy</p>

12

<p>^ WORD (sorry but it is true)</p>

13

<p>To the OP, slightly off topic, but how do you create a website like that? What languages?</p>

14

<p>If you weren't at TJ, I wouldn't see why MIT, Caltech, or Stanford would have any reason to not accept you (unless you bombed the app). You have a very impressive resume, and shouldn't have a problem getting into at least one of those three (you chances would be much better if you weren't at TJ). Then again, you seem to be a pretty big man at TJ (if you head their IT department) and that says a lot.</p>

15

<p>to anonymous271828:</p>

<p>lol, just because I use cpanel doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm doing, I use it because when I have nearly 10 servers and hundreds of clients there really is not practical alternative (besides using some other software that does the same thing) because it would just be too hard to do it all on my own. However, unlike other companies that use cpanel, I actually know what I'm doing with my servers, and offer services beyond just saying, ok here's your thing go have fun and if you need any help don't ask me because I don't know what I'm doing (I've seen plenty of companies like that :P).</p>

<p>also there is a lot more to it than just having some software for the customers to use, if you're doing a legit company, which I am. Then you have to worry about all of the finances, dealing with your employees, clients and many other issues. So you are more than welcome to say, "It's so easy to do," but I don't see you doing it.</p>

16

<p>get a life then you'll get into college</p>

17

<p>You have all these research projects, but you never mentioned any publications. Reseach projects are worthless without either your name on a publication to a professional journal or a prize at a science competition.</p>

18

<p>Just recently finished them so I haven't had any contests to enter yet, but I will be entering ITST / ISEF / etc. and I think I'll try to submit them to some more specialized publications as well.</p>

19

<p>This kid got into MIT EA, I think.</p>

20

<p>yeah I did :)</p>