<p>With UPenn having a 9.9% admit rate as announced today, I do not see waitlist as a possibility.</p>
<p>
On top of that, UPenn has different schools with different acceptance rates, and I didn’t weigh that enough; UPenn SEAS is more selective than the general acceptance rate. Thank you.</p>
<p>Which is not to say that you cannot graduate early and end up at MIT. There was a student from Andover who skipped 11th grade and went to MIT. From another thread here:</p>
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</p>
<p>The difference is that he was already on MIT’s radar and had the following to back him up: Red Mop 2008, USAMO 2008-2009, AIME 2006-2009, 2008-2009 US Physics Team, Silver Medal at the IPhO in 2009, Siemens Award for Advanced Placement.</p>
<p>Another twist to MIT is they cap international freshman at 150, so internationals only have a 5% admit rate.</p>
<p>@DanielHendrycks and @skieurope
Thanks both of you.
Firstly, you are correct that I of course don’t have to graduate early. But I can and see no reason why I shouldn’t. I would have to take 6 hours of boring classes everyday covering either what I already know (eg. Calculus) or things I don’t want to know (eg. economics). Instead, I can go to a not-so-reputable school, learn a lot, take some general requirement courses and then after obtaining some proof transfer to a more-reputed university like MIT. A thing to be noted though is that one cannot take anything like IMO after joining university. There is the Putnam exam though…</p>
<p>I understand your concern that I may not be that good at problem solving. I was terrible about 2 years ago. I had known precalculus but couldn’t even solve something like #25 on the AMC 10. However, after practising quite a lot, now I can comfortably solve most IMO and Putnam problems. </p>
<p>Check not only your school district graduation requirement, but also the course requirement for each school you are going to apply. Most schools would ask for 4 years each of the 4 cores plus 2-4 years (levels) of foreign lanugages. Also, it would be much cheaper to accumulate AP credits in HS than taking those in college.</p>
<p>@billcsho
Thanks. I checked all the requirements and if I continue with my plan I should be able to graduate. That too with 4 years of math, 2 years of general science (grade 9/10 where we cover bio, chem, phy etc in one course) and 2 years of bio/chem/phy (grade 11 and 12). Along with that, 2 years of computer science and 2 of electrical engineering. Also 2 years of business and 3 years of social studies (2 years history with one Canadian and US history and 1 year of geography). However, I have only had one year of foreign language (grade 9 French) and I despised it so didn’t continue. </p>
<p>What do you mean by “Also, it would be much cheaper to accumulate AP credits in HS than taking those in college?”</p>
<p>So you should take French AP and/or SAT2 as you probably don’t have proof of minimal foreign language requirement. In US, when the HS students reached the limit of their high school may offer, they will take courses in college as dual enrollment. Or at least they will take AP classes that are near college level and take the AP exam. Depending on the AP exam score, they can get credits at college. The AP test is only ~$100 each and may get you 3-10 credits for each. Enough AP credit may save you 1 semester or even 1 year of tuition. You may also do CLEP instead for some schools for the same purpose.</p>
<p>Academically, you have nothing to worry about. Your GPA, SAT, ACT, ans SAT subject tests are outstanding, and its great that you are teaching yourself that other stuff. The EC’s are a little weak, though. It’s not that they’re bad, you just don’t have any positions of leadership. Also varsity sports look really good on applications. One final thing: GET VOLUNTEER HOURS! I don’t know how much the application process differs from the US to Canada, but colleges here absolutely love applicants that volunteer a lot.</p>
<p>MIT: accepted
CalTech: accepted
Harvard: rejected
Berkeley: accepted
Stanford: rejected</p>
<p>Thanks, I hope that’s what happens. From the little tutoring I did, I have about 50 hours (the requirement is 40). </p>
<p>@wannabefeynman everything you’ve done is outstanding; however, you really do need to participate in varsity sports and, like said above, show leadership roles. Also, try to play some type of instrument in your school (if possible). Volunteer at a local library or at a local hospital, it’ll help. You have a good chance for the schools you have in mind. Good luck!</p>
<p>@wannabefeynman. Wow!!! you records gonna blow-off my brain…that’s some record man…I think what is left is for you to start preparing your essays, recommendations and maybe pray for Luck!!..For now I can say you are that perfect candidate for an Ivy… 
</p>
<p>@jpdaman11
@dexter25</p>
<p>Thanks both of you. I can see that my records are good and so are my ECs, but I think that my ECs need to be better for such top universities. As for sports, I am not interested in them and I suffer from a mild physical disability (such that if I am running and fall, my bones have a good chance of being fractured). I’m sure my essay, letters of recommendation and interview will likely go very well. I have volunteered at the local library, but not for too long. I have also participated in music as my schools along with school concerts for a few years. I also was in the gifted program up to and including grade 10 (after grade 10 is stops). </p>
<p>You’re in a similar quandary with me. We both seem like Math/Science robots. What I would suggest (What I’m planning to do) is helping other people. Try making an organization that serves homeless people PBJ’s. It’s interesting, good for your soul, and good for the community.</p>
<p>Also, try to show that you’re also good at things like music and arts! Try things like making a local choir and singing to people during Christmas for charity. Honestly, if a college admissions reader was reading your resume, they’d just picture you as a cold, lifeless robot.</p>
<p>Do a sport. I visited Stanford to help recruit engineers for my dad’s company last October and almost everyone there did well in Varsity sports during highschool. Instead of spending 10 hours a day doing math, spend it playing basketball/soccer/swim/tennis/wrestling. Not only is it good for your body, but it is also good for your mind (Exercise serves as an anti-stress tool.</p>
<p>Finally, in your essays, please don’t write something vapid and generic like “I spend 10 hours a day doing math and that is my biggest struggle”. Say something interesting. I wrote about playing a League of Legends tournament and how that taught me that it’s okay to lose and that I needed to keep pushing myself because there is no top. Just make yourself… weird! Different! Exciting!</p>
<p>@bluberaptor
Thanks for your reply. I have participated in music for a few years even performing in school concerts. As for art, I have absolutely no interest in that discipline - similar thing with singing and so on. As for sports, I am not interested in them and I suffer from a mild physical disability (such that if I am running and fall, my bones have a good chance of being fractured).As for doing other activities, I don’t see why I should have to do other activities instead of what i enjoy doing merely for university applications. If a university can’t accept me without pretending to like particular universities and thinks I’m “a robot” for doing what I enjoy, I don’t think the university is worth me applying to. </p>
<p>@wannabefeynman</p>
<p>I spoke with someone who transferred to Harvard, and she said most Harvard transfers come from excellent schools. Consequently, you should note that transferring from a school that is below by ~15 in rank is plausibly especially unlikely.</p>
<p>listen. you’re a genius or close to it. what college you go to might not even matter really. but, if your goal is mit or a top notch college like that, don’t graduate early. take ap classes. they’re cheaper than college classes. get the olympiads and that will basically guarantee your seats. right now, you haven’t proven yourself so you would appear cocky. also for the ap classes, at Mit (not sure about other colleges), they let you test out of classes you think you already know so taking ap classes and your self-study will aid there. just wait for a year and get the olympiad medals so you will get into mit for sure (or as close as can be to sure.). Also, danielhendrycks, you seem knowledgeable about admissions processes. can you chance me <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1626482-chances-for-mit.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1626482-chances-for-mit.html#latest</a>. I’m worried that since I missed usamo i will likely not get into mit. </p>
<p>@DanielHendrycks @theanaconda
Thanks both of you. As for transferring to a top school (hopefully MIT) after a few semesters, I don’t really think it will be too difficult. By then, if all goes well (which it should according to the practice olympiads which I have done), I should have more than enough proof to support my claim that i have self-studied the material above. I can also do some research at my university among other things. Anyway, I do think I can get into a top-20 school with these statistics, disregarding the self-study (you never know, maybe the universities will not question that I self-studied all of it and may get accepted without transferring - or they may question the self-study but still accept me due to my other statistics, albeit unlikely due to my ECs). As for graduating early, I really see no point in going to school to learn material I already know (math, science, engineering, computer science) or things I have no interest in (English). On top of that, I can get started on some of the humanities courses which are required at most universities an year earlier. </p>
<p>Bump. I would like to hear a few other people’s opinion as well. Thanks. </p>
<p>All the schools you are looking at have minuscule acceptance rates.</p>
<p>They should be considered reaches for everyone.</p>
<p>@dadinator
Thanks for replying. Yes, I know that those schools are very selective, but I thought the people here were very experienced with these predictions and would be able to clear a few of my doubts (which they did).</p>