Chances of Pakistani Student getting into MIT,Harvard, CALTECH, Standford

I’ll be taking the new SAT
Just suppose that I score a perfect 1600 on the SATs (which I will Insha-Allah), what are my chances of making into Mechanical engineering @ MIT, CALTECH
I will be taking sat math and physics subject tests,
Unfortunately can’t take any AP because i have my local board exams on those days.
No competition, no medal, no award… just good at debates, speeches and presentations. I am considered the best guy at debates.
THANKS
(about 6 students from PAKISTAN make it to MIT each year)

My school doesn’t offer any AP classes, (it doesn’t even offer SAT)
to be true it is too difficult for me to take the SATs
Will the admission officer notice the above facts?

How much do you already know about CALTECH and Standford?

@fdude998

*Stanford

Extremely difficult to get in as an international without something that stands out or really shows potential. As @JustOneDad said, how much do you really know about these schools?

Unlike most foreign universities, US colleges admissions are not heavily driven by entrance exam results. In fact, most of the top schools in the US reject about 75% of perfect ACT and SAT scorers. This includes many US kids who have high GPA’s and good EC’s. The competition for international students is even more intense and no single exam score is going to put them over the top if they don’t have other truly outstanding achievements, sorry to say.

@fdude998 If you were accepted at Purdue, would you attend?

A perfect SAT score is not a guaranteed college admission. Many people who have perfect SAT scores get rejected.

A lot of people do well on SAT . You need to stand out and ECs are a null… maybe with a good essay??? Try comparing yourself to those who got in from your country. If you are similar, good. If not, well everyone is different

Please, if anyone could tell me what achievements or competitions I should participate in…
I am more than a year
:slight_smile:

@MITer94 u, MIT Graduate???
and as far as I know only 12% of those who get accepted to MIT have participated in any international competitons.

also, i don’t have the resources to participate in competitions (cause they are not organised in Pakistan)

I only want to go into one of these top colleges ( I an crazy about them, well everybody is),
I wont go abroad if I don’t get accepted in one of these

so, should I take SAT?

You’ve taken no standardized tests so have no scores to be considered, you want only the top schools, (and check the spelling) won’t take the AP classes because of a scheduling conflict, you’ve got no awards and you want to know your chances?? Whats next, you want scholarship money too?

@fdude998 Current MIT student (not int’l).

Well, you have to take the required standardized tests if you want any chance of admission. MIT requires the SAT, ACT, or TOEFL as well as a math and a science subject test. Caltech specifically requires Math II.

But yeah, you have no test scores, grades/marks to be considered, no AP’s (however AP’s are never required) - you say you are crazy about these top colleges, but they are extremely selective when it comes to international applicants. I suggest also applying to some safety schools.

.

Which competitions do you guys suggest participating in?

What competition could you win, or at least, do very well in?

“(about 6 students from PAKISTAN make it to MIT each year)”

I think that gives you a pretty idea of your odds.

Here’s some sobering statistics from Dartmouth which is also a need blind institution for international applicants.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~oir/pdfs/admissions.pdf

Typically about 170 students apply from Pakistan each year to Dartmouth and only 1 or 2 students matriculate.

The competitions will be as tough, if not tougher, for the schools you mentioned.