<p>I'll try my best to keep it brief.
I'm a junior at a public school in Canada (international student which makes it tougher to get accepted) wondering about my chances at top-tier schools such as MIT, CalTech, Harvard etc.
Prospective Major: Double Major in Mathematics and Biology (likely)
The reason I'm a junior (grade 11) is because I earned my 30 credits which are required to graduate early allowing me to graduate at the end of grade 11. To do so, I took grade 11 English and grade 12 English online and took AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Physics and AP Chemistry through a program named PLAR for which I have to write an exam and if I pass I will receive the credit.
GPA in grade 11: 4.0/98% average
Marks in grade 11:
Pre-AP Math 100%
Pre-AP Biology 100%
Pre-AP Chemistry 100%
Pre-AP Physics 100%
Computer Science (no pre-ap at my school) 100%
Computer Engineering (no pre-ap at my school) 100%
US History 94%
English (online) 91%</p>
<p>Grade 12 English (online) 89%
AP Math Exam 5
AP Biology Exam 5
AP Phsics Exam 5
AP Chemistry Exam 5
AP Biology Exam 5</p>
<p>SATs:
Combined score 2320
Math 800
Writing 770
Reading 750</p>
<p>SAT subject tests:
Math Level 2 800
Biology 800
Physics 800
Chemistry 800
US History 800</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Went to Research Science Institute at MIT (5 week summer program where you do university level research)
Did well on math contests (AMC 12, Sunlife COMC and Waterloo Contests) and I qualified for the International Math Olympiad but couldn't attend
International Physics Olympiad Gold Medalist
International Chemistry Olympiad Gold Medalist
Qualified for International Biology Olympiad but couldn't attend
International Computing Olympiad Gold Medalist</p>
<p>Topics I Self-Studied
Mathematics - Calculus, Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations, Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Differential Geometry (2nd or 3rd year university)</p>
<p>Biology equivalent to 2nd or 3rd year university
Chemistry equivalent to 1st or 2nd year university
Physics Classical Mechanics I/II, Electricity & Magnetism I/II, Quantum Mechanics I (equivalent to 2nd or 3rd year university)
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (data mining, algorithms etc equivalent to 2nd year university)</p>
<p>Other Points:
Wrote very good essay
Interview went very well</p>
<p>You don’t think Olympiads are ECs? I think those take a huge amount of time to prep for, they are an EC. I’d say you are a good candidate (if your post is truthful, it is honestly kind of over the top on the number of Gold Medal Olympiads…), but of course admissions are very, very difficult into those schools. No one can give you an accurate estimate. Are you applying for financial aid? As you probably know, there are only a handful of schools that are need blind for internationals and meet full need. MIT and Harvard are on that list (Caltech is not).</p>
<p>But I am confused your post… if you are a junior, how do you know how your essay and interview went? </p>
<p>@intparent “The reason I’m a junior (grade 11) is because I earned my 30 credits which are required to graduate early allowing me to graduate at the end of grade 11.”</p>
<p>He’s graduating early as a junior.</p>
<p>Again, you have great stats, but you seem very academic-based. Do you have anything outside of schoolwork and academic excellence such as sports or volunteer work?</p>
<p>Honestly he wont need anything outside of school work with those stats. RSI+ number of olympiad gold medals;he should be set. but do you have any research awards?</p>
<p>I really REALLY wish people wouldn’t use phrases like this:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>MIT is taking less than 8% of the applicant pool. Some students with strong non-school EC’s and some with. There is not “set”. There is no guarantee. There is only a passionate student who reflects what he does in and outside of school. Then they will enter a pool of close to 20,000 similarly strong applicants for what amounts to just over 1,000 slots. </p>
<p>Some students with research awards get turned down. Some without them get in. </p>
<p>Honestly - admissions depends as much on the person as it does on the stat. And also the year they are applying because the pool is different each year in terms of students and their interests and passions.</p>
<p>There is no accurate “chance me” for MIT. Only - yes - you’re within the ballpark. Other than that - do your best, but know the chances even for the most qualified students is very, very low - as it is becoming at all the competitive schools.</p>
<p>Just do your best to reflect who YOU are, not what you think MIT is looking for. </p>
<p>@ArtsandLetters; I defend my decision, because sure MIT has an 8 percent acceptance rate. Half those people werent qualified and applied anyway and brought down the acceptance rate., however OP is multiple time GOLD medalist, which is extremely unique along with RSI, his SATs are in range, and his GPA is competitive. And since he said that his essays were extremely good, then I don’t see why he shouldn’t get in. </p>
<p>Let me clarify a few things:
I have not received an acceptance or declination letter yet. It will likely by next week.</p>
<p>My post is entirely truthful. It may seem like false, or that I’m extremely smart, but I’m neither. I just have a passion for those subjects and therefore excel in them. My main ECs are self studying undergraduate level disciplines, attending RSI, publishing a research paper, achieving gold in three olympiads etc.</p>
<p>I should have attended IMO. I probably could have gotten at least a silver, but I thought I wasn’t prepared so I didn’t attend (along with a few other reasons). In IBO, I was likely going to get gold but for that I had several reasons as to why I couldn’t attend. </p>
<p>If you would stop jumping to assumptions and ask for a clarification, I would have told you that there was a problem with my home school sending my OSR and my transcript along with the transcript for the online English classes that I did.</p>
<p>I’m positive the International Physics Olympiad Gold medalist is not the same person as the International Chemistry Olympiad gold medalist, and both are different from the computing olympiad gold medalist. ■■■■■.</p>
<p>Those top schools would definitely be missing out if they don’t accept you. Regardless, even if you do get rejected, I’m sure you will succeed elsewhere.</p>
<p>Again, these schools value grades like yours very highly, but good essays and unique ECs count more than anything. Any SAT score over 2100 won’t impress MIT much more. GPA doesn’t mean a lot. Passion for doing science means A LOT more. That being said, I think your have a very strong of getting in.</p>