College help, MIT Standford Caltech

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Just registered mostly because I need some solid advice, from people that don't know me. I have a passion for science and math as anyone going into those colleges above, and i had a few questions about it and the admission process as well as my chance of even getting a second look on my application. </p>

<p>Okay, to start with my scores.
ACT composite- 25
math-28
science-30
english-23
reading-22
writing- 10</p>

<p>When it comes to tests, i always do bad, mostly due to being over or under confident and make those tiny mistakes that kill you. I am taking this again in october and am trying to get higher in math and science if anything.</p>

<p>I have a 3.65 right now for a GPA and probably by regular action it would be a 3.8 or 3.75.
But I am assuming early action gives me more brownie points when it comes to acceptance (and as you can tell, i need all that i can get) </p>

<p>I'm also taking the SAT math 2 and bio m test in october, expecting anywhere from 650+ </p>

<p>So to be honest, I am a terrible candidate for any of these top school. The only good thing i have is that im a terrific writing when im actually writing a paper(obviously not this. haha)
That and i have a great personality and am very friendly, not to sound cocky or conceded, sorry if that came off that way. </p>

<p>For EC's i did cross country and track in only 11th grade, im in senior leadership, student council, was the class vp last year, very well award model UN delegate, and thats it.</p>

<p>I have taken AP courses, but i was sick and didnt poorly.
AP US history-3
AP english lang/comp-2
currently taking a AP calc course
(my school only offers a junior and senior ap english an ap us history and ap calc, no other course)</p>

<p>Finally, i am doing PSEO this year to attempt to further my education as well, for all out of the state of ohio, that is high school half the day and (for me at least) kent university the other half. My own high school didnt offer any other courses that interested me or would teach me. im taking a chem and organic chem, a physics 1 course and my english there</p>

<p>I do self teach, but only what im interested in. Im self teaching latin and quantum mechanics and in depth Einstein and Hawking theories (mtheory, string, etc.) </p>

<p>That is my academic career in a nutshell, be honest please, do i have any chance to get into either MIT Stanford Caltech or any other high level science and math colleges?</p>

<p>I am going to do an interview for MIT (childhood dream to go there) and if recommended here early actions on all that i can.
I am aware that stanford said if i apply for early action there, i cant anywhere else, is that true? do they check your name in other college databases? </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Sorry but you don’t seem academically prepared or mentally mature enough for the schools you’ve listed. That doesn’t mean you can’t eventually get admitted into one but doubt from the get go from what you have thus described.</p>

3

<p>Thanks, yeah it does seem like academically, im not mature at all. thanks for the honest advice, but i mean worst comes to worst, there’s always grad school</p>

4

<p>kmazza
New Member</p>

<p>Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 28</p>

<h2>Sorry but you don’t seem academically prepared or mentally mature enough for the schools you’ve listed. That doesn’t mean you can’t eventually get admitted into one but doubt from the get go from what you have thus described. </h2>

<p>Mentally prepared? Please explain how you inferred that from his post.</p>

<p>To the OP, you have ambition and that is what matters. Get your test scores up and you might have a chance. If you don’t get in, do not let that deter you from science or math.</p>

5

<p>Thanks mr0rang3, and trust me, i could not get into any colleges and it still wouldnt deter me from math or science, id just go buy books and teach everything myself. I dont really even care for the name “MIT” or “stanford.” for me, its solely about where i can leave me and expand my name. I couldnt care less about those names being on a job application.</p>

6

<p>Attending a school based on upon name alone over the quality of the department for a particular major is one of the biggest and most expensive mistakes many young students make.
Colleges market just like any business and when such students find out the schools program really wasn’t what they were looking or hoping for its typically too late. That doesn’t say anything about the quality of schools like Caltech, MIT or Stanford but those are predominantly research intensive graduate schools and not really tailored to undergrads.
The best way to get into a good grad school is to have a clear idea what you want to do and do the best you can. A bachelors degree is more a recognition of accomplishment than such and such major (or GPA) is better or worse than some other major (or other persons GPA).
Besides a couple of prereqs and electives the majority of students during the first four years are working on many of the same classes depending on their individual level.</p>

7

<p>In all honesty, you don’t have the grades, scores or ECs for these schools now. Aiming for grad school makes the most sense. For now focus on schools where your stats are in range, maybe one of your state schools unless your family has a big college budget. You can get a great math/science education at many schools.</p>

8

<p>Well we dont have a huge budget, for schools, but with financial aid and maybe a student loan we could have enough for pretty much any school. Any recomendations? and Yeah, as it seems grad school is my only option, and kmazza you do make a good point, graduate school is where it all matters, not undergraduate.</p>

9

<p>

Please don’t spread false hope. Theres pretty much a 0 chance he’ll be admitted into any of those schools even if he had a 2400. His GPA is very low and his course work quite unrigorous. He probably wouldn’t be admitted even if he was African (with a perfect SAT).</p>

<p>@OP
Unless you significantly raise your SAT, I wouldn’t count on financial aid. There aren’t many generous schools that would accept you. Your best option is probably state school.</p>

10

<p>I agree with the previous posters–you don’t stand a chance at admission to any of those schools. At this moment, anyway.</p>

<p>You can always try and apply to these schools for graduate school assuming you do very well the next four years in college. </p>

<p>Cheers.</p>

11

<p>Oh yeah, i am 100% indian, but that doesn’t matter. And yes, that was what im most likly doing, those schools for grad school</p>

12

<p>Sorry, but your stats most likely are not sufficient for a competitive application to schools like MIT, Stanford, or Caltech. I don’t want to discourage you, but you should consider other options.</p>

13

<p>Very very small chance if any based on those scores and grades. Sorry man</p>

14

<p>As a broad question, anyone have a recommendation for a good math/science school i have a competing chace in (non state).</p>

15

<p>Scorched, the problem is needing aid. Few schools that meet need will accept you with current stats. Your in state publics are probably your best bet.</p>