<p>Hi guys!
I'm a freshman in Washington state, which I recently moved from Arizona.
The thing is, I took the gigantic risk of taking AP calculus right off of the bat...
And now I'm faced with the, well, possibility, of getting it B in it.
My chem olympiad scores aren't as high as I would like them...
My AMC 10 score isn't mind-blowing...
And a bunch of kids at my school are taking 2 AP classes off the bat as well.</p>
<p>Did i completely mess myself over?
ALREADY?</p>
<p>This is not something to panic about at all. I got a B first semester freshman year in my math class – not a deal-breaker. You don’t need mindblowing Olympiad or AMC scores to get into MIT.</p>
<p>Do your best grade-wise, so some interesting things outside of school – you’ll improve over time. And really, you’re not in a bad boat to begin with.</p>
<p>Taking AP Calc freshman year of high school is unusual, even for an MIT applicant. A B is definitely not something to be particularly upset about. I got a B in PreCalc my <em>sophomore</em> year and it didn’t kill my chances. (I got in.) It’s much more important that you challenge yourself. Do your best to pull your grade up to an A, and make sure you get a 5 on the AP test–that score is at least as important as your grade in the class, since it is standardized and can therefore be used to compare you to other applicants.</p>
<p>Your AMC scores and your scores on olympiads can help you if you get far but can’t hurt you if you don’t. I don’t think I even listed my scores when I applied. I don’t even remember what I got.</p>
<p>MIT applicants that get in have something (or multiple things) they were truly passionate about in high school that they dedicated themselves to, challenged themselves in, excelled in, and used to help their communities. This can be olympiads and APs compounded with a great personality and an active life, or it can be something completely nonacademic. There are many paths to MIT; please don’t feel pressured into one that doesn’t fit you. Use your freshman year to explore your community’s opportunities and find your place and your passions. Challenge yourself and take risks.</p>
<p>Good luck. =)</p>
<p>MIT tends to be forgiving of blemishes, especially if other evidence of excellence is apparent. </p>
<p>However, keep in mind that for other top schools, a “B” in a calc class will probably be a deal-breaker, especially for a general academic candidate. They aren’t impressed by taking classes a couple of years earlier than the typical candidate.</p>
<p>So do what you can to raise that grade.</p>
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<p>Hm…I kind of disagree with this. I would use freshman year, especially the first semester, to adjust to the academics–unless you are very confident in your academic abilities. Obviously this person is being challenged by his classes. I myself was very involved in ECs freshman year, but I wasn’t having problems in my classes.</p>
<p>@lidusha you are in MIT!!! WHOA!!!:)
</p>
<p>p.s. im jealous</p>
<p>There are actually quite a few current students on CC. :)</p>
<p>Yes, this board is unusual in CC because of the high numbers of regular posters who are current students or alumni.</p>
<p>It’s hardly second quarter. Get an A.</p>
<p>Not that a B will kill you, but it’s always best to save your get-out-of-jail-free card.</p>