Just wanted to know if I’m on the right path to have higher probability of getting in any advice appreciated
Bio:
-Latino
-Raising Jumior
-First Generation College
-Lower half Middle class
-Male
-TX
School:
-Sub-Urban School (around 2400 students overall 600 per grade) Fairly Competitive
-Majority of AP Courses Offered and Dual credit Classes
-I know that people are starting to get into competitve schools (I dont know from MIT)
Stats:
-GPA: 3.7 U, 4.5 W
-Top 10% class rank
-Involved in volleyball, tennis(2yrs), soccer, math olympiad, science olympiad, astronomy club. Also, about to get officer positions
-So far two AP classes Bio (3) and World History (3).
-Done some STEM programs during the summer for first year colelge students
Thing I’m planning on doing JR year
-take PSAT … aiming for Hispanic recognizition
-SAT aiming highest as possible (~1500) and Subject test Math 2/Chem/Physics
-AMC12 and AIME (math olympiad)
-Research at local college (engineering)
-AP stats, physics, language and composition, spanish literature, and comp sci
-Offer math tutoring at my school
-Apply to minorities STEM based programs for the spring
-NASA program
At this point I’m just putting myself out there and take as many opportunities as possible any advice is appreciated again
I believe that ‘chance me’s’ are inherently inaccurate and as a fellow student, any attempt to ‘chance you’ would be pointless. Instead, I can provide you with some advice.
For subject tests, I highly recommend you take bio instead of physics. Biology-M is by far the easiest subject test I have even seen. It’s all rapid recall so if you do some studying before it you’ll finish it with time to spare. Definitely an easier 800 than physics which involves relativity and a bunch of other topics which aren’t discussed in AP Physics 1 or C let alone a conventional high school physics classroom. Chemistry is pretty easy and Math II is a must.
AMC12 & AIME: If you haven’t already done it don’t have it on your list of things you’re going to accomplish. The AMC12 is a pretty rigorous test and it’s definitely not taught in a conventional classroom setting. You either need to start practicing now or add something else to your list just in case this goes down the gutter. I’m pretty sure that you need to get a certain score to qualify for AIME. I made a lot of goals that were conditional on other things being accomplished which kinda disappointed me in my Junior year (I’m an incoming senior).
Get Straight A’s or bust. I don’t know how much weight MIT puts on GPA but here in my school a 3.7 isn’t considered good (on a 4.00 scale). You obviously can’t bring it up to a 4.00 but try your hardest to get straight A’s from now on so you can get close to a 3.8. It’s not perfect but it will probably increase your chances dramatically.
Depending on where your strengths and weaknesses are, you should consider the differences between the ACT and SAT. In my experience, I’ve found that the ACT is meant more for left brained kids, centered more around mathematics and kinda lacking in the English department. It basically asks you: do you know how to do this? If you do, you get the question right, if not, then you’re pretty much out of luck. I feel the SAT is more of a right brained test in the sense that it tries to trick you and is definitely heavier in the analyzing literature department. The SAT is full of tricks that even the most seasoned mathematicians would fall for. I would just suggest you try practice tests in both and see how your scores compare by using a score converter. A high score is imperative, last year, people who had above a 1560/above a 35 had a 12% acceptance rate compared to the average 8ish percent (the exact number eludes me).
Just work hard and if you’re not stressed out you’re doing something wrong. Good luck.
The stats provided aren’t the most impressive for MIT, although you should still apply if you feel MIT suits you. They will consider your scores and other parts in context with what opportunities you have.
Historically, you needed at least 100.0/150 to qualify, although I believe recently they changed it to top 5% of scorers.
@MoazSe Thx for the subject test info. I have been doing AMC since freshman year, and last year I got a 98 on AMC I just need to push more you know. Also I agree with the GPA and yes I’m trying to get it as high as possible unfortunately my school is weird so I might end up with a 3.9 until senior year thats when they replace classes that count for GPA. For the ACT and SAT I have only planned to take the SAT because of the PSAT similarities, but Ill look into the ACT.
@MITer94 Yes I know the whole procees for AMC and AIME. Also, I know my stats arent impressive and I’m trying improve more but what do you think its something impresive?