<p>To get into MIT, do you have to participate in math/science competitions such as Intel, USAMO, AMC, AIME, etc.?</p>
<p>Nope. I got in and so did many many others who did not do any of those.</p>
<p>What IsaacM said. I didn’t even know most of those existed.</p>
<p><em>phew</em> they seem unnecessarily challenging… Thanks!</p>
<p>I had those competitions and was still rejected. What you really need is a hook or good luck (or both).</p>
<p>I still don’t understand how CC people define “hook”</p>
<p>MIT accepted 70% of USAMO qualifiers who applied last year. Virtually every Intel Finalist got in this year.</p>
<p>So I guess the take-home message is: You don’t need them to get in, but they certainly can help.</p>
<p>It seems as if you have to do really good in them to raise your chances of acceptance. In other words, in my opinion gathered from decision threads and the like, it’s better to not even participate in the various math/science competitions rather then do poorly in them. However, if you do well in a competition, it can probably raise your chances significantly although nothing is guaranteed with MIT’s chancy admission process.</p>
<p>A hook can be generally defined by examples as a recruited athlete, a URM (under-represented-minority), legacy, paying considerable amounts of money to the college, etc. To put it simply: anything that raises your chances of being accepted. Being a recruited athlete is probably the best hook…</p>
<p>(directed at piper)</p>
<p>^ Shouldn’t a “hook” be a more considerable change in chances than those things? The way I see “hook” used, people seem to think it makes them a shoe-in. There’s not really such a thing at MIT, which leaves me confused.</p>
<p>I suppose you are right; the connotation of “hook” can be thought of as a “shoe-in.” However, I guess it is just one of those words we will have to get used to hearing as was with slang words. On the other hand, I do believe being a recruited athlete is a substantial hook. They almost always get in as long as they have considerable skill.</p>
<p>^At MIT? Really? I agree if you’re talking Stanford or Michigan but I haven’t really heard that for MIT much at all. It might help, but not a “shoe in”.</p>
<p>@Piper - I guess I thought the definition of hook on these forums was something that might give you the edge over another candidate. So if things were equal (or close) it might be that extra that made the difference. Generally I thought hooks were not academic - like a 2400 SAT wouldn’t be considered a hook, but athletics, legacy, race, gender and donations might be. For my older son I would have said his “hook” was ROTC and that the commanders had some input with admissions. For my younger son I would have said it was that he applied as a junior. Neither at all “gimmies” but things I think did help.</p>
<p>
Not at MIT, it’s not. It helps, but not to a great degree.</p>
<p>To be honest, most of the White/Asian applicants in the results thread who were accepted had major science accomplishments. A lot of these were USAMO, Intel, Siemens, the various Science Olympiads.</p>
<p>
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<p>I have not found this to be the case.</p>
<p>@mollie</p>
<p>Thanks for your input! I was talking about what most general colleges on average would consider a hook though. I can’t believe I am finally talking to the famous molliebatmit haha I have been reading many of your posts and you seem very intelligent as to MIT admissions and the like. :D</p>
<p>@quesadilla</p>
<p>So they can definitely help, but I don’t necessarily need to enroll in a competition? Due to research into the problems on those tests, they seem VERY difficult. However, if I decide not to do those competitions I do have some other tricks up my sleeve to increase my chances ;)</p>
<p>@Piper</p>
<p>I am sorry for possibly misinforming you; as I said, I am only a petty freshman with no real “say” on these college forums. I got most of my reasoning from viewing various forums about these types of decisions. Thank you for your correction.</p>
<p>All help is greatly appreciated! Thanks to all that have helped so far!</p>
<p>^ Recruitment is definitely a huge boost at many schools, I just haven’t seen it be a super boost for MIT :)</p>
<p>Thank you very much for your insight Piper; you have been quite helpful. I hope to also be recruited for crew; I am going to start rowing this year. However, my school doesn’t offer it, so I would have to participate in a rowing club separate from school. Could I still get recruited this way if I sent in a really good athletic r</p>
<p>You definitely don’t need them. I hadn’t even heard of most of those until I got here. Some of it may be contextual in that if you come from a place where these competitions are basically unheard of it wouldn’t be reasonable to think you would have been involved. But, I definitely have friends here who come from fairly metropolitan areas who didn’t participate in any of those competitions.</p>