EA chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Well I don't think I have the BEST or even the slightest chance but I want to ask. </p>

<p>First off, I'm a Korean male and a junior at a pretty competitive public high school in Virginia. I don't think you guys would know it, but 90% of the student body go to college (about 84% go to a four year college) and our AP score average is about a 4. Our school also offers about 22 APs.</p>

<p>However my situation is a bit more complex than the typical asian american.</p>

<p>I'm a US-Korean Dual citizen. I was born in the US in 1987 and stayed for about a year then went back to Korea.</p>

<p>Then came back to the US in 1993 and stayed until the December of 1997, then went back to Korea.</p>

<p>Then I came back to the US in Feb 2004. Currently I have my freshmen and sophomore credits from Korea and my junior credits from the US.</p>

<p>You might think that my parents are rich since I moved around so much. But the reality is that my dad works for the Korean government as a diplomat. So I'm a middle-class citizen.</p>

<p>The school system in Korea is quite different from US's system. First I went to a public school in Korea not an international school. We don't have any choice on the curriculum. We all take the same level classes and the same electives. Thus there aren't any honors only regular classes. Also our grades are determined by four major tests two per semester.</p>

<p>In addition when I came to the US Fairfax County VA gave some names to the classes. For example, we have an integrated math and science curriculum in Korea. We take Geometry and algebra at the same time while taking chemistry, biology, geology, and physics the same year. We had twelve classes each year but the county took only six classes and did not accept my english credits and thus I had to take ESL and english 9. Also I start off with Korean 2(these courses are obviously much harder than the korean classes taught in the US) since they accepted my 8th grade Korean credit, and all three Korean credits count as foreign language credits (I have no idea why)</p>

<p>First off my GPA</p>

<p>9th grade
3.333
World Hist/Geo 1 A
Geometry B
Biology 1 B
Korean 2 A
Health & PE 9 C
Moral Education A</p>

<p>10th grade
3.917
World Hist/Geo 2 A
Algebra 2 A
Chemistry 1 A
Korean 3 A
Health& PE 10 B+
Music Sampler A</p>

<p>I audited some classes in the US after I came in Feb since I didn't meet the obligatory attendance days in order to receive credit for school work. So I have like 7 Ts.(transfer) It has no meaning.</p>

<p>Summer School
Physics 1(there are no honors in summer school) B+</p>

<p>I took the hardest possible schedule I could in 11th grade. Also our grade scale is a bit tough.
94-100 A
90-93 B+
84-89 B
80-84 C+ etc.</p>

<p>11th grade
3.929
English 9 B+
Journalism 2 A
(skipped the first one with the teacher's consent)
AP USH A
AP Calc BC A
(I skipped precalc in school. I actually took it in a private institute in Korea. My math teacher in the US allowed me to take calc after I showed her that I knew the stuff)
AP Chem A
Chem Sr Sci Inv A
(This is the identical class as AP chem. It just doubles the class time for more experiments.)
ESL 3 A</p>

<p>Summer SChool
English 10 A
So my cumulative GPA is about 3.715.</p>

<p>This is my senior year schedule</p>

<p>Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra
AP US Gov/Comp Gov
AP European History
AP Physics C
Physics C Senior Science Investigation
Journalism 3
English 11(I'm taking 10 in the summer)</p>

<p>SAT scores
Dec Math 780 Verbal 630
Jan Math 800 Verbal 650
June(new one)
Math 760 Verbal 770 Writing 680 (MC 66, essay 10)</p>

<p>SAT II scores
Math 2C 800 Physics 790 USH 790 Chem 780</p>

<p>TOEFL 280</p>

<p>There are some little awards from Korea 9th grade and 10th grade.</p>

<p>English Competition by YBM (<a href="http://www.ybmsisa.co.kr/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ybmsisa.co.kr/&lt;/a&gt;) English Study: Award of recommendation (Seoul) 9th</p>

<p>English Competition by YBM English Study and Yangnam College: Award of
recommendation (Seoul) 9th</p>

<p>English Competition by George Washington University, and Dawun Foreign Language School: Bronze (Seoul) 9th</p>

<p>First place in the subject Korean history for the second semester of 10th grade</p>

<p>First place in the subject Math for the second semester of 10th grade</p>

<p>2004 Mathematics Competition in the Washington Metro Chapter by KSEA : second place 11th</p>

<p>Editorial Writing for Virginia High School League Fall Publications Workshop by the Virginia Journalism Education Association: Excellent writing (second after Superior)</p>

<p>2005 Mathematics Competition in the Washington Metro Chapter by KSEA
Third Place</p>

<p>AMC score: 110 I didn't have the guts to ask my teacher about my AIME score, since I know it will suck.
Some small math awards in school.</p>

<p>AIME qualifier AMC 12:110.0</p>

<p>National Chemistry Olympiad Qualifier</p>

<p>AP Scholar with distinction (u need five AP exams for this one)</p>

<p>National Merit Commended(i'm sure about this one)</p>

<p>My EC's aren't really strong. You could say they're weak.</p>

<p>We change schools from 9th to 10th. 9th is in middle school and 10th is the first year of high school. Also we have a period for EC's back in Korea and you can only take one EC.</p>

<p>Chinese Checkers (9th)
Band(10th)
11th
Newspaper (Assistant Editorial Editor)
Academics Team
Mu Alpha Theta
NHS Alkahest Chemistry Honor Society
Model UN</p>

<p>I couldn't get leaderships in middle school because we don't have presidents of clubs in 9th grade. Also in 10th grade the president and vice-president are all from 11th grade.</p>

<p>I kind of casually play the piano, not that well to mention on my application. Also this might be my only hope of getting in, I do something called Kousando for about 3-4 years. It's a type of yoga, but it's different. If you want to know more, I'll explain to you in detail.</p>

<p>A minor detail but I went to Michigan Math and Science Scholars this summer and took a course on Infinity.(Not really a big deal but still)
Well that's all I have for my ECs. Pretty weak? Yeah I know.</p>

<p>For community service I have done some things. I'm not sure about the hours but this is what I did.</p>

<p>Helped reconstruct a typhoon devastated farm in Korea in 10th grade,
Donated blood to the RedCross.
Part of the RedCross Youth Team.
Going to start help brain injured patients in about a week.
Some tutoring stuff</p>

<p>Recs: I think I'll get one from my Journalism teacher and USH teacher. I wanted to get one from my AP chem teacher but he recently got a brain tumor and he's the only science teacher I had in the US. Also Korean teachers really don't have experience with recs so they tend to write them REALLY bad like just stating that he/she is a model student without proof. Should I explain this? I know I'm getting recs from non-science teacher but I really don't have a choice.</p>

2

<p>AP scores i forgot </p>

<p>Chem 5
Calc BC 5
USH 5
Macroecon 4
Micrcoecon 4</p>

3

<p>I know it's long but i would really like some feedback</p>

4

<p>would it really help at all if people gave you feedback?</p>

5

<p>Personally, I believe it would. Hippies again!</p>

6

<p>yes is it so obvious that my chances are very slim? Even so i would like some feedback and be brutal i'm ready to face it.</p>

7

<p>Explain your situation in an additional letter. MIT evaluates you based on the opportunities you've had, and won't penalize you because you had to work. Some of your ECs aren't really ECs, which is odd.</p>

<p>I would definitely contact an MIT admissions counselor about your rec situation though. At worst, have your Korean teacher write a letter of recommendation, and attach your own letter explaining the unique circumstances.</p>

<ul>
<li>Timur</li>
</ul>

8

<p>I think you look fine. As long as you inject pizazz into your application. MIT likes sassiness and moxie, I think. (that's the only way I got accepted, as far as I can tell. Hurrumph.) MIT is reaaally accepting of unique situations and extra material and taking liberties with certain portions of the application. Follow the format as best you can, but if you have to attach a 3,000 word explanation to the end of your app then so be it. Heh.</p>

9

<p>Just be careful about how wordy you get with your explanations. Ben Jones replied in another thread recently:
[quote]
And yes, don't worry about having 570 words if you're really happy with the essay. Here's the key - it's not like we sit there and count the words. But we do know <em>roughly</em> what 500 words looks like. 570 words isn't going to look all that different from 500 words. If you submit 800 words, however, that's a different story.

[/quote]
Given that comment, 3,000 words might be just a bit extreme...</p>

10

<p>well i thought a guidance counselor explanation would do although the GC did obtain the explanation from me and it is true btw. I will contact my regional admission rep but do u think they will understand the situation?</p>

11

<p>Well, mootmom, I know a certain '09er......</p>

12

<p>I have a SERIOUS problem. My AP chem teacher has a brain tumor and can not write my rec. ALso my calc teacher left. Sadly i don't have any other science/math teachers i know in the US. They were the only ones i knew here. What should i do? get recs from liberal arts teachers?</p>

13

<p>You write "Giving Blood" as a major achievement?</p>

14

<p>uh NO NOT major</p>

<p>just listed things the ones i can remember</p>

15

<p>BUMP concrete advices would be nice.</p>

16

<p>What is the NHS Alkahest Chemistry Honor Society?</p>

17

<p>those r minor thingies not much to consider. basically national honor society and things</p>

18

<p>any advice would be appreciated. thank you</p>

19

<p>Eighteen Percent.</p>

20

<p>however u got that can i have an explanation? I really want some concrete advice whether it is criticism or whatever.</p>