On http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/highschool it says that a year of physics, chemistry, and biology are recommended. I won’t have an entire year of biology and I’m wondering how bad that is. For example, I know that it is rare for MIT to accept a student who hasn’t taken Calculus.
Is it over before it has even begun?
No. As MIT says in the link
@skieurope Neither is Calculus, but I’ve heard it’s almost essential.
@7yearsperhour Let’s not muddy the waters, since that’s not related to your original question. Well, it’s true that the vast majority of applicants will have calculus, not having it, IMO, does not lead to an automatic rejection. Many low performing HS’s don’t offer calculus, but there might be a superstar applicant from there.
At some point you just need to take the college at their word. If they say it’s not a requirement, then it’s not a requirement. If everyone accepted to MIT had calculus, then they would need fewer Calc 1 classes.
Anyway, getting back to your original question, I attend that other college in Cambridge, which also recommends HS biology. I had no bio at all in HS.
@skieurope It was related to my original question because it served as a comparison.
It’s good to know that its not an outright rejection though.
If it isn’t a requirement, then it isn’t a requirement.
However, if the classes were available and you did not take them, without having a good reason why, then it will hurt your chances. If you didn’t take them because they weren’t offered, then “not your fault” and they should not have a major impact on your chances. Any top school is looking for those students who push themselves and succeed.
@HPuck35 Oh well. I didn’t take Biology because it’s not a subject I like. I’m sick of beating myself with a stick over little things like this, so if it hurts me, it hurts me.
Even if it hurts your chances, if the rest of your application is good, it is definitely not a deal breaker. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Just go on a do the best you can, challenge yourself with other opportunities.
Nah. I only had half a year of bio, because I disliked the half year I did do, and I got in. Although, I’m also international so I don’t know whether or not that had an impact.
A lot depends on the high school. If you are applying from a school and a country where no student does more than three 3 A-levels, then by definition you are not going to have all of the recommended classes. But what are you going to do? Move country at 16? A lot depends on your options. If your school does not make it feasible for you to take calculus, then there is nothing wrong with not having taken calculus. However, if you could easily have taken calculus, and CHOSE not to do so, then it would be a greater concern.