How Brilliant do You Have To Be for MIT?

<p>Ok, so here is my conundrum. I love MIT, I love everything about it. It is probably one of the most unique places in the world, a place where minds that are all extremely individualistic, but like minded, can come together and do the most amazing things. A place where exploration of the big questions is paramount. I am a junior now, and I've wanted to go to MIT since I was in 5th grade. My problem is, I know so many people have so much more intelligence than me in my own public school. There are at least 10 people in my class of 600 that are much more brilliant than I'll ever be, and excel tremendously at math and science, and I go to a public 5A school. After realizing this, I also realized that there must be tens of thousands of even more brilliant people nation wide, and those people want to apply to MIT as well. With that being said, is it even worth it to apply. I am probably going to end up with a high B in AP Chem, while my more brilliant friends have a straight 100. I am only in Pre AP Pre Calculus with a few point above an A, while my friends are getting perfect scores in calc BC. My SAT scores are probably going to max out at barely 2200 at best. My friends are getting 2400s without trying. I would say that I have a much greater natural curiosity in science and math than most people, but I don't know where that gets me. I also have a tremendous interest in research and innovation, and I'm trying to work in a college lab doing experiments, and maybe submit stuff to national science fairs. The main reason I want to go to MIT is so I can immerse myself in a culture of innovation and technology. I don't care at all about the prestige. Sorry if my post is rambling, and makes no sense, but here's my bottom line:</p>

<p>With this all taken into account, is it even worth it applying for MIT? Am I even brilliant enough to last there, or even have a 1% chance of being accepted? Am I even a fit for a school that is such a nucleus for insane amounts of intelligence? Should I just try and go for a much less competitive school?</p>

<p>Yes. Apply. There’s more to being a great scientist than raw math ability. Einstein had to get help with the math in order to complete his best theories. But he had great imagination and perseverance which made him perhaps the greatest theoretical physicist in history.</p>

<p>If you read the acceptance threads you will see many many accepted students who have very mediocre stats while many of the seemingly brilliant applicants are rejected. MIT seems to value students who are poor, gay, transgender or URM more than those with just outstanding test scores and grades. What other college asks about sexual orientation and has 8 responses to choose from? </p>

<p>@lslmom‌
Caltech.
And gender is HUGE at MIT. Probably (along with caltech) the only elite colleges where Asian girls have it easier than white males.</p>

<p>So yeah OP, what are your demographics. If you’re Asian male, you can forget about it:</p>

<p>@theanaconda yep, asian male, although I have some mexican in me. I wonder if I should just put hispanic on my app. </p>

<p>Just apply. I know MIT is a super insane reach for me. I’m smart, like you, but I know there are thousands of other people smarter than me. But MIT is my dream school, and if I even have a 1% chance of being admitted, I’m going to shoot for the odds. It cannot hurt you to send an application.
For me, I decided that MIT was probably the one school where I would regret not sending an application. This sounds like you - definitely apply.</p>

<p>Yeah definitely put down just Hispanic. That could probably get you in. Don’t put down Asian, especially if you don’t have an Asian last name.</p>

<p>@theanaconda do you have to be able to prove your lineage? </p>

<p>@su1xsu2xsu3, Have you had your MIT interview yet? That would be an opportunity to talk about your non-academic strengths.</p>

<p>Just as a word to the wise, I would be very careful assuming that the conventional CC wisdom regarding race/gender is true. And I would also be very careful claiming an identity on the application that I didn’t claim in real life.</p>

<p>@connect1234 My non academic strength is my photography and timelapse cinematography. I’ve been featured on ABC, Fox news, and CNN.com. I also have turned it into a business that provides me with regular income, and I have a huge photo portfolio that I could submit. Would that make a difference? </p>

<p>@su1xsu2xsu3, your EC is very interesting. You mentioned only being in Pre-Calc, SATs of at or below 2200,a B in AP Chem., and didn’t state your subject SAT scores, so it is difficult to say that you would find taking Calculus and Chemistry along with the other first year courses to be manageable. But certainly you should follow your heart and apply. AdCom knows best and won’t admit someone unless they can handle the work.</p>

<p>@connect1234 I’ve only taken world history so far and I got a 780 on that. I took a practise bio and got an 800. I’m going to take Math II, Physics, Chem, and Bio. Overall I have like a 3.94 UW GPA and a 5.3ish weighted. It’ll go down this year because of AP tho, lol. </p>

<p>@connect1234 I actually only have like low As in all my classes this year besides physics and AP art history ( I have 100s in those), so pretty mediocre. </p>

<p>@su1xsu2xsu3, In rereading your posts, I realize that you are not a senior, but a junior, so you can take Calc BC (or AB) while still in HS. You’ve got a good record for a junior and plenty of time to raise your SATs. Good luck next yr.</p>

<p>@su1xsu2xsu3 – you only have to be 1/4 hispanic to classify yourself as hispanic. With your scores and gpa you could be a national hispanic scholar</p>

<p>@islmom Well, I’m not nearly 1/4, more like 1/16, lol. I am 1/4 european tho, my grandmother is full german from germany. I don’t know if that helps. </p>

<p>@connect1234 Yeah, I’m definitely taking BC next year. I was going to take AB this year, but I thought PreCalc would be more beneficial since AP Physics I has trig. </p>

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<p>Marilee Jones, a previous MIT director of admissions, said if they were looking only for academic strength, they could fill a freshman class from only Massachusetts applicants alone. The point she was making was MIT’s desire to build their mosaic of a diverse student body. Brilliance alone tends to not carry you.</p>

<p>I graduated MIT ('00) but wasn’t very brilliant – top 10% (just barely) in a small-town public high school, B+/A- average, ~2050 SAT equivalent. I think admissions also care a lot about self-starters and entrepreneur mentalities, and people who show curiosity about how things are done but wonder if it could be done differently. They’re especially looking for future innovators, not just people who memorize things well and do as they’re told. You do need to be able to keep up with the accelerated academics, but that’s only part of what they want I think.</p>