<p>The title is self-explanatory; how do colleges, specifically MIT, see a USAMO qualification? I know it's positive, but how much weight does it carry? Is it just a good thing like having an 800 on a SAT, or quite substantial like valedictorian rank?</p>
<p>it's a hook</p>
<p>It's certainly far better than an 800 SAT. Of the 250 qualifiers, half or more are seniors. The results are too late in spring for college applications, so you would need to qualify as a junior for it to make a difference. Being among the top 120 or so juniors in the country is nothing to sniff at.</p>