How MIT treats IB predicted grades?

<p>"My GPA is very low, it would hurt me a lot in admission?"</p>

<p>Maybe you guys have read my last post in the thread above......but any way,</p>

<p>my question is really about how MIT treats IB predicted grades in general.</p>

<p>I assume that you all know, in IB, the final examination in May will account for most of a candidate's grades on his/her diploma, for his/her two year IB program. So, basically, if he/she fails the exam, his/her two years of efforts are gone like there's no tomorrow.</p>

<p>As such, since we theoretically cannot take any official exam until May in senior year, and accumulate our grades like Americans in AP system do since way before junior year, my school teachers give such things called IB predicted grades for admission purpose.</p>

<p>So, basically that means what my teachers think I may get in May. Note that the exams in May are official, and marked by one big organization, called IBO, like for example, your school teachers don't grade your SATs, but College board does.</p>

<p>What I concern is, I don't know whether or not MIT knows what I said above. Further more, since MIT doesn't get my official grade, but only after decisions are sent, how do they treat my predicted grades? Right now, like mgccl, I don't much agree with the predicted grades my teachers have given me, and I feel that I can do much better in the May examination. Of course, although I do have a 4.0 GPA, but anything above 37 points in IB is already considered a 4.0. Right now, I have 7s in maths/physics, 6s in Chinese/Chem, 5s in Economics/English. I feel I can easily get a 7 and a 6 for sure for Chem, and Economics respectively. That's what I feel I can at least do in the exam. Yes, at least.</p>

<p>In general, my worry is that should I be pwned in the competitive international applicant pool simply by just some minor difference in predicted grades, which I could have proved that I am actually better, in the official exam, it really makes me emotionally painful.</p>

<p>Can any one shed some light on this aspect of application?</p>

<p>btw, I have already applied to MIT....</p>

<p>pleas help</p>

<p>thanks</p>

<p>I don't think so... the current prediction is 36 points, like 3.9 GPA right?
3.9 GPA is pretty good. There are always reasons for not been perfect. Really, who can not get any question wrong in the entire 4 years of high school.</p>

<p>MIT will understand, Like I know people getting 99 average with 3s in their AP exams. (Maybe because they already got accepted and start slacking) What teacher sees in you are a great influence, but MIT should know no one can predict the accurate result.</p>

<p>I think the prediction can't hurt you much, don't worry about it.</p>

<p>The school I attend simply sends an attachment stating that I have no GPA as it is inapplicable ot the system I am in. I went on a college of some of the schools I was interested in the fall. The general impression I got was that at many schools the faculty and students had never heard of the IB at all, with few exceptions. However, the addmisions staff seemed very familiar with the system (especially at a few schools including MIT) and would likely know how to interpret the predicted grades. In particular most of the schools (including MIT) had admisions staff that worked specifically with international school and international program applicants. In summary while I do not know how your scores will affect your admissions, I am fairly sure that the people reviewing them are aware of their significance and will intrepret them with expertise.</p>

<p>I dont think MIT will treat the predicted grade as official ones... but will be considered, I think IB predicted grade is more like a extra recomendation from teachers of particular subject, and the predicted grade is very inaccurate!!
I did some certificates in 2007 november... and my predicted grade for physics and chemistry was 5 and 4 respectively, while I got 7 and 6 in the exam...
btw, how did you know your pred grade? It is not supposed to be confidential? when I asked my pred grade, school gave me a closed envelope and I sent it in without knowing them</p>

<p>that's not the way my school works, qihqi.</p>

<p>My school counselor simply uses the newest report card, where the grades my counselor put as my predicted.</p>

<p>I mean, like you guys have different predicted grades than the ones shown on your report card?</p>

<p>btw, qihqi, what do you mean IB grades are like extra recommendations?</p>

<p>like if I have 6 different subjects as a normal IB applicant is, I actually need to ask all six teachers to write recommendations and provide predicted grades, enclosed in envelopes?</p>

<p>ohh... my pred grade is just what ever the teacher think my potential is hehehe...
if it is you case i guess then your pred grade will not be considered, as it is equivalent to your mid-year report, so the admission will only consider your report card. MIT will know how your school works, and if they don't know they will email your counselor. so don't worry and good luck :-)</p>

<p>well, my doesn't send in any mid-year report card. The latest they is the report card issued in December last year.</p>

<p>However, I mean, MIT would know pretty well that it's not final but predicted, right?</p>

<p>Jack Wang, chill out. haha.</p>

<p>If I didn't know you, then I would be even more like o___o, but anyways, please do not worry.</p>

<p>I don't work for the Admissions Office, but I can tell you almost directly that the MIT decision is not based on minor differences in grades (yes, even in the international pool). When I visited Caltech, I talked with the Caltech admission officer, and I think the way he put it was the best, "when we look at an applicant, it's like choosing which painting to buy for the house in a gallery. Yes, the colors, the hues, and the strokes of the paintbrush matter, but in the end, it's about the ambience, the mood, and the feeling you get after looking at the painting. If you see a van Gogh, you wouldn't just throw it away because it has a minor blemish in a corner, right? Similarly, would you say that a painting that is colorful is necessarily "better" than a painting that has duller hues, but a more powerful central theme? It is the same way when we look at applicants."</p>

<p>Good luck, and you only have 5 more days left! Relax! </p>

<p>(and best wishes!)</p>

<p>I wish I be the van Gogh. Well, I am applying from the Netherlands, maybe that makes me more of a van Gogh...??</p>

<p>I should have sent a picture of me in that respect.</p>