<p>I am going into junior year next year, and my top choice schools are MIT, CalTech, Berkeley, Stanford, and Princeton. I seem to have all the regular stats and ECs of an applicant to those schools (based on what people here have told me, you can check out my stats on the last post I made), but I am wondering if my photography and filmmaking would help in admissions at all. I have over 160,000 views on my photos currently, and have been featured on National Geographic, 500px, and a few other sites. I compete with people twice my age or more, and am often the only teenager amongst the competition. I have a portfolio of over 150 photos. I am also hoping to win a few awards for my timelapse short films. I have been featured on a few ABC affiliate news shows for my timelapse photography. I know photography is more of an art, and these are largely STEM schools, and I plan on doing a STEM major, but I was hoping this would be somewhat of a differentiating factor.</p>
<p>They can’t hurt, and some STEM schools are in the vanguard of incorporating creative arts into their curricula. It might help you stand out from all the other applicants’ Robotics/Science Olympiad brag-sheets, but there are no guarantees for any of those schools. </p>
<p>If you have photography you can create a portfolio and also submit an art supplement to the school. It can be unique because it is one of the parts of the application where they can visually see, therefore giving them a glimpse of who you are. Obviously though those schools are highly competitive to get into, and your other parts of your application will matter as well</p>
<p>@woogzmama @shawnspencer Interesting, I participate in science olympiad and Academic Decathalon as well, I hope a decent portfolio will boost my application a bit.</p>
<p>@woogzmama Yeah that’s what I thought. I didn’t really get into photography because I thought it would benefit college entry, but it also becomes fairly technical as I have designed custom camera motion control systems, editing software, and intervalometers. Now I just have to get my SAT scores up since I’ve been getting only 1950-2000 so far :(</p>
<p>Your photography interest will certainly help to make an interesting essay, but it will not get you into these schools if you don’t have the SAT scores or the GPA.</p>
<p>Oh, dear - your earlier post indicated that your scores fell within the normal range for the colleges you mentioned. Your film and photography won’t compensate for that deficit, I’m afraid. Do not base your college plans on the scores you are hoping for. You aren’t really competitive for any of those schools unless you play outstanding football or basketball, or your family has donated millions, with test scores in that range - especially in STEM programs. It’s time to look at some more colleges that you could realistically get into with your existing scores. Those schools all reject students with much higher stats each year. </p>
<p>@woogzmama My 200 psat was without any prep. I am going to be a junior next year, I took that psat on my first week of sophomore year, and am taking SAT class all summer. I haven’t taken a full SAT yet. My low score on the psat was due to reading and writing anyways, I got a 730 on the math without a calculator. I am scoring 800s on the chemistry and bio subject practice tests and 750s on the physics even though I haven’t had a formal physics class in school. I have a whole year and a half to improve my scores. I have had the same GPA as the valedictorian for 2 semesters and the only reason I am only in the top 5 percent is because of my slight errors of not doing homework freshmen year. I would say it’s a little early to call it quits on MIT. I just got a research internship in a nanotech lab and am entering the intel science fair with my fusion project next year. </p>
<p>@woogzmama I know several people who have said the a 200 psat during sophomore year is a great base for the schools I’m applying to. Especially since my SAT science subject test scores are high. </p>
<p>Okay; sorry - I missed some of the background. I thought that you were a rising senior, reporting 1900-2000 SAT scores, which are low for the schools you mentioned. There is no real way to discuss your chances now, since your junior year is critical, and most of these colleges reject applicants with seemingly-impeccable credentials. Good luck!</p>
<p>@woogzmama Yeah I agree, if I was a rising senior I’d be screwed with those scores. So far I’m basing my top schools on my interest in STEM fields. </p>
<p>Sounds impressive! If you manage to get good test scores (around 700 in each section should do, although for Caltech you would probably need something around 750 in each) and maintain good grades the next 1.5 years, you would be a competitive applicant at all these schools. You don’t need to follow the herd into science competitions. Do what you are passionate about and it will lead you to where you are supposed to be.</p>
<p>@international95 I still plan on doing the ISEF competition and some research, but I’m hoping this will be the icing on the cake so to speak. I probably won’t make it at caltech, so MIT is my first choice.</p>