How much will this B+ in AP Calc AB (independent study class though) hurt me for MIT?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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<p>How much will this B+ in AP Calc AB hurt me for MIT, a math-science tech school?
It was a zero period (very early in the morning), and I had to take it as an independent study class because I had a schedule conflict with that, Physics Honors, and Tennis.</p>

<p>Don't overlook me as another neurotic kid freaking out over a B+. My school is a subpar public HS in California with some grade inflation, and thus I am actually worried about this B+, in a math course, affecting my chances to the most notorious math-science-tech schools of them all, MIT. I self-studied Calc BC to neutralize it since it was AB and ended up taking Multivariable this year...Lol might as well chance me please, while you're at it? (:</p>

<p>These are my stats overall. </p>

<p>GPA: not including first-semester senior year..3.97 (unweighted), 4.65 (weighted)
including first-semester senior year...3.98 (unweighted), 4.7 (weighted)
Rank: 1/~500 </p>

<p>SAT: 780 Math (ugh), 800 Critical Reading, 800 Writing (2380)
SAT Subject: 800 Math 2, 800 Biology (Molecular), 800 Chemistry, 800 World History</p>

<p>9th
AP Human Geography (4) - A-/A
Algebra 2 Honors - A/A
English 9 Honors - A-/A-
Biology Honors - A/A
Spanish 2 - A+/A+
Tennis - A/A</p>

<p>10th
AP World History (5) - A/A
Precalculus Honors - A/A-
English 10 Honors - A-/A-
Chemistry (no honors available for first-year chem at my school) - A/A
Spanish 3 - A/A
PE - A/A (couldn't do Tennis because of Injury)
Self-studied: AP Environmental Science (4), AP Psychology (4), AP Chinese Language (4)</p>

<p>11th
AP US History (5) - A/A
AP Calculus AB (independent study for 1st Semester only) - B+/A
AP English Language (5) - A-/A
Physics Honors - A-/A
AP Spanish Language (4) - A/A
AP Microeconomics/Macroeconomics (FLVS Online) (5/5) - A/A
Tennis - A (first semester) / Health - A (second semester, graduation req.)
Self-studied: AP Calculus <strong><em>BC</em></strong> (5, w/ 5 AP Calc AB subscore), AP Chemistry (5), AP Biology (5), AP Comparative Government (5)</p>

<p>12th
AP US Government - A
AP English Literature - A
AP Spanish Literature - A
AP Computer Science A - A
AP Physics B - A
AP Music Theory (Stanford EPGY) - A
Tennis - A
Multivariable Calculus (Stanford EPGY) - A</p>

<p>Extracurriculars
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics (10-12, Engineering Notebook/Computer-Animated Design (CAD)/Sponsorships (10-12))
-Scientific Research: Neurobiology (11-12, @ CSULB, Caltech - School Year + Summer)
-American Red Cross (9-12, Treasurer (9), Vice-President (10, 11), Co-President (12), 200 hours)
-History Club (9-12, Publicist (10, 11), Vice-President (12))
-History Bowl (11-12, Varsity, Founder (11), Captain (11, 12))
-Piano (since first grade)
-Tennis (9-12, Junior Varsity (9-11, Captain - 11), Varsity (12, Captain))
-Key Club (100 hours)
-Academic/Peer Tutoring (all subjects, 9-12, 200 hours)</p>

<p>Jobs
-9th-12th: Corporation that sells LED lights, safety gear, and medical equipment to various big-name chain stores and company (accounting, graphics, marketing/publicity)...name not disclosed for privacy reasons
-11th-12th: Global management consulting firm that helps North American and European firms (including Kraft Foods, Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, etc.) in marketing their products to India and China (accounting, graphics, marketing/publicity)...name not disclosed for privacy reasons
-12th: Starbucks Barista</p>

<p>Summer Activities (<em>after</em> mentioned school year below)
-9th: Study Abroad/Travel to China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam
-10th: UCLA Neuroscience Camp
-11th: UCLA Neuroscience Camp, Research Internship @ CSULB, Caltech), Congressional Internship</p>

<p>Awards/Honors
-Associated British Royal Schools of Music - Piano (Theory) - Level 5 (Distinction) (9th)</p>

<p>-Associated British Royal Schools of Music - Piano (Performance - Level 6 (Pass) (10th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - Las Vegas Regional Championships: First Place Alliance (10th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - Las Vegas Regional Championships: PTC Design Award (10th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - Las Vegas Regional Championships: Think Award Finalist, Inspire Award Finalist, Innovate Award Finalist (10th) </p>

<p>-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - Los Angeles Regional Championships: Motivate Award (11th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - Los Angeles Regional Championships: 2nd Place Inspire Award/World Championships Qualifier (11th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - Los Angeles Regional Championships: Think Award Finalist, Connect Award Finalist (11th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - World Championships: Philosopher's Muse Award (11th)
-FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) - World Championships: Think Award Finalist, Motivate Award Finalist, Inspire Award Finalist (11th)
-Regional Brain Bee (location not disclosed for privacy reasons) - 1st Place (11th)
-US National Brain Bee - Top 5 (specific placement not disclosed for privacy reasons) (11th)
-Congressional Award of Appreciation (11th)</p>

<p>-Associated British Royal Schools of Music - Piano (Performance) - Level 8 (Distinction) (12th)
-Associated British Royal Schools of Music - Piano (Theory) - Level 8 (Pass) (12th)</p>

<p>-CPR and First Aid-Certified</p>

<p>Skills
-Adobe Photoshop, ImageReady (professional)
-Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher) (professional)
-Quickbooks (professional)</p>

<p>And hopefully I am a USABO Semifinalist and USAPhO Semifinalist...results will be announced in a few weeks after I take them next week...will definitely be sending those in ASAP if I do qualify...</p>

<p>Letter of Recs:
-AP World History Teacher (also History Club and History Bowl advisor, she is in love with me I think, we talk about history all the time)
-Chemistry/Physics H/AP Physics B Teacher (yeah, I had the same teacher for all my science classes from 10th to 12th, 3 years of him, hopefully good, seems so)</p>

<p>Additional Letter of Recs:
-Principal
-Counselor
-Research Mentor (Caltech)</p>

<p>Race/Ethnicity: Asian (Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese)
Income Bracket: 100K-150K
Geographical Location: So Cal aw yeah</p>

<p>Also applied to:
Harvard (SCEA-Deferred), Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, Yale, Princeton, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, UPenn-Wharton</p>

<p>I am really worried about the crappiness of my school bringing me down. The average SAT is 1400ish and average ACT is 18....</p>

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<p>This may actually help you, considering your scores are as competitive as they could be. For MIT, I do not think the B+ will hurt you.</p>

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<p>I also think it may help you. It also makes it look like your school doesn’t just hand out A’s easily. So don’t freak out. You should be fine. :)</p>

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<p>These are some of the best stats I’ve seen on this site.</p>

<p>Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using CC</p>

5

<p>First off, stop freaking out, and BREATHE. </p>

<p>Second, remind yourself that only admissions can give you the correct “chance” you have at MIT. Decisions are only a pi day away!</p>

<p>That being said, you’re fine. They definitely do take into account the fact that you had to independently study Calc BC, and the school you attend will in no way impact your admissions decisions. </p>

<p>In the meantime, relax! [url=&lt;a href=“- YouTube”&gt;- YouTube]Relaxing</a> Music Therapy - Hypnotizing Drive Through The Canyons - YouTube<a href=“credit:%20Chris,%20from%20here:%20%5Burl%5Dhttp://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/missing-document-deadline-extended-to-wednesday%5B/url%5D”>/url</a></p>

6

<p>The B+ in Calc AB will not hurt you at all, with respect to MIT admissions. It is completely wiped out by the A in multi-variable calculus through Stanford EPGY, if it had not been wiped out already by the 5 in AP Calc BC, if it had not been wiped out by the A in second-semester Calc AB (before you got the AP score back).</p>

<p>What will hurt you: This is one of the worst cases of a lack of perspective that I have seen in the MIT forum. Your “crappy” school and your own efforts gave you a good enough background to score 780 M, 800 CR, and 800 W on the SAT I and 4 800’s on the SAT II. The low average SAT at your school can only help you, in this circumstance. I see you are tutoring in academic subjects. Are you helping anyone out with SAT practice?</p>

<p>Also, please drop the (ugh) from your SAT M score. This means you missed one question. It is even possible, though unlikely, that there was an error in the SAT key. That happens from time to time. Forget it. It’s kind of fun to have 800/800/800, but there’s next to nothing that you can do with that, which you can’t do with 2380–aside from qualifying as a candidate to be a Presidential Scholar (in CA), but the odds on actually winning that are quite long anyway.</p>

<p>I can understand that being deferred by Harvard SCEA could be a bit unsettling, given the strength of your “package” overall. But whatever caused it, that wasn’t about the B+ either.</p>

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<p>I don’t understand, my school is considered one of the best urban public high schools in my state, and it doesn’t offer as many AP classes as yours. so it’s crappy now? You have a research mentor at Caltech? kid, you’re fine. </p>

<p>With what you have, the only thing that makes any difference on your application is your essays and how you presented yourself in your interview. Your ECs look out of this world, and even if you’ve only done one or two of the things you listed and you did them well, it wouldn’t have hurt you. </p>

<p>Don’t worry about being deferred at Harvard. It’s Harvard. Their admissions process is such that it becomes a lottery for those that have astronomical stats and achievements and a hopeless waste of time and a $70 application fee for everyone else (unless you’re an athlete or athlete+legacy). </p>

<p>I find that “ugh” after your math score unreasonable and frankly somewhat distasteful. This is where the old “no one’s perfect” cliche comes in. MIT admits humans, not super computers programmed to receive perfect scores on everything math related. The first questions on their app even asks what you do for fun. They’re obviously looking to admit humans here (and the occasional fun loving alien). </p>

<p>“Don’t overlook me as another neurotic kid freaking out over a B+.” Really? because you sure came across as one. A B+ in AB calculus can be completely ignored with your 5 in AP calc BC and study of multivariable (my study of multivariable consists of Khan Academy lectures over the summer :stuck_out_tongue: ) </p>

<p>breathe, relax, I applied to MIT with significantly less of a resume and worse stats. Pi day is my birthday btw! :smiley: Very unlikely I’m getting in, but oh well, I wasn’t going to apply if it wasn’t for the fact that I fell in love with it when I visited with a couple friends. </p>

<p>I wish you the best of luck!</p>

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<p>I love Khan Academy haha it is so helpful! Also, MIT’s opencourseware site is incredible! Every lecture from every course has a video on that site!</p>