How to Get Into MIT

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>I really want to get into MIT, every since I was a little boy I've been dreaming about it. However, only recently have I started to get some EC's and start planning my courses carefully. I want to major in Electrical Engineering, maybe Aeronautical Engineering (leaning toward EE), but I have no idea where to start! Right now my planned classes are: (I'm a rising sophomore)</p>

<p>9th: Eng(H), World History, Alg II(H), Spanish I, Orchestra 1
Summer: Biology
10: Eng H, Precalc/Calc A, Spanish II, Orchestra III, AP Physics B, AP Comp Sci
Summer: A College Readiness Program like COSMOS
11: AP Eng, Calc BC, Spanish III, Orchestra III, AP Physics C, AP US Hist
Summer: MITES or some other program or internship
12: AP Eng, CalcD/AP Stats, AP Spanish, Orchestra III, AP Gov/Econ, Robotics/Engineering </p>

<p>Is that good enough, or should I change some courses around? Originally, I wanted to take AP Bio in 10th, Chem in Summer, AP Chem in 11th and AP Physics C in 12th, but I don't think that will help me in engineering. I'll probably take Math IIC and SAT II Physics.</p>

<p>As regards to EC's I have very little good ones. I'm in the Red Cross (Maybe Officer next year), Volunteering at Hospital, participating in NASA's INSPIRE and hopefully an internship next year, Science Olympiad, Math Team, Physics Club, Robotics Club and Astronomy club (I might start MU Alpha Theta at my school next year). Truth is, I don't know what EC"s to do that would show my interest in Engineering... especially Electrical Engineering.</p>

2

<p>I am pretty sure that you need chemistry for MIT, unless there are some really exceptional circumstances. Since your school apparently offers AP chem, you should take it. Do you need a “college readiness” program? Your robotics club seems like a good venue for projects related to Electrical Engineering.</p>

3

<p>The NASA’s INSPIRE program seems like a cool thing to do. Although you say that you have weak ECs, I think they are decent for MIT. Not everyone can have these amazing ECs and the majority of applicants do not.</p>

4

<p>Hmm… do you think I should not take AP Physics B then, and go instead for AB Biology 10th grade year and AP Chemistry 11th Grade and then AP Physics C 12th? I would take Chemistry between 10-11 Summer. Otherwise, I can simply take Chemistry during summer of 10-11th grade and keep my original schedule. Which do you think is a better plan?</p>

5

<p>If your high school will let you take AP Physics C without prior physics (AP B or some other class), then I’d suggest AP Bio, AP Chem, and then AP Phys C. AP Physics B is a college course, in a sense–but it’s the pre-med, non-calculus version of physics. There are a few topics that are introduced in AP Phys B and not covered in AP Phys C (thermodynamics is one, I think), but you will get part of that in AP Chem, and it will be much better to have a full calculus-based course in thermo later, if you want/need it. A lot depends on what your high school allows, though.</p>

<p>Also, take a look at the MIT admissions web site. I believe that they do recommend chemistry.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, I looked over the site. My school also lets me take regular Chemistry over the summer of 10-11 grade or I can even take it at the local college or online. I just don’t want to take classes that aren’t essential to my major (Electrical or Aerospace Engineering). Thus, I thought taking AP Physics B and AP Physics C then Robotics/Engineering might be helpful. However, I don’t want to hurt my chances of getting into a good college. So if you guys think I would be better off with sticking with AP Bio->AP Chem->AP Physics C, then I’ll do it.</p>