How to stand out

<p>I am a high school senior looking to go into college in fall of 2015. I want to go to a top tier school to major in mathematics or physics. My problem is when I sit down to write essays for the common/UC/MIT app I feel like I am extremely cookie cutter and average.</p>

<p>My class rank is 1/238
GPA is 4.0/4.0
AP BC Calculus (sophomore year) 5
AP US History (junior year) 4
SAT 760 Reading, 770 Math, 720 Writing, 2250 Composite
SAT Subject Math 2 800, Physics 780
So far, Varsity XC 2 years, Varsity Track 1 year, Varsity Nordic Skiing 3 years
17:36 5k, 10:09 3k
I took Mulitvariable Calculus at the local university, finished with a 96%. Class average was a 74%.
I took AP Spanish, but did not take the AP test.
My family is not rich, but we have enough money that financial aid is not an issue.
I live on a small organic farm, but I don't have to work unless someone gets sick. Then I have to fill in for them.</p>

<p>I feel like my SAT scores are well in the range for top schools, my class rank and GPA are both as good as possible, and my sports are decent even though I am probably not good enough to compete at the college level. However, this doesn't make me any different from the other thousands of applicants to MIT who are also valedictorians with good SAT scores and some sports. I see my only two options for a "hook" are to focus on how advanced I am at math (and juxtapose myself against the USAMO qualifying geniuses) or to focus on growing up as a farm boy (which would basically be lying if i made it sound like I was disadvantaged because of where I grew up). What does CC suggest I focus my essay on. How can I stand out from the crowd.</p>

<p>looking at youre GPA and SAT scores scares me… because I don’t have that high scores. :(</p>

<p>Focusing on how advanced you are at math will not make you stand out in the MIT applicant pool. But I think the farm would make a distinctive and interesting topic. I commend you for worrying about being misleading about your socioeconomic status, but I think it will be fine as long as you write a truthful essay (e.g. don’t make it sound like you have to work more than you do). </p>

<p>Since a lot of campuses have big “green” recycling and alternative energy options, I also agree that you should use the organic farm to your advantage.</p>