<p>Many applicants to MIT (especially in CS) probably taught themselves syntax programming. I'd suggest you don't emphasize your CS background as the main thing you believe is outstanding about yourself - in other words, don't be overly obsessed with this. There are many others out there just like you who have your skills and knowledge, and they are competing for the exact same spot that you are.</p>
<p>It's almost uncanny how much you remind me of myself. I used to approach the college applications game with a mindset of "I need to plan out my schedule perfectly to ensure I have the perfect chance of getting in." However, this is a very erroneous and potentially stressful way to do it, and most likely you will be very disappointed if things don't turn out the way you want them to.</p>
<p>I know everyone says it, but just go with the flow and focus on the things that you're interested in. Don't take a class because "it will help me get into MIT". Take the class because you sincerely want to learn the material. There is nothing you can do to "guarantee" acceptance - the best thing to do is just try your hardest and then take things in stride =)</p>
<p>I did talk about my other passion much yet....</p>
<p>My other passion is Astronomy/Astrophysics...The problem is, I can't really show this passion. I read about it alot and use my own telescope sometimes. But the matter to the fact is this is a subject that required millions to billions of $$$ in funding. I can't discover a Black Hole or Gamma Ray Burst because I don't have the equipment. I actively looked for internships, but most are across the country.</p>
<p>Also this maybe important...My freshmen year was FAR less the stellar, but I should note(maybe on my application) that I transferred from a private middle school to a public high school in a different town all while moving.</p>
<p>Don't count on working with Stephen Hawking as an exchange student in Cambridge. First, I think he's more cosmology, or super theoretical than anything dealing with telescopes and gamma ray bursts. But more importantly, I hear that Cambridge really limits its undergrads in terms of research opportunity (from exchange students I know), I'd go there for the culture and the travel opportunity more than the academics. You might be disappointed, that's all.</p>
<p>Also, I don't think moving from a private middle school to a public high school, no matter what town they are in, is going to be considered significant trauma by the admissions committee. Just sayin'.</p>
<p>I mean, just chill out. I always liked astrophysics as well. But I don't think it ever crossed my mind to "prove" it to anyone, least of all admissions committees. You probably know way more about the subject than I did when I was applying. As much work as they knew it was going to take, they still found a reason to educate me. So chill out.</p>
<p>@Nightmarerec0n: I seriously don't think reason you can't discover Black Holes or Gamma Ray Bursts is because you don't have equipment. From the few classes in astrophysics I have taken, there is a huge base of theoretical knowledge required of you to know before anyone is going to give you any time on a big telescope.</p>
<p>If I were you, I'd make sure I knew enough astrophysics that I could impress multiple professors after talking to them for 10 minutes before hoping for time on big telescopes. Don't just read about astrophysics as a bedtime type of thing. Actively work out all the problems in textbooks and such if you are serious about it.</p>
<p>So I get the impression that you're waiting for a certain response from us, like "oh you'll get in for sure, relax". We're not telling you what you want to hear because there aren't really any tips that can guarantee an acceptance letter; instead, we're just pointing out potential flaws in your application and you're kind of making excuses for your grades/passions/whatever, and these excuses probably won't impress the admissions committee.</p>
<p>"Also this maybe important...My freshmen year was FAR less the stellar, but I should note(maybe on my application) that I transferred from a private middle school to a public high school in a different town all while moving." - Um, I'm willing to bet that there's at least someone at MIT who worked 40 hrs/wk to support his/her family in high school and still managed to get mostly A's. Moving and transferring, esp from a private to public (I'd assume publics, in most cases, are less rigorous than privates), is really not that great of an excuse.</p>
<p>"I can't discover a Black Hole or Gamma Ray Burst because I don't have the equipment. I actively looked for internships, but most are across the country." - Admissions doesn't care about what you didn't do and why you couldn't. I could've sent in a long essay about how I was unable to, say, build a robot that runs around Pluto, but that would just sound like I was whining instead of taking advantages of opportunities that I do have. I think most of those astrophysics-y applicants haven't been able to discover black holes and whatnot but they do find other ways (ie essays) to convey their love for the subject. Exactly how you do this is up to you, but it doesn't have to come in the form of research/internships.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot guys, seriously.
I am extremely glad are being honest with me.
I don't plan on getting in, it is a dream and sometimes dream come true.
But a dream can't come true, unless you try.</p>
<p>I mean, I'll try my best to get a good GPA,rank,SAT,ECs and write a solid application. As I said I expect to be rejected, but if I am accepted it will be like hitting the lottery. Sometimes there isn't a formula, which sound EXTREMELY true about MIT.</p>
<p>While it is hard for me to say this, While isn't MIT, I am sure I can find brilliant professors elsewhere and (slightly) less brilliant students elsewhere.
I mean the brilliant Michio Kaku teaches at the subpar CUNY and Stroustrup teaches at well-known Texas A & M.
Locally U Mass Amherst has a good CS program and Northeastern offers co-ops with companies like Microsoft and Google.
Probably not as geeky though....That is a downside....</p>
<p>And maybe in the future I will do really well and decide to go for my PhD, maybe MIT is a possibility again.</p>
<p>Also pebbles, that was more of a joke. Cambridge does have a new cosmology center though</p>
<p>" As I said I expect to be rejected, but if I am accepted it will be like hitting the lottery. "</p>
<p>For starters, you can do better than this statement. Luck does play its part in the admissions process, but you can significantly increase your chances by winning national awards, starting a club, doing research on YOUR OWN, etc. THere are infinitely many possibilities out there. You don't begin with a statement like the one above. It is not mostly luck. It takes initiative, hardwork, and dedication. I do not believe that those who got into Ivies were simply lucky. They deserved it.</p>
<p>That's another thing - get involved in some research =) It'll show your dedication and you'll get to participate in some of the best gatherings of young scientists ever!</p>
<p>
[quote]
i've noticed from decision threads that intel/siemens finalists or even semifinalists nearly always get in
[/quote]
Actually, I'm fairly certain that's inaccurate. You hear from a lot of them on these threads, but there have also been a lot of angry students who haven't gotten in.</p>
<p>It does help - but it's far from a guarantee.</p>
<p>I'm going to agree with Piper on this one - winning Intel/Seimens definitely isn't seen as an auto-admit, nor is never participating in any of these competitions and auto-rejection. Participating in a research contest like these (or the AIME, or anything else) shows that you're interested in the material, which is a definite plus. Winning one really only means that your submission was really, really good, which is nice, but if that's all you have to offer or if you were just doing it to put on your college application, not so much.</p>
<p>So, blueducky, I think that participating because you're interested will definitely get 'brownie points,' but only if you show the same sort of passion and curiosity for research and science in the rest of your application too!</p>
<p>The most recent cache of Intel finalists apparently had surprisingly little success with MIT compared to previous years. Given that is the case, let it speak for itself against semifinalists "nearly always getting in".</p>
<p>i already gave in, you don't have to repeat the same statement multiple times.</p>
<p>all i meant to say is that if you went to the harvard decisions thread for class of 12
there are no similarities between the admits except the fact that they all won some kind of national award like siemens, intel</p>
<p>perhaps "nearly" is a bit strong, but it's still undeniable that it strengthens the application</p>
<p>well OF COURSE they can't accept all 300 of the intel finalists. do you really need data to tell you that?
there's other factors involved, i never said that intel alone was enough. but honestly though, it could just be the icing on the cake that will make the difference between a waitlist and an acceptance.</p>
<p>Can someone link me to the detail on Intel/Siemens...I can't find it?</p>
<p>Also, How would running a computer programming class look? I know between 5-10 people at my school who want to learn to program, but the school doesn't offer it and 3 of them a good friends and I like to teach.
I think I could use my school over the summer or after school since I have pretty good connections with schools principal and superintendent. </p>
<p>I mean I like to program, I am disappointed with the school and want to fix it and I like to teach and help people. I actually had this idea a while ago.</p>