Improve chance at MIT next year

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

I’m currently a junior and I’m looking for advice to improve my application to MIT next year. I’m looking to apply early action to MIT and/or Caltech. My intended major is computer science/math (double major).

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 800 Math, 740 Reading, 7/6/7 Essay
SAT II: Math II (800), Chinese (800), I’m taking Chemistry and Physics in May, likely to get 790 or 800 on both
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.5373
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1 or 2 /111
AP (place score in parenthesis): Chinese (5), World History (5), Calculus BC (5), AB Subscore (5), Computer Science A (5). I’m taking APUSH, AP Literature, AP Seminar, and AP Chemistry this year, for sure getting 4s and 5s; I’m also taking stats and multivariable calculus at community college
Senior Year Course Load: AP Psychology, AP Research, AP US Government, Economics, AP Physics C, AP Language, AP Spanish Language and Culture, Multimedia Arts, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 120 on AMC 10, 5 on AIME :(, USACO Silver, 3rd place in Bay Area Hackathon, 36th place on OMO.
Predicted Major Awards: 132 on AMC 12, 10 on AIME, 20 on USAMO, USACO Gold, 10th place on OMO, 1st place in Bay Area Hackathon
Minor Awards: Math Student of the Year (10th grade), 3rd place in school-wide essay contest (11th grade)

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Math Club (Founder and President 10-12th grade), MATHCOUNTS (Founder and Assistant Coach 11-12th grade), Web Design (Co-Founder and member 10-11th grade, President 12th grade), Computing Olympiad Club (Co-Founder and Vice President 11-12th grade), Chess Club (Vice President 11th grade, President 12th grade), Boy Scouts (Star Scout, Senior Patrol Leader), Crowdmath Researcher (10-12th grade)
Job/Work Experience: Math Tutor (11-12th grade)
Volunteer/Community service: 120+ hours at Food Bank
Summer Activities: Traveling (9-11th grade), Volunteering (9-11th grade), MOP (Predicted, 11th grade)
We’re redesigning the school website in Web Design club, and hopefully we could get that done by the end of next year. I also have my own personal website designed from scratch (I haven’t launched it since I don’t have a domain yet). I’ve also written several handouts (100+ pages total) for AMC 8/10/12 prep, as well as other topics, including calculus.

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): Sophomore Calc BC teacher/Math club advisor/MATHCOUNTS coach (10, I’m really close with him and even though we had a shaky start, we’re a pretty good team now)
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): Junior AP Lit teacher (8, She knows me pretty well from my sister and just my drive for math (just about everyone knows my drive for math at my school since very few people like math in the first place), I’ve been off-task quite a bit in her class, but I’m looking to improve this semester)
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 7, I don’t know my counselor very well at the moment, but I have made a pretty good impression so far by asking her questions when needed and thanking her in person after every presentation/announcement she gives (and also from my sister). I’m pretty sure she knows my drive for math as well :slight_smile:
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details): I might get one from my multivariable calculus professor since we share a lot in common

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Math and Computer Science (Double Major)
State (if domestic applicant): California
School Type: Charter
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None

Comments: Does not having USACO Platinum or more involvement in computer science in general hurt my chances? Also, what’s it like to double major in math and computer science? (I know they’re in two separate departments) If I had to choose between math and computer science, I’d go with computer science since it’s always been the thing I’ve wanted to do as a career. Math is more of a fun hobby that I do (and enjoy so much that I want to major in it, or possibly minor).

2

Wow! Seems very strong for MIT or CalTech.

3

OP, now you need to seriously research what Stanford looks for. It’s not just stats and awards. Nor is it being so heavy in STEM activities that you seem unilateral.

4

Stanford?

5

@lostaccount Yeah, but how can I improve my application? I feel like it’s pretty weak for a computer science major at MIT. My guess is a large amount of computer science applicants are at the USACO gold or platinum level (there are 700 pre-college participants in those divisions combined), and/or probably have taken at least 1 or 2 computer science courses beyond AP Computer Science A. Unfortunately I only have 2 more chances to get up to Gold, and I’ll be studying for the AMC 12 and AIME during those times (though maybe I could wing those tests and still score high enough for USAMO). Also, there’s a very low chance of me being able to have time to take a computer science college course given my current schedule, unless I audit an online course. Would participating in Hackathons and USACO take the place of college level computer science courses?

How much would making USAMO/Math competitions in general boost an application for Computer Science? Would they admit me to both their School of Engineering (computer science) and school of science (math) as a double major for my achievements, or is it more likely that they’ll only accept me for a math major?

6

Way back when I was at MIT, in order to major in computer science you were required to take quite a few electrical engineering courses. For this reason I majored in math, and just took the computer science classes without any official status. You should decide whether you are okay taking a lot of electrical engineering, and if not find out whether this restriction is still true. In retrospect I think that I would have been better off with a math/CS double major elsewhere. Also, you should check on the requirements for a double major at each school that you apply to.

I might add that in high school I literally spent no time at all thinking about what to do to get into MIT. I just did the ECs that I wanted to do and took the classes that I wanted to take (which of course included every math class that the high school had). Because I was doing what I wanted to do, I did it well. My suggestion is that you do the same thing. You are already doing very well.

I think that you look like a strong candidate for both MIT and Caltech. The problem is that the large majority of the students who apply to these schools are also very strong candidates, and they only accept a very small percentage of applicants.

No university has a monopoly on anything that they are going to teach an undergraduate in math or computer science. There are a lot of other schools that are very good at both. As such you need to focus on other schools. It is worth applying to MIT and Caltech, but IMHO would be a mistake to focus on them.

7

Read: https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways/

MIT students are not accepted into different schools. And they are not admitted to a particular major. They are admitted to MIT. Read the blog!

8

@lookingforward I don’t know if I’m misinterpreting your post or not, but my question was for MIT and Caltech, not Stanford. If, on the other hand, you’re suggesting I match more with Stanford with my stats, I will be applying to Stanford regular decision if I don’t get into MIT or Caltech.

9

MIT doesn’t admit by major. Some MIT CS students didn’t have any prior coding experience. Your stats are great. I think now you should learn more about MIT, visit, read blogs. Convince MIT admission officers that you fit into MIT both academically and culturally.

10

Oops. sorry, didn’t check before writing Stanford. But it applies to MIT in spades. You’ll see that once you delve through the admissions blogs.

Also, no, not all colleges admit you to a particular school (eg, COE) or hold you to a commitment. That doesn’t mean admissions doesn’t vet you per what you do show interest in. Separate concept.

Yes, you need to match “cuturally,” as well. Learn what that means. It’s not “all stem all the time.” I’m not suggesting you’re a better match for Stanford, sorry. You can’t be a match until you understand more. The other benefit is then knowing how to fine tune, in the next 10 months.

11

@DadTwoGirls I have no problem taking classes in electrical engineering. In fact, I think I’ll probably enjoy that. I know that math and computer science are pretty different in experience (math is more thinking and theory while computer science is more hands on), but I enjoy doing both of those. I’ve always enjoyed creating things on computers and working with computer chips. I remember I taught myself to program every summer since 2nd grade and was designing computer games by 5th grade. Of course, much of my joy for computer science has been overshadowed by my new love for math competitions lately, but it’s still there. I’ll look more into the double major requirements. Thanks for letting me know about this!

12

@Ballerina016 Thanks for letting me know about this! When do MIT students usually declare their major (I know their last chance at declaration is at the end of freshman year, but when do most typically declare)? I heard that if you don’t get a Comp Sci major before it’s full, it’s nearly impossible to transfer in.

13

They declare major by the end of freshman year, unless they take early sophomore standing. Unlike at other schools, it is very easy to switch between majors at MIT. Some students change major during sophomore or junior years. CS is the most popular major but I don’t believe any students who want to declare course 6 ever were turned down. Specially now when they plan to have college of computing.

14

@ktong777 At MIT you can apply for any major you’d like. You won’t be turned down. The only way I imagine that you could be possibly turned down is if you change your mind too late, and there is no way to finish your major in a fair amount of time

15

two words: eagle scout. get it. ok so that was more like four words. you get the picture.

16

To improve your chances, find something really interesting to do over the summer after 11th grade and write about that on your college essays.

@uglyMom @ktong777 MIT never turns any admitted student down for any major. The freshman year at Caltech and MIT is taken up by a common core of biology, chemistry, physics, and math. So you can easily change majors up through end of sophomore year, if you keep up with two majors requirements during sophomore year, not that hard to do at MIT. I did that with materials science and physics and did not declare my major at MIT until middle to end of sophomore year.

EECS has changed a lot over the years, there is a lot of applied physics and solid state physics and optics in the EE side of that department. and MIT is also opening a new College of Computing, see FAQ below. The degrees at the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing will be different in focus from the five degrees in EECS. EECS now offers some economics focused CS degrees, and biology focused CS degrees.

This new MIT college of computing will offer AI focus and also humanities and human factors, interdisciplinary in focus, but its still being established. Note that CSAIL will move from EECS to College of Computing at MIT, and
other changes are in the works–

http://news.mit.edu/2018/faq-mit-stephen-schwarzman-college-of-computing-1015

17

You have outstanding stats and wouldn’t need to worry about getting into any school based on the stats. I agree with @DadTwoGirls , focus on what you love and continue with it. Present it in your essay when you apply. All you need then is luck.