@corrjayna hey, added you to the google hangout! 1ish month to go yay!
@balloony Your SAT and GPA should be able to cover up your lack of math and science activities. Also, if you have above average essays and teacher recs, these may be able to cover up your lack of math and science activities as well.
@lsutiger25 thank you so much! good luck to all
@balloony If there are two typical routes, you’re pretty set for the one based on scores. Also, I think the volunteering in there will be a plus to establish that you’re mature enough to go to IMSA.
@melon123 Thanks!
I’m so nervous it’s all I can think about like how have you guys been calming yourselves down
@balloony The only way is to keep yourself super busy with something that take all your attention. I added three online classes to my busy schedule as well as working on composing and recording music to keep my mind busy 
@javascript have you found an online resource for writing sheet music? I found a free one online (flat.io) but I’m just trying it out. Do you have a different recommendation? I think that’s so cool.
@balloony I am using Finale 25. With midi input and a good sound card it is a mind blowing software :D/ . You can record and import audio and edit MIDI data. There is a free trail version. :-B
@javascript unfortunately I am working with a Chromebook because my parents won’t buy me a regular laptop/computer so I have to work with this online version but I’m really enjoying it. Thanks for the suggestion, I’m having a great time!
Does anybody want to talk about IMSA? I know I’m late to the party but if anybody just wants to talk about stuff I’d love to.
@balloony Just 3 more weeks left … after that you might have to face three outcomes:
- in case you get invited you will have to worry about “to go or not to go” … you will have to consider many different pros and contras of going…
- if you get waitlisted… you will have to continue worrying possibly all the way till the middle of August… I understand why some people choose to move on instead of worrying for several more months being on wait pool…
- if you are rejected… you will have to move on … and explore an alternative destiny of your existence…
…Also if you are an 8th grader, being not invited this year will give you another year of worrisome in case you choose to apply again …
Well, sometimes I feel like I am standing at some kind of sorting facility where “Gods and Goddesses” deciding who is deserved to “be saved” and enter the new “world of light” … They can not take all people they think “are deserved”, since the space in this “new world of light” is limited. And I am questioning myself: “will Gods and Goddesses see that I am good enough to be taken out of my inferior world of darkness and imperfection… did I do everything I could to prove it to them?”… Like my life will change depending on their decision… :-SS
@javascript I wouldn’t be so nervous about decisions. From what I’ve heard, getting an 8th grade interview gives you a very high chance of acceptance as a 9th grader because they are already showing you they want you at IMSA by giving you tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance.
@javascript I totally get that, with the world of darkness thing. I am a 9th grader so this is my only shot. I would say I would not want to be waitlisted but if I wasn’t accepted then yes. And if I am accepted I’m definitely going. I wonder if our judges of life are anxious about making the right choices? Like do they care as much as we do about getting the right people in? Or are they crazy dictators who depend on math and scores to tell them? My guess is they care, but who knows? My life will change too based on the decision, I am sort of obsessed with checking the whole time. At least after I get the letter I won’t be nervous anymore… except if I am waitlisted…
@mk3655 I hope you are right…
@balloony Judges are very nice people, I know several of them. They are trying their best to make the RIGHT choice. I can tell you 100% they DO care a lot whom they choose, this is why it takes to long… I also know SAT/Grades are NOT their priority (of course it is nice to have a good stats there).
They are trying to UNDERSTAND EVERY SINGLE APPLICANT as much as they can. This is why I participated in IMSA summer programs, so they have a chance to know me in person.
Of course they can make wrong choice sometimes … but at least their are TRYING to make the RIGHT choice.
They do not want people to drop off from IMSA, and they are trying to spot a potential future contributors to benefit the whole mankind (I did not mean to be against females here). Man-kind is kind of sexist word. I personally think it is a bit easier for a female to get into IMSA and also I think girls in general are harder workers
Also, one more thing I wanted to drop off here:
The most important point to remember about wait pool is: the wait pool exists to help the School, not to help YOU as applicant. If not enough accepted students will enroll, the school will fall short on budget, so they are trying to avoid this situation by creating a wait list (pool). The wait pool provides a cushion for the admissions office.
Also, do not count on being accepted off a wait list…
@balloony I honestly think you have a very good chance of being accepted. Do not worry too much, you did you best and it will be their loss if they do not accept you. A honestly think you have a better chance of acceptance than me. Good luck to you, and hopefully will see you at IMSA!!!
Hey, IMSA class of 2018 here. I remember being on this forum two years back, and I made friends here who I still see every day, so I thought I’d say hi. You’re all welcome to come ask me questions, but seriously, a word of advice: Chill. IMSA’s crazy stressful, just relax while you can. Also, since it seems these forums are just as rampant with this as they were two years ago: Don’t do the pseudo-self deprecation comparing apps thing. And if/when you get here, don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone at IMSA is a genius, just in different ways. The sooner you understand that the better you’ll do here.
@aminorspark Is IMSA how you thought it would be when you applied? Were there any major differences between what applications/the website says and how IMSA actually is?
@balloony IMSA is what you make of it. Based on the website and promotional stuff, I was expecting an environment filled with people who were hard working, motivated, and genuinely loved math and science. I was looking forward to taking difficult classes and having time to work on my own projects. All of those things happened, and I do like those things about IMSA, but that doesn’t really give a complete picture of what IMSA is like.
-It’s a really diverse school. There is no racial majority here (The most common races are Asian-30% and White-30%) which makes for a lot of really varied viewpoints, and some really interesting discussions in English classes. It’s also worth noting that 30-40% of the school is LGBT.
-Some people here do love math and science, but a lot of people arrive at IMSA thinking “Wow, physics and math are so fun”, take actual math/science classes for the first time, and then leave thinking “Wow, I really hate physics and math”. A lot other of people come here and suddenly realize they actually want to write science fiction, or go into this one specific branch of math.
-We get a lot of homework, but no one’s really that uptight and competitive. High grades are not a currency here. You can have conversations about politics and cybernetics and space travel, with the understanding that no one in the room has anything to prove.
-It’s a small school, and everyone knows everyone. Bullying is really minimal, and it’s a very close-knit group. You come to IMSA for the academics, but you stay for the people. Alumni tend to still be friends with people they met here. In-room violations are apparently quite the bonding experience.
Hello, @aminorspark , this isn’t really related to admissions, but, what is “Clash of the Halls”? I looked it up but never found a specific description. Do different halls just present some project which is rated afterwards?