So to keep it brief and short, I got suspended twice on separate dates in sophomore year. One was for being caught in the bathroom stalls with another person on the week of Halloween, and the other was towards the end of the school year where I was by the bushes by the school gates with same said person during lunch when I wasn’t supposed to be (considered out of bounds). They aren’t drugs or violence or academic dishonesty of any sort, I just sometimes don’t follow what’s right and what’s wrong and chase after thrills. And I know this sounds immature of me (or sounded) and since then I haven’t made any silly mistakes in my junior year as of now. In fact I’ve been working towards being more involved in things I want in terms of ECs as well as helping out my parents at work and taking care of my little brother at home.
I’m interested in applying to MIT, and this will sound overly confident of me but I believe I am fit and qualified to attend in terms of my academics and character (even though my character may have made a few mistakes). I don’t believe my suspensions define who I will be in the future, as I’ve learned not to make them anymore and resist the temptation to do so. I really hope this won’t be an automatic no from MIT admissions, and that they can instead see the best parts of me.
My guidance counselors also know about the suspensions, and since they know me personally and get along with me, they’ve said that colleges are looking to see what I’ve explored and pursued in high school, that my suspensions are minor and irrelevant, and that they’ll be happy to write glowing recommendations and reports on me to colleges since they believe I’ve grown and am emotionally and mentally resilient and mature. They will, however, report the suspensions, but they’ll write it off as not having been anything related to violence or academics or drugs, and more of a brush off that shouldn’t be focused on.
In other words, am I still good for MIT? Is it still worth applying at this point? Thanks.
And if @MITChris can give some input on this, that’d be great. Again thanks.
I don’t think that alone would disqualify you but in an earlier post you said you had a 29 ACT and 1400 SAT. I think not being in the top percentiles and a disciplinary record combined makes your odds even less.Long shot under normal circumstances. Really long shot in your case.
Are you exceptional? Nationally or internationally ranked in math or science? Top 1% test scores, top 10% rank in your high school? Best student your teachers have had in ten years or so?
@MYOS1634 I am in the 2% rank of my class, am planning to take about 10 to 12 APs as well as dual enroll, have a 3.92 UW GPA and 4.9 W GPA, and I’ve been known to think outside the box and excel in my classes, especially coming from my AP English teacher. However, I’m working on improving my test scores this summer.
While all the above is good, that still makes you an average MIT applicant. With 3.6M HS students graduating this year, the top 2% means you are one of 72,000 high GPA kids. Many kids applying to MIT have had 10-12 APs. MIT offers admissions to 1,452 students. Of that 1,452 only 31 had an ACT score of 30 or lower. You are a long shot but nothing is stopping you from trying.
So you got busted for making out with someone where and when you shouldn’t have. (presumably they did too).
Back in my day they sold “MIT is for lovers” shirts in Lobby 10. This suggests to me that such extracurricular activities would only enhance your application.
Check with MITChris though.
@123Mom456 I know at the moment I’m a long shot, but it doesn’t mean I’ll stop raising my scores as I study more this summer. Perhaps by November or so I’ll have much better scores, I hope. 
@ClassicRockerDad Are you implying my suspensions would differentiate me positively? haha
I was but in a tongue and cheek way. I really don’t know.
I can see an admissions officer fondly remembering the time they spent making out in their HS broom closet feeling sympathy for your cause.
And the MIT hacking culture is not exactly one that abides by conventional rules. You’d fit right in.
yes, the suspensions wouldn’t matter. But being extraordinary in some way is important for MIT. Your stats get you in the door - read the thread about “average excellent” students (ie., top students who aren’t Siemens winners nor Olympic gold medalist :p)
@MYOS1634 Assuming one doesn’t win awards or Olympiad medals, what defines an “average excellent” student in your opinion?
1480-1500/33-34, 3.8, 6-8 APs or equivalent lots of community involvement with impact, great all around kid just not the ‘best in ten years’ kid. There’s a whole thread on that, plus an ‘average excellent’ results thread. Look it up.
@MYOS1634 Sounds like that’s within my range I’m looking right now, and all I can see is “do normal people get into MIT”. This the one?
Look for a senior poster named lindagaf and look for her thread about ‘average excellent students’.
Hard to say without more detail. Not so clear cut that I’d say don’t apply, though.
@MITChris Thanks for replying and getting back to me. To shed more light on the situation, on the week of Halloween in my sophomore year, I got caught making out in the bathrooms with another person and got suspended for 3 days. And then at the end of sophomore year on the last week of school I got suspended for getting caught in the senior lunch area in the parking loop in front of the school with another senior. By the bushes. Nothing sexual, we were just talking and chatting up. Looking back I’d say those were somewhat minor situations and silly to get suspended over, but suspensions are suspensions and I’m still worried nonetheless. Any more thoughts? Thanks!