International student chances at MIT?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

Hey! Sorry to bother you guys I’m an international student from Nepal (under represented nationality?) and intend to apply to MIT (maybe early). What are my chances of getting in? My stats are here below:

SAT I: 2250 breakdown (CR-700, M-800, W-750)
SAT II: Biology E/M 780, Math I- 800
GPA: 82% which is a really good score in my school.
Rank: school doesn’t rank but probably top 10%-ish
No AP courses or whatsoever cause they’re not available in any school in Nepal

Subjects and predicted results: A level- Physics(A), Chemistry(A), Math(A*), Biology(A) and General paper (A)
The minimum credits required to graduate is 7. I hold 9 credits.

EC activities: president and founder of debate club (2yrs), numerous debate and public speaking awards (inter-school and regional), Honorable mention award in Nepal’s first and really big International MUN conference, Vice chair of a committee in another big international MUN conference (~500 students), attended other international MUN conferences in India and Nepal (passionate about debating)
Class representative (grade 10), 250+ hours of community service (which includes 80 hours volunteering in a hospital), took the initiative of building a library at a remote village in Nepal, Executive member of school’s Interact club (1year) promoted to Secretary in my senior year, have been playing badminton for 4 years- school team captain, represented school in an inter-school badminton tournament, interned at a bank for 3 weeks during winter break, attended several writing and debate workshops, writer at school magazine, recently i’ve joined a music institution where I’m learning guitar, also I tutor 2 8th graders (3hrs/week), member of numerous other clubs (poetry club, math club, theatre club etc)

(There are rarely any research opportunities available in my country for high school students)

Intended major- Biology (looking forward to a premed track, aspire to become a doctor after working at a hospital, also because of my already existent interest in sciences)
Teacher recommendations: 9/10, 9/10 maybe
Counsellor recommendation- 10/10 (knows me really well )
Common App Essay: 9/10? (Wrote about how my aunt is an inspiration to me and how she’s been able to carve a niche in my personality, taught me not to despair during difficult times)

Applying for financial aid but that doesn’t matter cause MIT’s need blind to internationals too.

Thanks :slight_smile:

2

All anyone can say is that if you don’t apply, your chances are zero.

3

Your stats and what all you’ve been able to achieve in high school is pretty amazing. Seems like you’ve made use of every opportunity that came your way… Kudos on that!

I’d say you do have a chance of getting into MIT, and not just a slim one. Even if you don’t make into MIT, I’m sure you’ll get into a really good ivy-league level college…

Best of luck! :slight_smile:

4

First of all, you cannot apply early to MIT as an International student (you’ve got a lot of research to do, OP!). And not to sound harsh but those grades simply aren’t good enough for MIT. A Level is tough but there will be plenty of applicants with all A*s and even more credits who’ll apply to the school. Since you’re posting now, you’re probably a junior? Your SAT score is, let’s say, okay-ish, and the subject ones are good. However, all these stats that you’ve posted bear little significance compared to the application as a whole. You can claim to be passionate about a lot of things in your personal statements but your application just doesn’t reflect it. MIT looks for architects of the future, not any semi-rounded applicant who can boast stats. Plus, there are the interviews!

You have a really slim, if not zero, chance of getting into MIT. Try getting help from people you know who go to top notch schools (Stanford, MIT and Ivy league schools). Then maybe you’ll have healthy chances of getting into good schools like Boston University, Emory, Texas A&M, U Delaware and so on. This is coming from an international student currently attending Columbia (wait-listed at MIT, then rejected sigh). Aim for the colleges above and good luck!

5

Ignore @IZlatan10‌. Your scores are not a write off. The truth is that your scores/grades are fine. I am an international educational counselor (interviewer), and I have seen many students with scores like yours get in. That being said, international admissions is incredibly competitive, and it is not usually grades and test scores that get you in. The basic truth here is that, as Chris P (of the MIT Admissions office put it) http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/939227-reminder-no-one-not-even-me-can-give-you-an-accurate-chance-at-mit-p1.html

6

Hi,

Forget about your chance, just apply with your whole heart. You should feel you’ll get accepted deep inside. By the way, your stats are really good. Well my SAT Score is 1710 and I’ve applied to MIT for class of 2019 on RD.

All the people around me told me that I’m not going to get admitted, but I’m sure my chances of getting in MIT is more than any other universities that I’ve applied like: Northwestern, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Caltech, … . You know why, because MIT pays more attention to you than to your numbers.

7

@RestlessSpirit did you take the ACT (or TOEFL if not a native English speaker)? If not, unfortunately, a 1710 is almost grounds for rejection from MIT.

It’s true that MIT considers the applicant as a whole, and not just test scores. But you also need to show that you are academically prepared for the rigorous coursework.

8

Dear @MITer94,

I surely know that I should show I’m academically prepared, but a 1710 SAT score will not show that I’m not. Because for example my SAT math2 score is 800, SAT physics is 770, I have an invention idea, or I’ve won a prize in Tournament of the Towns (an international math contest), and so on. So please do not say to anyone that you’re not gonna get addmitted because your SAT score is very low or for any other reason. Thanks.

9

@RestlessSpirit I’m not saying that you’re definitely going to be rejected or that you’re not academically prepared. But given that admissions has gotten increasingly competitive, and that you need strong critical reading/writing as well as math skills to do well at MIT, the 1710 will very likely put you at a disadvantage, unless you can compensate.

Math tournaments are nice and can look impressive on an application, but obviously do not guarantee admission.

10

See both http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats and the numerous discussions on the board about test scores for MIT applicants.

With weak scores, it’s in your interest to have something that stands out stronger than the typically strong MIT applicant.

But always do apply.

11

@MITer94,

Guess you’re right.