<p>I am international, I have already sat my O levels, But I am currently giving A levels,
I have literally failed internal exams, because I was doing things, which was to me more important than the internal exams, and it clearly is related to my passion (and not hobbies).I have good scores and will have supportive teacher recomendations.
But I am thinking NOT to apply to MIT because,-- having bad grades will influence my counselor from not recommending me. -- I have undistinguished internal marks --- I don't have a SINGLE cent to pay for any university, that say without financial support I am unable to attend any university on the planet (my country has only 1),</p>
<p>Therefore I feel that the adcoms will feel that I want the institution's fund. I would have applied because THERE IS FA, not BECAUSE of FA and because my application fee will also be waived. I have a demonstrated passion and capacity in science otherwise. And I don't feel the need to be gold medalist or have good grades to show this. I can certainly hold myself against those applicant; MIT is important to me!</p>
<p>The SAT tests are also costly to me, therefore, I do not want to spend my precious cents and earn no consideration. I will be applying only to MIT (Because it's the only college that meets all my needs) . So my probability of admission lies only to MIT.</p>
<p>Will it be justified if I don't apply because of the reasons above?</p>
<p>"(Because it’s the only college that meets all my needs)"</p>
<p>I highly doubt it. There are plenty of colleges that will meet full financial need and have what you want academically. MIT is very serious about your high school grades, aim for somewhere more realistic.</p>
This will not be a consideration. MIT is genuinely need-blind for all applicants, and the admissions officers do not consider your ability (or non-ability) to pay as a factor in their decision. </p>
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Are you also eligible for an SAT fee waiver?</p>
<p>It’s not impossible to be admitted, even as an international student, with poor internal marks, but it’s difficult. The international pool is quite competitive as it is, and you will need to demonstrate to the admissions officers (and not just to yourself) that you are intelligent and hard-working, but that your internal marks do not capture your promise.</p>
<p>I will add the observation that your ability to express yourself in written English is not up to MIT standards. Certainly you would be able to improve that over time, but in the short run it will likely be serious barrier to your admission.</p>
<p>No one will tell you not to bother applying to MIT. Its admissions officers absolutely do give careful, sympathetic consideration to all applications, and they will sometimes accept students with what many consider serious flaws in some aspects of their applications, including internal marks, because of the promise they show in other aspects. But the more problems there are to overcome, the less likely it is that your application will overcome them.</p>
<p>MIT cannot possibly be the only university in the world to meet your needs or to offer you a path forward. (And the fact that you said it was makes me wonder whether your analytic abilities are up to MIT standards, too. That’s not a problem with your English, it’s a problem with the quality of your thinking.) You need to develop realistic alternative plans to pursue a career in science.</p>
<p>Mollie, My physics teacher’s is also an MIT alumni who graduated in the 80’s. She is very happy to recommend me . Because she knows the reason of my under achievements.</p>
<p>I have my own copyrighted videos (my live performances) inspired by OCW, but mine are original, more advanced, and some mathematical memoirs, that can only be evaluated by graduate mathematicians. I’ts of the highest level and its my original work. From what I see the the MIT course Catalog, My videos can demonstrate my abilities. It’s now that i discover That my works worth more than an H level credit for MIT! I have educated my self in very advanced science, because for financial reasons I cannot attend university and I thought i will never be able to attend to do so someday. I can’t do anything, as I’m underprivileged in many aspects.
I had talked to Matt about the videos, he said to get them evaluated in my country, and get a recommendation, there is hardly someone who is capable of reviewing this video.</p>
<p>EC’s are not available in my country, is it possible to get skype interview ( if you have an idea)? I think for me, an interview will be instrumental for consideration.
There are many things to put in context!</p>
<p>I realize that I am a person with stupidities and frailties. I would have applied to MIT because I need it, because it will provide me with the technical education, support and resources that I need. I thought MIT’s job is to give an opportunity to educate someone with capabilities, and actively using their potential. And not to judge a transcript. Isn’t it?</p>
<p>@solsticebliss
No one will tell you not to apply to MIT, though you would be well advised to be more realistic and apply to additional schools that are within your reach.</p>
<p>That’s why I have started this thread- to be ‘realistic’.I am looking for advice to make a good decision.Because I have no one who can guide me about college admissions. I could have just applied straightaway,otherwise.
The problem is that not all schools are need blind- Even if admitted, I may never attend and many colleges do not waive the international application fee, therefore I cannot apply. The application fee represents a fraction of my household income.
Furthermore,I am international, the more schools I apply, the more score reports fees and financial aid application fee I should pay. These fees will exceed my financial capacity. As I say , MIT is one amongst the other schools that I was considering, but it is the only one who will application fee will be waived, will provide considerable aid and might consider me.</p>
<p>Since I am taking the exams this October and November; and after cramming two years in two months (since my educational system is sheer rote learning that’s why I disgusted school), I am confident that my grades will observe a meteoric rise.</p>
<p>Given my poor internal grades,would it be wiser if I apply next year after my A level results (that is final HS diploma)?</p>
<p>For what it’s worth…admissions to MIT or other top elite schools here in the states and UK sometimes can be very “unpredictable”…like what happened to the following student from UK who was considered to have had the highest academic achievements in the country…who was rejected by Oxford…but accepted by Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton…</p>
<p>MIT does practice holistic admissions more than many other schools, and as a rule, is pretty good at evaluating students with non-traditional achievements. If you believe that your mathematical achievements dwarf the MIT undergraduate curriculum, then that level of achievement is something that MIT can recognise, and can, if appropriate, see that these are evaluated appropriately. MIT is one of only six American institutions that are both need-blind for admissions, and which promise to meet the full financial need of all of its students for four years.</p>
<p>If you feel that you are a good match for MIT ([The</a> Match Between You And MIT | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/match]The”>What we look for | MIT Admissions)) and you feel that you would really want to go to MIT, then I would recommend that you apply for the application fee waiver, and the SAT fee waiver an you should apply. However, do so, clear eyed in the knowledge that the international admit rate hovers around 3%, and that your application will be non-traditional. That LoR from your physics teacher is going to be critical, as you will need them to explain why your poor marks are not a problem in your case. </p>
<p>You will also need to do very well on your SAT’s, otherwise your application will fall at the first hurdle, whether you are academically qualified to attend MIT (a necessary but not sufficient condition).</p>
<p>If my recommendations and achievements defeat my poor marks. Will the admission officer then consider my application SERIOUSLY? I read many places especially in the blogs that the only requirements for MIT is only ability to communicate in English and Stats show that you are prepared. As you say, I will be Non traditional student, thus will I be evaluated a different way to determine my ‘preparedness’. True, irrespective of grades, I can show to MIT that I am more than prepared for the workload otherwise. Are they receptive of the ‘otherwise way’, that say verifying preparedness by external validation?</p>
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<p>Being international doesn’t qualify me for a fee waiver. That’s why, I want to ensure myself,that if I apply, my application will be considered meritoriously, than a straight away reject.Thus it will be pointless to take the SAT considering the financial burden it places on me. I do not mean that I shall be admitted. I want to know if they will wait, think and explore my application before giving their decision. After that, it won’t bother me of a rejection or acceptance. Whichever it is,I think it will be best for me at this point.</p>
<p>Without sounding arrogant, in no way do I find my grades important , Because I have done things which holds more value than those grades and which, at some point have affected those grades too.Poor grades doesn’t make me any lesser,and it doesn’t herald slackness. My application needs attention- will the adcoms be able to give that? I will be happy if someone could clear those doubts.</p>
<p>I read this post from Ben Jones:
''Your application is read by a senior staff member who will look for deal-breakers (like a bunch of D’s, for example). Assuming you’re competitive, your application is then read by a primary reader who will summarize it at length for the committee."</p>
<p>"(Your grades and scores are clearly competitive or your application wouldn’t be on my pile in the first place)"</p>
<p>If at first sight they see my poor grades which are worst than a D, then it seems I won’t go any further in the admission process. What’s the fuss about grades? If I send a DVD alongside my application to MIT, can it get evaluated by a faculty?
I shall also emphasize that my OFFICIAL A level grades will be availaible in February so will be my SAT.</p>
In a US-based school system, the idea is that a string of D grades would indicate an applicant who didn’t put any effort into schoolwork on a consistent basis. An international applicant’s predicted board scores wouldn’t necessarily be evaluated the same way.</p>
<p>Although predicted grades are meaningful for some person and for those who enjoy rote learning or flattering their teacher (who will then put an A even if they got a C). It isn’t for me. Because when doing my O level I was predicted almost low C and Ds (which frustrated me) But finally I got A* and As. So you recognize this bias. And this will apply for my A level too; bias predicted scores which frustrates me a lot. I have a counselor who doesn’t even know me. She will be criticizing me awfully (Oh this students is stupid, lack intelligence, has consistent bad grades, don’t take him!)
Last time I met her she suspected if I had intelligence at all, given my failure grades. So imagine her recommending me for MIT. It’s her perception, but reality is different.</p>
<p>BUT as I told you my Official Grades will be available through the mid year report and my SAT Scores. Will they wait for my Official grades and scores to come before giving their Decision?</p>
<p>You’re asking people on a public forum to guarantee that MIT will admit you or seriously consider you. </p>
<p>The ONLY people that know the answer to your question are at MIT Admissions. Your insistence and theory that grades don’t matter, is your rationalization that MIT has to consider you, but in the real world of college admissions, grades and scores do matter. </p>
<p>So if you can’t afford to take the SAT, then you either ask for a waiver, or you take an ACT test. You have to be judged on the same criteria as other students. You can’t say, “well, if you aren’t close to admitting me, then I won’t take the SAT”. MIT doesn’t have to make special accommodations for you; it’s the other way around-if you want to go to one of the most competitive universities in the WORLD, YOU need to work at it. </p>
<p>They are NOT going to give Financial Aid to a student who rationalizes, incorrectly, that his grades shouldn’t matter. You’re asking a school to invest in you and give you a FREE education without any statistical effort on your part. This is not going to happen. There are thousands of students, from all over the world with extremely limited funds, who are “jumping through hoops” to meet MIT admissions requirements. Admission to any American University is all about the SAT scores, school grades, essays then EC’s. It’s not open for debate. You can’t interview your way into the school, it’s based on statistics and your essay. Don’t you think there are thousands of qualified applicants from the states that are also applying? There are thousands of American kids along with those international students that will also be rejected. This is common!!! The universities look to admit a student body who will like each other and work well together. Any of your arrogance of your talents coming through in any manner will be immediately noticed. </p>
<p>You don’t gain admission, trying to convince people via a public forum!, that you have to be considered for MIT because you completed a DVD. MIT will make that determination based on your scores and essay. No scores or essay? Done.</p>