Is MIT too out of reach?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>SAT: 1460. English: 760, Math: 700
SAT II: Chem: 710. US History: 790
Writing, Math 2c, and Physics are pending.</p>

<p>AP scores. English: 3, Chemistry: 4, US History: 5</p>

<p>Class Rank: 101 out of 404.
GPA: 3.33, QPA=4.2</p>

<p>Courses:
AP Art History.
AP Computer Science
AP English Literature
AP Psychology
AP Calculus
AP Environmental Science (required by NC; )
Latin IV Honors</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Academic Team: US History.
Student Council.
Latin Club.
Tried track for 2 weeks, but quit.
Press Editor for Youth and Government.</p>

<p>Misc Award.
"Most Memorable"</p>

<p>Misc.
Summer of 10th grade, I served as a technical consultant to Special Computer Projects Inc, helping to compose their tech handbook for CLAMP, a data indexer for DB2.</p>

<p>My primary hobbies are programming (10th grade, I programmed a full-blown text-based hack-n-slash for the TI-83 in under 10 kilobytes.), reading history (of anything, ranging from the evolution of modern economics, to the rise of the sexual revolution, to why it was foolish for Paulus to believe that the 6th Army could hold Stalingrad), and teaching myself languages (both linguistic and computer-based. I'll teach myself Java and German, with a side of Russian and C++.)</p>

<p>I am ridiculously introverted, ultra-shy, and didn't get into National Honors Society on account of not having enough "points." The majority are awarded for sports, service hours, etc.</p>

<p>Dream college is MIT (but due to not having all my SAT II scores in, I have to go RD), but my rank is too low, and I don't count on Hispanic ethnicity providing much compensation. Any last-minute advice, tips, etc for a senior interested in majoring in Physics or Political Science?</p>

2

<p>MIT is def out of reach, srry man.</p>

3

<p>Crap. Any advice then?</p>

4

<p>You never know until you apply. Your scores are fine. Emphasize all the neat programming stuff, and don't sell yourself as a shy introvert :)</p>

5

<p>near impossible, but you can always try</p>

6

<p>I might retake the SAT and try for a higher math grade, take MathIC and MathIIC SAT IIs and try to get close to 800, and perhaps take a physics SAT II...</p>

7

<p>Would there be more consideration given to the Math Sat II over the Sat I? I'm already scheduled for Physics (and Writing, as Duke requires it).</p>

<p>I already had the interview, and I think that went relatively well...</p>

8

<p>Also, any tips for the essay? I'm thinking of trying the personal hardship one (chronic disorganization; you know something is wrong when you average a $150 loss in school supplies yearly, and when you only manage a B average in a class despite having frequent As on tests (as happened to me in tenth grade, when I took Algebra II honors. I was incapable of keeping track of homework any longer than a day. Know notebook quizzes? I flunked them periodically.)</p>

9

<p>The one thing that really hurts you is your rank. Really try to bring that up this semester.</p>

10

<p>I've worked on that...It actually might be better this semester than ever...</p>

<p>Currently, here's what I have this quarter.
Art History: A
Computer Science: A
English: B
Psychology: A
Calculus: A
Environmental: B
Latin: A</p>

<p>If I keep that up, the QPA for the semester will be a 5.57. The mid-term grade report will look really good, and hopefully that will give me a better chance.</p>

11

<p>For heaven's sake, don't <em>tell</em> your schools you are disorganized. I think MIT is unlikely, but your ec's and ethnicity may give you more of a bump than you think. Its fine to apply - just have other options. Other schools to look at: Carleton, Grinell, U Rochester, Case Western, Brandeis.</p>

12

<p>I'm not telling them that; just that I've gotten a lot better. I already have several other options: Virginia Tech (I've been notified I'm a potential Honor Roll candidate), Duke, Chapel Hill, and Georgia Tech.</p>

13

<p>OK then...let's see this revised.</p>

<p>SAT: 1460. English: 760, Math: 700
SAT II: Chem: 710. US History: 790
Writing, Math 2c, and Physics are pending.</p>

<p>AP scores. English: 3, Chemistry: 4, US History: 5</p>

<p>Class Rank: 101 out of 404.
GPA: 3.325, QPA=4.175 (5-point scale)</p>

<p>9th grade. QPA: 4.14
10th grade. QPA: 3.92
11th grade. QPA: 4.5
12th grade. QPA: At this rate, will be at least a 5.0</p>

<p>Courses:
AP Art History.
AP Computer Science
AP English Literature
AP Psychology
AP Calculus
AP Environmental Science (required by NC; )
Latin IV Honors</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Academic Team: US History. I was good. Really good I might add. During a televised match against the future winning team, I gained a reputation for besting their team captain in a question tossup.
Announcer: Contemporary political scientists believe that nuclear war would never have occured between the US and the Soviet Union due to...
(we both buzz simutaneously, but he is recognized)
Captain (rapidly): What is the theory of mutual destruction?
Announcer: That is incorrect. The contender?
Me (slowly, and VERY clearly, with emphasis on the individual words "mutually," "assured," and "destruction"): What is mutually assured destruction?
Announcer: That is correct.
(People remember this one still.)</p>

<p>Student Council, got in after being runner-up for the position of Vice-President.
Latin Club.
Tried track for 2 weeks, but quit. I wasn't cut out physically.
Press Editor for Youth and Government, a model of the NC state government.</p>

<p>Misc Award.
"Most Memorable"</p>

<p>Summer activities, etc.
Summer of 9th grade, an average participant in a swim-team.</p>

<p>Summer of 10th grade, I served as a technical consultant to Special Computer Projects Inc, helping to compose their tech handbook for CLAMP, a data indexer for DB2.</p>

<p>Summer of 11th grade, participated in a golf league sponsored by Wachovia. Called the Hacker's league. Also, I tried to design a traditional 16-bit RPG, but scrapped the project, mainly because the game was a homage to Nintendo, rather than an original piece (that, and I felt like I was cheating, as rather than using C++ or Java, I was using GML, which was coded into the application GameMaker 5.3A).</p>

<p>My primary hobbies are programming (10th grade, I programmed a full-blown text-based hack-n-slash for the TI-83 in under 10 kilobytes.), reading history (of anything, ranging from the evolution of modern economics, to the rise of the sexual revolution, to why it was foolish for Paulus to believe that the 6th Army could hold Stalingrad), and teaching myself languages (both linguistic and computer-based. I'll teach myself Java and German, with a side of Russian and C++.)</p>

14

<p>your gpa is VERY low for MIT, but your SAT is average for there.</p>

<p>i would say about a 40% chance</p>

15

<p>I know a guy whom got in with a 4.3 QPA, mainly because of a stellar essay.</p>

16

<p>40% or a 2/5. I can work with that...</p>

<p>Need some way to fudge the dice though, if you know what I mean.</p>

17

<p>"i would say about a 40% chance"</p>

<p>i'd say more like 10%, AT BEST. 25% rank hurts. the only thing you have going for you is that you are a minority with a 1460. bring the math score up for MIT. 1500+ would be nice. getting a good score on the math section isnt hard.</p>

18

<p>I know...but should I retake the SAT 1, or focus extra hard on math 2c?</p>

<p>Any other tech colleges for recommendation?</p>

19

<p>Make sure you do well on the math IIC. Retake the sat, only if you think you can do better, because your score now is fine, but if you can do better, it's always worth retaking.</p>

<p>I have similar stats to yours. And I gave it a shot. I'd take that 10 percent at MIT any day of the week. As long as there's a chance, I'm happy.</p>

20

<p>d00d, your class rank killed you.</p>