<p>It doesn’t matter whether you’re a low-scorer or a dumb kid. That’s completely irrelevant, in this case. The comparison model for those schools is not Dumb vs. Not Dumb. It’s High Scoring Smart vs Low Scoring Smart. If they have to choose, they’ll definitely pick the former. For them, one off test is understandable, one off year, in extreme cases, is too. However, if that off year is in Senior year, when your courseload is the closest to that at college, is less than understandable unless there’s a really, really, really, valid reason behind it. The general rule of thumb is GPA>SAT>ECA and Reccos> Interviews, especially for these schools. </p>
<p>Again, I’m not saying you won’t get in. All I’m saying is it’s extremely unlikely and that instead of looking at all the top schools, you should consider other schools that might be a better fit for you and/or would be willing to accept you.</p>
<p>Sure, as a general rule of thumb. But the rule of thumb is BECAUSE the grades are usually an accurate reflection of what to expect from the kid. I can only talk of my case, for I know no other, but I’ve supported myself for 3 years, won a NASA contest, went through severe mental illness, and after 2 years off from school, gone on to give 12th after prepping for one month this Feb, all on my own. I then took the SATs, got a 780 in Lit vs the 46 in CBSE 12th English, and can pretty easily trump the average MIT applicant at any literary or science comptt.</p>
<p>Point being, grades matter so much because there is no other way for the college to know <em>for sure</em> what sort of a student you are. They won’t wrack their brains trying to figure out if you’re a fit. However, if you can SHOW them your numbers lie, they’ll stop mattering sooner than not.</p>
<p>And even if you get a 33 and cure cancer, you’re still in everywhere. That was the overstatement of yours I don’t agree with.</p>
<p>Number one, that was not an “overstatement”, that was an exaggeration. You’re not supposed to take it literally. It seems you’re taking a lot of this a bit personally, I’d just like to remind you that I’m just giving MY opinion and this is in way the opinion of the hundreds of Admissions officers, as I have pointed out on multiple occasions throughout this thread. </p>
<p>I was a research intern at a think tank under the MEA, one that has never accepted undergrads, let alone high school students. I interned and had a research paper published by them. I could trump any International Relations student at Harvard in that field any day. However, that doesn’t matter because my GPA isn’t “perfect” and because my SAT scores are low. I’m applying to Georgetown, not even the HYPSM schools, yet, I have little, if any, hope of getting in. That’s the reality of the situation. You can be a friggin’ genius. But, if it isn’t on paper, it’s nowhere. However, you can make light of your situation and the adversities you overcame, which is extremely commendable btw, but, the scores are too low. I mean a 60-70, you could probably work with, that’s the recruited athlete zone, which is pretty much the bottom. Lower than that, it gets highly unlikely.</p>
<p>Na, I wasn’t taking it personally. I was half convincing you and half convincing myself
I thought I wouldn’t apply to any top 50 initially; until I realized I had nothing to lose applying to schools I really wanted to go to, as well.</p>
<p>But I discussed my app with a couple of people who’ve gone through the process on a more intimate level, and it’s unlikely for a kid with those numbers to get in, but when the whole person comes alive, the numbers do take a back seat.</p>
<p>GPA isn’t the only “paper”, is my point. It’s a very important paper, but there are other papers that can prove your worth too.</p>
<p>Looking at both of your achievements I am having doubts on my own app. I have never worked, never interned or never done much in my life. Butttt, I do intend to rock whichever college I go to. So I am happy. :D</p>
<p>Yikes. I have like an ~84% in class 11, but i doubt that makes me <em>very</em> qualified. It definitely not all about scores, but the thing is, we’re foreign applicants, and there are many of us. A bad score and good everything else we might have, but yea, there are thousands of people with supergood scores and supergood everything else. There is no way, even if our essays are ultraawesome, that we can trump them.
The whole thing is very luck based. Its better that we dont expect anything and keep plan Bs and Cs behind this.</p>
<p>I also read somewhere in CC posts that some guy from India got in MIT with 50’s or 60’s in his Math 12th!</p>
<p>@maverick- I actually think that the college process is kind of wholesome in HYPMS… They don’t just take a look at your scores and then decide whether to continue to look at the application… At least HYP don’t do this…</p>
<p>@canhazphysics- Go ahead and apply. The process is quite fun actually! And with your background and achievements you have a good shot…
As for me I have no clue why should I even apply but I am applying. Even with those horrible scores!</p>
<p>I guess I’ll apply, but the posts here have warned me not to expect anything. Even though I’ve been wanting to go to MIT f o r e v e r. I guess there’s always Master’s, though.</p>
<p>@canhaz- At least you have the option of going for masters… I don’t even have that! I am doing a BA in economics and I wanna leave it. So if I don’t get in anywhere I can’t directly get into US for my masters… Three year courses aren’t recognized in US so…</p>
