<p>I want to apply for MIT class of 2016. So I surfed across these MIT message boards, and I came to the conclusion that every student at MIT during high school seems to have done either, amazing research with a professor, had an internship of some sort, or participated in an insane summer science program or something. All I did was help my dad with his work (contracting) during the summer. This makes me sad.</p>
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Definitely not true. I mean, if you want a larger sample size, check out the results threads from the past few years. (The latest one is stickied at the top of the forum.)</p>
<p>If you’d prefer anecdata, I never did anything more interesting with my summers than band camp and teaching vacation bible school. My husband was actually like you – worked with his contractor dad over the summers.</p>
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<p>High school students, even those who get into top schools, nearly never have the academic maturity to do amazing research. They might get acquainted with the process.</p>
<p>My advice is to find what you really want from MIT. Then take steps towards that. And if you don’t get in there, you’ll get in somewhere that you can do that same thing. I think there’s little better you can do for your future than challenging yourself <em>and</em> aiming to discover something that really helps you tick.</p>
<p>[Applying</a> Sideways | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways]Applying”>Applying Sideways | MIT Admissions)</p>