MIT and Harvard Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello, I’m applying to both the schools this coming fall (MIT EA and Harvard RD)
Disclaimer- I am not just applying for the names, I’ve visited campuses and love the atmosphere and culture of each.

I am also applying to vanderbilt, duke, caltech, UT Austin, Princeton, Cornell. But they aren’t my primary choice

Before I get started just want to say thank you for the chances and good luck to all.
Also, I know both of these are a crap shoot and it doesn’t matter if I have a 33 or 36 ACT when it comes down to it

Well here’s me

ACT (33 ACT)
SAT II (780 Math / 720 Chem)
PSAT(1450)

GPA-3.88/4.00
Rank 37/650

NASA High School Aero Space Scholar- Very selective program out of Texas to go down to NASA for a week and study astro. Competed Rigorous course over school year and actually went on site this week. (I get a science credit at my school for completion of this program)

Air Force Academy Summer Seminar Cadet- 1 of 500 kids to go during the summer and experience life as a cadet (7000 applied) national

Certification of completion and acceptance to the national guard engineering program. Selected as a freshman to complete the program

Senior Course Load: Professional Communications, AP Macro, AP Government, AP Physics, AP English 4, AP Calculus AB, Self studying astronautical engineering using MIT open course ware, Advanced Debate, Engineering Design and development

Job- Head Instructor (Only other ones are college grads) at Zaniac. Teach kids STEM fields such as coding, 3d Design, mathematics, etc. Worked extensive hours taking apart and reassembling the 3D printer after errors.

Computer Science Club- Co founder and VP, organize 20-25 people around projects and give guidance to them about how to fix errors and progress

Robotics Club - Treasurer and Team leader: Led team of 5 people the entire year over the VEX challenge and went to states

Engineering Club- President, discuss and arrange projects for 30+ kids to work on, ie building a 3D printer out of an old projector and disk drive. (My design)

Varsity hockey team: We won regional out of 16 teams, and I was selected to participate by other coaches in our region in the State of Texas All Star game

Varsity Debate: Policy Debate Board member and 2016 debater of the year.
UIL Regional Champion
State of Texas UIL Champion

Natural Helper- Picked 1 of 12 biannually to participate in training to aide pears in case of extreme depression, anxiety, etc.

NHS obvi

JV Lacrosse Team Captain: Eh idrc about this one, was a very young captain but still its JV

I have communicated to the commander at the Detachment at MIT and Harvard’s ROTC program and she said she really wants me in the program and will push admissions for me. She said she estimates a boost of 20-40% acceptance rate with her push.

My essays have been ranked “10 / 10, literally the best essay I’ve read so far” and “This is a perfect essay, I hope you get into MIT” by senior members and MIT alum

White - Male
Military Brat - never stayed in same state for more than 3 years
Single mother
<50k a year

THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH, WILL CHANCE BACK AND REPLY. ANY CRITICISM IS WELCOME AND ENJOYED. Even if you offhandedly read this, just comment something small :wink:

Also, for MIT I have the plus that I’ve been in love with the college since the age of 11 and have visited multiple times and will highlight that in my interview and short answer questions for the application

2

You have an jncredibly strong application, and I think you have a fantastic shot of getting into both of your top schools. Best of luck!

3

You do have a strong Application, but just remember its MIT and Harvard. You can get a 35 or even 36 on ACT and almost perfect SAT score with a 4.0 GPA and all these EC’s are still get declined. Don’t want to make you worried, but just please don’t be upset if you get declined from one or both for that matter. It’s not always about the GPA, test grades, or EC’s for Harvard. They sometimes look for random things that make a student way different and stand out. Good news is that all those schools you listed are awesome schools. CalTech for example is a incredible school for engineers. If you get into that school, I would honestly go their if you are a Aero-Eng Major. If you visited and don’t like it, that’s up to you. But seriously consider that school, as it is basically like going to school for NASA. All the others also are obviously great schools to, and I’m sure you will get into at least one of them :). Consider applying to some other schools also though (Not all Ivy league “esc” schools. Worst case sceniorio is you don’t for some bizarre reason get into any. Just apply to some UC’s (Like Berkeley and UCLA just to be safe). Hope this helps and good luck.

** Your app is strong, don’t worry to much **

4

Again, Berkeley and UCLA are not safety schools. Because they are state universities, people are fooled into thinking that. Berkeley enjoys a world class reputation, and UCLA received about 100,000 apps this past year, making it the most applied to college. Just by sheer volume, chances of getting in are slim, no matter how good your stats. You have to have near perfect grades and scores then something extra to get into both. Both want students who are passionate about something and who want to change the world for the better. Stanford considers both MIT and Cal its biggest competitors. Not easy. Not safety.

5

The chancer in post 1 is also a 17 year old high school student and has no knowledge of top school admissions and is not chancing but guessing.

OP, you have a shot at Harvard and MIT but remember that they are reaches for everyone. No one has a “fantastic shot” at those schools, no one! Well, if you are the child of the President they would be matches.

6

I wouldn’t consider UCLA or Berkeley safety schools for 99% of students, but if OP adds that to his list of schools, he has over a 50% of getting into Berkeley or UCLA, imo. If you have over a 50% of getting into a school, by my definition, thats a safety school.

7

^^^No a safety school is one where you have a 99% to 100% chance of being admitted. @michaelduffy39 Your definition of safety school is not realistic.

8

My top student with similar stats got wait listed at Harvard, rejected by MIT, accepted to UCLA, Penn, Georgetown and others and wait listed by Berkeley. Going to a top LAC instead.

9

@10sWould recommend you broaden your safety school list or you are sure to be disappointed. Other UCs, yes, UCB and UCLA–definitely not.

10

Thank you and Congrats to you 10s4life. My husband is a Bruin. 8 Clap in Celebration of you. You a smaaaaatie.

11

Just like everyone else, you have ~6% chance of getting into Harvard.

12

Frankly UCB/UCLA are not only your safeties but they are rather (low) reaches for you as they care more about stats (which you are not supper strong) and less about ECs (Contrary to Ivies/MIT…) where you are supper strong in!

13

I just want to thank all of you for taking your time out of your day to give advice and criticism! Also, I have no idea where the UC discussion originated from haha, but I do not plan on applying to any California schools except for that of Caltech

14

@RoadTriptoCollege2017
The only realistic “chance me” feedback anyone can give you is for you to look at the admit rates for MIT and Harvard. And then use those as a barometer for what your chances are.

You do have a strong looking application on paper, but so will many of the other applicants whom you’ll be competing against for a slot.

Do give MIT and Harvard your best shot. But do keep your safety school applications in top shape. Many seniors each year regret they didn’t.

All the best.

15

@RoadTriptoCollege2017 wow you can get a Nobel Price with these CV. Amazing, i wish you luck…

16

@FlyingCeline Haha I don’t know about that, but thank you very much

@jpm50 Yes I understand, I am just more looking for advice and stuff on what I have