MIT Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>If you can't tell by the username, I REALLY want to get into MIT. It's been my dream since I was 7. I would LOVE advice for how to get in. Some information (I'm a rising junior so some of the stats are projected):</p>

<p>School type: Public
Location: Texas
Economic status: Upper middle class
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Half Scandinavian, half Asian (first generation American)
Prospective major: Engineering (probably Mechanical)
Unweighted GPA: 3.95652
Weighted GPA: 4.6
Class rank: 1x/786 (fluctuates- between 12 and 18)</p>

<p>Course load:
APs whenever available; otherwise honors
Only B from Chinese 2 credit by exam
5 on every AP test (10 in total)
Skipped 7th grade math -> AP Calculus BC in 11th grade
Electives: Concepts of Engineering and Technology (8th grade), Debate (9th grade), Choir & Tennis (4 years)</p>

<p>Test scores:
ACT: 30s (Duke TIP score without prep in 7th grade was 32)
PSAT (first time, no prep): 236... so:
SAT: >2100</p>

<p>ECs:
~Science Club and Science Olympiad team (Founder and president; 2.5 years)
~Choir (7 years total; 6 years of Region Choir; no leadership opportunities)
~Tennis (6 years total; won Freshmen Girls Doubles District; still haven't made Varsity; no leadership opportunities)
~UIL Academics (3 years; 10th grade- Spelling only, team won state; branching out into Math and Current Events (Can't do Science- scheduling conflict at tournaments); no real leadership opportunities)
~Tutoring for free (in UIL subjects, including science, and school subjects)
~National Honor Society
~OCW and EdX courses (Computer programming, physics, chemistry, biology, linguistics)</p>

<p>Honors:
National Merit, AP Scholar, Outstanding 10th Grade Girl, too many to list departmental prizes from school, Society of Women Engineers award, Duke TIP, fastest CO2 car EVER built at my school</p>

<p>Summer programs:
None. Just a lot of traveling with my family</p>

<p>Recs:
Should be good</p>

<p>Essays:
I am NOT good at writing concisely. Or at writing, really. So these might not be so good... Any advice?</p>

<p>Is there anything else I missed? I've been reading the blogs (I've read all the blogs for the past 8 years) and I know they warn against this but I need to know whether or not I stand a chance and how I can increase my chances. Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>You have a chance. I’d say it was a “reach”…the best any school like MIT can be.</p>

<p>If you want a better chance, get your scores up.</p>

<p>Good luck. I hope you get in.</p>

3

<p>Yeah, I would say its a high reach just like most other top schools. MITs pretty ridiculous in that sense. Also, your scores are quite low, your sat needs to be > 2300, or act > 34. You have decent Ec’s but nothing really stands out. You have to think about what makes you unique compared to the thousands of others who share the same dream of going to MIT. </p>

<p>Chance me back ! <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1530629-chances-getting-into-upenn-ed-2018-a-2.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1530629-chances-getting-into-upenn-ed-2018-a-2.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Try to get a strong sat score like 2250+ and try to do something over the summer. Try to get research opportunities and perhaps more volunteering that is related to what you want to do. Right now MIT seems like a mid reach, but you have a whole year to grow and build your resume. Good luck!</p>

<p>Please chance me! <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1539501[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1539501&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>You’d need to raise your SAT and ACT score and try getting some lab experience, and for essays try having people who know you well and also an English teacher to read over and help you keep it concise. As long as you choose something to write about that you can really express yourself about, I think you’ll be fine.</p>

<p>Good luck, work hard. :)</p>

6

<p>Thanks so much everyone! Really appreciate the advice.</p>

7

<p>Test scores won’t matter at this point, you have what they are looking for and your zero-prep scores indicate that with prep you’ll breeze through them. At the level you’re at, increments of 100s don’t matter at all and MIT will look for more. Someone who’s taken the test four times rather than build something that works or compete in science olympiads will be at a distinct disadvantage in fact. To distinguish yourself you need killer ECs and awards showing potential, creativity, ability to find a problem and solve it - Duke TIP is an indication of potential, that fastest CO2 car is a great one as long as you can improve on it this year to show dedication and that your brain never stops (after speed, find and solve another problem? Design and build something else using the basic knowlege you gained from the car experience and taking it to another level with another project?) Can you take your Science Olympiad Team further than last year?
You probably know that already but just in case: it’s never good to focus on just one school, so look at Harvey Mudd and Olin and, depending on your family’s finances or state, Georgia Tech, CalTech, etc. as well as LACs that have a 3-2 or (better) a 4-2 agreement with a school of engineering.</p>