Hey everyone! Does anyone know how much being a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar and achieving Gold Division in the USA Computing Olympiad helps your application after being deferred? I’ve heard STS is a big deal, even if you only get scholar standing (semifinalist), but I’m not sure if that’s the case for MIT. Thanks!
ummm dude so “I’ve heard STS is a big deal, even if you only get scholar standing (semifinalist)” I think this is completely false.
If you dont get semi, that means you basically just applied and went nowhere with it and got no award at STS, so that wil help ZERO.
BUT if you can convey your project in a research portfolio perhaps then if the faculty give you a high rating it can of course help a ton!!!
@frazzledazzle MIT accepts like 5 times more people than Caltech so don’t think that you don’t have any chance at MIT. I know that more people apply too but many of them are internationals who are (almost all) going to get rejected.
@IlluminatiIsReal What makes you say MIT rejects almost all internationals? 
Well, the overall acceptance rate for internationals is 2.9% (probably even less for the Regular action round). For the class of 2021, there were 4,653 applicants and 135 were accepted. Plus there are country-wise “self-imposed quotas” meaning that they don’t want to take more than a certain number from one country. For example, MIT doesn’t take more than 3-4 students from India each year, meaning that to be accepted, you have to be among the best of the best applicants in the whole country.
This is not to demotivate international applicants, it’s just realistic. I am myself an international applicant in the regular action round (Indian living in Europe).
Hey guys! Applicant with a zero chance here 
I wish you guys the best of luck!
@gigichuck relatable
Applicant with no chance checking in too. I think what matters is that I still tried to apply–if I didn’t, I would regret it for the rest of my life.
I think hoping and dreaming of MIT made me a much better person in the process. It was so nice to imagine being in your institution (already predicting the L haha), thank you for being a wonderful dream.
Another prospective L here. What does “L” stand for btw (I know it means rejection but why L)?
^^ Definitely won’t get in, but I had to try because I couldn’t live my life knowing that maybe I could have got in.
@ambeeywlo That’s exactly the reason many people, including myself, apply to these elite universities. That’s why I applied to Princeton SCEA but I now realize that if I had applied to somewhere ED, such as UPenn, I would have had much better chances. But I didn’t want to regret not trying.
@IlluminatiIsReal L stands for loss. The more you know
@jeffrandell Thanks!
Well, MIT decisions come out on my birthday. Zero chances club, btw. What can you say!
@ all the people who say they have no chance, realistic expectations are in no way bad, but just keep in mind that 90% of people at MIT right now probably didn’t expect to get in either. At a school like MIT, no one EXPECTS to get in
@littlechild Haha it’s all good! Makes sense why you’d want to stay after. I’d do the same thing.
@IlluminatiIsReal I was thinking of my imminent rejection because of my stats being low for them, but I am hopeful nonetheless. I have a good feeling about Wednesday but idk.
So you are saying that MIT is “relatively” significantly easier to get into than Caltech?
I just got waitlisted at Caltech and I was just really kind of devastated by that on Saturday :((, so now I am compleeeeeeetely hopeless for MIT haha :((
@grundeis isn’t getting waitlisted amazing? I mean yes, not an outright acceptance, but I definitely envy you hahahha. It means you were at a certain level but got unlucky – so, given that you’re at that level, maybe you’ll get lucky with MIT 
here’s hoping!
((I’m personally just anxious as hell ever since they sent that Pi Day video))
@grundeis Caltech is much more of a meritocracy than MIT. I think Caltech really looks more at what you’ve accomplished and what you bring to their institution and how you will contribute stellar research and the like, whereas MIT is very much more subjective and more interested in the character of the person applying. They even say so in their [admissions blogs](Applying Sideways | MIT Admissions):
The blog goes on to discuss more how there’s no clear-cut entry into MIT. I will say though, the subjectiveness just means a waitlist from Caltech isn’t too indicative of what MIT will think, but best of luck!
@filipiyes Couldn’t agree more, wanting to go to MIT has improved my high school experience and, IMO, made me a better person. It also contributed to me finding my other top choice. So I’m grateful for the opportunity even if I get rejected, which I expect (deferred EA already). Best of luck to everyone on pi day!