<p>This year I'm a junior and I want to know if I have any chance of getting into these schools or if I need to look seriously at other ones. MIT is my top choice, but the others would be great too.</p>
<p>SAT - 2280, 730 writing, 780 reading, 770 math
PSAT - around 220, i don't remember exactly
AP world history - 5</p>
<p>other APs, this year and next - US history, chemistry, calc bc, physics c, biology, stats, english 12, government and economics</p>
<p>I am also thinking about taking some college math classes next year since I'll be done with everything my school has to take. This summer I'm teaching myself AP physics b so I can do physics c next year and also possibly getting a job at the laser lab at a college here. Last summer I went to physics camp and did precalculus by myself so that I could do calculus this year.</p>
<p>Activities -
varsity softball - 3 years
softball outside of school - 8 years
varsity tennis - 2 years
masterminds (high school version of college bowl) - 4 years
science olympiad - 4 years, 2 medals at regionals so far
math team - 4 years, 3 years to county meet, states this year
piano - 2 years</p>
<p>MIT will be tough without perfect math scores in everything. Columbia and MIT are always a crapshoot because of their 8-11% acceptance rates. Carnegie Mellon looks like a good fit for you.</p>
<p>MIT a reach, Columbia target/slight reach, CM realistic. EC's decent, tough schedule. I don't know your class rank/gpa. Scores are a little low for engineering types. You also need to do SAT II's, and an 800 on Math II is almost a prerequisite for MIT unless you have an impressive research background.</p>
<p>The thing is that the people who get into MIT are really good at math, and the SAT is like a walk in the park for them. I know like one mistake doesn't seem that big, but when it comes to math these guys know for sure that they got 800. Like i'm pretty good at the math, I've gotten 800 on the PSAT and on the real SAT i took in 8th grade and on every practice test i've done. Like for me at least, I usually finish each section in 10 minutes and I can triple check my answers b/f time's up.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to brag or anything, but i'm just telling you that the difference between 1 question wrong and none is huge. Like the percent of ppl who get accepted with 800 on math is really high, and if you look at those who got just under 800 on math, the % usually drops by a ****load.</p>
<p>If you want MIT, brush up on extracurriculars that will make you unique. Pursue your hobbies.</p>
<p>Yes, you need a good math score. No, you don't need an 800. MIT will GLADLY take someone with a 7xx with interesting extracurriculars over an applicant with an 800 in math and the "normal" extracurriculars.</p>
<p>Just my two cents. Honestly, I think your SAT is fine. It's better than mine. Just project yourself as an interesting person who can bring something to the table.</p>
<p>I echo cgar's statement. It's not set in stone, but as he/she said, the math SAT is a breeze for those that are mathematically inclined. 770 is likely an annoying mistake, but MIT has so many applicants that it's easy for them to be unsure. If you have other science-related accomplishments, or AIME awards or some such, then you might be alright. Don't worry about your scores for Fu or CM, though.</p>
<p>This might be more critical than it should be, but I guess that's the job of these threads.</p>
<p>urg. I went into the amc cold turkey, i did not even know we can't use calculators until the test. I did horrible (85.5). Suprisingly that was like the 4th highest in my school which is a decent school which is very large.
The SAT math was a breeze foe me and i finshed with like 10 min, but i got this slope line question wrong cos i did not read all the answer choices. :(</p>
<p>i don't know my unweighted gpa, but i've only gotten about one a since ninth grade. my school doesn't even do class rank, but if it did, i'm pretty sure i would be first. i also just found out that i got a job this summer doing research at the laser lab at a college here, so that should help a little, shouldn't it?</p>