Mit maybe...?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi I'm new I have done decently in school and am currently a junior. I'm from Las Vegas NV. I go to A-Tech which is a highschool that lets you major in certain subject areas, mine is computer graphics. My dream school has always been MIT. I am fairly good at math and science, and am currently taking Chemistry II AP. Well I just want to show you my high school stats and maybe you can give me opinions on how I can increase my chances? </p>

<p>So far I have 3 B's: Algebra 1 Honors in 8th grade (1st semester), Computer Fund. in 9th grade, and Algebra 2 Honors in second semester of 10th grade. I know I can't give excuses, but all were almost A's...and my 8th grade and 10th grade math instructors..were incredibly hard...and bah whatever :P. </p>

<p>This year I am taking:
Website 1
Literature Comp. AP
Graphics 2
Chemistry II AP
Precalculus Honors
US History AP</p>

<p>I currently have an A for the 1st semester in all my classes. So...i only have to worry about those 3 B's that currently mar my gpa...:(</p>

<p>Unweighted is 3.9, weighted I think last time I checked was 4.2 (This is from 10th grade)</p>

<p>I am taking my SATs SAT IIs and ACTs this summer so those I hope will range pretty high.</p>

<p>My extra curricular activities (I have very few):
National Honor Society
Amnesty International (Web. manager)
...wow thats it...heh</p>

<p>Things that aren't national/international associations:
Korean/American Translator for Good News Missionary
Sunday School Instructor (heh)</p>

<p>Instruments/Art:
6th Chair first violin Orchestra (freshman year)
I am learning guitar
I like to draw and make my own animations...I have not sent any into competition so I guess I can't really put this as a criteria.</p>

<p>Yes I know my extracurricular activities are pitiful, but I couldn't find anything that I agreed or found important to me. I'm a junior so I really don't have much time to do anything big for my extracurricular activity section. The only future things that might come up is a future internship with a Graphics firm and maybe a few art competitions. </p>

<p>MIT is my stretch school I suppose. Schools I am considering are Columbia, Brown, Rice, USC, UCI, Washington State, UNR, UNLV, and RISD.</p>

<p>Thank you, I just need some advice. I feel lost on how to apply and I want to see where I stand on my chances of entering a school like MIT.</p>

<p>Thank you :)</p>

2

<p>Unless I'm mistaken, MIT is not your only stretch school on that list. Columbia, Brown, probably Rice and USC are stretches as well. Understand that there will be students with stats similar or superior to yours applying to these schools, and the vast majority will have extracurricular involvements that far surpass your own.</p>

<p>Work on beefing up that EC involvement. That you couldn't find something that agrees with you simply means you're not looking hard enough, that you're not motivated, and that you're not ambitious. These qualities don't sit well with your reach schools, who are in the business of rejecting the vast majority.</p>

3

<p>Make sure to demonstrate interest in math/science for MIT. I also applied there this year; it is a long shot but not applying = no chance. UNLV/UNR is pretty much a safety for resident students. I applied to UNR as a safety/financial backup because of the millenium.</p>

4

<p>Thank you for the feedback. Yeah I went to the MIT section of this forum and I was totally blown away by the people that got deffered and accepted. I have to beef up my EC and I'm looking up places to do that. This summer I'm going to start a business with my mom...a crafts store so maybe that will help lol. And I am volunteering at a hospital and also I think I can secure an internship at a graphics firm. Who knows, but thanks for the advice. Joy Joy? Do you also go to school in Las Vegas? Yeah everyone from my school is basically going to UNLV, and If I don't make it some where I'm probably gonna go there too. The millenium scholarship will be a big help so I'm not bummed about going to a local school. </p>

<p>I do sound unmotivated in my post...haha. Um well my main interest is in art, painting, animation...stuff like that. And obviously Brown, Rice, Columbia, USC are my reach schools also. Yeah, does being asian also hurt my chances? Because if I was compared against other people that are asian I think...haha...don't even want to think about it.</p>

5

<p>Will you be able to visit any schools over spring break?</p>

6

<p>I wouldn't get too hung up on going to MIT. I worked with a guy who said it's really not a great undergrad experience. He's in the tech industry, but like you, has artistic interests too that weren't really developed there. You do have EC's but you are not presenting them properly. Delve more deeply and get involved in leadership in the EC's you already have, if possible. Emphasize your arts Ec's--this will make you stand out.</p>

<p>3 B's will not matter much for competitive schools, especially in early grades. I don't think 8th grad transcripts are sent to schools. What will matter will be getting to Calculus, preferably BC, having all 3 sciences physics, chem, bio in the most advanced form possible in your schedule, and 4 years of foreign language. I don't see F language in your schedule. 3 years OK, but 4 is much better. Also doing well in English.</p>

<p>I don't know about computer graphics, seems very vocational.</p>

<p>Why not look at a schools like Wesleyan? It is academic and artistic together.</p>

7

<p>bettina,
the computer is as much of a design tool these days as a paint brush.</p>

8

<p>ok, I see--just not in my realm of experience. My dd would have loved to take more art classes but had no room in the schedule.</p>

9

<p>Try Carnegie Mellon. A better balanced school and atmosphere.</p>

10

<p>I agree with Betina. MIT is a school that if you put so much focus on actually attending there, you might be in a huge letdown. Looking through the MIT forum, top students get turned down all the time; and acceptees have something that stands out. I have dreamed of attending there but have not singled it out due to those reasons (my stats are not even as high as those rejected). I go to Community College HIgh SChool in Las Vegas by the way. Everyone I know is not even applying out of state because of the millenium, essentially free tuition. UNLV/UNR makes an excellent backup, and many that I have spoken to have said that your Undergrad school does not really matter. But my main reason is that I want a change of setting.</p>

11

<p>Wah...a language?! I have just endured 2 years of the worst spanish classes of my life. I'm not sure If I want to take them up again. I think I can add one more year, but I don't think spanish 3 is available in any video or distance ed courses. hrmm... I guess...I'm gonna have to take it :P. Yes, I'm more towards the artistic side. I've never heard of Carnegi Mellon. Graphic design does sound very vocational. And people do look down at me for taking it at my school. Computer Science is a real biggy at my hs, and they are the ones that get the spotlight. But my graphics program is pretty hard, it just doesn't get the recognition it deserves. It has to be part of my schedule for me to graduate and It's basically the reason I went to that particular hs. I'm sort of split on which way to pursue but I did a bit of research on MIT and found that it does have some what of an ok graphics area. lol. I know that if I pursue MIT that I'm going to be dissapointed, I guess I'm just going to send in an application and see If I get in, just for fun. meh..:P. Well, this forum just gave me a chance to see the people that really do get into MIT. Lowered my standards and let me see where I stand :). </p>

<p>I've also heard that undergrads don't matter. I had a more ambitious outlook on my college years I guess. Not a more sensible one. Well thanks for the help again.</p>

12

<p>Being from Nevada will help you. Top schools have very few applicants from there!</p>

13

<p>Radicalchar,
don't be negative! It sounds like you have many options. You can apply to universities or LAC's, and include your portfolio, which will strengthen your application. Or, you can look at art school, and your technical knowlegde will strengthen your porfolio. MIT is great for the right person, but a disaster for the wrong type. The reason I asked if you can visit schools is that you will know, if you visit it, if you should even consider applying.</p>