<p>Alright I'm a Sophmore in High School currently. My dream school is MIT. This is what motivates me and drives me. I want to know what can I do right now to ensure my future in this school. </p>
<p>I know this is one of the top schools for engineering. </p>
<p>About 12% acceptance rate.</p>
<p>Little bit about me..</p>
<p>Indian<a href="India%20as%20in%20Asia%20continent%20-%20minority">/b</a>
First generation high school and college
AP biology in sophomore year AP US History and AP Chemistry in Junior.
My favorite classes and Math and Science
My English is not the best because I came to America in 2003 and I had to learn EVERYTHING since then and I am still learning.
My parents can't speak English. So everything I do is **self-motivated and for personal interest.
I like playing a math game called Krypto. Basically you draw 5 random cards and put them next to each other and draw a sixth one and put it under the 5 cards. You can multiply,divide,subtract, and add the 5 cards to get the number which is on the 6th card. This game is speed based and you have to get the answer in about 3 seconds. I recently got into this and planning on making a club at my school next year hopefully.
I am going to volunteer at my local library for the summer and study for SAT and some Physics there after done sorting out the books.
My main passion is Physics and Math. </p>
<p>I know I am at a disadvantage at two of the SAT sections. The critical reading and writing because of I have only been introduced to English for about 5 years. So I am planning on working on these things at the library in summer. There is no realistic goal for me except a perfect goal because in order for me to achieve my goal I need to be the best of the best. I will work on my math and critical reading until people call me the god of SAT! Writing is my weakest subject however I hear colleges mainly look for math+critical reading. </p>
<p>Also I had no idea of my college until about a month ago and I started researching colleges. So, I know I am at a disadvantage right now, however I ask for your help. What can I do. One thing I have is perseverance and I will never quit and keep trying until I get to the place I dream every night. </p>
<p>Thank you for reading this and I appreciate everything little things you guy post. I have learned lot from reading this website and has helped me lot to set proper goals. Thank you again!</p>
<p>There's not much I can say because you don't have many concrete things up there (ex. GPA, SAT). But, really, just work hard and make sure you show your passion for those two subjects in your essays. It's great that you're interested in MIT and very difficult to get acquainted with a language so quick, which I'm sure the admissions officers will understand. Do your best and hope for the best. :] Hope it works out for you.</p>
<p>Lol don't worry about being behind. If you're a Sophomore and you're already choosing colleges, you're ahead of the game. I can give you some tips, although I'm not sure if it's anything you already know.</p>
<h1>1 - Academics and SAT. Take the hardest classes available at your school. You want to get the best grades you can. You also want to have a good SAT score. Judging from your interests, you probably won't have trouble with the math section. For the reading section, my suggestion is that you learn to enjoy reading if you want to improve your score. For writing, study an SAT grammar book and maybe do a few practice essays to get you used to the timed format.</h1>
<h1>2 - Extracurricular stuff. Find some things you really enjoy, work hard at them, and become a leader in them. Math club, science competitions, stuff like that for you. Learn from the older kids, and by the time you're a senior you'll be in their spot teaching the next generation of kids.</h1>
<h1>3 - Make sure your college application essay conveys the best things about you. You want to show attractive character traits like willingness to take risks, leadership, intellectual drive, open-mindedness, and ability to work with people.</h1>
<h1>4 - Don't worry too much. Not because it's bad to want to go there really badly, but simply because worrying won't do you any good. MIT is highly competitive, and you have no control over what other kind of ppl apply. Be hopeful about going, but don't set yourself up to be depressed if you don't get in. That's just not reasonable.</h1>
<p>Thank you very much for all the replies. I also forgot to mention one thing. I have recently been invited to leadamerica conferences. I got a big invitation and I had idea because I did no apply for it. I cannot go there because it costs like 6 grand for all the expenses for 10 days. :(</p>
<p>Also I have been nominated for membership in the Nation Society of High School Scholars. </p>
<p>I have no idea what these are. Is this something good or does everyone gets these?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Thank you very much for all the replies. I also forgot to mention one thing. I have recently been invited to leadamerica conferences. I got a big invitation and I had idea because I did no apply for it. I cannot go there because it costs like 6 grand for all the expenses for 10 days.
[/quote]
Doesn't matter. They send this to tons of kids and it likely won't affect you either way.
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Also I have been nominated for membership in the Nation Society of High School Scholars.
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Scam. If anything, putting this down on your college application might hurt you because you'd look like a schmuck.
[quote]
Indian (India as in Asia continent - minority)
[/quote]
Since you put it in bold, I'd have to assume that you think your ethnic status will help you- it won't.
[quote]
First generation high school and college
[/quote]
That will help you though.
[quote]
I know I am at a disadvantage at two of the SAT sections. The critical reading and writing because of I have only been introduced to English for about 5 years.
[/quote]
As an immigrant who had to learn English myself, I understand how you feel about standardized tests. But, I think you know more than you think you do. (How else could you handle AP classes?)</p>
<p>I also think you're worrying too much. A sophomore shouldn't "dream" about MIT every night. Just relax and do what you can to show your interest and abilities in your passions.</p>
<p>Ok I threw my invitation away for that. Thank you for letting me know. I know I might be over reacting or something but if you look at the fact there is a big chance I might get rejected so I need to do as much as I can right now because there is nothing significant you can do at the time.</p>
<p>If you're concerned about your SAT writing/reading scores, you can take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). MIT accepts this test in lieu of the SAT for non-native English speakers, with no preference given to one test over another.</p>
<p>i really wouldn't worry about english too much. i am at northwestern and there are so many international asian students who, in my opinion, can barely speak the language. they are enrolled in MMSS and other math-related majors.</p>
<p>Yea you are going to have to study a lot for critical reading and writing sections of the SAT.. I came here in 2002 but my English is fine.. Yeah my parents don't speak English either. But that shouldn't matter.. Make sure you talk to people in ENGLISH, try not to hang out with Indians if they dont speak English to you.. My parents moved to a city where there weren't many Koreans because of this.. You will learn a lot more English(and faster) this way if you hang out with people who does not know how to speak your language..</p>
<p>and read English books.. It doesnt matter if it's an easy book.. Just read anything, and then start reading harder ones.</p>
<p>If you really like physics and math, try to become the best at it. Did you take AMC? practice for a lot of math contests.. and take lots of em.. becuz they are the useful math.. you have to go beyond what you learn in school.</p>
<p>O.K. just to let you guys know, I am a permanent resident in the USA. </p>
<p>gouchicago - What do you mean?</p>
<p>smugg707 - Thank you for your wonderful input. I think I will practice little bit more math on my own and then see if I am able to enter contests.</p>
<p>I think gouchicago means that Indians are an OVER-represented minority and not an under-represented one at MIT, and thus this will not be a boost to your chances.</p>
<p>I hate to be the pessimist, but working hard like you will for the next few years to get into MIT is not a wise course of action. You've already recognized how selective MIT is, and my advice to you is to find a few other schools you like as well. You mentioned you're thinking about engineering, and you like math and physics. There are many fine engineering schools out there, for now I'd just worry about pursuing math and physics. If you work as hard as you say you do and will, then you will be successful no matter which outstanding engineering school you end up at. </p>
<p>I pursued and excelled at my passions, and was rejected from MIT, my first choice at the time. However, my future is certainly no less bright because of it. It ultimately depends on you, and what you make out of your educational opportunities.</p>
<p>On another note, you're a sophomore! It's a bit early to start worrying about MIT specifically, just do what you love, and the rest will take care of itself.</p>
<p>Try taking the ACT as well as the SAT!!! That was probably one of the best decisions I made after I got a 1400/2010 on my SAT!!! There's more emphasis on math/science (half the test is math/science, half is verbal/reading...the SAT is 2/3 verbal/reading, 1/3 math), so since you're a math/science person, you may try that...personally it was a good decision for me...I made a 33 on the ACT (equivalent to approximately a 1480/2220 on the SAT).</p>
<p>Okay mate, since you look like you have loads of time left (or not, depends on your view on it), my suggestion for studying for the SAT/ACT is not to go out and buy loads of prep books (I mean get some, but this isn't the primary way to improve). My freshman and sophomore year I was **** poor at the ol' standardized testing, and then I suddenly shot up into nigh-perfect scores. How?
1) Take hardest classes you can. This just naturally makes you think harder.
2) For Reading: Read. I know, tough concept to understand. But I know I, and many others out there, thought that to prepare for the crit reading section, you had to practice questions a lot. So naturally, I did the precise opposite and sat down with my favourite science magazines and literature. And my scorers skyrocketed after a summer of this. So, what I suggest to you is to get subscriptions to a couple magazines (Scientific American is good) you like, or a newspaper like the New York Times, and read through them. And to complement this, get some good literature to go with it (Sherlock Holmes, while not exactly classic literature, has good language and is fun to read).
3) Writing - Write. And then write some more. And then write some more. And most importantly, check it, ask your English teacher to check it, ask your friends to check it.</p>
<p>Cooledge - My electronics teacher has subscription to Nuts and Volts and he gives me one every month because he knows I like to read about that stuff. The thing is why I need to start early is because of the fact I came to this country little more than 5 years ago. I had never touched a computer before. I had no idea how colleges worked. I never thought about college. i just went to school and came back as I was instructed to. My dad worked at night time and my mom at day time so I never went to any clubs. Money was/is short and my Dad worked at night so I did not want to wake him up and ask for a ride especially when he works for 12 hours a night 7 days a week. So I have no major achievements except I was interested in american education because back where I came from I had none of these opportunities. I was amazed at how Americans did not appreciate what was available to them.</p>
<p>Anyway I am getting off topic. I was wondering my freshman year GPA was 3.74 and this year I kind of screwed up in a class mainly because the teacher's grade was 100% tests and I had never experienced this type of classroom. So right now I am at a 3.4 however I am fairly sure I can get it to at least 3.8 or something because it is a automatic A if you get 4 or 5 on AP Bio test. Junior and Senior will be straight 4.0's mainly because I have found a Chinese friend who is my rival. </p>
<p>Also, I have no hooks or connections. So I think it will be a interesting story to tell when I apply. :)</p>
<p>EDIT: Forgot to mention, I'll be hitting the library all summer and perhaps Spring break to get some AP bio study and Sat study for perfect math and CR.</p>