<p>My name is Aditya, and I am an Indian National. I am extremely passionate about airplanes and computers. I have 95% in my Indian Year 12. I applied to the National University of Singapore hoping to gain admission. For reasons I cant percieve, I was rejected even though I had an all-round record,won State-level music competitions and Quiz competitions, and was the school prefect. </p>
<p>I did not apply to any schools in the US for fall 2007, but took the SAT exams - not seriously though. I scored 1920 - 740M, 600CR, 580Writing. I also took the SAT Subject Tests and scored 750 in Math LEvel II, Phy and 730 in Chem.
I know very clearly that these scores are not reflections of how well I can really do on these exams. </p>
<p>I am going to take the SAT reasoning test in October and also apply to MIT and some other schools for fall 2008. I wish to ask for your advice. What kind of score should I aim for? Also, since it is like a "gap" year for me, how should i approach the Mid-year School Report Form?</p>
<p>Apart from the state-level music and quiz competitions in which i came 1st, I am currently doing research on Microcontrollers under a Professor here (I luvv computers and electronics :)), who is the author of three books on embedded systems and microcontrollers. He is willing to interact with the universities or colleges if required. I am also doing some community service at Indian branch of LEPRA ( <a href="http://www.lepra.org.uk%5B/url%5D">www.lepra.org.uk</a> ) and also at a local hospital. I was also selected by the Children's Film Society of India to interview a host of directors from various countries at the 12th International Children's Film Society, 2001. (Will it count? :) )</p>
<p>I have the same major goals as MIT - to help better society, and foster a commitment towards excellence; I feel really passionate about getting into MIT, and am willing to do all that is necessary to maximize my chances of entry.</p>
<p>Kindly Advice me on what I can do to increase my chances of coming to MIt in 2008! :-)</p>
<p>I wIll make SURE that I get 800's in MAth Level II, Physics, and Chemistry, and get 2250+ in the SAT Reasoning Test. And hey, the 740 MAth I wrote about, was 98 percentile...! :)</p>
<p>If you are taking a gap year, you should not have to send in a mid-year school report. Sending in your final school transcript should be sufficient.</p>
<p>CNI is completely wrong. I am an international EC (interviewer) and I have certainly had international candidates get in with scores in the mid 700's. High scores are a necessary but not sufficient condition for admissions. If your record shows that you can do the academic work, then you get considered for admission, if it doesn't then you really don't. </p>
<p>Scores are only one part of "can they do it" and there is very little difference between a 740, a 780 and indeed an 800. Don't sweat it. That being said, international admissions are very, very competitive (roughly 4% admit rate). Every year I meet brilliant, talented, exceptional young men and women who are not admitted. Anyone applying EXPECTING to be admitted is setting themselves up for disappointment. Though I have never met someone who would have been admitted if their scores were just a little bit higher. Usually, it is much more because the match between the student and MIT is not all that strong, rather than for any other reason.</p>
<p>However, MIT admits 0% of those who do not apply. If you think that the prospect of going to MIT excites you, then please apply.</p>
<p>The prospect of going to MIT definitely excites me, and a lot at that. </p>
<p>I went through the MIT site and saw the part about the match between MIT and you, and thought that it would be amazing and wonderful to study at such an institution. I feel that I will match well with MIT's culture and thrive in MIT.</p>
<p>I will apply for sure. Let's see how things go.</p>
<p>Thank you all, for replying to my post...Its really sweet of you all....! :)</p>
<p>Mikalye,
I respect your position as an interviewer, and I'm sure there have been applicants who have gotten in with mid 700 scores. But, what I'm trying to say is, that internationals face even more scrutiny than regular kids, and students in the US already have a tough road. What is it around 100/2000 internationals get accepted? That means you've got a 5% chance of getting in. Think about how many of those 5% have at least 780's on the math section of the SAT I or SAT II? </p>
<p>I'm asian-american myself, and I know the types of scores my cousins are getting on math sections. There are so many people over in China and India who get perfect 800's on at least the math section of the SAT I, nevertheless math IIC. So, while the applicant isn't necessarily excluded from admissions, she certainly stands at an inherent disadvantage.</p>
<p>Also, I disagree with your opinion that the "very little difference" between a 740 and an 800 doesn't really matter. While the disparity may be miniscule, it may just be the deciding factor when comparing seemingly equally strong applicants.</p>
<p>sure ... 800 > 740
but person who got 800 isn't always > person who got 740
your scores don't define who you are.
And sure the chances are small, doesn't mean people should run away from it just because the chance it small.
i am pretty sure some of the accepted international students might not have perfect scores because of English. No matter how good you are at math... if you can't read the problem.. you'll have trouble doing the problem ( lol when i was learning English, i thought odd meant divisible by 2 >.< cuz "odd" had two Ds and looked round like , and i was trying to ask teacher what" prime" meant during a contest even though i learned is like 2 -3 years ago in chinese already)
i think for international students. it would be MUCH MUCH more than just scores , especially since the education system in each country can be very different. You'll have to have decent scores ( don't have to be perfect) and then they would look for the "fit"</p>
<p>But rainy, you have to remember that international students are well ahead of US students in terms of both math and science. Granted, there are certain situations/ questions whose wording may pose a challenge linguistically, but those types of errors are just as common w/ american students, because most of the time, those are the questions that students tend to view as "tricky". International applicants, especially from countries like China, India, Japan, and Korea, put a tremendous emphasis on standardized testing and will go out of their way to pound the SAT format into student's minds.</p>
<p>The sad truth is, they will be held to a higher standard because of where they live.</p>
<p>i lived in China for 11 years! Both of my parents came from the #2 college in China, i think i would know what it's like
and for one thing they don't even learn calc in HS, just go REALLY REALLY deep into trig and algebra
and test score important to them != as important to MIT
and here like where only 2300+ is like considered a really good score
anything 2200+ is considered a really good score in China</p>
<p>@CNi
Thanks for your reply Cni...! I know that things are very competitive and that a lot of people who apply have straight 800's. I will let you know my final scores when I have them. :-) Where all are you applying to?</p>
<p>@ Rainynightstarz</p>
<p>Absolutely correct! (abt the 800>740 statement). In the end, its who you are that matters, and its the person inside you that MIT will see, as Mikalye said, and as Molly said, and as the MIt site says.</p>
<p>If I have an AP Bio, AP Calc, and AP English teacher do my recommendations (two eval A and one eval B), and two from research advisors, is that excessive? Also, as long as my teacher recs are sent in properly/confidentially, is it ok if my research reccs are scans? I only have 2 or 3 originals that I had requested at the time of my research.</p>
<p>Also, how big an impact can teacher recs have? I know MIT is all about collaboration and character is a big part of admissions-my teachers recognize me as a great collaborator, and have told me they want to highlight this in their recs. If they really portray me as a fit for the MIT culture, will this be a "hook" so to speak? (provided of course other things are in range as well)</p>
<p>5 is kinda a lot
i am having one from math teacher, one from english and one from robotics advisor</p>
<p>Do you really need 3 teachers? ( i'd say pick one between bio and calc)
and are the two research advisors gonna write anything different? (pick the one you know better?)
you don't need 5 people saying you are good collaborator 1 or 2 is enough.</p>
<p>@arithhuh - please don't worry so much about scores. 740 is a fine score. 800 is a fine score. Both tell us that you can do math pretty well.</p>
<p>Well over 2000 international applicants apply each year for approximately 100 spots. In that context, it takes a little more than a few points on the SAT to stand out. Focus on who you are and what you bring to the world instead. :-)</p>
<p>@niceilike : in my opinion , you don't need two from research, one should show enough. Basically there is really no limit on number of extra recs. but if you are having extra ones, they better be VERY VERY different</p>