<p>How are SAT IIs used in admissions? Personally, my AP scores are better than my SAT II scores, and then both my SAT and ACT scores are way better. I guess I'm just wondering why, when an applicant shows consistent success in classes and on APs, an SAT II can still be useful.</p>
<p>Just curious- I'm currently feeling compelled to feed the CollegeBoard more money because of them.</p>
<p>@ducktape-my opinion is that it takes a much higher level of mastery to get an 800 on an SAT II than a 5 on an AP test. If you think about it, on the AP Bio Exam, you can get a 60% and get a 5, whereas on the SAT II Bio (i took both this year, and imo the difficulty-at least of the multiple choice-was very similar) if you get two wrong thats already a 790. Also, SAT IIs are achievement tests-it is unlikely that you can do very well on them simply on the basis of being a good test taker if you don't know the material-you definitely can on the SAT I. Another example-in my APUS class, most kids got low 700s on SAT II, but almost all got 5s-SAT IIs are more exact indicators of ability. Obviously, make sure you get this cleared up by somebody at MIT admissions. Have you tried emailing them?-i have asked a few questions, and they get back almost always on the same day with very detailed answers.</p>
<p>Thank you so much Ben! :-)</p>
<p>I will focus on the "me" inside, and how I can make a difference to this world.</p>
<p>I've fallen in love with the admissions process of MIT; it seems so much to be an "art" than a "science" like it says on the website. Whether I get admission or not, I will always feel happy that I applied to mIT. It seems so much like just the application form itself brings out so much of the person "inside" you...! And that is really amazing! :-)</p>
<p>But Ben, can you give any examples of how to "stand out"? Over here in India, getting the chance to do research on embedded systems after Standard XII is a very "out-of-the-ordinary" thing if i might say so. :) Just yesterday, I burnt my fingers twice while soldering a circuit... :)</p>
<p>Also, I have a deep passion for airplanes, but I have only these things to show it - Got drenched to the skin while watching airplanes takeoff and land(from near the airport), took 100's of pictures and quite a few videos of airplanes, have around 1000 pictures and 2gb of videos of airplanes on my comp, I've been to the Indian Airlines Training Centre and gone for a joy ride on the A300 simulator (which is VERY, VEry, hard to get the chance to do...:) ), and I was in the ATS block and control tower of the ATC block of the Hyd Airport for like 6 hours totally.... I also remember this particular time when we were there for so long near the airport, watching and shooting airplanes, that this airport guard came to us and tried to confiscate our camera...:D (It is NOT illegal to take pictures of airplanes or videos of airplanes, because I already know many airline pilots who do it, and they told me its not illegal...and hey, i meant shooting fotos and videos...not bullets...:D)</p>
<p>I have some other things like getting chosen for and interviewing directors from many different countries in the 12th International Children's festival...but I dont know to what extent they would matter; but eitherways, I'll put all on the app. :D</p>
<p>@arithhuh
lol last week i burnt my finger while teaching middle schoolers how to solder >.<
they don't listen to directions so i kinda got burned by them
the day after... this servo on this robot i was programming stabbed me in the thumb... the same thumb i accidentally cut the day before robotics ship day (poor thumb T_T.. PROGRAMMING IS DANGEROUS!!!)</p>
<p>yeah this kind of stuff is really fun!
i did airplane (rubber band ones) in 7th grade, our instructor was a retiree from NASA. i beat all the guys =D won all the first places that i could compete for, except one of the guys is going to MIT in the fall for aero... that totally beats me, unless i get into MIT too >.< grr wish my chances are higher </p>
<p>so i occasionally do RC now. but mostly robotics (being president and fund raising 18k-20k a year is NOT relaxing, but the work we do is AMAZING)</p>
<p>@ Rainynightstarz</p>
<p>Hey Rainy! Haha, yeah...! i know what u mean...'...But then, when it comes to the application side of electronics and we're actually into it, such things like burns and cuts are pretty expected, and are a sign of progress...:D</p>
<p>I luvv RC's too, but then never really bought any of those till now....U've gotta order em online...All i have now is the flight deck (cockpit) posters of an A340, A330 and a 747...:) </p>
<p>I have no idea where you stay or what you do, but I would luv to know about the organization or club for which ur president. I luvvv robotics too. But robotics is kinda on the mechanical engg side from what people told me, and I am majorly into EC and Aero...heheh' :) NEverthless, innovation and application of our ideas and thoughts into electronics and stuff is really amazing. There' was this person whom i was introduced to, who made a curtain opening and closing system using some microcontrollers, and there were these people who conducted research on the temperature of the air we breathe in and out thru individual nostrils using thermo-electric censors...B-)</p>
<p>Such stuff is really cool..! :)</p>
<p>our club compete in the FIRST robotics competition <a href="http://www.usfirst.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usfirst.org/</a>
basically we get 6 weeks to brainstorm, design, machine parts, build, test, and program our robot for a specific game that is announced at the beginning of the 6 weeks. This year we have to put pool tubes onto a 3 layered octagonal rack. It's like a 3 on 3 game between robots.
There is a 15 sec autonomous mode where the robot have to find and place the pools by it self, then 2 minutes of human control. At the end of the game, if you were able to lift other robots (up to 120 pounds. GAH THATS WAY heavier than me >.<) on your side off the ground, you get extra points!!
The build and competition is from Jan to April ish. In the beginning of each school year, we have training sessions to teach new members all the basic stuff. We also write grants and fund raise a lot of money for the competition since our school doesn't give us a penny ( many other schools get at least partial support from their school, we can't even STORE our old robot at school). In near the end of the year and summer, we have many community out reach programs, like demonstrating our robot at tech museum to inform other people about the opportunities and let people test drive our robot too!
This summer a couple of us are teaching at a local robotics class, basically electronics, programing, mechanics, and just lots of hands on making stuff.
a couple other students helped a robotics team with special need students in bot ball. </p>
<p>you can probably find videos of the games on youtube =D</p>
<p>for rc planes... you order the remote control, speed controllers, receivers, servos and make the planes yourself!! =d you can crash then as often as you need without going bankrupt</p>
<p>Hey Rainy...! cool to know that you design, assemble and use robots...! :) </p>
<p>V.Cool..! :)</p>
<p>Where do u stay?! And do you know of any robotics club in India, which I can become a part of? </p>
<p>I still have to order my first RC, and yes, I do know we assemble the parts, hehe'. If you come ol on yahoo or msn, add me up - <a href="mailto:arithhuh@yahoo.com">arithhuh@yahoo.com</a> , <a href="mailto:aditya_bhaskar@hotmail.com">aditya_bhaskar@hotmail.com</a>.</p>
<p>well, FIRST robotics is mainly in US, i don't know of any Indian teams. However, there are Canada and Brazil teams.</p>
<p>and when i say make planes i meant from scratch >.< not kits.... it's cheaper that way, till you get good enough to not crash</p>
<p>I live in California</p>
<p>oh cool...! U make em from scratch!!! Cooool...!!!</p>
<p>Could u temme where i could learn how to build RC's on my own?!? Airplanes and COmputers are my deepest passions..! I would lovvveeee to build my own a/c...! haha'.</p>
<p>And hey, lets continue to talk about robotics elsewhere, and keep this thread exclusively for MIT faq... :-)</p>
<p>well you have to buy the electronics parts, but you can make the plane out of various foam and balsa wood
you can also use fiber glass thing, and carbon fiber for light strong support
there are RC forums online and you can find plans/diagrams there</p>
<p>own a/c? lol my dad made his own multimeter from like almost scratch, and radio when he was like 14 , when he went to college, he put together a TV for the whole dorm to share (there wasn't easy access to parts back in the 70s and 80s in China), he is super cool!</p>
<p>and you can't really say they are your passion if you show any action for airplanes and computer. i mean the point of aero is to design . build them them, not to just getting something you can fly, better start making some planes <em>wink</em> seeing something you made fly WELL is an incredible feeling... feels like you have wings to fly too!</p>
<p>The main problem is the lack of easy availability of raw materials and resources. In fact, I dont know anyone here who's built their own A/C from scratch, and neither do i know where you get the carbon fibre you're talking about and if at all it is even available for the general public to buy. Very few people here even know about airplane RC's...lolx....:-)</p>
<p>But you are right. They are my passions, and I will find a way of expression. I know its a wonderful feeling to watch ur own a/c fly...:) I told u abt the Indian Airlines training centre and the ATC right - ONLY airline pilots and ATCo's are allowed inside...it took me a lot of requesting, chasing, and <em>hounding</em> to gain entry...I dont know any other aviation&aero-lovers here who have done anything of the sort. Im not saying they are achievements, but i definitely feel I good abt em. :)</p>
<p>i am frm india...
will complete my 12th grade in march.</p>
<p>wht all exams shld i take to get into MIT ? is TOEFL indispensable ???
when shld i take the exams ??</p>
<p>nopes...toefl isnt indispensible...in fact even i am applying to us universities this year and am not going to take the toefl...check the university websites fir more info on that one...
@aniruthuh
hey arithuh(aditya rite?)...even i am an indian and even i have taken a gap this year...and whats more...even i got a 96% on the 12th exam!!moreover even i am interested in aero stuff but i intend to major in economics...nevertheless...i would love to get involved in some robotics stuff and aero stuff...do you know of any such club or exams in india??
and now that we are out of high school do you know of any exams,competitions ,courses,interns etc.... that we can take just to improve chances???
please let me know....!!!pm me if you wanna....</p>
<p>@molly ,ben ,matt...and any1 who wud like to comment....
I am currently doing the SAP certification course(m sure u must have heard about it....usually meant for graduates...very tough though...but i am trying my best to do it...) and have worked in a company in finance department and worked on a couple of financial projects...besided that I have no other way of showing my passion towards economics as my school did not offer it...
If I take the ap exam in economics this year by self-studying...will it help??
If there is some other way...please let me knw...
thanks...</p>
<p>forgot to add...the SAP thing is an international certification!hope that helps...</p>
<p>@ Everyone -</p>
<p>Something happened in my MIT account, which I at the moment am unable to explain or understand. I initially got the name of an EC, and it was Ms.Beryl Nelson. But then, before I could mail her or get in touch with her, the name changed to another name, Mr.Chako Kovoor. :O</p>
<p>I saved the email address of Ms.Nelson too. Now I dont know whom to contact and what to do. Can anyone help me on this?!</p>
<p>@ Hapy </p>
<p>Hey Hapy! Cool to have another person in the same boat. I am doing some research on embedded systems under a reputed professor and author of two books on microcontrollers. I too luve airplanes tremendously. I am working on building my own Radio controlled airplane. But the problem is with the composites and some fabric which i need. Apart from the materials being v.expensive, availability is very low. Lets see what I can build :D</p>
<p>any idea what is this CLEP thing about?I mean...is it helpful in the application stuff???</p>
<p>@happy..
thx for replyin mate.. where are u frm..
so are u taking only the main SAT and the 2 SAT subject tests.. nothin to go along with it ? ???</p>
<p>If my son has already taken AP exams and passed those with high scores, does he also need to take the SAT subject tests to get into MIT?</p>
<p>He's taken: AP Calc AB, AP Physics, AP US History and AP Spanish.</p>
<p>Subject tests are required no matter what. AP tests do not replace SAT Subject tests, but they might be able to get your son some credits once he gets in.</p>