My chances?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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<p>Hello CC, I am a current senior in high school and I want to know my chances for any of the ivies, MIT, Stanford or UChicago. Also you may even suggest some schools that I should apply to. My academics are okay but the problem is that I have absolutely no extracurricular activities or leadership positions within my school. This isn't entirely my fault though. My school is a collegiate high school in which students attend during their last two years and are dual enrolled full time. I basically go to high school in a community college. My high school is heavily focused on academics and doesn't offer any clubs other than National Honor Society. However, I had no excuse during 9th and 10th grade as I attended a public high school then and all the clubs and sports were there but I decided not to be part of anything. In general, it was not because I didn't want to get involved in these kind of activities but it was rather because I was (and still am) a quiet and reserved person. I have social anxiety, which is not an excuse at all IMO. However, I am heavily involved in my church, and it was through the activities that I did in my church that I became interested in Computer Science. My church is pretty small with only about 70-80 members. People knew that I had a knack for computers, so they would ask me all sorts of questions about their own problems. In my church I have designed the main website, youth website, have made DVDs of certain conventions, designed motion logos, created letterheads, helped officials compose church documents. My whole freshman year, I learned HTML and CSS from scratch to design the main website of our church. After this I followed up by designing an even more functional youth website. I operate the main computer and projector every Sunday and at every event my church hosts. I also put together digital games and media during special activities. I also created many flyers for different events at my church. Our church is also involved in a local youth group, and I have done many of the activities listed above for that youth group as well. I also made video motion logos and graphics for other churches. All these activities developed my interest in computers. My friend and I built a fully functional computer using spare parts from the trash taken from different broken computers. We even assembled a few computers for immigrants who couldn’t afford them. We at one point started playing with cameras and made a few DVDs with special effects and a multi-camera set up. I know a few languages as well: C++, Python and HTML. Using my knowledge of computers and technology, I really enjoy helping out other people with their own issues. I have helped nearly all my church members with different issues that they had with their computers whether it be hardware or software. I spent a few weekends working with members on their issues by going to their houses and staying there for hours and hours until their problems were resolved. I can say that I play a strong role in my church. The pastor of the church and all the members come to me whenever they have a technological issue because they know that I will be able to help them. However I see all this worthless to top-tier schools as I am not involved at all in school and haven’t won any awards. To make matters worse I am Indian (Not American Indian). I speak Malayalam at home and am pretty much fluent in it; I just can’t read or write. I have a 3.7 unweighted GPA, 4.9 weighted GPA, 2020 SAT superscored. I am planning to retake the SAT and aim for 2200+ this December. Subject tests I will take in January. I have taken one AP in 10th grade and in 11th and 12th I was dual enrolled full time. By the time I graduate I will have earned 80+ credit hours some of which include DE Calculus I-III and differential equations along with Physics I & II. The application deadlines for the Ivies and top-tier schools are approaching, and I am only taking subject tests in Jan if I apply to any of them. So here comes the silly question. Should I even dream about applying to a top tier school like MIT or Stanford or any of the ivy leagues let alone apply? </p>

<p>P.S. Sorry that this is so long and disorganized</p>

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<p>That was a lot to process… Maybe break it down into a list of bullet points or something?</p>

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<p>I agree that your post being written totally in paragraph form was a heavy deterrent from reading it, but I think I read enough to give you a reasonable opinion.</p>

<p>It is likely that you will not be the only one in your situation. What you must do in your MyMIT application essays is convey that you DO have passions and leadership abilities. They do not necessarily have to intertwine with school.</p>

<p>I would also suggest describing your situation in the additional information section of Part 2 of the application. I will warn you though that you need to be to the point, or else they will feel the same way that I and the person posting before me did, and skim or even possibly overlook it entirely.</p>

<p>Good luck. :)</p>

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<p>@Sejr93</p>

<p>Thanks for your advice on that MIT application! I will be applying there this fall and I have yet to turn my application in yet =)</p>

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<p>^ Best of luck. Since I’m sure others will be reading this as well, I figured I would also include this…</p>

<p>I’ve found that MIT places an unusual amount of emphasis on being yourself on your application. My application really had me ‘come to terms’ in a way with what makes me who I am, and if it didn’t do the same to you, you might want to rethink parts of it. I’m certainly not an award-winning mathematician or anything, if you were wondering!</p>

<p>Again, best of luck to you all.</p>

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<p>2020 SAT is disturbingly low for MIT.
If you are white, I’d probably say no chance.
If you are a minority, you have a decent shot.</p>

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<p>Nihil, you are dismissing the part where he said he was going to retake it.</p>

<p>Josh, you just need to study your @$$ off. The higher those numbers are, the better your chances, just as a general rule of thumb.</p>

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<p>Sejr93, are you currently a student at MIT? In regards to ‘coming to terms’ through my application I definitely have! I went through so many drafts of my personal statement I’m almost sick of writing about myself hahah. Ironically, I’ve learned so much about myself that I didn’t recognize before!</p>

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<p>we have too much similarities. im in my junior year. im an indian too. im applying for mit next year. best of luck for you. hope you make it.</p>

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<p>It’ll probably jeopardize my credibility, but no I’m not. I’ve just done my research. :smiley: I am currently in the process of applying, however. </p>

<p>Sounds good! Perhaps we’ll see each other next year!</p>

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<p>Hahah yes maybe! Just the way you approached the question it sounded like you were a student already ;p Is MIT your #1 choice? Maybe we should move this conversation to private message rather than soliciting this poor guy’s thread…</p>