<p>I am curious to know if there are many students who got accepted to MIT after having done no research project/paper (summer program, siemens, intel, etc.). If so, what do you think are your other strong points that show your love of math and science?</p>
<p>Most students accepted to MIT didn't do any formal research in high school -- high school research can be helpful, but it's not necessary by any means.</p>
<p>Personally, I didn't do any research in high school. My major extracurriculars were theater, show choir, and band.</p>
<p>I didn't do a research project/paper either. I did co-found the engineering club at my school and helped build a trebuchet (which I wrote about in my essays). For math and science, I took all the honors and AP classes that my school offered and some math classes at a community college.</p>
<p>I didn't do any research. No programs, hadn't even heard of siemens or intel. My school had limited science and math (AP Biology and AP Calc AB was it). But I did a lot of reading, got into AP Bio a year earlier than allowed at my school, aced the exams, performed well in math, etc.</p>
<p>I pretty much didn't go to any summer program where I have to pay. That excludes like all the math and science and research camps.
There are just soo many ways you can show your interest. I was president of my robotics team, did a lot of stuff for math club, self-taught courses over summer so I can skip that class at school, took hard math and science classes, and volunteered to teach middle schoolers about robotics.
I didn't do any research, even though my school has plenty of people who does. I just couldn't find time for it.</p>
<p>I think what's more important than what you've done is how well you used your resources and your opportunities and how much do you do things you love.</p>
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I pretty much didn't go to any summer program where I have to pay. That excludes like all the math and science and research camps.
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<p>Not true, most of the top math & sci programs offer financial aid--if you don't have the money to go there but are good enough, they will find a way to get you there. Also, several excellent programs are free...e.g., RSI.</p>
<p>I agree, there are tons of way to show your interest that are not that sort of program, but having spent a summer doing research and found it to be a great experience, I would encourage people not to let money lock them out of sci/research/math programs, if you're at all interested.</p>
<p>I'm just going to chime in as the nth MIT student who didn't do any research or "fulfilling" math/sci summer experiences.</p>
<p>I agree with the other posters. Even though I was a Siemens Semi-Finalist, I doubt that I would have been as competitive in MIT's admissions if I hadn't also pursued "more rounded" kinds of extracurriculars (founding a political club my senior year, for example). There are lots of Siemens people at MIT...but there are definitely more non-Siemens people. :D</p>
<p>@jj_heylookatme
RSI is not something you can easily get into without having done other programs and an impressive list of awards.</p>
<p>I didn't do any research until my senior year, after applications were in. My ECs were more community service-based. I also did theatre (sound design), and was a leader in a bunch of other random clubs.</p>
<p>I did absolutely no research at all during my four years of high school, and I got in all the same. The only math/sci extracurricular I had was math team - in that, I was not particularly distinguished. Didn't qualify for ARML, did not score at the top of even my school. I did take AP chem as a junior and AP physics C as a senior, along with the two AP calc's. </p>
<p>I think MIT looks for a well-rounded class. As such, not everyone has to be a heavily math/sci person. Show that you are capable of doing high-level work in math and science, but do what you love outside of school...even if it isn't research hahaha</p>
<p>@ rainynightstarz--er, yes, I realize that, I know several people that went to RSI and went to a similar program that was partially funded...I don't think people would be willing to pay for you to go do research if they weren't certain it was worthwhile.</p>
<p>My point was just that in these very good programs, if you are good enough to get in, money should not be a factor in whether or not you get to go. I'm not saying they're easy to get into, I went to HSHSP and I know there were many qualified people applying, I'm just saying that money shouldn't be the reason people don't do them. </p>
<p>Of course, that's just if it genuinely interests you, if your real passion is doing something awesome like building better scuba gear or something and you'd hate to see yourself locked up in a lab, then certainly do that! There's more than one way to follow your passion!</p>
<p>I'm another who didn't do any research, or even extracurricular science programs. I rowed, and spent a year abroad. I talked about I wanted to study engineering in my essays, but also talked about the other passions I have- rowing and languages. The admissions office isn't looking for kids who all did the same thing. If you really want to do research etc. in high school, go for it, but if your passion is something else in addition to liking math/science, don't worry about it.</p>