Now I'm the one looking for chances!!!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Please! I'm looking for ways of improving my application, any help will be appreciated. Thanks :)</p>

<p>Here are my stats***
SAT's: 580CR, 690M, 510W
SAT II: 600IIc, 590 Mol Bio, 530 Literature
TOEFL: 257/300 (It covers the SAT and the third Subject test so it's OK)
***By the way, even if scores aren't awesome for most of the US citizens, they are good for a Puerto Rican, they were the best scores in my school actually. :s
GPA: 3.80 UW
Rank: Top 10% (school doesn't rank)</p>

<p>Recommendation Letters: All of them are Great! (but well, my teachers aren't so fluent in English so, I hope that doesn't hurt)
Essay: I guess it was ok
Interview: Great
EC's: National Honor Society (President), Math Club, Math Team, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Jr., Literature and Art Association (Those are the ones listed on my Application)
Summer Activities:
Work as a cashier and summer classes.</p>

<p>Other Stuff:
I'm taking the most Advanced Curriculum Available for me and have a 3.8 cumulative GPA since 9th grade (if you consider since 10th grade it goes up to 3.91). I'm also advancing one year of high school.</p>

<p>Here is the curriculum I've been taking: (In PR there is no such thing as Honors or AP classes)
9th grade:
Biology, Earth Sciences, Algebra and Trigonometry, Geometry, Spanish, English, Universal History, Sociology<em>, 2 electives in Food Preparing and Bakery, Graphic Design</em>.</p>

<p>10th grade
Chemistry, Genetics<em>, Microbiology</em>, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Linear Algebra<em>, Analytical Geometry</em>, Electoral Process<em>, English 10, Spanish 10, Advanced Spanish 12, Fitness</em>, Paint* and Gourmet Kitchen*</p>

<p>Summer:
Puerto Rican History and English 11</p>

<p>11th Grade: (that's now cause I'm graduating)
Physics, UET(it's a pre-engineering class), College Calculus (it's actually in the University of Puerto Rico), Integrated Math III, Spanish 11, US History, Volleyball<em>, Engineering Pre-Graphics (art)</em>, Advanced English 12th, Health* and Responsible paternity*</p>

<p>Classes with an (*) are only taken for one semester. </p>

<p>So, I guess the most impressive thing about my application is the schedule, because in PR most students only take 6 classes per year. Also I am working on a Math Investigation that I hope I can submit before the deadline. </p>

<p>I don't know what else to add, but please, if you have any suggestion (except re-taking tests because currently I can't afford it) it would be highly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Your SAT I and II scores really hurt you. You might be able to get off with the SAT I being low with your TOEFL, but the SAT IIs are harder. </p>

<p>I've noticed Ben mentioning the TOEFL substituting the SAT I in students whose first language isn't english. It seems like CR and W sections would be substituted, but would math? I wouldn't expect it to be, but I've heard Ben refer to the TOEFL score substituting for a poor SAT I exam. Anyone who knows about the specifics?</p>

3

<p>you definitely should improve your SAT IIs...
Er... btw (off topic a bit), why are people's ECs always related to some sort of academics? (such as math club, chem club....) is there something else MORE INTERESTING that you usually do? If yes, put them down, i think they would be more impressive...</p>

4

<p>heh, sorry if i'm bursting your bubble or anything, but this is a REALLY long shot for you. CR and Wr scores are forgivable, but that math is on the lower side. and those sat 2's don't do much to help you.</p>

<p>any academic awards?</p>

5

<p>I'd say it's a super reach for you right now; a lot of people with 2200+ on the SAT got deferred in the early round.</p>

6

<p>you need to improve everything...the TOEFL is really really really really easy compared to the SAT W and SATII sections--i got a 300 on TOEFL and didnt get perfect scores on the SAT W.</p>

<p>Your essay needs to be kick @$$, not just OK. because an OK essay with great stats is going to get you rejected/deferred/waitlisted. You need an awesome essay.</p>

<p>And maybe those SATs were good for your school, but think of all the ohter schools there...i'm not going to doubt there are some with perfect or near to perfect SATs. </p>

<p>right now..you're not looking good. i'd say you would get rejected or deferred at the best...keep on working. good luck.</p>

7

<p>mm.... It so happens that after a lot of discouragement I received from people in here, lol, I got in! Of course not in Early action, but I did got in Regular Action and I'm going to MIT in the fall....</p>

<p>Apparently I didn't write something in here from my application that the admission officers like.</p>

8

<p>what is this thread trying to prove?</p>

9

<p>congratulations! im sure ur ecstatic! :D</p>

10

<p>Indeed I am. :)</p>

<p>Blueriver575: I just wanted to let people know that admission to MIT is really not stats based.</p>

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<p>That's awesome, omareduardo! Congrats! Seriously, though...I think a lot of the people here were wrong to say what they did since your SAT 2 scores weren't that low for someone who doens't speak English as a native language. Even math and bio have directions/questions in English and frankly, a 530 in Lit is very good for you. If I tried to take a Lit test in French....let's not talk about that....but in short, congrats and good luck at MIT! :D</p>

12

<p>I guess Ben J. is correct when he insists that context is very important in MIT admissions.</p>

13

<p>"I just wanted to let people know that admission to MIT is really not stats based"</p>

<p>No offense, but this is true mostly for URM, legacy, etc... Don't mislead others who don't have the luxury of those items into thinking one can get in with sub 700 (sub 600, in some cases) SATs across the board with good essays and good recs.</p>

14

<p>I agree with asiaknight: there's no way any one person can determine the nature of MIT's admissions criteria for anyone else because, simply, everyone is different.</p>

<p>I say this because there were many individuals who applied from my high school and did not get in, while I believed them to be far more qualified than I was (one of whom will be attending the UofC, asiaknight).</p>

<p>Still, congratulations on getting in.</p>

15

<p>that is really weird ... since my stats on SAT I is very much similar to omareduardo (which will be substituted by TOEFL) but my SAT IIs are dinifinitely higher and i still got rejected... :((
I think it's probably because of something called "diversity" they don't want too many south east asians in the same school, i guess (same to chinese and other Asians...)</p>

16

<p>omareduardo also is a URM. YOu aren't^ :-/</p>

17

<p>oh please, not the usual URM argument again!! You simply didn't get in, that's it and move on. Don't debase someone else's acceptance by saying they're URM (or female, for that matter)</p>

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<p>Durn right Annie. You tell 'em.</p>

19

<p>Admissions is most importantly about context. omareduardo13 seized what seems like every option available and exceled in it. MIT most definetly is looking for people who can be given hard circumstances and do well despite the odds. Congrats.... i truly believe you deserved it (i mean you did get one of the highest SAT's scores at your school which speaks a lot about your hard work and dedication, eventhough it might not have been as high as all these kids who have had prep classes).</p>

20

<p>Lots of nonhispanics with no prep classes and similar scores didn't get in. Ethnicity played a role, if not in this case then in many very similar to it.</p>

<p>It's not all about context. It's about ethnicity, too.</p>