Oh, Be a Fine Guy/Girl, Chance Me Right Now!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Mixing it up with a little star magnitude anagram....</p>

<p>I love MIT, I love the blogs, I love the buildings, I love visiting it, I love Boston/Cambridge. But I am not so hot of a math and science student, so I think my chances are much, much lower, perhaps nonexistent for it as compared to other top unis and LACs.</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: CR: 800, M: 700, W: 800 (single sitting, but it would be my super score anyway)
[</em>] SAT IIs: Taking next weekend
[<em>] ACT: 30 (will probably not send, especially since I randomly guessed on like half of science)
[</em>] GPA: 3.800, but it might be up to 3.82 now with this semester
[<em>] Rank: 14/349 (Top 5%)
[</em>] AP Courses: APUSH = 5, Score not back yet = Calc BC, Art History, English Lang, Human Geo. Will take next year = Psych, World Hist, English Lit, Physics B, Chem, maybe French
[<em>] Transcript: I'm just going to talk about the courses where I got B's. All other are A's.
Geometry Advanced Academics (AA): Sem 1 B, Sem 2 B (I took this in 8th grade, but it is on my transcript. Will MIT care?)
Algebra II AA: A, B
Pre-Calculus AA: B, B
Chemistry AA: B, A
AP Calculus BC: B, A
[</em>] Other Stats: 12th place in Regional Oespr Chemistry contest. My teacher tells me it's really good.
Also, will take Multivariable at UCinci in Sr. year.</p>

<p>So you see, I'm not so hot in maths and sciences.</p>

<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Teacher Recs: Even though I got a B in chem, my teacher will still definitely write me a great rec and he's really proud of me for the Oespr score. Other recs will be fine to really great.
[</em>] ECs: Community Action Team - Do a lot of various Community Service. I lead a few parts of it: yearly yard sales, our work with a Housing Project here. About 3 hrs/wk
Tutoring - 2nd graders in 10th grade, people at my school in 11th and 12th. For free
Saturday Success - Job tutoring failing 7th graders. 2 hrs/wk.
Math Team - Take Calculus League, Ohio Math League, American Scholastic Mathematics Association contests. Always a top scorer on the team.
Ski Club
Academic Quiz Team - Ranked around 3rd in OH right now, going to NAQT finals, etc.
[<em>] Hook (if any): URM- Black
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[</em>] State or Country: Ohio
[<em>] School Type: Public, Top 100
[</em>] Gender: Female
[<em>] major strength/weakness: Weakness = I suck at math? Strength = N/A?
[</em>] significant awards/recognitions: 12th in Oespr
7th Place Nationally in National French Exam Level 1
8th Place Nationally in National French Exam Level 2
"Very Good" at University of Cincinnati Math Bowl
[li] summer activities: Habitat for Humanity, Breakthrough Collaborative Internship, Women in Engineering Camp at UDayton, various volunteering[/li][/ul]Other Factors:
I think I'll be able to write a great essay because I love MIT. Also, will apply EA.</p>

<p>If you need any more info, I'll be happy to provide. Please be brutal, just like the MIT adcoms.</p>

2

<p>Why in God’s name are you applying to MIT if you feel that your weak point is the maths or sciences??? Sure, you might like the culture, and yes, you do not just need to go into the hard maths and sciences. However, economics requires math, engineering is just applied sciences and math. Nothing really stands out that shows that you are interested in the maths and sciences and that you would fit in with the MIT culture. The URM status is a plus, but still, your grades are nearly all As except for what MIT really wants: math and science. If you are applying because of prestige then don’t apply.</p>

3

<p>Good luck :). At least you’re not an international like me, so (surmising from your grades; I’m not very good at this chancing thing) you have a decent chance. I think you should go for it!</p>

<p>One can be too science-oriented, anyway - just look at my courseload, lol:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/721471-how-does-my-unorthodox-courseload-hold-up-top-colleges.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/721471-how-does-my-unorthodox-courseload-hold-up-top-colleges.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Oh nice mnemonic! I learned “O Backward Astromers, Forget Geocentricity; Kepler’s Motions Reveal Nature’s Simplicity.” Or, since the class was taught by Prof. G[ruber]* who would use a Geiger counter to measure radiation coming from a radioactive ore in class, we had “O Be a Fool Gruber, Keep Measuring Radiation Near Students.” </p>

<ul>
<li>name changed to protect the (somewhat irradiated) innocent</li>
</ul>

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<p>Huh. My recommendations went to two of a handful of teachers who gave me B’s in high school. That wasn’t intentionally planned, but I wonder if the admissions gods saw that as, “The people who gave her B’s think she’s awesome! I wonder what the people who gave her A’s must think!” In retrospect, those classes were the ones I had to work the hardest in, and I got close to those teachers as a result.</p>

<p>As for your application, it looks like mine as far as science/math weakness goes. What do you plan to major in?</p>

6

<p>yeah my counselor actually recommends fielding recs from teachers whose subjects you appear weaker in, given the fact you know them well enough of course</p>

7

<p>Thanks you guys! I was out of town at the NAQT tournament and couldn’t reply.</p>

<p>PiperXP: I plan to major in linguistics. I heard the same thing about recs when I visited UChicago on Friday. I’m really glad people have told me because I was thinking about getting recs from my French teacher, since I get A’s in her class with absolutely no effort and she would give me only a glowing review. But, yeah, it’d probably be boring, especially because her class is so easy that I hate it, so she probably doesn’t get a real impression of who I am.</p>

<p>Cicero_oratore: I don’t think it’s the prestige. I just really like MIT and I think I would be happy there. Honestly, you’re very likely right. When I say MIT, my parents say “that’s not the place for you.” Even though I’m not the best math student (I’m actually a pretty good science student. The B was a one time thing and hopefully they’ll see that) I really like math. I would think taking Multivariable on my/my parent’s dollar at a university might show interest, but maybe not. My math teacher considers me one of her hardest working students. She wrote in another rec that I’m very persistent and interested, and really I am. I wasn’t supposed to be in BC this year because my Pre-Calc grades weren’t high enough but I pleaded and was let in anyway. My mother tried to have me sent to AB, but I persisted and stayed. I guess I should find a better way of showing it.</p>

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<p>i don’t think they will care about the geometry thing. Don’t worry getting a few b’s in math/science will not keep you out. I like your attitude about school, I think it definitely matches that of an MIT student!</p>