<p>Anyone know how much MIT takes PGSS into consideration? I did some brief research and it looks as though top colleges seem to like it. Considering this is a rigorous science based program that promotes communal learning, I'd say it should be a big plus in an MIT app.</p>
<p>Any of you guys want to give your input?
Btw - any PGSS govies here?</p>
<p>I didn’t go to PGSS but I went to a school like it. Saying it is easier or harder to get in from PGSS would be misleading and inprecise. In engineering, sometimes the behavior of a phenomena is described in parts. For example; If x is between 0 and 10, the behavior may be linear; for x>10, it may be quadratic. So in describing a phenomena, you must first specify the “regime of interest” you are talking about. With respect to this discussion, whether it is easier or harder to get into MIT depends on the regime of academic talent you are talking about.</p>
<p>If you go to a well-known magnet school and are in the top 10 or so in terms of classroom performance as well as academic competitions, it is easier to get into MIT. It’s hard enough that being a star in the classroom (plus outstanding scores) will make up for not having major academic competitions at the national level. It’s not necessary to be a star at a magnet school or win national competitions to get into MIT; however, if you don’t you’re in the same boat as everyone else. In contrast, many people who are average at these magnet schools could have been valedictorian at their old high school, so for these people it is harder to get into MIT from a magnet school.</p>
<p>One caveat: I’m not familiar with PGSS per se’, but you can get an idea for how MIT views it by looking at the numbers of people who are admitted to MIT from PGSS every year.</p>
<p>I thought PGSS was a program (a summer program?), rather than a school. Am I wrong?</p>
<p>A friend of mine at MIT, class of '05, went to PGSS and really enjoyed it. I didn’t know too many Pennsylvanians at MIT, so therefore a large percentage of the Pennsylvanians I knew at MIT went to PGSS. :)</p>
<p>PGSS is indeed a summer program :)</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter much more or less than anything else, I would think. (I went to the NJ Governor’s School…of Public Issues, believe it or not). I guess it sort of counts twice- once as an activity and once as an award (I’m assuming selection is competitive?) but it’s not like MIT has some list of really cool summer programs that act as gold stars on applications…</p>
<p>no offense to anyone, but my [very likely biased and unobjective] personal experience had led me to believe that alumni from PGSS aren’t very impressive.
i met a dude from there who believed that solid water was denser than liquid</p>
<p>^ Well I attended PGSS and I thought everyone there was bright 
You must have caught someone on an off day :)</p>