Hey guys so I’m a current junior and am trying to decide what makes the most sense. I’d love all the input I can get so thank you so much in advance
I play tennis and supposedly would get athletic support at MIT and caltech, but even with support getting in would be basically a complete shot in the dark because these schools are so competitive. I could elect to go for Georgetown, and with pre-reads I could commit and know that I’d be in. Even though Georgetown is D1 they do not give scholarships for tennis. I loved both MIT and Georgetown a little more than the rest (MIT slightly more – the captivatingly quirky nerdy vibe is unique and truly amazing).
How do you compare MIT to Georgetown? They’re so so different but I’m ambivalent. I want to study economics (I really like stock trading but investment banking seems exciting) – either way I don’t know if I want to come at it from the quantitative (MIT/Caltech/Carnegie) or qualitative side (Georgetown, Chicago).
These are my stats if it helps:
ACT: English: 35, Math: 35, Reading: 33, Science: 34
GPA: 4.9 cumulative weighted/4.0 unweighted at a Florida Prep School
5s on 6 APs, currently in Biology H (98), Calculus AB (96), English Lit AP (92, the worst class ever), Latin II H (99 my 2nd yr of Latin bc I took AP Chinese as a freshie), Microeconomics AP (96), Political Science Post-AP (98), Statistics AP (98)
ECs: taught myself how to trade financial derivatives (mostly American options on stock and futures underlying); I also am fluent in Mandarin Chinese (I grew up in Singapore), can code in Java, compete nationally in both Public Forum debate and Model UN competitions, made it to DECA internationals and love watching football
What’s your status with the coaches? Are you in contact with them now? I’m not familiar with Tennis recruiting, but I would presume it includes video, showcase tourneys and the like. Have you started that process?
At this stage, I’d be casting a wide net. You don’t know yet where you stand with these schools, if they are interested in you, etc. You need to find a good fit for the academics, the environment and the team/coaching.
You also didn’t mention Calculus level math that the Cal Techs and MIt’s will expect you to have taken if available and SAt subject tests which you’ll need.
As for how to narrow it down, if tennis is a sport that commits later (senior year), then I’d wait until you get a chance for official visits. They are what sealed the decision for my kid.
The choice to take a gamble on MIT or Cal Tech is a risk that you have to decide if you are willing to take. It’s far from a sure thing at either school. And if you have another school willing to give you a slot, you are giving up a pretty sure thing for a “maybe”. We just did this, and it worked out for my kid, but we also know others for whom it did not. I’d be asking the coaches to be honest - how many kids with your kind of stats do the get admitted each year?
With an interest in Financial Trading, I’d also be looking at schools like Columbia and NYU. We found NYU’s focus to be much more finance based in their economics department. MIT’s seems more policy based.
Thank you so much for your response! I have been speaking with the coaches; I went on my Caltech visit and am going on my MIT and Georgetown officials in February. Math wise I’m in calc rn (our school doesn’t let us skip precalc to get to BC as a junior or anything fancy like that) and am taking linear algebra/matrix theory this summer at the university near us. Subject test wise I scored a 780 on math 2 (I’m retaking it in May) and will take bio in May as well (a couple of my friends were able to get 800s after bio H).
The sure thing vs maybe scares me and I’m not sure if it’s worth the risk because I know I’d be extremely happy at the sure thing school, but maybe a little happier at MIT.
I’d keep an open mind until visits are done. There’s no point narrowing with incomplete information.
I agree with casting a wide net. I don’t know tennis but with an interest in finance and IB I’d have expected to see schools like Columbia, Penn, Princeton, and maybe even Duke, Brown, etc on your list. Maybe those are athletic reaches that you’ve already eliminated. If not you might explore adding a visit or two.
The trade off you’ve identified is very real. Think about what you backup plan is should you commit to MIT and not gain admission. Is it acceptable? Ultimately this is a very personal decision but perhaps the visits will help.
ETA: ask the coaches if it makes sense to retest a 780 math 2; seems unlikely to me it’ll make much difference.
Friend was recruited by MIT this year for a team sport. There were 15 guys in the recruiting class, presumably all getting coach support. Of the 15, 6 got in, including friend. MIT only has EA, so friend is still keeping options open for RD, which probably do Not include playing his sport.
Thank you so much for your response! I looked at ivies/D1 but for tennis they’re usually the strongest teams in the country (recruiting wise at least) so they are athletic reaches for me. I could play at pretty much any DIII school, or Georgetown (their team’s level is about mine). As of right now, I’m pretty sure it makes the most sense to apply non binding EA to all the schools that interest me that have it — MIT, Caltech, Chicago and Georgetown — and see what happens. Even though passing up on a early commitment to Georgetown kind of sucks. If I don’t get into any of those, I think I’ll apply RD to NYU stern, CMU, maybe RPI, and maybe some other places if I have to. Caltech in particular has a 25th percentile SAT Math 2 score of an 800, so the coach there really wants me to retest. With the huge curve anyways getting an 800 should be doable.
Makes sense on the Ivies. You have some great options. It’s hard to make decisions prior to visiting, so I’d be patient. Are you expecting coach support at multiple schools through EA? I don’t think it usually works that way but perhaps so in D3. In any case, I think what you need to be comparing after the visits isn’t just the possibility of MIT vs the certainty of Gtown, but what the option of neither one looks like. None of the RD schools you list are sure things (unless you are confident of coach support at those?). If not admitted to your EA schools, what’s your sure thing safety? That’s the option that needs to be looked at when comparing MIT uncertainty to Gtown certainty.
@politeperson, thank you again!! NYU and CMU both know that I’m putting MIT and Gtown ahead of them and will be applying to stern/Carnegie as RD, but will still support me in the admissions process. Usually for NYU/CMU the kids that get accepted without athletic support have a 4.5 or 4.6 weighted GPA, but mine is a 4.9 so I’m pretty confident. I just really want the MIT thing to come through but I know it’s basically a shot in the dark determined by subjective essays/interviews. Georgetown would also be amazing though…
MIT coaches can put you on their preferred list but coaches really don’t have much pull with admissions there. Based on your stats, you could be admitted but the chances of anyone being admitted to MIT are very hard to predict. Good luck!
@TennisLauren07 I would advise going with Georgetown. I know a family who was told by the MIT coach he was in and then even though he was an amazing player, perfect ACT and excellent grades he was declined. The coach apologized and said they didn’t give me any of my players, but the kid literally had no school then. It was pretty crazy. Also, while at a camp we heard from a MIT coach who was really honest. He said “we don’t have slots at MIT, they want Nobel Peace Prize Winners not athletes”. You can apply, some years they give me some, but there are no guarantees at all”.
Take Georgetown.
if you blow out your knee is one school the best fit ? (if so choose that one).
otherwise be up front with the coaches; if you are athletically at the top of D3 Chicago and CMU coaches can get you in for sure (with your stats) and coach support. MIT coach can get you in IF you make the “final pile” - they can pull you only at that point; the fact that you are female is an advantage for MIT.
You very likely (if still undecided in 8 months) could possibly get coaches support for EA at multiple schools since no scholarships and your stats are super high. (definitely be upfront honest with the coaches).
. If you don’t handle stress and just want it over, GTown
ps. don’t know if the gender ratio is still out of whack at Cal Tech but a past student said it was weird since relatively tiny numbers of girls at the school. whereas the others try for 50/50 gender balance
@twoinanddone since G town is non scholarship for tennis it’s quite likely if handled correctly both MIT and G Townn and even Chicago could all be applied to EA. I know it’s unusual but possibly even with support.
I don’t think you can count on getting in at any top school RD. It’s such a crapshoot. S’s friend had coach support (swimming) at Chicago, deferred, then set sights in Columbia, coach support, rejected, did get into Georgetown RD (not on team), but he has URM status. He didn’t get in anywhere else and was stressed the whole year. Since you like Georgetown and can play there, why not commit and be done? CalTech isn’t know for finance, nor is MIT known for investment banking. Georgetown McDonough is a feeder school for Wall Street investment banking.
@anon145
Georgetown has restricted early action, so no she could not apply early to both Georgetown and MIT.
Again, MIT does not have athletic slots, so is very risky if you have to turn down other offers to wait on their decision. Sometimes a D3 school will wait on an early decision. @TennisLauren07 keep us posted on how it all turns out! Good luck.
Some schools have both ED1 and ED2 - NYU is one of them. That might factor into your decisions as well. But know that ED is binding where EA (Chicago, MIT, Georgetown) is not.
Ethically you should be getting coach support at only one school at a time.
