<p>This thread seems to be like the telephone game. One poster, perazzino, said something about middle schoolers doing research. No one else. It’s pretty unheard of for this to happen. </p>
<p>It seems like people are getting bent out of shape on this research thing. While it does require you to have a good base of knowledge to function in a lab, most of the time it is about taking on a project currently underway in someone’s lab. (In fact, that is what grad students do.) There is a sliding scale on how engaged a high schooler is in this process. In exceptional cases, they forge their own direction and do something which requires true creativity. However, most often intellectually mature and motivated high schoolers just learn lab techniques (and troubleshoot them) enough to churn out data and are able to understand how this fits together in the scheme of scientific literature and what needs to be done in the future to fill in the gaps remaining in the literature. This is a valuable growth experience but nothing spectacular, and so the lack of research doesn’t mean they are at a disadvantage with respect to those who engaged in research. Hopefully, they will be doing something to demonstrate their affinity and ability in math, science, and/or technology.</p>
<p>That was as a very polite way of telling me that I was selectively focusing on posts that suggested he should not apply. So, I went back and read the thread. I think you might be right. Phoestre, texaspg and lake42ks all said it was worth a shot, if MIT is where he wanted to go. Even you were suggesting, I should let him apply, if he wants to go to MIT. Most of the other posters said that admitted students stand out as exceptional people and give compelling reasons beyond GPA and standardized test scores to be accepted. Most were saying it was difficult to predict who would be accepted, since there were only 1500 openings and many qualified applicants. Nobody actually said he should not apply. I get that now. Thanks</p>
<p>SimpleLife, It seems like your son is a wonderfully talented and kind humanbeing. I think you made the right choice by letting him know you would support him if he wanted to go to MIT, but gave him the choice to attend the school of his choice. I would do the same thing.</p>
<p>I have to completely agree with this. I write it over and over again, because I find it ridiculous how people constantly emphasize discovering the passions so early on. While I think it really helps you get somewhere to discover passions (and I mean in general, whether before or after college), I think if someone asked me to say a long, long time ago whether I preferred science or math, I would have had no answer. Mathematics wasn’t even on my radar much until I saw how wonderful it could be much later. </p>
<p>I think the problem is not with the word “passion” but with the fact that people link that word to discovering your life purpose or something. I’d say developing a “passion” for feeding intellectual curiosity is a good goal itself. I find all too often that people claim they like something because it’s what they’ve succeeded at recently, but without a deep outlook on what it’s going to be like in the long term.</p>