The Holistic Approach

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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<p>I'd really appreciate someone's opinion, but I know this post is a little whiney. I just get so stressed out when I think about college apps!</p>

<p>So I'm really worried about MIT's holistic approach because point in fact, my EC's are not stellar. I'm just one of those people who really enjoys school and learning and I devot a lot of my time to that and then a regular social life. I have 4.0 unweighted GPA and I'll have taken 9 APs by my senior year (hoping to maintain straight A's). I also have taken two science courses both my sophmore and jr years and am considering taking two math APs as a senior. I haven't taken the SATs yet, but testing is my strength, and I scored above a 200 on the PSATs with no calculator, so I'm not overly worried.</p>

<p>However, my only EC's are XC and track every season, debate freshman and soph. year (transferred schools and the new one doesn't offer it), Young Republicans, and Math Honors League 11th and 12th grade. I also took a summer preview and BU where I took Nutrition and Infectious Dieases, and I'm currently enrolled in an extra college-level online Technology and Engineering course through NASA with the potentiallity to be accepted to a summer residential program. </p>

<p>I know my grades and transcript won't hurt me as it stands, but I'm extremely worried that I won't seem "well-rounded" enough and haven't done any STEM competitions or clubs, really. Should I try to begin other clubs/activities now? My impression is that that would only look shallow and like I was scrambling. Also, do you think they would be understanding if I tried to start a debate team next year, but didn't have it for my junior year? I was too shy to try and found one as a brand-new transfer.</p>

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<p>You’re fine. Really.</p>

<p>MIT doesn’t look for “well-rounded” applicants. It looks for a wide variety of applicants. I happen to be well-rounded – but I have friends here who are pointy to the extreme.</p>

<p>There’s no one perfect applicant, just an interesting team to build in a class :)</p>

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<p>I don’t think that extracurricular list is lacking in anyway, provided you present it well (and hopefully you’ve won some distinctions?) But really, MIT isn’t looking for those people who did a million extracurriculars. Just look at the application, they ask us to pick 5 (not 10 like the Common App). They’re interested in what we’re most passionate about, and I’m sure your passion will show through no problem. Best of luck!</p>