<p>I have posted before. I intend to apply to MIT and Caltech. However, I forgot to include my story.
I got selected for a scholarship to study in Singapore, so I had to come here in early January, 2008, 3 months before my grade 10 exams in India. Being busy with the IB course here, I only got about 10 days to prepare for my Grade 10 exams, which are a big thing in India. I still topped in my school, scored the highest number of marks ever scored by anyone in my school's history, and came 5th (or 6th) in my city. Moreover, I had to miss a whole semester of IB in Singapore because I was in India. IB is also very different from my Indian course, and there was a LOT of adjustment to be made. Still, I am one of the highest scorers here (3rd highest). I am also the youngest member of grade 12 (16 years old). The guy who is topping is a 20-year old Vietnamese scholar!!! My class is full of scholars from Asian countries, and hence is VERY VERY competitive.
I have also taught the guitar to myself, and was still the lead guitarist of my school band back in India. I am also teh lead guitarist of teh jazz band in Singapore.
How much do you think will such a story affect the admission officers at MIT and Caltech?
Cheers!!!</p>
<p>To me, it makes you sound very arrogant, which might be a bad thing.</p>
<p>My SAT results are
Maths- 720
Writing- 710
Critical reading-680.</p>
<p>I had no tuitions, and had to prepare for them in a short time. I will be taking them again in May, again without tuitions.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if I sound arrogant, but it was not my slightest intention. I will word it differently in my application of course. Sorry to offend.</p>
<p>please please ignore the arrogance in the story, as I assure you i am not arrogant at all. I am just laying the bare facts to you. PLease chance!!!</p>
<p>Ignoring the arrogance, it might make a difference because you were able to adapt to a new environment without letting grades slip.</p>
<p>thanks pyroza. would anyone else like to comment??? I am very nervous!!!</p>
<p>I think what impacts admissions most is not stories, it’s grades and scores. Hard to assess your grades, but your scores are considerably below average at both schools. Focus on raising the scores, not the story. Admissions hears stories of kids living in war zones, homeless kids and anythng else you can imagine.</p>
<p>bump…10 char</p>
<p>Yea, I agree with hmom. Your “story” may be unique compared to any domestic applicants’, but it’s nothing that will really give you an admissions boost. You need to focus more on improving those SAT scores than trying to sell a story. (A 2100 with under 750M is practically an automatic rejection from MIT/CalTech).</p>
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<p>So let me understand this. You’re complaining because you only had 10 days to study for your 10th grade final exams? Well, if I recall, I “topped” my school in my 10th grade finals, and I didn’t study at all (the main difference being that I’m not writing short stories about this). If I were you the only thing I would include is the scholarship to study in Singapore. And that goes in the “Awards” section of the application, not the “Stories” section.</p>
<p>Hey man. I guess you’re mistaking my story for arrogance again! Never mind. The story I guess is more relevant when you think about the Indian scenario. As you might be aware, Indian students are given a leave of full 3 months to study for their Grade 10 exams, as it is the first most important exam in their lives. And they are VERY serious about it, joining multiple coaching centres and studying upto 10 hours a day, as our exams are notoriously difficult. I got 10 days to study for such an exam.
With all humility, I would consoder that as a very small, miniscule, microscopic achievement…</p>
<p>this is true, godfatherbob, the exams here in the us are nothing compared to the 10th grade level exam in India, thank god i moved before i took it…</p>
<p>I’m sorry…I don’t think you’re in to MIT…</p>
<p>The valedictorian of my high school, the 100th best public school in the US got rejected from MIT…and he’s beast…probably has like a 2370 and a 4.4 GPA</p>
<p>don’t know about cal tech. If I were you I’d find some backups…believe me there are PLENTY of amazing schools here! Don’t go for the name, go for the best fit.</p>
<p>Please chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/661484-chance-deferred-kid-ill-try-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/661484-chance-deferred-kid-ill-try-chance-back.html</a></p>
<p>bump…</p>
<p>If you already scored the highest, there is no need to tell your story to colleges. Even if students had 3 months to prepare, not EVERY student will prepare from the start, and may still score highly. If you scored poorly, you should provide that explanation. Scoring the highest and providing that explanation does show a level of arrogance. </p>
<p>Your other activities will show that you’re succeeding academically while keeping up extracurricularly so you don’t have to explain everything. I know kids who got 2300+ took the SAT without prepping for it, yet I doubt they say “look, I scored highly with no prep!” I know your exams are much harder and valued more, but it sounds vain to say that you scored highly while others who potentially studied more did not score as highly as you.</p>
<p>So, will it affect admissions to Caltech and MIT? Yes, the explanation might in a negative way. But with your stats/ECs, and no explanation, you do stand a good chance at those schools</p>
<p>thanks AnnaSmith. That was useful.</p>
<p>does anyone else have an opinion? Should I even include a hint of this story in my application?</p>
<p>You have very few words to tell an admissions committee why they should want you on their campus. They can see your academic qualifications and don’t need elaboration. After you pass academic muster is when they look to see who the whole person is. Use the space to tell them thing they don’t already know that will benefit your case.</p>
<p>bump…</p>
<p>My advice to you is to not put that “my school is full of scholars from Asia, therefore, it is really, REALLY, competitive”. You make it sound as if you are making a stereotype - asians are naturally competitive. Not saying that’s what you mean, just a heads up. And you may sound presumptious to the admissions officer.</p>