Hey guys,
It would be great if you could weigh in on my chances for MIT or CMU based on my grades and extracurriculars and stuff.
GPA: 3.93 UW 4.73 W
SAT: 1480 (770 Math 710 English) this was my first time but I am planning to take it again
SAT Subject: Math 800
ACT: 35
AP Tests that I have taken:
Comp Sci- 5
Human Geo- 4
Macro-4
Micro-4
Psych-4
Environmental Science-4
AP Tests I will take after junior year:
Language
Spanish Language
BC Calc
Chem
Physics 1
Extracurriculars:
I am director of a STEM club for girls
I am a girl scout doing a gold award which is also a STEM class
I volunteer as a math teacher
I volunteered in India in a village helping the disadvantaged
I do a lot of community service remotely to that village as well like creating educational videos for the kids or creating a website for the center there
I participated in a lot of coding competitions
I am technology officer for another non-profit
i have a few awards from middle school
i’m also on my school’s tennis team and I play rec basketball
SAT is a little low, but retaking it will probably help. Your ECs are great, and you do demonstrate an interest in STEM. ACT is very high–nice job! You need an SAT subject test for science. I would say both are reaches (they are for everyone, though), but with great recs and essays, you have a chance at both!
Your EC’s aren’t that unique. At least not for MIT. “Helping people in India” is something colleges see through. If you put that on your app, please don’t make it seem like you’re an overprivileged person who didn’t know what to do with their summer. You should make it seem like a specific reason why you went to India. Maybe family there? You said you were Asian, did you mean Indian?
GPA and scores are good. MIT is still a huge reach though, they decline applicants with stats and EC’s better than yours all the time. It’s like an Ivy, so …
Carnegie Melon, I’d give you a bit of a better chance, maybe a 25, 30% chance?
Submit the ACT instead of SAT. Either way MIT is a high reach and CMU might be a reach depending on your major. If you are thinking CompSci then CMU is a high reach because the acceptance rate is Ivy levels (around 5-6%).
@aeather sorry just saw this (oops) but ty for your input. For the helping people in India i meant a service visit in a village (yes, i am indian). On another note, do you think its worth applying to mit at all (EA or otherwise)? Or is it a better choice to ED to a college I have a better chance?
@imakoolkid you should apply ED to CMU if that is your first choice. Try to get more STEM related ECs as well. Create some apps or things like that. If your school has a robotics program join that as well. Try to participate in AMC math competitions too. Also colleges aren’t interested in middle school awards so don’t mention them.
My son’s school had 6 kids get into CMU CS this year. They were all ED so you have a fairly decent chance. This is from a Top 25 ranked high school in California which consistently shows up in the Top 150 high schools in the country according to US News. Interestingly enough, all 6 happened to be Indian males.
Val this yr is going to CMU with the same ACT score as you and a lower SAT (submitted ACT only). We are at a non competitive high school. She didnt apply ED. Some of her ECs are on the same level as you: captain of 2 teams, volunteering by playing an instrument (decently well), GS (silver award), to say a few. In fact, your stats are probably much higher than hers, especially if you get the gold award done in time. If you apply ED i would be surprised if you didnt get in (but ofc no one can be sure you will get in anywhere…). She’s a very charismatic leader type of person, and she’s very dedicated in everything she does. If this sounds like you, I think you’ll be fine. Good luck
@agentaquastar thank you! do you know which school she applied to though? because CMU computer science is much much more competitive than the other schools.
@imakoolkid keep in mind both schools are super competitive and reaches for everyone. Don’t decide not to apply based off a comment here! Based on my son’s class this year - small public school in NJ (253 seniors, few get into the elite schools - maybe 1 or 2 a year). 2 got into MIT early decision this year - 1 a female with less impressive ECs than you, 1 male who is a first gen to go to college & very into programming. He was rejected CMU for CS but accepted to MIT. She didn’t apply anywhere else. Visit, decide on your favorite and apply ED. I think you have as good a shot as anyone!
