<p>SAT 2300-2400, ACT 30+ on ACT, home-schooled, I get all A's, I have 3.9+ GPA, I volunteer at animal shelters, I got double promoted, I play chess/ in a chess club, I play the snare drum, piano, and guitar, and I make money by gumball machines and crane game machines I own in stores and from Zazzle and selling my photography. What out of that looks good for MIT? What else should i do to greater my chances of getting in? Should I strive for some awards in chess like competitions? Should I play sports? </p>
<p>Nobody knows. Literally, nobody, not even the MIT admissions officers know for sure. <a href=“Reminder: No one, not even me, can give you an accurate chance at MIT! - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/939227-reminder-no-one-not-even-me-can-give-you-an-accurate-chance-at-mit-p1.html</a></p>
<p>The simple rule is that there is no one thing that will ever get you in or keep you out of MIT (actually, I correct myself, an inability to function in English will be a determining factor on its own). All of that being said, the best advice that I can give, is to do stuff because you want to want to. You only have one shot at high school, and you should enjoy it insofar as that is possible.</p>
<p>If you want to play sports, then play sports. If immersing yourself in photography gives you the most joy, then do that. Apply sideways (<a href=“Applying Sideways | MIT Admissions”>a | MIT Admissions).</p>
<p>The standard mantra for how to get into MIT is: “Work Hard. Be Nice. Have Fun.” The work hard is fairly clear. Your grades, your test scores, your academic preparedness comes about because you work hard, and that is really, really important. Being nice is also important. MIT, as a rule, admits the nice, Help people. Contribute to your community. </p>
<p>But to me, speaking personally, “have fun” is arguably the most important. Do what you find cool and what gives you joy. If you find it really fun, then you are likely to do it again when you get to MIT. If you are doing it because you think it will help you get into MIT, then you are likely to drop it if you achieve that goal. You would be truly surprised at how easy it it to tell whether [insert pasttime here] is something that actually makes you deliriously happy or not.</p>
<p>So I reverse your original question. What on your list gives you joy? Do more of that.</p>
<p>Is there a way to feature a thread like this? It’s (understandably) a common curiosity among prospective students, and the answer is a great response to such questions.</p>