<p>I need to know what kinds of extra activities, like research or competitions that can give me a better chance of making it to MIT. I have all the grades and test scores, and school activities, but I don't have anything that is interesting. THANKS</p>
<p>[-</a> Competitive summer programs, some of which are hosted by MIT.](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/before/summer_programs/index.shtml]-”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/before/summer_programs/index.shtml)
[-</a> Science fairs and olympiads.](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/before/science_fairs_olympiads_etc/index.shtml]-”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/before/science_fairs_olympiads_etc/index.shtml)</p>
<p>And the regular stuff. </p>
<p>I’d say you shouldn’t just do it to look good though. I would have if I’d known earlier.</p>
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<p>My top advice: Don’t just target activities just because they will help you get into MIT/a good unversity. I know a person, like 4 years ago or so, that did that and he got into some good unversities, but he is struggling at the current unversity he is in because half of the things he did in high school were that way (for example: for his research project, his partners and professor practically carried him and got him Siemens Regional Finalist, which he regarded as something that would get him into a top college, not as an achievement of hard work on something innovative). Thus, this hindered his ability to work on things that he actually liked, limiting his individuality, and it taught him the wrong ways to be successful.</p>
<p>However, that doesn’t mean don’t do anything…you should still do activities in science/math that help you but you appreciate them/work hard on them also. </p>
<p>You should try to do some research. It doesn’t really matter where or how; I know that everyone in my school that might apply to MIT next year is doing research, some at programs and some at local unversities. </p>
<p>Also, you should try doing competitions. Like what kemcab mentioned, there a lot of competitions, and a lot of schools offer atleast one Olympiad. And don’t be intimidated by an Olympiad; I know everyone says it’s impossible to make it, but I think if you work hard enough, you can make it.</p>
<p>so how would i joins these fairs or Olympiads?</p>
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<p>Yup. Ha ha, my school really doesn’t offer any of those actually. They’re somewhat involved in the National Science Olympiad but that’s not nearly as competitive as those. </p>
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<p>Um, I think if you’re a junior it might be too late, but as he said before, some are offered through the school, but some I think you have to go out of your way and apply for. You’d be bound to hear about it if you knew some very competitive people, probably, but I doubt the majority of MIT applicants participate in them.</p>
<p>^Oh that stinks that your school doesn’t offer them.</p>
<p>However, I think you can apply at a nearby school (perhaps not even in your district). Atleast for the 2008 AMC/AIME, we invited two eighth graders to take the AMC 10B because it was not offered in their school, and it was actually very important for one of them because for the cutoff, he used the 10B score + AIME to make USAMO (he would not have made it with the A score from his school). And his name on the USAMO list is listed for his regular school, so I guess they allowed him to take one of the AMC’s at our school, not his regular school and still qualify through his regular school (not even in his district as my school is a public high school and his school was a private middle school). Don’t know if the rules have changed though.</p>
<p>EDIT: Hey you can still do it even if you are going to be a senior (although it won’t affect your college apps). Like I said, do it because you like them, not just for colleges. You should definitely take the time to challenge yourself, if you can take those tests/do research.</p>
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<p>Yeah, but I don’t really know which schools in my area offer them. I hardly know anyone in real life that has any clue about these- and then again I don’t want to take the time to go out of the way to do something like this when I’m already doing something I like.</p>
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<p>I have no problem taking those tests or going out of my way, it’s just that I find that everything I do revolves around my parents’ busy schedule. It’s just that, the more you have to go out on a limb to take this and do that, the inconvenience mounts considerably. I have to wait until my parents have days off before I can even go visit any campuses this summer, for example. The more I have to travel the harder it is for me.</p>
<p>Do I want to try it? Yes. Will I have the means, the time, and enough motivation to sacrifice some activities to jump at them? Maybe- I don’t know. Trying the AMC 12 sounds fun though.</p>
<p>nothing you suck. rejected!!!</p>
<p>Here’s a question. I don’t have any awards. I’m just not an awards person. Will this hurt me?</p>
<p>^^@fontaine: Awards are just one indicator of achievement. What are your interests? What do you bring to the table? If you’re “not an awards person,” what sort of person are you? What makes you think you’re a good match for MIT?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that I’m a good match, and I hope that I display my passions though all the machines that I make, but I was just concerned about all the award space; I make robots for myself, not for a competition, and I didn’t know if that’s what MIT wants. I just feel a bit dumb not even having anything to put in “Local Distinctions”.</p>
<p>I believe that MIT would be very interested in any young person who likes to “make robots for myself.” If you haven’t done so already, familiarize yourself with the attributes MIT is looking for: [MIT</a> Admissions: The Match Between You And MIT](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/pulse/the_match_between_you_and_mit/index.shtml]MIT”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/pulse/the_match_between_you_and_mit/index.shtml)</p>
<p>You could support this interest with schematics, photos of what you’ve built, and a supplementary letter from someone who can write enthusiastically about your activities.</p>
<p>hmm i also believe that as long as u truly show ur passion and enthusiasm in attending MIT on ur essays, they would defintely give u a chance of getting in.
also dont wry too much about awards, there are lots of other ways to illustrate ur talent and knowledge
plz chance me~!</p>