Wondering about MIT...

Applying to College
1

<p>I know that this has been asked a million times before, but will someone from MIT maybe give me some feedback on my application? I've been having doubts about whether or not I am what they are looking for in an applicant. </p>

<p>GPA (UW): >3.8, somewhere around 4.0 I think
Class Rank: 10/~320
AP Classes (all this year): Calculus AB, Biology (first in my school to have taken it - I had to register for it via an online system at my school), English Language/Composition
EC's: Mu Alpha Theta tutor since junior year (25/30 hours), FBLA (11-12) reporter, Boys Varsity Tennis Captain/#1 seed all four years (I've been playing tennis since the age of six), AP Biology Labs (for my online class they are on the computer but I decided to perform them hands-on with a biology teacher from my school to gain a further understanding of the material), and Biological Research (11-12) with lichens and bacteria. These five are the ones I put on my application.
SAT 1: 650 M, 590 CR & W
SAT 2: Low, just low... but I am retaking them this month so hopefully they will be within their range.
Summer Activities: For the past four years, excluding most of summer 2010, I trained with a tennis pro all summer basically and played doubles on Saturdays for maybe 5-8 hours each time. I enjoy reading nonfiction, particularly auto/biographies, and russian/classical literature like Crime and Punishment. I also attended Project SMART in the summer of 2010. This camp consisted of field work in various ecologies and estuaries, and ended with a final research project using the data - except for my group which used data collected from satellites. The camp really defines my interests in scientific research and I even wrote my essay about camp and how it has impacted me. In short, I now aspire to become a scientific researcher after having been exposed to it a little.
Awards: Outstanding Improvement in Science (9th Grade), Gentleman and Scholar Award (11th grade) - I swear I didn't make that one up.</p>

<p>Additional Info: I've been baking chocolate chip cookies since I was maybe 7 or 8, and I make them VERY quickly - faster than my mom or anyone I know, and I'm not kidding. I wish I had written one of my essays on baking but I think I may have to try to tell my interviewer about my baking and how it has impacted me. I failed to mention this to him during our original interview, and I think it adds something to my application that makes it more interesting. I submitted my abstract from my research in the summer too. I also let them know that I've had an interest and passion for biology from a young age, and that investigation and discovery are at the core of my interest in biology and science in general. </p>

<p>I don't know, but after reading about some people who got in, I felt left out... it seems like everyone who gets in does 4 or 5 really different activities that make them really interesting and dynamic. I just hope they know that I'm a devoted tennis player, avid reader and chocolate chip cookie baker, and biology/research aficionado. That's me in a nutshell I guess. </p>

<p>Any thoughts MIT people? I would love any feedback.</p>

2

<p>Not to be mean or anything but your chances are very low with a 650 M SAT score and only one math/science EC that you have put any work into.</p>

<p>My suggestion would to get into contact with the MIT and more importantly Ivy or other D1 schools that might be able to guarantee a spot for you through your tennis abilities. MIT doesn’t do that kind of athletic recruitment. Have you talked to anyone about getting recruited for tennis?</p>

3

<p>Check out <a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml[/url]”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml&lt;/a&gt; to see the prospects for applicants with a range of test scores.</p>

4

<p>I really try not to be a hardass CC reviewer that ONLY looks at you SAT scores. But honestly, your SAT 1 Math is [great by normal standards]… but very sub-par for MIT. Shoot for 730+.</p>

5

<p>Sorry, but I highly doubt that you will get into MIT. Don’t get your hopes up.</p>

6

<p>I know that my math SAT is low… but I aced Trig, Precalc, and Geometry - all honors. And I’m in AP Calc right now, so I feel like that shouldn’t be a huge issue… it’s not like I don’t know how to do it… And I don’t think getting recruited for tennis is really an option since I haven’t actually had a winning record for singles or doubles, excluding last year when my partner and I went 7-5 in #1 doubles… I don’t honestly think I will get into MIT, but I figured that I might as well try since I’m passionate about science and research. Thanks for being honest at least everyone.</p>

7

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<p>Yes, but the trouble is, you’d be competing for admission against people who aced trig and precalculus and geometry and AP calculus, and also aced the SAT. For a school like MIT, acing your high school math courses is necessary but not sufficient, as they say.</p>

<p>This is not to say that you’re worthless, or that there’s no right college for you, or that you’ll never amount to anything. But MIT is probably not within your reach right now. So some day, when you have amounted to something, you’ll be one of the millions upon millions of Americans who have amounted to something without going to MIT. </p>

<p>And, honestly, in these two posts you’ve shown that you have not only insight into who you are, but also enough strength of character that you can accept unwanted news without losing your poise. Those are valuable qualities that really will help you amount to something. </p>

<p>Good luck to you!</p>