Worth going for Stanford/MIT?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello,

I am a current junior interested in studying engineering. My top choices are Stanford and MIT, however, I am not sure if with my qualifications, I have a good enough chance to use my early application on one of these schools.

If I decide the chance is not good enough, I will probably apply ED to Cornell Engineering (where I have legacy).

Would you all advise I go for Stanford/MIT or Cornell?

My stats are as follows:

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown):
780 CR
790 M
800 W

ACT (breakdown):
Did not take

SAT II:
800 Math 2
800 Physics
800 Chem

Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):
4.0

Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):
4/600

AP (place score in parenthesis):
US History (5)
Calc AB (5)
Calc BC (5 expected)
Chem (5 expected)
Physics C Mech (5 expected)
Physics C EM (5 expected)
Language and Composition (4 or 5 expected)

IB (place score in parenthesis):
N/A

Senior Year Course Load:
Multivariable Calculus
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Macroeconomics
AP German
Honors French 4
Band/Orchestra
Either physics 3 (university) or AP Bio

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
Published in Nature’s Scientific Reports Journal
ISEF 2015 4th Award
ISEF 2014 Finalist
AIME Qualifier
National Merit Semifinalist
Hall of Fame Inductee from Local Science Center
Various science fair awards from local and state fairs

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Band (section leader, 3 years)
Orchestra
Honors Band
Robotics (head programmer)
Math Team (co-captain)
Varsity Scholastic Scrimmage
Varsity Tennis (captain)
Science Olympiad
School Newspaper
National Honor Society

Job/Work Experience:
N/A

Volunteer/Community service:
About 100 hours of service at local science center.
Tutoring through NHS

Summer Activities:
Took precalculus and programming course (summer after 9th grade)
Took Calculus 2 at University (summer after 10th grade)
Governor’s School for Sciences (summer after 11th grade)

Intended Major:
Electrical Engineering or Materials Science

State (if domestic applicant):
East coast

School Type:
Large, public

Ethnicity:
Asian

Gender:
Male

Income Bracket:
Upper Middle

Essays and recommendations will be solid but probably not amazing.

Thanks!

2

Holy smokes! Your credentials are amazing! However, credentials are not enough. Your essay also has to be good. It has to give a holistic view of yourself - not a list approach. If your essay will be “probably not amazing,” that is the atomic bomb to your chances of getting admitted to Stanford/MIT, or any elite school. You’ll have to make it clear what inspired you to achieve what you have achieved - why is engineering meaningful to you? What will you bring to the college of your choice? And why do you even want to go to Stanford/MIT? And what makes you unique?

3

Great credentials but I’ve found so many other kids on CC with similar or better stats. I think these schools are inundated with so many great applicants that they begin to look for other exceptional qualities. Thus, what makes you so special when there are 9000 others like you?

You never know what that hook will be and thus you can’t count on your stats alone to guarantee admission. Just apply and cross your fingers.

4

When admission rates are in the single digits you need to have something that stands out from the other students with fabulous stats. You’ll have a better chance with an ED application so pick the one you most want to attend and apply, if price is no object.

5

@virginiagirl10

Yes, the essays are what makes me nervous.

I was only barely admitted to the summer program I am attending and I had strong stats which leads me to believe my essays or recommendations were below average. I will spend more time on the essays and think more about recommendations this time around but I have a feeling they will still hold me back.

6

@frugaldoctor @jym626

I am hoping science fair awards and lab experience can act as a hook, but even that seems fairly commonplace…

I guess I will probably apply to one of the two reaches and hope for the best, I just don’t want to throw out the better chance at Cornell for nothing, especially since legacy seems to matter more for ED than regular.

7

You never know where you will get into and where you will not. I hope to have the opportunity to congratulate you if and when you get into both places.

8

Your publication in Nature itself should help you get into any top college. Publishing research in Nature or even its sister journals is extremely tough. Amazing work on that!

Apart from that, you are well qualified. Just write goof essays and I believe that you can get into 1 of Stanford and MIT if not both

9

I would say that you are definitely qualified enough to consider applying.

10

From what I see, I wouldn’t dissuade you from going Restrictive Early Action at Stanford, but I will warn you that having only “solid” essays and recommendations will probably drag you out of serious contention.

I believe that applicants should save Early Application programs for schools that they want to go to and have a pretty good chance of getting in.

MIT might be the better EA choice. Maybe.

11

@mumbai98 The OP published in Scientific Reports - not Nature itself. Still impressive though.

OP: you’re definitely very qualified and have a shot at Stanford/MIT. Only you can decide if it’s worth forgoing ED at Cornell. For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s a good idea to ED at a school unless it’s your first choice - will you be left wondering about what-ifs if you do?

12

To be honest, your credentials look fine, but when you’re trying to get into Stanford the credentials are just a benchmark to see if they should consider your application. Afterwards, what you write on your essays is–in my opinion–one of the most important aspects of getting admitted. I’m currently a Stanford freshman and I definitely didn’t have as many things glittering my resume, but I sold myself hard on my essays and I tried to create a story of what made me different and why Stanford needed me in their story. If you have more questions feel free to ask. I also do college admissions consulting and SAT tutoring (which it doesn’t look like you particularly need) but if you’re interested in my services feel free to email jespero@stanford.edu

Best of luck!

13

Dude with your Intel achievements, you should totally apply to Stanford rea. Don’t apply to Cornell ed if it’s not your top choice. BTW don’t listen to people saying there’s 9000 others like you. Only what 40 people get Intel finalists, it’s not like you only have like Aime on your app.

14

I’d say go for it. Just spend entire summer writing best essay you have ever written in life

15

I would put you at the cusp of people who are extremely competitive and the people who are almost guaranteed admission. Definitely apply to MIT/Stanford SCEA because even if you get rejected, you have a really really good shot at Cornell RD. Best of luck!

16

@debate4ever I believe you are confusing ISEF with Science Talent Search. ISEF is not as selective: I would say my accomplishments are about equivalent to being Semifinalist in sts

17

Thank you for all the responses. I have a better idea now of my chances

18

but isn’t isef 4th award ridiculously hard?

19

@jhgong
this year there were slightly over 400 from the entire world and all grades who placed 4th or higher at ISEF. Keep in mind however that the vast majority of ISEF kids are from the U.S. and most are juniors or seniors.

So to me it seems comparable to something like STS semifinalist (300 12th graders from U.S.) or USAMO/USAJMO (500 all grades from the U.S.), if that helps give a better idea

20

dang then the fact that I didn’t even make ISEF makes me sad… but I got other stuffs so I guess I am fine! Can you give me some insights please???

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1772777-what-range-of-schools-could-i-get-into-next-year-p1.html