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Should I apply to MIT or any other competitive schools for engineering? I am applying to about 15 schools. The majority of them are safeties and matches. The reaches are California Institute of Technology and UC Berkeley. I've already been accepted to 7 schools; no rejections yet.

SAT: 540V 800M
ACT: 32 Composite, 34 English, 35 Math, 30 Reading, 29 Science
SAT II: 630 Ecological Biology (the only full semester of high school biology I have completed was in 9th grade), 650 Chemistry, 720 Physics (took the test twice, got 720 both times), 800 Math level IIC, and 730 Writing.

3.92 unweighted GPA. 7 AP classes upon graduation (Calculus, Statistics, English, GOvernment, US History, Biology, and Art History). Class rank: 7/280.

Numerous awards in math, science, and engineering competitions (regional and state levels; participated in a couple of national events, but didn't win anything). Summer engineering camp.

Recommendations are very well-written by teachers who know me the best and who like me.

Personal essays are OK.

I moved to the USA less than 3 years ago, and English is my second language. That's why I have such a low sat verbal score. Keep in mind, however, that my ACT English score is in the 99th percentile (and MIT DOES accept ACT), and the Writing score is in the 87th percentile. I have also won an award for completing an English Honors Portfolio: a panel of judges, consisting of high school and university instructors, accepted it for honors.

EC's are OK -- mostly in math and science. I have a couple of leadership positions. I am organizing two national and state engineering competitions at my school for next calendar year.

DO you think I should apply to MIT and/or other highly selective engineering schools? Planning to major in EE. Idaho resident

By Warrior (Warrior) on Saturday, November 23, 2002 - 01:09 pm: Edit

if i were you i would have evaluated my chances at scoring high on biology and chem sat 2 before taking the tests (colleges WILL see them regardless). unless your ap scores justify them that's gotta hurt.

i think you are better off applying to other top, less selective engineering schools like Cornell, GeorgiaTech, Carnegie Mellon, U of I...

Top engineering schools generally have even higher SAT verbal scores. Since the majority is coming in with >750 on math they get more selective.