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Parents.. a kid just like yours and probably more stressed needs your help.
Do you know of a person who participated in the ISEF or STS competition till the national/international levels who got rejected from a good school like MIT/Caltech, or even worse a not-so-good safety school ?
I'm international (UK) and am askin for aid. I've got some national awards and got through to participate in the international levels of Intel ISEF. I've applied to 10 colleges including safeties, reaches and matches. I'm only average (approx 3.0 GPA overall) in school but have 1550+ SAT and 2350+ SAT II scores.
Is it possible I get 10 rejections?

By Ohio_Mom (Ohio_Mom) on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 06:36 pm: Edit

Contratulations on your fabulous scores and competitive prowess. While it's certainly possible to get rejected from a school like MIT if you don't fit their grid - you've got to be a hot property somewhere. Where else did you apply?

By Aparent4 (Aparent4) on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 06:45 pm: Edit

Yes, I have seen STS semifinalists rejected. I have also seen STS finalists rejected. There is no magic bullet. However, they did not get rejected at *all* schools, just at the particular ones they had their heart set on. Best approach is to figure you can be happy at a number of good schools, because that's the truth. Good luck. You'll do fine.

By Metz (Metz) on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 08:09 pm: Edit

Not EVERY member of top schools have great grades (though most do). My guess would be that you're the type that they would make an exception for.

Hey, 1% of MIT acceptees were not in the top 10% of their class. It may sound small, but that means SOMEONE had to get in. I would guess you are the type that make up that 1%.

By Emperoriv (Emperoriv) on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 11:53 pm: Edit

hey legolas, I'm a senior, dont know why i am in this section but..

I was a Intel ISEF finalist at Cleveland last yr, and got 4th in comp sci. I met ur coach (British), he's so COOL! He and another old guy let me and a friend share a cab down to the convension center with them, and they said ur government covers the expenses. I wish Canada was rich like u!

Anyhow, I dont think Intel ISEF finalists are that rare (1000 of them per year), but I think Juniors like u and me that went are not that many (many 300?). Intel STS finalists are more rare but they only come from the US. I think you have a great shot tho. I hope u r doing research job at ur local U, that combined with ur success at ISEF will have a good impression. I am working at my local U for 7 hrs a week for my next project. I hope to see u in Portland this year!

peace

By Legolas (Legolas) on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 12:37 am: Edit

Ohio_mom: well.. my college list is (in order of general selectivity as I perceived):
Franklin&Marshal,Lehigh, Lafayette, Connecticut College, Oberlin, Wesleyan, Cornell, MIT, Caltech, Princeton. I also applied early to Stanford and got rejected, but my SAT I was in the 1400 that time. It's the early jolt that prompted me to the possibility of getting rejected from everywhere I apply.
Aparent, I'm happy to go to a smaller college, but I'm not feeling so sure about even getting that.
Metz: I really hope you're true!
Emperoriv:I went for the 2001 ISEF, and I've graduated from HS last year, because I wanted to read some more in my topic of interest.

By Legolas (Legolas) on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 12:44 am: Edit

Emperor: It was 2002, sorry - i was also a junior then. I dont know the current coach. I have only been a garage-based inventor - no Univ work. I'm currently reading more in my subject

By Ohio_Mom (Ohio_Mom) on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 01:26 am: Edit

Only a garage based inventor, eh? Seems to me there a couple of small computer companies that I have heard of heard of recently that started in garages. I predict 7-8 acceptances. But I'm curious - why Oberlin? Its a good school, but not exactly techy.

By Jamimom (Jamimom) on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 12:41 pm: Edit

The answer is "yes" , I have seen some rejected at the very top schools.

Ohio mon, Oberlin is a fantastic school for science. I knew some premeds there. The support from faculty is tremendous. The kids I knew all got into med school and were the envy of my nephew and some others who were going to cutthroat premed schools and sweating it out. I wanted my daughter to go there. It was one of her reach schools and she was accepted there. But the atmosphere was not at all to her liking.

By Ohio_Mom (Ohio_Mom) on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 03:32 pm: Edit

Faculty support can't be overestimated. I'm glad to hear about the med school acceptance rate. And Oberlin had such an honorable beginning!

By Legolas (Legolas) on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 02:16 pm: Edit

(Just an update) I got rejected from MIT... and from lots of safety-ish schools. But I got in at Oberlin and Colgate, which is not so bad, either. Thanks to all who posted