Anyone here went to or currently attend MIT, Caltech, or Harvey Mudd?

DoNotDisturb

Senior member
Jul 24, 2002
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Anyone? I would like to discuss the following aspects:

I want to know:

a. The score that people received (SAT, SAT II, ACT, miscellaneous material)''
b. The type of extracurricular activities done (specially if you went to or currently attended MIT)
c. Grade Point Average
d. Ideas about what should be written on the essay (i know caltech requires you to write an essay)
e. Miscellaneous comments, suggestions..


I'm just a junior, but I already know quite a bit about these schools, yet, in order to know what I should do to get in, I want first person experience.

I have posted this before, but my past posts have been quite vague. Thus, I'd prefer to talk to someone through AIM, IRC, or some real time communication. However, e-mail would be great.

Thank you.
 

techfuzz

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2001
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Hey man I visited MIT back when I was looking at colleges to attend. As it turns out after visiting there and taking their tour I didn't like the atmosphere all that much. I really suggest you go visit these schools before making a decision. College will change your life, don't end up going someplace that you're not going to enjoy. Good luck!

techfuzz
 

Ameesh

Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
23,686
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Originally posted by: techfuzz
Hey man I visited MIT back when I was looking at colleges to attend. As it turns out after visiting there and taking their tour I didn't like the atmosphere all that much. I really suggest you go visit these schools before making a decision. College will change your life, don't end up going someplace that you're not going to enjoy. Good luck!

techfuzz

best advice anyone can give or take.
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: notfred
I knew a girl in high school who went to MIT. She was smart.

I knew a few people who went to MIT. They were very smart. Sorry, I don't know any of their information.
 

Einz

Diamond Member
May 2, 2001
3,139
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Currently a freshman here at MIT. If you wanna talk, check up my profile and if I'm not swamped with school work, I'll gladly entertain your questions :)
 

slydecix

Golden Member
Jul 16, 2001
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One of my good friends goes to MIT right now, he's having a blast there
1520 SAT (I think), 4.0, band, science club, tennis, teachers loved him, and he had a job at Altair Engineering during high school... just a great guy

My other friend goes to Caltech, he says he hates all the work and stuff, but when I visited him for spring break last year, it seemed like he was having a good time too. Plus, Pasadena is beautiful (except the downtown area closes down at like 8 p.m.!) He's one of the smartest and funniest guys I know, he had taken 5 or 6 college math classes already by the time we graduated high school, he also did 4 years of Cross-Country and Track. But when it comes to people-skills, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, and probably didn't get into MIT because they req'd an interview (and Caltech doesn't).

hope that helps
 

Krk3561

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2002
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Originally posted by: Elitebull
One of my good friends goes to MIT right now, he's having a blast there
1520 SAT (I think), 4.0, band, science club, tennis, teachers loved him, and he had a job at Altair Engineering during high school... just a great guy

My other friend goes to Caltech, he says he hates all the work and stuff, but when I visited him for spring break last year, it seemed like he was having a good time too. Plus, Pasadena is beautiful (except the downtown area closes down at like 8 p.m.!) He's one of the smartest and funniest guys I know, he had taken 5 or 6 college math classes already by the time we graduated high school, he also did 4 years of Cross-Country and Track. But when it comes to people-skills, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, and probably didn't get into MIT because they req'd an interview (and Caltech doesn't).

hope that helps

What was your friend at MIT's math score, 800? Is that 4.0 unweighted?
 

Kango

Member
Nov 20, 1999
166
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I'm a Sophomore at Harvey Mudd. I'll drop you a PM.

I don't know the dweeb/nerd distinction, but not everyone at Mudd is like that. Sure, an AMAZING percentage of the student body are pretty bad... but me and all of my friends don't come off as Mudders unless... say... we wear HMC shirts. It's very "Us vs. Them" though. I don't talk to the dorks. They don't talk to me and my friends. We throw the bitching parties while the nerds stay home playing Counterstrike all Saturday night. It works out nicely.

Best part: Scripps (women's College) is a 2-minute walk away. Booty call!
 

Krk3561

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2002
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Originally posted by: FrontlineWarrior
Originally posted by: Krk3561
I've never heard of Harvey Mudd. What is it know for?
mostly engineering. it's near pomona, ca and only has like 600 students total.

Is it any good? I'm a sophmore right now and I need to start looking at colleges.
 

slydecix

Golden Member
Jul 16, 2001
1,898
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Originally posted by: Krk3561
Originally posted by: Elitebull
One of my good friends goes to MIT right now, he's having a blast there
1520 SAT (I think), 4.0, band, science club, tennis, teachers loved him, and he had a job at Altair Engineering during high school... just a great guy

My other friend goes to Caltech, he says he hates all the work and stuff, but when I visited him for spring break last year, it seemed like he was having a good time too. Plus, Pasadena is beautiful (except the downtown area closes down at like 8 p.m.!) He's one of the smartest and funniest guys I know, he had taken 5 or 6 college math classes already by the time we graduated high school, he also did 4 years of Cross-Country and Track. But when it comes to people-skills, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, and probably didn't get into MIT because they req'd an interview (and Caltech doesn't).

hope that helps

What was your friend at MIT's math score, 800? Is that 4.0 unweighted?

yep and yep
...but you can pretty much be sure that a majority of the people who apply have scores that are just as good if not better. it really comes down to the little things
 

Kango

Member
Nov 20, 1999
166
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Is it any good? I'm a sophmore right now and I need to start looking at colleges.

Harvey Mudd is an excellent school for Math/Science/Engineering. It doesn't get the same recognition as CalTech and MIT because it's a College, not a University. What does that mean? It basically boils down to the fact that all of the school's money, time and efforts are spent on a very small number of undergraduates (about 170 per class year). No TAs, no giant lecture halls... plenty of facetime with a 100% Ph.D. faculty. It feels kind of nice to be able to name off every Professor in every department, even in departments I haven't taken classes from. I know everyone in my class by name, and I know almost everyone in the other classes as well. A lot of people are turned off by the idea of a small school, but the great thing is that the school isn't isolated. There are 3 other similarly-sized schools (Scripps, Pitzer, Claremont McKenna) and 1 slightly larger school (Pomona) within a 5-minute walk. The schools do a lot of mingling, so there are always new people to meet.
 

DoNotDisturb

Senior member
Jul 24, 2002
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Originally posted by: Krk3561
I'm looking for schools that strong in engineering or computer science.


well, there are many unknown schools that exist that are great for those, but if you want the more "branded" schools, which sometimes are the same, look at the 3 i listed.
 

DoNotDisturb

Senior member
Jul 24, 2002
842
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well, i've taken quite a bit of math classes already during my years in highschool. I'm a junior on my second semester, but my passion for math allowed me to take the following courses:

geometry
algebra 2
trigonometry * college
elementary statistics * college
AP Calculus
calculus I with analytic geometry (taking this because i need to be able to get those BC concepts) * college

i should be taking calculus I during the summer * college ; along with calc III * college ; if i can fit it in

and by the end of my senior year, i will have ordinary differential equations * college; if i can fit in calc III, then linear algebra as well. Nevertheless, aimed for the computer engineering majors.

So I should have 9 years of mathematics. I do well in them also. no fails or Cs, some Bs, like in trig. However, A in calc... geometry... etc.

My GPA is predicted to be 3.83 at the end of my junior year, so it will probably rise by the end of the first sem senior (when they cut off ranking, and appz should be already turned in)

my SAT is low at the moment with a 1110, 570 in math and 540 in verbal, but I took that long ago... i expect a rise when i take it this april 5. (i don't believe i took that test with my best effort, some bastards actually ruined it for me (i skipped part of a section because of how angry i got, stupid of me to do), but i do not have to discuss that.

so I hope i'm well balanced.

I work for journalism, in the science bowl, and plan on starting a mathematics/science club.

 

slydecix

Golden Member
Jul 16, 2001
1,898
0
0
Originally posted by: DoNotDisturb
well, i've taken quite a bit of math classes already during my years in highschool. I'm a junior on my second semester, but my passion for math allowed me to take the following courses:

geometry
algebra 2
trigonometry * college
elementary statistics * college
AP Calculus
calculus I with analytic geometry (taking this because i need to be able to get those BC concepts) * college

i should be taking calculus I during the summer * college ; along with calc III * college ; if i can fit it in

and by the end of my senior year, i will have ordinary differential equations * college; if i can fit in calc III, then linear algebra as well. Nevertheless, aimed for the computer engineering majors.

So I should have 9 years of mathematics. I do well in them also. no fails or Cs, some Bs, like in trig. However, A in calc... geometry... etc.

My GPA is predicted to be 3.83 at the end of my junior year, so it will probably rise by the end of the first sem senior (when they cut off ranking, and appz should be already turned in)

my SAT is low at the moment with a 1110, 570 in math and 540 in verbal, but I took that long ago... i expect a rise when i take it this april 5. (i don't believe i took that test with my best effort, some bastards actually ruined it for me (i skipped part of a section because of how angry i got, stupid of me to do), but i do not have to discuss that.

so I hope i'm well balanced.

I work for journalism, in the science bowl, and plan on starting a mathematics/science club.

just get a high SAT math score and you should be set for caltech :)

 

Krk3561

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2002
3,242
0
0
Right now I'm a sophmore. I have a 4.0 GPA. I took the PSAT and scored 222 composite, (212-214 is needed for National Merit Scholar). I got 730/730 SAT, 1460 .

These are my current classes:
European History AP
Calculus AB AP (I skipped Pre-Calc)
Chemistry I Honors
American Lit Honors
Spanish III Honors (transfered Spanish credit from middle school)
Theology (Catholic high school)

I know that Junoir year counts twice and next week I have to pick the classes for it. These are what I think my choices are going to be:
American History AP
Calculus BC AP
Chemistry II Honors (weighted 1.5 at my school, highest level of chemistry offered) OR Physics AP -- need help decideding that
Lit and Comp AP
Spanish 4 AP
Theology Honors (also offer regualar, does taking honors in this subject matter other than valedictorian?) (once again, Catholic high school)
OPTIONAL 7th hour class: Comparative Politics AP


As for involvement, I'm in Spanish Club, Spanish Honor Society, and Model UN. I did do Wrestling this year and think I'm going to do Track next year. I am also heavily involved with the local YMCA. I volunteer for them a lot and I am on 2 of their boards.