Does taking AP actually hurt my chances of getting into schools like Caltech and MIT?
I can’t speak for CalTech with certainty, but I suspect they have a similar attitude to MIT’s. What MIT admissions wants to see is that you took advantage of the full range of academic opportunities available to you, that you were willing to take risks, and that you were able to manage even very difficult coursework when you did. They’d rather see someone take an AP class and get a B than see someone take a lower-level class and get an A because they were afraid that the more difficult class would hurt their grade-point average. (If AP classes aren’t available, then you don’t get dinged for not taking them.)But realize that most successful applicants to MIT can take the AP classes in areas close to their intended major (e.g., math and science) and get As in them, and will generally also be able to pull A grades in AP classes in the humanities, perhaps with the occasional B.And also realize that even the General Institute Requirements in the sciences (two semesters of physics (one each of mechanics and E&M), calculus through multivariate, a semester each of chemistry and biology), which *every* student is expected to take (mostly finishing them all freshman year) are going to make a typical AP class look like a walk in the park. And the general workload across all classes is likely to make the workload from an AP humanities class look easy, too. So if you think you can’t handle an AP class in high school, you need to think carefully about whether you are really ready for taking a drink from the proverbial fire hose at MIT. Again, I can’t speak for my esteemed colleagues from Pasadena, but my understanding is that the academic rigor and workload there are just as exhilaratingly brutal.
Will one B in math hurt my chances of getting into MIT and other colleges of the same caliber?
I don’t think that you should worry about this either. You should try to pull up your grades in math from now on, and see where you are in two years time. Stay ahead in your homework, pay attention, and be aware that math is an area where most things that you learn will be needed at some point for future work. Freshman year grades will be far less important than your next two years.At the risk of agreeing with a downvoted answer, there are a lot of very good universities in the US. If you can pull up your math grades from now on you should have a *chance* at MIT. However, MIT’s acceptance rate is very low and when the time comes you will need to also consider other universities that are easier to get into.
Does one grade 10 exam affect my chances of getting into MIT or Caltech?
You are assuming too much.MIT only enrolls 1,050 freshmen and Caltech only enrolls 240 freshmen.Of that roughly 10% are international students. 140 from around the Entire World.You have bigger things to worry about: like how much fun you are going to have while in high school and doing well on your academics, and whether your cricket playing or field hockey or soccer playing will be sufficient for your team mates.Be all that you can be, and enjoy doing it, and You will get into a good college. Period.
Will transferring to a public school hurt my chances of getting into MIT, or any other prestigious college?
Transferring into MIT, Stanford, Harvard, or similar schools as an undergraduate student is very difficult, and very unlikely to be possible for most strong students.However, many students complete their bachelor’s degree at a public university, and then go on to MIT, Stanford, Harvard, or a similar university for graduate school.If you can transfer to a very good public university, then you probably should do so. You can get a very good education at many public universities whether in the US or elsewhere.
Would taking a language for only 2 years hurt my chances to get into MIT.?
Tom Stagliano provided an authoritative answer to your question. Allow me to give you some anecdotal evidence supporting his reply: When I was in high school, I took two years of Latin. I had no other foreign language courses in high school, and I was (and am) NOT bilingual. Additionally, my high school did not have many honors/ap courses available. (In fact, I started the “honors math” program at my high school because I wanted to take more mathematics courses. I found a teacher at my school who was willing to teach some more advanced mathematics classes, and we obtained the necessary administrative approvals. At the time, counting me, there was exactly one student in the “honors math” program.)I was accepted for undergraduate studies at MIT, basically for the reasons outlined in the link Mr. Stagliano provided in his answer. While I ultimately decided to do my undergraduate studies at Notre Dame (at the time, I found the focus at MIT to be more graduate-oriented, and the mathematics program at Notre Dame to be more undergraduate-oriented), allow me to agree wholeheartedly with the key points addressed on the MIT Admissions website. One aspect of your application does not determine whether or not you will be invited to join the next Freshman class at MIT. In fact, the point is clearly made that the recommendations for academic coursework you will take in high school are just that: recommendations, not requirements.Best of luck to you in your future endeavors.
Is a 4 on the AP biology exam going to hurt my chances?
A 4 is a good score. The AP scores are not a major factor much in the admissions process. They are primarily used to determine whether or not you receive college credit. See http://www.apreviewbooks.com/question.ph... for more information. Only 18.5% of the students scored a 5, 16.5% scored a 4 and the rest scored lower, http://totalregistration.net/index.php?o...
Do I pose a legitimate chance of getting into MIT or Princeton?
Thanks for your information. I greatly appreciate your time. Just a few more details ;). I go to a small private school that does not offer these "AP" classes, to counter balance that fact I have started "outsourcing" my classes to the community college by taking "duel credit" classes. (count for highschool credit and college.) I don't expect to transfer these hours to my university, however to an Ivy does "college hours" look as good on a resume as "AP" classes? Also a few more details about myself are listed below: -I was the flight commander in Civil Air Patrol and improved my leadership skills in working with my peers in that activity. -Held summer jobs at different places. -I hope to get the National Merit Scholarship award if that matters to an Ivy. -There are a ton of other "little" things I have done that I just do not have the space to write about. Thanks again for your comments, I think I need to focus more on community service during these next two years!
Will my situation affect my chances of getting into MIT or Caltech?
U.S. colleges and universities do not penalize students for not doing things that aren't available to them. This is everything from Olympiads to coursework. They do, however, still expect to see what you do, what you take advantage of within what is offered, and what opportunities you create for yourself and how you demonstrate your ability to do the coursework at these colleges and contribute to the collegiate community.What is going to affect you most is being an international student where very few places are available. For instance the admit rate at MIT is 8%. Of those freshman class offers, less than 10% will be to international students. The final class will be a bit more than 1,000 students with about 100 of those international students from up to 100 countries. So you will have to differentiate yourself and show your academic accomplishments and potential in some way. To be clear, no U.S. colleges requires international olympiad.