Actually, you incorrectly attributed that response to me. Looks like your crystal ball is cracked and so is some of your advice. Chill out. |
Oh, god forbid you feel apprehensive about your achievements which are, basically, nill. |
yeah and you should feel proud of your most recent achievement - being a class A bitch to a 17 yo on an anonymous forum |
Boo-hoo. |
Thank you - -this kid is 17 years old, please give him a break and try to be a decent human being. |
| Do the best you can in all subjects and go to the best college and program for your major that you can get in to. Do well in your major and then go to a school like MIT or CalTech for a grad degree. Grad degrees are becoming the must have to get a decent job these days. GL. |
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Oh, god forbid you feel apprehensive about your achievements which are, basically, nill. Oh, dear, PP. When trying to insult someone else's intelligence, it's usually preferable not to misspell words. That rather dilutes the effect. It's "nil," not "nill." Guess you were an English/History B student, too. |
Nobody was insulting his intelligence. The fact is, he is much more concerned about maintaining his self esteem than utilizing any advice. Thats a terrible attitude to have at any age. I went to HS abroad and excelled in my native languge as well as everything else. I don't feel like spell checking every word when posting anonymously, so thanks for doing that for me. |
Looks like the holiday season has brought out the freaks. You're nuts, although I have to say the "nil accomplishments" poster is nuts too. But let's focus on your particular brand of patronizing insanity. Are you seriously suggesting this poor OP apply to MIT/Cal Tech without worrying about his Bs in English and History? You're the one who's cracked. Worst. Advice. Ever. |
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The truth is that he can get into many good schools with an academic record like that. Not Caltech and MIT, but plenty of programs with high quality math and engineering programs. I have friends in his position who went places like Rose Hullman, University of Illinois, and University of Texas. So I wouldn't freak out; just set your sights a little lower.
I work in a STEM field (chemist) and the issue I do see is that even mathematicians, engineers, and scientists need to know how to write clearly and succinctly and it IS a problem if he is unable to write well. In graduate school that was something some of my peers really struggled with, and in the workforce everyone needs to write. You might get a bit of latitude if you are a non-native English speaker, but as a domestic student, the writing expectations are higher. Take your English classes more seriously. Even if you go to a tech school, you'll have a humanities requirement as long as you are attending college in the US (my friend who studied math and computer science at MIT had a humanities course every semester she was there). |
English is your first language so you have that advantage over many foreigners who work in STEM. And your chances are greater to get into management if you are a white male or black female. |
Negative comments = realism. Even applicants with perfect SATs and GPAs from moneyed families get rejected from top schools in droves. You have a less than perfect GPA and your family has limited funds, so you need to temper your optimism and assess the situation realistically. There are many good, not tippy-top schools, that will accept an applicant like you and even provide financial aid. If your credentials are in the top quarter of all applicants, you can be a star, a big fish in a small pond, and be well positioned for a top grad school. Do not insult your own intelligence by asking us to tell you only what you want to hear. Do yourself a favor and get real. |
| I think OP is long gone. |
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I went to MIT in the last 5 years.
Unless you win an Intel contest (and even some of those people don't get in) then with below a 3.8 and no special status (ie not white male or Asian) you won't get in. I was a science major. You do realize that once you get past the memorization that science is ALL writing (grants, papers, etc.). To succeed you must be able to communicate your thoughts clearly. |
In the interest of communicating clearly, can you please explain the triple negative in your post? Do white males and Asians really get special preference at MIT? |