Anonymous
05/09/2025 10:34
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
I would think that from listening to these expert admissions officers that if you are going to TJ that you need to
1. take calculus as a 9th grader; 2. win some type of math/stem national award; 3. develop some interest outside of math; 4. take at least multivariable/diff/linear
to have a chance at a T20.
If you go to a big umc public in Fairfax Co, the applicant:
1. take calculus as 10th grader; 2. take multi/diff/linear at local college; 3. regional award in math/stem;
1. take calculus as a 9th grader; 2. win some type of math/stem national award; 3. develop some interest outside of math; 4. take at least multivariable/diff/linear
to have a chance at a T20.
If you go to a big umc public in Fairfax Co, the applicant:
1. take calculus as 10th grader; 2. take multi/diff/linear at local college; 3. regional award in math/stem;
Anonymous
05/09/2025 10:19
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Child in TJ - current Junior and may end with B grade in AP Calc BC. I have heard all grades should be A being Asian to get into Ivy/MIT/Stanford. What are the chances for those schools for a Bio major with a B grade in AP Calc BC and remaining As or A- in Junior year. Overall GPA end of Junior will be close to 4.3; SAT 1570+; Good ECs
Hire a college counselor. They’ll evaluate transcript and ECs. Might be able to pivot to another major, add some summer stuff to support it and overall strengthen chances.
Bio is still tough - especially for Asian females. If the goal is medical field, there are many other major options.
Has the OP come back?
Agree with this.
I’d apply to SLACs - ED1 and ED2:
https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/best-liberal-arts-colleges-for-medical-school
Agree. Apply ED to SLACs where the entire rest of TJ isn't applying.
This is against conventional wisdom. Magnet high schools and SLACs don’t go hand in hand. True, the entire rest of TJ isn’t applying to SLACs. But there is a reason why the entire school isn’t applying.
It’s a vicious cycle. Very few is applying to SLACs, and even fewer accepted by SLACs.
I hope OP saw this post and don’t make the stupid mistake of applying to SLACs.
Study TJ’s past matriculation data carefully find a low reach school to which TJ is a feeder, then ED, ED2 two of these schools. WashU Emory Cornell CALS come to mind.
How is it a vicious cycle? That might impact yield, and hence RD decisions. But yield isn’t considered at ED. Can you clarify your point?
Anonymous
05/09/2025 09:49
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
This. This admissions season someone posted a podcast with transcript where admissions officers reviewed the applications from 3 high schools. One was a TJ student. That student was held to a ridiculous standard by the admissions officers. The student wanted to be an economics major but had not done "original research in economics" (the student had only taken 2 years of math beyond calculus, micro and macro econ and was president of the math team and worked in a STEM internship but the admissions team said it didn't support the major and just wasn't impressive enough). It was insanity. Meanwhile the other students from regular high schools (not in the DMV) had 1/4 of the resume and were reviewed better.
The problem is that the student was geared towards a STEM major; he came across as someone trying to backdoor into MIT as a STEM Major. Look at his background:
1. TJ = STEM
2. Math Team = STEM
3. Adv Math = STEM
4. STEM Internship = STEM
Who knows if the kid is trying to backdoor or honestly wants to study Econ? Looks like a backdoor to me. He maybe more capable student in Econ but the backdoor is not good.
What?
Econ at MIT is a STEM major - it's a mathematical science.
In case you just came out from under a rock for the first time today, schools provide much more math and science opportunities, for many more years, than econ opportunities.
What types of courses should someone take then with an interest in Econ besides math (and Econ courses)? Are there certain EC's that will underscore that interest?
Yes, start a new thread.
Econ and Business can be oversubscribed majors. So be careful.
EC/Activities:
DECA
FBLA
Investment club
MUN focused on econ issues
Start a small business (nothing fancy but being an entrepreneur is key)
Econ or finance internship
National Economics Challenge: https://www.councilforeconed.org/programs/for-students/national-economic-challenge/
Summer programs:
Management & Technology Summer Institute at Wharton at Penn
Wharton Leadership in the Business World Program at Penn
Exploring Entrepreneurship at Fordham University
Babson Summer Study for High School Students
The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy
Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom at Fordham University
USC Exploring Entrepreneurship Program
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth
NYU Summer at Stern
Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy
Whoever posted this, these are the ECs for econ - and MUCH more.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 09:48
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
This. This admissions season someone posted a podcast with transcript where admissions officers reviewed the applications from 3 high schools. One was a TJ student. That student was held to a ridiculous standard by the admissions officers. The student wanted to be an economics major but had not done "original research in economics" (the student had only taken 2 years of math beyond calculus, micro and macro econ and was president of the math team and worked in a STEM internship but the admissions team said it didn't support the major and just wasn't impressive enough). It was insanity. Meanwhile the other students from regular high schools (not in the DMV) had 1/4 of the resume and were reviewed better.
The problem is that the student was geared towards a STEM major; he came across as someone trying to backdoor into MIT as a STEM Major. Look at his background:
1. TJ = STEM
2. Math Team = STEM
3. Adv Math = STEM
4. STEM Internship = STEM
Who knows if the kid is trying to backdoor or honestly wants to study Econ? Looks like a backdoor to me. He maybe more capable student in Econ but the backdoor is not good.
Those are the correct ECs for econ - math is much more important than pre-graduate level economics.
Lol.
These are not ECs for econ.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 09:46
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
This. This admissions season someone posted a podcast with transcript where admissions officers reviewed the applications from 3 high schools. One was a TJ student. That student was held to a ridiculous standard by the admissions officers. The student wanted to be an economics major but had not done "original research in economics" (the student had only taken 2 years of math beyond calculus, micro and macro econ and was president of the math team and worked in a STEM internship but the admissions team said it didn't support the major and just wasn't impressive enough). It was insanity. Meanwhile the other students from regular high schools (not in the DMV) had 1/4 of the resume and were reviewed better.
The problem is that the student was geared towards a STEM major; he came across as someone trying to backdoor into MIT as a STEM Major. Look at his background:
1. TJ = STEM
2. Math Team = STEM
3. Adv Math = STEM
4. STEM Internship = STEM
Who knows if the kid is trying to backdoor or honestly wants to study Econ? Looks like a backdoor to me. He maybe more capable student in Econ but the backdoor is not good.
Those are the correct ECs for econ - math is much more important than pre-graduate level economics.
Those are also the same ECs for Engineering, Math, Data Science, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, etc. No demonstrated interest in Economics which is what I was getting at and also what the Admissions Officer agrees with read the OP post.
You have to show some interest in Econ besides being good in Math. Not sure why people are not getting this.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 08:38
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Child in TJ - current Junior and may end with B grade in AP Calc BC. I have heard all grades should be A being Asian to get into Ivy/MIT/Stanford. What are the chances for those schools for a Bio major with a B grade in AP Calc BC and remaining As or A- in Junior year. Overall GPA end of Junior will be close to 4.3; SAT 1570+; Good ECs
Hire a college counselor. They’ll evaluate transcript and ECs. Might be able to pivot to another major, add some summer stuff to support it and overall strengthen chances.
Bio is still tough - especially for Asian females. If the goal is medical field, there are many other major options.
Has the OP come back?
Agree with this.
I’d apply to SLACs - ED1 and ED2:
https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/best-liberal-arts-colleges-for-medical-school
Agree. Apply ED to SLACs where the entire rest of TJ isn't applying.
This is against conventional wisdom. Magnet high schools and SLACs don’t go hand in hand. True, the entire rest of TJ isn’t applying to SLACs. But there is a reason why the entire school isn’t applying.
It’s a vicious cycle. Very few is applying to SLACs, and even fewer accepted by SLACs.
I hope OP saw this post and don’t make the stupid mistake of applying to SLACs.
Study TJ’s past matriculation data carefully find a low reach school to which TJ is a feeder, then ED, ED2 two of these schools. WashU Emory Cornell CALS come to mind.
For a bio/pre med kid? What’s wrong with a top SLAC??
They are fabulous schools and great, early opp for science research.
Look at your school’s naviance to see if kids go to these WASP schools with similar data.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 07:58
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:This is insane. It's not right that kids are compared to others in their HS.
I feel so sad for these kids...they work so hard and are so stressed and then it comes down to not being perfect. This whole rat race system is insane.
OP, I know it's easy to get swept away in all this. Boost your kid's confidence. I'm sure he's an incredible person and he has a bright future ahead no matter what school he ends up at.
How is that not fair? They had:
- equal opportunity for courses (IB, DE, AP)
- equal opportunity for school and county related ECs
- equal opportunity for counseling staff and teachers
- same grading scale
- same grade bumps for courses
- same general grad requirements
- same class prerequisites
- same timing when classes can be taken
In your scenario, how would you say kids should be compared?
Anonymous
05/09/2025 05:36
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Or rural/FGLI students with no calculus available I'm their schools with a 750+ in math and overwhelmingly positive rec letters, etcAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS got into MIT without AP calc
I'm hearing a lot of MIT admitted freshman only have pre-calc. While math is an important subject for STEM, the university certainly can teach any gaps in math to its students.
The admissions people we talked to at many universities, including Harvey Mudd, stated a year of calculus is required. I cannot imagine many MIT students (unless non-Stem) getting in without being top of their class in advanced math.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 01:43
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS got into MIT without AP calc
I'm hearing a lot of MIT admitted freshman only have pre-calc. While math is an important subject for STEM, the university certainly can teach any gaps in math to its students.
The admissions people we talked to at many universities, including Harvey Mudd, stated a year of calculus is required. I cannot imagine many MIT students (unless non-Stem) getting in without being top of their class in advanced math.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 01:34
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
I didn’t look at the previous posts but know AP isn’t offered or even Calc at every high school. Regardless, the kids I know first hand going for a hard science at a school like MIT or Cal Tech took college courses (not Aps) in multi variable calculus or linear algebra and killed it against college students
Anonymous
05/09/2025 00:23
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
This. This admissions season someone posted a podcast with transcript where admissions officers reviewed the applications from 3 high schools. One was a TJ student. That student was held to a ridiculous standard by the admissions officers. The student wanted to be an economics major but had not done "original research in economics" (the student had only taken 2 years of math beyond calculus, micro and macro econ and was president of the math team and worked in a STEM internship but the admissions team said it didn't support the major and just wasn't impressive enough). It was insanity. Meanwhile the other students from regular high schools (not in the DMV) had 1/4 of the resume and were reviewed better.
The problem is that the student was geared towards a STEM major; he came across as someone trying to backdoor into MIT as a STEM Major. Look at his background:
1. TJ = STEM
2. Math Team = STEM
3. Adv Math = STEM
4. STEM Internship = STEM
Who knows if the kid is trying to backdoor or honestly wants to study Econ? Looks like a backdoor to me. He maybe more capable student in Econ but the backdoor is not good.
Those are the correct ECs for econ - math is much more important than pre-graduate level economics.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 00:21
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What is sad is that the entire class of TJ is brilliant but because everyone is brilliant it makes it harder. I would consider going back to regular school and child will get in everywhere. Also after the NMS nonsense I would not trust how applications are handled. Please tell your child they are great and that you will get them through this. Hate kids being stressed out over things they cannot control.
This. This admissions season someone posted a podcast with transcript where admissions officers reviewed the applications from 3 high schools. One was a TJ student. That student was held to a ridiculous standard by the admissions officers. The student wanted to be an economics major but had not done "original research in economics" (the student had only taken 2 years of math beyond calculus, micro and macro econ and was president of the math team and worked in a STEM internship but the admissions team said it didn't support the major and just wasn't impressive enough). It was insanity. Meanwhile the other students from regular high schools (not in the DMV) had 1/4 of the resume and were reviewed better.
Hi, do you happend to have a link or title to this podcast? thank you
https://insidetheadmissionsoffice.podbean.com/e/107-what-former-admissions-officers-really-think-of-these-common-applications/
Anonymous
05/08/2025 23:52
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:DS got into MIT without AP calc
I'm hearing a lot of MIT admitted freshman only have pre-calc. While math is an important subject for STEM, the university certainly can teach any gaps in math to its students.
Anonymous
05/08/2025 23:03
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
DS got into MIT without AP calc
Anonymous
05/08/2025 22:41
Subject: AP Calc BC - B grade - what are the chances for Ivy and MIT
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Child in TJ - current Junior and may end with B grade in AP Calc BC. I have heard all grades should be A being Asian to get into Ivy/MIT/Stanford. What are the chances for those schools for a Bio major with a B grade in AP Calc BC and remaining As or A- in Junior year. Overall GPA end of Junior will be close to 4.3; SAT 1570+; Good ECs
Hire a college counselor. They’ll evaluate transcript and ECs. Might be able to pivot to another major, add some summer stuff to support it and overall strengthen chances.
Bio is still tough - especially for Asian females. If the goal is medical field, there are many other major options.
Has the OP come back?
Agree with this.
I’d apply to SLACs - ED1 and ED2:
https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/best-liberal-arts-colleges-for-medical-school
Agree. Apply ED to SLACs where the entire rest of TJ isn't applying.
This is against conventional wisdom. Magnet high schools and SLACs don’t go hand in hand. True, the entire rest of TJ isn’t applying to SLACs. But there is a reason why the entire school isn’t applying.
It’s a vicious cycle. Very few is applying to SLACs, and even fewer accepted by SLACs.
I hope OP saw this post and don’t make the stupid mistake of applying to SLACs.
Study TJ’s past matriculation data carefully find a low reach school to which TJ is a feeder, then ED, ED2 two of these schools. WashU Emory Cornell CALS come to mind.