According to my hit counter as well as by raw comment count, my entry on how I got here is the most popular thing I've ever written. Therefore, even though sequels are often worse than originals (except perhaps in the case of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II -- wait, are you all too young for TMNT?), I decided to profile my endlessly put-upon boyfriend, Adam '07, and his admissions story. (Well, that and I took a thermo test today, and I was planning to write about tests. But Laura beat me to it.)

Adam is what we like to call an airplane nerd. He likes to design them, build them, and fly them (guess who the cameraperson was on that video? Oh, it was me). He's had a UROP in the Aerospace Controls Laboratory since his freshman year, and has been working at Draper Labs since the beginning of this summer -- and he's been told by one of the professors in the Aero/Astro department that he's one of the best undergrads to come through the department in the past decade.

That doesn't mean he was one of those knock-your-socks-off prospectives.

Although Adam was by no means a slouch in the classroom -- he was valedictorian of his 248-person high school class, and the first male valedictorian in 10 years -- he's not a standardized test taker. He took the SAT I three times, and even after the third time, his best combined score was a 710 in math and a 690 in verbal, giving him a not-particularly-spectacular combined score of 1400. (Note that he didn't get those two scores together -- the time he got a 710 in math, he actually got a 600 on verbal. But lucky for all of us, the MIT Admissions Office is staffed with wise, kind people who only consider scores that present the applicant in the best light.)

His SAT IIs in math and science were more respectable -- he got a 750 in Math IIc and a 750 in physics... and a 450 in writing.

(Note: Adam and I are always warring about who's a better writer, and I just took the opportunity to razz him about his writing score, since I got a 790 on the writing SAT II. Me: "Does that mean I'm twice as good at writing as you are?" Adam: "Well, you're definitely not twice as good at math!")

During his summers, Adam didn't have any fancy research internships or go to any summer camps; he worked for his dad's construction business. He built some pretty nice roofs. He also built some nice rockets -- he and his dad like to fly R/C airplanes together, and when he was in high school they liked to make rockets, too. (Read: blow things up.)

Adam was involved pretty extensively in his extracurriculars. He was a varsity cross-country and track runner for his high school, and was captain of the cross-country team his senior year. He was also a varsity mathlete, but he assures me that he was definitely a better track star than mathlete. Moreover, Adam has been a competitive freestyle skiier since he was thirteen -- at the time he applied, he was nationally ranked, and by the time he was accepted, he had been to Junior Olympics. (Adam: "Tell them I got 21st [at Junior Olympics] my first year, and ask if they've seen me on ESPN.")

Adam discovered MIT during his sophomore year of high school, when he placed at the Massachusetts State Science Fair. The fair is held every year at MIT, and Adam's award (a trip to a NASA shuttle launch) was presented to him by one of the aero/astro faculty members who has ended up being one of his closest faculty mentors. (Awww.) Adam swears that after the launch, he decided he wanted to come to MIT. (I am not entirely sure I believe this. After all, his childhood room is covered in things that fly -- planes hanging from the ceiling, pictures of rockets on the wall -- and I can't imagine he hadn't dreamed of MIT for a long time, considering he's from Massachusetts. I guess maybe after the science fair, he decided it was actually possible.)

Once again, I reiterate: the successful MIT application doesn't require perfect test scores, or research experience, or being a National AP Scholar, or world domination in integration bees. The successful MIT application requires passion, and, luckily, you get to define passion on your own terms.

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

"you get to define passion on your own terms"



YES!



You and Adam both did everything right though... I'm still trying to figure out the title.

Posted by: Ben on October 7, 2005

I am sorry if this is off topic I just HAVE to comment, Integration Bee!!! that is sooo awesome. Back on topic sorry. This is another good post, and Adam clearly demonstrates ALOT of passion for his field of intrest.



"you get to define passion on your own terms"

I really like that way of wording it.



-Robb Carr

Posted by: Robb Carr on October 7, 2005

Too young for TMNT? Never that. Seriously, that show changed my life. I can recall training all these ninja moves I came up with, when I was four. The movies were great too, and especially that song by Vanilla Ice. How'd it go now.... "Go ninja, go ninja, GO!"



Nice post, by the way. I wonder if all that applies for us internationals as well.

Posted by: 0 on October 8, 2005

Sorry, I forgot to put my name on my post.

Posted by: Antti Hallavo on October 8, 2005

1400 is 96th percentile and 1310 is 90th percentile. I looked it up because I was shocked you said he's "not a standardized test taker" when that's so good.

Posted by: Dan on October 8, 2005

Do everything wrong?? *ahem* It seems he did everything right after all =P (note, i'm taking you literally on purpose)

Posted by: nehalita on October 9, 2005

Hey, i just want to thank you. although i am set on applying both at MIT and CalTech, i am not entirely convinced i have "what it takes" per-say......but your post kinda makes me feel better, that i can do my best and at least have a shot...THANKS!!!



LyndsayFromKentucky

Posted by: LyndsayFromKentucky on October 9, 2005

"except perhaps in the case of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II -- wait, are you all too young for TMNT?"



We are not too young for TMNT!!!!

Posted by: Kathleen on October 9, 2005

Great post, gives folks like me a bit of hope. I'm going to apply despite having slacked off a bit in highschool, young and dumb you know. If your "define passion on your own terms" statement holds true, everything will work out beautifully. Keep towing the good line.

Posted by: Grant on October 13, 2005

Adam 07 story gave me some hope...some,as i prepare to apply to MIT. Lovely entry that was.

By the way how am i able to post an entry on your site?

Posted by: Mugisha Mushoka on October 14, 2005

Nothing. I just felt compelled to post, as I commented on your first blog.

Posted by: Trevor on September 15, 2006

wow thats great though MIT is unpredictable admission center.i think this is good b'se the language barriers are a bit reduced though still hard to get MIT.

Posted by: Baraka andrew on September 26, 2006

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