sample admission essay

Parents and students consider multiple factors when selecting a school. For most parents, the most important thing to consider is the school’s tuition rates, as well as the other expected expenses. For some, what matters most is location and accessibility. There are some parents, however, who believe that the school’s prestige and reputation is the most important thing to consider when selecting schools. Below are some of the common reasons why some parents place prime importance on prestige and reputation when selecting schools:

Prestigious school = more career opportunities in the future

For many parents, the money they’ll spend on their children’s education in a reputable school is a worthy investment because they believe that a degree from a prestigious school will translate to more and better employment opportunities for their kids after graduation. In this sense, the high tuition rates and other big expenses are all well worth it because the academic degree will ensure better careers for their kids.

You see proof of the reality of this belief in the number of companies in the professional world that have certain biases or inclinations toward applicants who hold degrees from reputable universities, med and law schools, and graduate schools. Even if having the name of a prestigious school stamped on the applicant’s resume doesn’t guarantee a job for the applicant, it still lends him or her an edge over all the other applicants.

Prestigious school = higher quality of education

While this belief may not hold true in the case of ALL prestigious schools, providing high quality education is still undeniably one of the top ways through which academic institutions earn a good reputation. Reputable schools invest in the services of highly competent and knowledgeable professors and lecturers to teach at their institution, which means that the students get taught by the best practitioners in the field of teaching. There’s nothing wrong with making prestige and reputation the primary considerations when choosing a school, as long as parents ensure that the money they’ll be spending on their kids’ education is well worth it, and the education their kids will get will be put to good use.

Here’s the raw biographic data we processed for the outline.  Reprinted with permission per the terms of our free sample admission essay outlines program :

1.      Personal bio information : 17 years old, male, ¼ Indian (Asian subcontinent) – I am the grandchild of an Indian immigrant. My grandfather (religion – Zoroastrian) emigrated here to go to college and eventually became a citizen.  I am heterosexual, live in Texas, high income level, US citizen (born in the US).  Plan to go to law school.  Undergrad – leaning toward business because the school I am interested in has a really top-notch business school.  Most of my academic interests, though, lean toward “how things work”, and sciences (AP physics was my favorite class last year).  So, I am considering something along the lines of a business school degree with a focus on computer science/applications programming.

Grades : Not in the top 10% (a huge consideration for Texas schools), but am in the top 20% at a very competitive high school (my high school is a public general admission high school (not a magnet or specialized school) that is listed as #52 in the current Newsweek high school rankings).  My grades are good – up through the first semester of my junior year last year, I had an average of 93.3670 (unweighted).  During last semester (the second semester of my junior year), I took 5 AP classes and made a GPA for that semester of 87.  I have taken 8 AP exams and made four 4’s and two 3’s (and a 2 but there was a distraction (fire alarm) reported by our school during the administration of that exam).

Test Scores : ACT – Composite score of 30 (Eng:  31; Math 27: Reading 35: science 27; Combine English/writing:  29); SAT – Critical Reading – 720, Math-660; Writing 680 (Mult. Choice 70; Essay 08).  SAT Math Level 1 Subject Test:  670.

2.      Specific Question(s) : Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

MBA/Medical School/Law School Applicants: N/A

Life Experiences: I participated on the JV tennis team for my school tennis team during my freshman and sophomore years.  In the summer between those two years, I took a summer school class (Health) to free up my school schedule to fit in tennis practices my sophomore year.  During the summer after my sophomore year I worked part-time for an orthodontist in order to see if dental school might an opportunity I’d like to pursue.  I like science, and also like working with my hands (origami, juggling), so I thought dentistry might be an interesting career option for me.  I really learned a lot of interesting things, and really enjoyed the work.  However, I decided to keep looking around at other career options.  One thing I learned from the orthodontist, Dr. _____, is that you really are a small business owner when you run your own dental practice.  He had majored in business for his undergraduate degree, and did all of his own taxes.  I saw many facets of how Dr. _____ ran his business and decided that, although I’m not particularly interested in running my own small business or professional practice, a background in business can be very valuable in all kinds of different careers.  This summer, I decided to try out a business class at the local community college to see how I liked it.  I am taking Accounting.  I also attended an Honors Colloquium at the university that I am interested in, and was able to meet and have lunch with some faculty from the business school.  These experiences have led me to believe that I would really appreciate and enjoy an opportunity to be a part of the business school.  I am not sure, though, that Accounting is something I’d want to major in.  Because I like science and learning how things work, I was particularly inspired by a session at the Honors Colloquium that covered computer programming and Artificial Intelligence.  This experience led me to decide to take a Computer Science course this upcoming semester.  I am hoping to meld these two interests in my undergraduate coursework by pursuing a business degree that is focused on information systems and business applications programming.  Regarding hardships, I tried out for the tennis team for my junior year, but did not make the team.  This was disappointing, especially since I had made the team the two previous years and had trained all summer for the tryouts.  This experience taught me that disappointments can lead to opportunity.  Because I had a free period last that would have been taken up with tennis practice, I was able to take a heavier and more interesting academic course load (I took 6 AP classes last year), including AP Physics.  I am interested in an urban southern university with a sort of “hippie” vibe.  I would characterize myself as a vinyl junkie and a “peace-nik” (I don’t go to protests or anything, but quietly live out my beliefs by writing letters to my congressman and senator, and am a member of the Lutheran Peace Fellowship), and enjoy informed debate with people of diverse viewpoints.  I love satire (Mark Twain, the Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Onion) because you have to really understand and think about the other side’s point of view in order to create good satire.

Favorite Quote or Song Lyric: Toss up between “Imagine all the people, living life in peace” (John Lennon, Imagine) and “Mama, put my guns in the ground” (Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan).  Both of these quotes speak to me because they advocate non-violence and I agree with their anti-war message.  I enjoying listening to both of these songs on vinyl, on my father’s old LP player from the 80’s, which he and I rebuilt together a few years ago.  My favorite hobby is collecting and listening to vintage vinyl LP albums.

Existing rough answer to the admissions question:

Question:

Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

Rough outlined answer:

To those who know me, I am a laid-back, satire-loving vinyl junkie who, truth be told, finds history a little dry and boring. So I surprised myself by choosing to write this essay about my U.S. History teacher,____________.  Surprising, that is, until I realized that _______ taught history in a way that appealed to my penchant for figuring out how things work and helped me recognize and develop my interest in understanding multiple points of view.

Multiple points of view.  My History teacher tried to help his students understand why things happened in history, not just how they happened

* Diverse points of view throughout history and how they influenced the relationships that ultimately wrote history
* He encouraged his students to try lots of “What if?” thinking in order to fully understand what the situations were and how they could have been different/avoided.
* Helped students to look at both sides of conflict throughout history. Helped show that the winning side wasn’t always in the right and how often there was grey area surrounding motives for conflict.
* For more recent history, he provided anecdotes from his personal life. Either personal experiences or stories told to him by older people. Helped to bring to life the history and to help relate to the situations faced by real people, not just dry facts but actual occurrences that affected the lives of people who lived at the time.

He tried not only to teach us history, but also how to think about history. He encouraged us to think for ourselves which allowed for a deeper understanding and mastery of the material.

* Tried to guide rather than instruct us. He made it feel like we were reasoning out what happened instead of just telling us who did what and when.
* More about understanding the reasons things happened rather than precise dates.
* Wanted us to follow the spirit of the law instead of just the letter. Wanted us to understand the rules and the reason behind them.

* Thought humor and satire were valuable teaching tools. Would always make super-lame history puns. Liked Colbert Report and Daily Show. When I wore a “Stewart /Colbert For President ‘08” shirt to school I got an approving look and a little fist pump from him.
* When leaning about the Witch Trials, he showed Monty Python.

Played music before every class when people were still coming in from the passing period. Including vinyl records and Stairway to Heaven. (Transition here to paragraph about vinyl collecting.)

++++++++++++++++

Our free college admission essay outline based on the biographic information and rough outlined answer above:

I. Personal biographic information
I have chosen to start the essay with my personal biographic information because I feel that it’s important for the admissions officers to have an idea of who I am and what my interests are. Aside from stating basic information such as my age and where I live, I have also included some facts such as the activities I do. These include being part of the JV tennis team during my freshman and sophomore years, liking origami and juggling, and having an inclination towards business.

The reasons I have selected to highlight certain information about myself are as follows:
1. The activities I have involved in reflect my diverse interests.
2. My interests range not just on the purely academic pursuits but also on those that promote my being healthy. I feel that a well-rounded individual would be a worthy addition to the student body.
3. My part-time jobs and my initiative to take up a basic business course reflect my inclination toward the field of business.

II. Life experiences
I discussed how I spent my free time and what experiences led me to choose a business program for college. These experiences include working part-time for an orthodontist, attending a business class at a local community college, and attending an Honors Colloquium at a university.

III. About my US history teacher
I have chosen my US history teacher as the person who has made a significant impact in my life. The qualities exhibited by my history teacher that I find admirable are:

1. his focus on the relevance of history to people in general
2. his ability to develop our critical thinking skills when he poses provocative questions
3. his style of covering every angle of a historical event
4. his unique teaching styles, which made up develop a deeper appreciation on the subject

Generally, I have chosen my US history teacher because he taught history in a way that made me like and understand the subject on a deeper level. He made me realize and develop my desire for learning how things work. Aside from that, he taught us principles that were applicable not only in history, but also in other subjects and different areas of our everyday lives.

Are you planning to apply to college?  The following college admissions terms are often encountered in the application process.  You may want to get familiar with them.

College admissions glossary: selecting the universities and programs you are interested in

It is very likely that you would encounter college admissions terms in your application. Here are a few things that would help you understand such jargon:

Associate degree

It is a program that is designed to be completed after two years. Generally, an associate degree)  is created to give students a background on a particular academic field. If the college or university permits, students finishing these degrees could continue their studies into a bachelor’s degree. Students usually choose these programs because they require less completion time than a bachelor’s degree. Ask the college admissions officer of the university you’re applying to about these programs.

Early admissions programs

Some college admissions offices offer early admissions or early decision programs. The applications for college admissions programs usually starts in November or December. The result of the application would be given to you even if the regular application has not started yet. However, you could only apply to a single early college admissions program. Once admitted, the school would automatically count you as one of their enrollees.

Early action programs

This kind of college admissions program is very similar to early admissions. You will have to apply early so you can be immediately informed of your application status. Unlike students admitted through early admissions programs, the students who used the early action programs are not obliged to enroll in the school. They can still opt to cancel their application even if they have already been admitted.

College admissions glossary: the application process

The following is a list of the common college admissions requirements that you would need to have. Take note that there are times when academic institutions have different sets of college admissions requirements.

Letters of recommendation

College applicants who are seeking scholarship grants need to submit letters of recommendation. These letters are part of the college admissions requirements. You would need someone (not a relative) to write about your skills. Ideally, the people who would write these college admissions requirements should be able to vouch for your abilities and credentials. You can ask your academic adviser or work superior to write these letters.

Personal statement

The personal statement is also popularly called the college application essay. Applicants need to write a personal statement as part of the college admissions requirements. College admissions screening committees use this essay to know the applicant more. A well written personal statement could very well compensate for an average GPA or SAT score. You could also visit websites that provide free college admissions essay samples. They could help you improve the way you write your application essay.

SAT score

SAT stands for Scholastic Admission Test. SAT is made up of two parts: math and verbal evaluation tests.  Colleges and universities require all their applicants to take this kind of test. College admissions offices use SAT scores as one of the bases for college applications.

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Writing a scholarship essay can be a breeze as long as you follow a theme around which your essay will revolve. Having an outline will also help put structure in your scholarship essay and make it easier for you to write in an organized manner. You know how much work people put into writing their their admission essays and personal statements? Well, for a scholarship essay, you might have to put in more work because your aim is to convince people that you’re worthy of their investment.

How to start your scholarship essay

Writing a scholarship essay requires effective storytelling skills, concise writing skills, and a convincing tone. You can start your scholarship essay by stating your name, and the specific scholarship program you’re applying for. Then, give a backgrounder on who you are before you discuss your career goals and objectives in applying for a scholarship. The backgrounder part in your scholarship essay should be written in a personal, sincere manner. Let the committee get a glimpse of who you are as an individual and as a student.

In this part of the scholarship essay, you can include your extra-curricular interests and hobbies, or any interesting tidbits about your personality that would make you stand out. From here, you can then insert your academic accomplishments, the subjects you’ve taken, and a brief mention of your stellar GPA. Be careful when talking about your accomplishments, you don’t want to sound like you’re simply bragging and showing off in your scholarship essay. Instead, state your achievements in a clear and concise manner. Try to connect this part of the scholarship essay to your educational objectives, and how you came to the decision of choosing your particular major.

Other types of content of your scholarship essay

Once you’ve stated your chosen major and your reasons for choosing it, your scholarship essay should then also touch on the topic of what you intend to do once you get a degree in that field. What are your long-term goals and how will that degree help you realize these goals? As much as possible, give concrete plans of action so that the committee will get a clear idea of where you’re headed in terms of career. It would also help if you elaborate in your scholarship essay how you think these plans of yours will benefit other people in the community.

Once you’ve covered all the mentioned bases, your scholarship essay should now discuss your financial situation and why you need the scholarship. Paint them a picture of what your everyday life is like, and explain how a scholarship grant would make a difference to you and help you fulfill your long-term goals. If you’re employed, tell them about the kind of work you do and the number of hours you spend working. You must be able to tell your story in your scholarship essay in a way that would make them listen. Your scholarship essay should appeal to their logic, and not pity. Don’t whine about how you’re having financial trials. Instead, write your scholarship essay in a  way that shows them your determination to get that degree and why you deserve their scholarship grant.

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While more and more educational opportunities for minorities are opening up, there is still a significant percentage of African-Americans who do not have affordable access to a college education. There are a number of institutions that provide African-American student financial aid, but a lot of students don’t know where to find them, and what processes are involved in acquiring African-American student financial aid. Institutions like the United Negro College Fund has been giving African-American student financial aid for decades now, as well as some colleges and universities that have specific African-American student financial aid programs for specific majors.

Some institutions that provide African-American student financial aid are also sometimes based in areas with a significant percentage of African-Americans population. An example of such an institution is the Coleman A. Young Foundation , which provides African-American student financial aid to students who live in the Detroit area.  Check local organizations and associations that operate within your area or region if they provide African-American student financial aid. For those who are looking for African-American student financial aid programs, below is a list of some institutions which you can consult:

The United Negro College Fund

The UNCF is one of the longest running institutions that provide African-American student financial aid services, and has paid for the education of almost half a million youths. The UNCF has tie-ups with 39 public and private historically black colleges and universities in the United States, where the recipients of African-American student financial aid can choose their majors and study.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a non-government organization dedicated to raising college tuition money to provide African-American student financial aid. The organization currently has 54 partner colleges and universities all over the US and has partners with companies from different industries such as Ford, Costco, HSBC, and MTV. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund awards an average of US$ 2,200 per semester to students enrolled at historically black colleges and universities.

In order to be eligible for the African-American student financial aid, the applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, recommendation from the previously attended high school, and demonstrated financial need.

This website also lists a lot of affiliated scholarships with differing requirements.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP )

The NAACP offers five African-American student financial aid programs: Earl G. Graves Scholarship, Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship, Lillian & Samuel Sutton Education Scholarship, Roy Wilkins Scholarship, and the Hubertus W. V. Wellems Scholarship For Male Students. These African-American student financial aid and scholarship programs are differentiated by the amount of money they grant.

The NAACP requires a minimum GPA of 2.5 for undergrads and a 3.0 GPA for graduate students. Some of the scholarships that NAACP offers require applicants to be members of the association, and have specific guidelines to demonstrate financial need.

These are just three of the institutions that can provide African-American student financial aid to those who need help financing their college education. With the wide range of options available for funders and providers of scholarship grants , more African-Americans of good academic standing should be able to pursue quality college education.

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Whether you’re applying for admissions to college, university, law school, medical school, or graduate school, you’re bound to be one among numerous individuals vying for a spot. However, you must not lose hope because you still have a chance of getting accepted even if you don’t have a high grade point average or excellent entrance exam scores. You just have to make your admissions essays stand out from the crowd.

How being a volunteer can increase your admissions chances

To boost your admissions chances, provide information about your extracurricular activities and volunteer work in your admissions essays. These will look good on your college application and will provide the college or university with more information about you.

Your classes, exam scores, and grades are important, but schools also want to know what you do during vacations or when you’re not in class. Still a few years away from going to college? It’s never too early to plan and think about boosting your admissions chances. Doing community volunteer work or getting jobs during school breaks can help you learn more about possible future career options, meet interesting people, and get work experience. Talking to your school counselor as well as other adults can help you learn more about volunteer work opportunities in your community.

Know which volunteer work experiences greatly increase your admissions chances

If you already know the kind of program you want to take up in college, or if you’re planning on applying to medical school, graduate school, and law school, then you should volunteer for causes that are related to the career you want to have. If you would like to get accepted to medical school, for example, volunteering at a hospital will surely increase your admissions chances. When doing volunteer work, you also get the chance to actively participate in the process of understanding and applying knowledge from various lessons you learned in class as you work to help others and improve your community.

Positioning volunteer experience in your admission essay

When stating these volunteer work experiences in your college admissions essays, make sure that you provide extensive details and demonstrate what these experiences have taught you. You must be able to capture the reader’s interest, so writing a strong opening paragraph and making the rest of the admissions essay easy to read is among the things you should learn.

Nowadays, schools are searching for students who are well-rounded individuals willing to spend time volunteering and doing community work. Even if you don’t have a high grade point average or outstanding scores in the admissions exams, you can still get accepted in the program you want if you create an admissions essay that focuses on your extracurricular activities and volunteer work. Doing community work may be unglamorous, but go to show that you’re interested in learning from experiences.

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What do the first Asian-American Congresswoman Patsy Mink and Nobel Prize winner physicist Robert Millikan have in common? Aside from their distinctions in their fields, these personalities are products of the quality education that the University of Chicago has always been known for. Founded by John Rockefeller in 1890, the University of Chicago is at the forefront of research and professional training most notable in the field of medicine in its partnership with the University of Chicago Medical Center. The University of Chicago is also an excellent choice for senior high school students aiming to take up their undergraduate courses.

Student life at the University of Chicago

The University of Chicago provides well for its student community by having the proper facilities to cater to their needs. Housing for undergraduates in the University of Chicago is divided into 38 houses that serve as the center for the domestic and social life of the students for the rest of their stay in the university. The Chicago Card, the ID used in the University of Chicago, also serves as their special meal ticket and domestic services such as laundry.

Professional and graduate schools at the University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is better known for its impressive array of graduate schools. Currently, the University of Chicago offers MBA programs through the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, while further studies in public policy research, training, and application can be garnered at the Harris School of Public Policy. The law degree-giving arm of the university is the University of Chicago Law School. Religious studies, another area of study offered by the university, can be done through the Divinity School. Degrees in medicine can be obtained through the Pritzker School of Medicine which also employs the aid of the University of Chicago Medical Center as its arm for theoretical and practical applications.

Getting into the Pritzker School of Medicine of the University of Chicago

The Pritzker School of Medicine requires applicants to course their applications through the American Medical College Application Service AMCAS , which screens your eligibility according to their standards. The results of the MCAT along with other extracurricular activities outside academics but related to the practice of medicine are also requirements for admission. If the requirements are deemed sufficient, potential candidates are then invited for interview to give the faculty and admissions panel to get to know the applicant better.  Once accepted into the Pritzker School of Medicine, students can then have access and start their practice at the University of Chicago Medical Center, a pioneer in medical research most noted for breakthroughs in the study of cancer and diabetes among others.

Applying to undergraduate programs of the University of Chicago

Although the University of Chicago is more noted for its graduate programs, academic disciplines for undergraduates also encompass varying fields as there are a number of undergraduate courses to choose from. Freshman admissions of the University of Chicago require that applicants submit the following:

* Common application form and application fee worth $65
* The Chicago Supplement with the admission essay or personal statement
* Transcripts of your grades or secondary school report
* Evaluations from two of your high school teachers
* SAT and ACT scores directly from the testing center
* Mid-year report form based on your performance in the first semester

Whether you’re an incoming freshman or someone looking to further your knowledge and expertise in your chosen profession, getting into the University of Chicago can give you a fresh start toward the goal that you want to achieve.

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One of the Ivy League universities offering a sense of tradition and excellence on a golden collegiate plate is Princeton University . Formerly known as the College of New Jersey, the university was renamed Princeton University in 1896 following its move to the town where it stood since 1756. Co-ed, private, and catering to scions of old-rich families, Princeton University retains its old-world charm while being one of the leading research facilities in the world today. Although a pair of lions used to guard the entrance to Nassau Hall, the oldest building in the university, the tiger has been adapted as Princeton University’s official mascot, owing to its orange and black stripes that are the university’s official colors.

With assets of over a billion dollars largely due to its funding by large private industries for their own R&D, Princeton University is among the wealthiest universities in the world. Princeton University offers a whole gamut of fields of specialization, arming the undergraduate with the proper knowledge, excellent tutelage from faculty who are each respected professionals in their fields of study, and hands-on experience with the various private institutions that they have partnered with. Such profitable alliances have made it possible for Princeton to transform the Firestone Library into a veritable storehouse of knowledge. The Princeton University Library system was even able to digitally scan great literary pieces for usage on the web.

Course offerings differ for BA and BSE students. BA students in Princeton University get to choose their majors at the end of their sophomore year, while BSE students get to choose at the end of their first year.

Student life is peachy in Princeton University. Housing is guaranteed for all students in their four years of stay though they have the option to live off campus once they reach junior status. Greek-letter associations are not recognized by Princeton University, so it is common for students to find friends and food among a number of exclusive eating clubs on campus that almost work the same way as fraternities. Despite years of squabble over the elitist nature of such clubs, things are being resolved as students can dine in neutral common halls.

How to get into Princeton University

If you are one of the moths attracted to the orange and black flame that is Princeton University, here are a few things that Princeton University requires from its applicants:

Applicants are expected to have studied four years of English, Mathematics and of a single foreign language, while two years are required for laboratory science and history. Two admissions essays are required by Princeton University Admissions Officers for review. These essays would be the perfect venue for you to introduce yourself and air out why you would be deserving of a Princeton education. As with other collegiate entrance exams, Princeton University requires the submission of the results of the ACT and three other SAT exams.

Because Princeton University also offers courses on music and the arts, portfolios and other relative materials can be submitted.  For foreign students , an International Secondary School Report form should be used in submitting your scholastic records to Princeton University.

Applications for admission to Princeton University can be sent via mail or online .

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The California Institute of Technology can direct you to the right path if you’re looking for a road paved for greatness in the fields of science, technology, and engineering.  Founded in 1891 by local businessman Amos Throop, Caltech had a variety of names such as Throop University, Throop Polytechnic Institute, and Throop College of Technology before it finally settled for its present name in 1921. This school, though largely underpopulated as compared to its direct rival MIT, is considered as one of the best universities in the world as it has many Nobel Prize winners among other distinctions. Caltech also boasts of alumni who have made milestones in science – from the discovery of anti-matter to space and aeronautical laboratories that NASA has employed for the monitoring of their robotic satellites.

Student life in Caltech isn’t that hectic and crowded as there are only approximately over two thousand students enrolled for the current academic year. This can be a good thing as equipment and facilities ratio at Caltech isk ept at a tolerable balance, enabling each student to fully utilize these facilities for his or her own means. Housing is well-provided for, with 8 major houses within Caltech catering to only a couple of thousand of students. These houses are not only for the board and lodging of Caltech students during their stay in college but are also their venues for developing social interactions and ties that grow stronger throughout the years and even beyond Caltech. The school’s location in Pasadena, California provides its students a chance for an occasional break from academics and to pursue other interests.

Although the size of the student body in Caltech may seem suitable for individual assignments, “techers,” as Caltech students are fondly called, never work alone. They are encouraged and trained to do group work in almost every assignment or research project that they undertake at Caltech, building up the team spirit that has been an invaluable component in many breakthroughs in science and technology throughout the years.

Frosh techers, the term applied to freshmen, can only choose their options for majors at the end of their first year. Caltech offers courses grouped into six main classes: (1) Division of Biology, (2) Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, (3) Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, (4) Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, (5) Division of Humanity and Social Sciences, and (6) Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. A special category named Independent Studies may help some techers who want to sample different fields from the various course offerings.

The typical brainy guy from senior high may be the best candidate for a slot in Caltech, but it’s much more than the grades that Caltech admissions people and undergraduate techers who are part of the selection committee look at. Caltech requires that applicants have at least four years of schooling in math and calculus, three years in English, and one year each in history, chemistry, and physics. Caltech admissions look for your math and other analytical problem-solving scores in the ACT and SAT tests that you have submitted. Extra-curricular activities of applicants also show how they can display the same amount of zeal and effort as they do for their academic activities. Lastly, recommendations made by your high school teachers are also required measures for eligibility. If you do require a scholarship to help support your education, Caltech also offers financial assistance for deserving applicants.

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Getting into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Counting Cards and Much Much More

A movie focusing on card-counting student geniuses from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has put a spotlight on one of the revered academic institutions in the US. This wasn’t just based on fiction, as MIT really did have a blackjack team that were high-rollers not only in the academe, but in Vegas as well, proof that MIT isn’t just for robotics or other geeky stuff.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology houses five schools grouped under Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Engineering and Management and one collegiate institution for Health Sciences and Technology , a joint project with one of its partner schools in medicine Harvard Medical School . MIT is a private, co-educational, and research-generating university established under William Barton Rogers in 1865 with the aim to amalgamate research with application in order to answer the needs of a country that was then rapidly becoming more industrialized. MIT lives up to its mission of enriching through research that even the courses geared toward more creative pursuits are tackled with analytical approaches.

Currently, MIT  has 10,220 students enrolled , 4,172 of which are freshmen. MIT also has quite an international community of students from foreign countries, and the larger percentage of this group are taking their post-graduate degrees. Student housing is offered to students as single freshmen are required to live within campus in MIT’s residence halls or in any of the Greek-letter houses after their fist year. Extracurricular activities in the arts and athletics also abound in MIT, proving that students can be well-rounded even in a place as concentrated on technological advancements as MIT is. The infamous MIT Hacks are proof that pulling pranks are also one of the “majors” in this university, albeit for comic purposes only. Imagine being able to demonstrate your prowess in physics and engineering while pulling off the most spectacular prank of the year in front of a stadium full of people.

Getting into MIT requires the usual smarts in which its admission committee measures your abilities to see if you truly deserve to get in. The following are just a few pointers to give a heads up on the requirements.

Early Action applicants must submit biological information and all the required paperwork before November 1 or not later than January 1 for Regular Action applicants.

Along with the preferred field of study, a 500-word essay is also required by MIT.  Key tip: sustain the attention of the admissions people reading your essay is to keep it light and interesting
Personal interviews can be gone through. Though not required, it can up your chances a bit if you get to please the admissions people once they find what they’re looking for in a candidate.
Standard exams given to all applicants are also used to gauge their capacity to get into MIT.
Evaluations or recommendation from two secondary school teachers are also required.
Musical and artistic portfolios are also encouraged, and these could be additional factors for your evaluation.

MIT has been in the forefront of producing various breakthroughs in scientific and industrial circles, as well as harmless but memorable shenanigans. If you think you have what it takes and if you can be more than what is expected, then MIT is opening its doors for you.

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