u/Loose-Pudding-67

check your email everybody!

If I applied to the Whiting School of Engineering and don't like it, can I transfer to the Krieger School or Arts and Sciences?

Did anyone else apply? Results tomorrow!

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I know MIT only allows 4 Ecs with very small descriptions. Are they looking for 4 similar ones to make a spike or 4 that truly showcase who you are as a person?

Turning here for some additional guidance because it appears I really need it.
Stuff about me: 

SAT: 1540 super score (790 M + 750 RW)
Class Rank: top 1%
GPA: 4.0 UW

Courses: the most intense is AP physics EM, and multivariable calc, diff eq/ linear alg/ discrete maths

What I do:

1. Private Calculus Teacher: Design lesson plans for three Calculus students (15 1.5-hour sessions so far). Volunteer Tutoring: AP Stats and AP Calculus tutor. YouTube Channel (Teaching Calc) 20,000 net views, 45 videos)
2. Youth Orchestra/Downton Music: Play on the streets of downtown during the summer to share music with my community. Music Camp counselor
3. School Orchestra + Theater
4. Math Bowl: Captain
5. Varsity Sport
6. Club Sport 
7. Culture Club
8. Student Government + Volunteering
9. Hopefully, some summer program (SpHERES, Grainger, SPINWIP, GSEI @ NASA Glenn, Princeton Summer Math Program)

What I have been recognized for (Mildly Cool Stuff):

• XXX Math Competition: Won a full tuition scholarship to XXXX. 
• State Math Comp: top 10 individual
• Math Bowl Regionals: 1st
• Global Seal of Biliteracy & State Seal
• College Board Stuff

Places That Sound Real Cool:

Dream come true would be Caltech ❤️ (it literally seems perfect), but realistically, my list also has GT, Purdue, U Mich, Rice, Berkeley, Wash U, Duke, Emory, Northwestern, CMU

What I’ll do at that really cool place: Applied Maths/Physics/Mech Engineering/Aerospace Engineering/Nuclear Engineering

I know HYPSM is a lot of people's dream schools, but I don't know why they just don't appeal to me. Everything about Caltech seems perfect to me: weather, community, passion for learning, etc. That said, I don't think I will make it there because my parents don't believe in ECs and think I just need to get all 5s on physics and math. So, I am taking all the help I can get!!

EDIT: intended major is applied mathematics

About me (trying not to get doxxed, so i'll be vauge):

Asian (suprise suprise)

Not first gen/low income/minority

sat (caltech's bin A is 800-780 and bin B is 770-750): Bin A for math, Bin B for rw

EDIT: if you all must know, I have a 1540 (790 Math, 750 RW)

gpa: 4.0 uw

class rank: top 1% at very mid high school

Honors/Awards (none of these are that prestigious)

Math (state) --> Edit: state-level math comp; qualified me for international math team (not amc/aime)
Math (state) --> Edit: state school hosted math comp (2nd, 1st, 3rd)

AP scholar w/ distinction (national)

Biliteracy (nation)

National Merit --> hopefully semi but def commended

Ecs (if you thought honors were bad, then I am done for)

1. tutoring math
2. blog + yt channel
3. math club
4. orchestra
5. other orchestra
6. sport
7. another sport that I quit
8. student government
9. culture club
10. nothing, but hopefully a summer program will clutch up

Essays: I hope these will carry, and show who I am as a person and how I am the literal perfect fit for them!

If it helps because I know some places track these things, I probably have stalked their website for like 5 hours.

I will be applying as a maths major, but what if I wrote my essay about a language that I created (in like 2nd grade but tie it to now) to reflect my intellectual curiosity, value of community, and how I respond to failure? is that too random/too far back?

I know JHU is mostly known for the pre-med prestigious, but with the Applied Physics Lab, is JHU also a good choice for mechanical/aero engineering?

Has anyone heard back yet?

It sounds really cool and I like the idea of protecting people. Should I pursue this path or a more traditional engineering path?

So, I am a junior right now, and for the past like 5 years, I thought I was going to go down the premed journey. Now, I am much more interested in Engineering (aero to be specific but probably major in mechanical). That said, I have absolutely 0 "making" skills (never have done robotics or anything).

My questions are:

1. Could a good Research Portfolio submission make up for not having a Maker Portfolio (research sounds much more attainable to me)

2. are there instances of a simple Maker Portfolio doing well (like I am good at making origami lol)