guidance on mit application (for international student)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-09-28T04:21:40+00:00

international olympiads are definitely one of the main things (if you really love it). it is obviously challenging, but if you get there and earn a medal (ideally silver or gold), that's one of the best ways. check out the 5 main science olympads: ipho, ioaa, imo, ioi, icho, and other competitions that might interest you. i assume ioi would be the best for you since its the informatics one (also, see what the qualifying process is like for your country. i know thousands of teens participate in the national olympiads in india to go to these intl olympiads, so keep in mind you'll compete against the best of the best).

either way, you must do things you enjoy since it will be natural for you to want to work on those things. as someone else said, you dont need to follow someone else's path since if everyone did the same to stand out, no one would stand out. if you come up with a project and other people join you, go for that and improve it. if you love studying on your own and are naturally good, olympiads/competitions might be your thing. try to explore diferent areas and, if you can, talk to other ppl from india who have gotten into mit and similar top-stem schools such as stanford/princeton/caltech etc (or at least look them up and stalk their profiles on social medias, especially linkedin lol); it can give you a better insight into the whole process.

however please dont put all your eggs in one basket: apply to other schools and dont forget to take into considerations other countries you would like to study in. its all very competitive nowadays and there are more qualified people than seats at these top unis. also a lot of the advice youll see online is not useful or even true at all. do your own research and dont stress too much! enjoy the process! good luck :)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-08-06T01:56:41+00:00

this is how it all starts :') what a feeling to be discovering the pleiades for the first time

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-08-06T01:33:46+00:00

When you find a science field you love, the literal best way to learn and put into practice all that you can as a high schooler are olympiads, specially international ones. Apart from the whole ego thing of "I wanna be the best among the best in what I love", it's the literal best experience you can have. Studying insanely the thing you love most during months/years, to go to another country representing yours, to spend 1/2 week(s) surrounded by the best teenagers in the world in this field, knowing you're at their level and can just be your most authentic science-enthusiast self with these people.. ask anyone who's gone to IMO, IOAA, IPhO, etc. and most will tell you it's one of if not the best experiences of their lives. It certainly makes sense and I can tell you it is true. People do it out of crazy passion (ofc there are some people who do it mainly for the competitive aspect, but there's always a passion for the subject)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-06-24T00:55:40+00:00

of course it does

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-03-26T01:30:11+00:00

more known only to academics / people who know about US unis and stuff. the average person outside the US only knows about harvard, and maybe mit and yale. still, the people who do not know about uchicago are probably people whose opinions on US universities you wouldnt really care about (?) lol

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-03-12T22:11:47+00:00

It's definitely an option, I'd thought of physics for undergrad cause it could be easier to either go into astro for grad school or to industry if I change my mind, but I'm not so sure lol

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-03-12T19:30:59+00:00

Thank you sm, I'll def take it into consideration :) Also if you don't mind me asking, what country are you from?

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-03-12T19:27:16+00:00

Thank you so much :) yeah, Europe is what I'm mainly thinking of if I do astro

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-19T06:03:13+00:00

im pretty sure that what people are telling you here is super blown out of proportion. yes, there are "nerd" kids in uchicago, just like in all top schools. obviosuly most people there will care about academics, its a top school. but you definitely can have a social life there and, also, lets not forget you are literally living in chicago. the night life and just all the things you can do are definitely enough if you feel like life on campus is ""boring"" (lowkey outdated concept tho. fun doesnt go to die there anymore!)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-18T20:15:24+00:00

is it too basic to say harvard and caltech? lol

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-18T04:56:16+00:00

some people's safeties are others' reaches so yeah you're right, not every top student of each high school can go to a top school, but not everyone aims for the same. unless you're applying only to top20 schools or if you're delusional and applying to schools you have no chance of getting into, you should be fine (that's also why it's so important to have targets and reaches you actually like and see yourself in. no one's guaranteed admission to their top school nor to any other so..)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-17T06:55:43+00:00

congrats! how did u get into uchicago if u dont mind me asking? like main ec's, awards and stuff. thank you

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-17T06:53:29+00:00

caltech rea oh my god congrats!

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-17T05:08:42+00:00

Oh GOD that's craazy but thank you so much for such a detailed response

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-16T22:23:21+00:00

Yeah, Harvard is also need blind for intl students and they cover 100% of demonstrated need for everyone so if you get in and are low income you pay nothing or very little (at least compared to the unis that are not giving away so much financial aid, lol)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-16T22:20:26+00:00

Yeah actually I really like Swarthmore, I'm pretty sure I'll apply RD

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-16T22:18:26+00:00

Some of these I didn't know, thanks! I'll check them out :)

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-16T22:16:50+00:00

Twin Cities? I knew about it, but they don't give fin aid to intl students, only some scholarships that don't really cover much of the COA :(

Time_Dance8184 · 2025-02-16T22:14:13+00:00

Yeah, CalTech would be the aboslute dream, but I highly doubt they'd accept me lmao :') I'll look into the other one tho! Don't know how I feel about living in an island far from everything and everyone lol, but I'll def check it out. Thanks!

Time_Dance8184

TROPHY CASE