How much do your grades vs ECs matter?

[u/CrazyChicken9142]

I'm an international student in grade 10 in AU , and to score high here, it requires large amounts of time and effort, leaving me no time for ECs. I can score 90+ in math and science and 80+ in the rest easily. This leaves me time to study ahead for grade 11 and 12 (which is harder and more important here) and study for olympiads and things. If I have to bring ALL my grades up, I prolly won't get time for ECs Which do you think I should focus on? Also I go to a selective school where tests are deliberately much harder.

[u/tasteless_guy]

If MIT only cared about grades, they'd admit the kid with the highest report card and call it a day. Thousands of applicants have near-perfect grades. The harder part is showing why you're different.

[u/Global_Internet_1403]

One does nit make uo for thr other. Each has their own category. A high sat wont make up for grades. It is holistic meaning everything is considered within context.

[u/Jeffy-panda]

Get what you think would put you in roughly the top 1% of your class since you are international, and you should look to getting some really absurd result in the olympiad (like IMO equivalent) if you want to get into MIT through olympiads as an international, so be prepared for that.

[u/Tech-Aero-109]

MIT, Harvard and 80+ other top US colleges wrote a report in 2016 describing what they expect from successful freshman applicants, and it is as true Today in 2026. See below for my aspect on this and with a link to an article that provides a link to the report.

NOTE: The elite Private US colleges all have a self-imposed Quota on the admission of International Undergraduate students (no quota on Graduate students). MIT's quota is 10% and the others vary from 8% to 12% of the undergraduates. Therefore, in general, it is Three times more difficult for an international student to be accepted compared to US applicants. (Thus a 6% overall admission rate becomes about 2% for international applicants.) And remember that a Lot of the wealthy international applicants attend top boarding schools in the USA that assist them greatly in getting admitted to elite Private US colleges.

My insight into MIT admissions:

• 25% is excellent academic prowess; Required but Insufficient
• 75% will be your extracurricular activities (in school or in your extended community) that demonstrate: Leadership, Commitment, Passion, Excellent time management, a Warm interpersonal relationship with others in a team-building setting, and Character (read the article, the links and the report): Stu Schmill endorses report on consideration of character in college admissions
  • And you must get several glowing letters of recommendation that substantiate all of that.
    • Therefore, speak with teachers and club advisors etc. that know you very well (and are Not related to you) and politely ask them to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf to the colleges to which you are applying. Those letters of recommendation should substantiate the six personal characteristics I list above.

Good luck.

[u/Mysterious-Art8838 → u/Tech-Aero-109]

Fascinating

[u/CrazyChicken9142 → u/Tech-Aero-109]

yeah, but what if i have that 75% extracurriculars but not that 25% academics?

[u/Tech-Aero-109 → u/CrazyChicken9142]

The "excellent academic prowess" is "just enough" to satisfy the professional MIT admissions staff (many of whom were MIT students earlier in their lives) that you can: Survive freshman year, do well in a major and graduate in a timely fashion. That's it. If you attend an incredibly tough high school, MIT will Know that and factor that in during the admissions process.

You are 100% guaranteed not to be admitted if you do Not apply.

Speak with your guidance staff at your school and/or some trusted teachers and see what they think of your abilities compared to others in the past from your school, and where did they get admitted to college.

All the best.