ivylani,

MIT

B.S., Mechanical Engineering

I love anime, classical music (esp. piano), traveling, foreign languages, and cool science tricks.

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Essays

Schools

Scores

Advice

ECs

Sports

4.50

GPA

ACT

1430

SAT

ivylani

MIT

UNLOCK PROFILE

ASK AQUESTION

Features Included

Essays

Schools

Scores

Advice

ECs

Sports

Background

Hometown Colora, Maryland

GenderFemale

EthnicityAsian

Class of2021
First Gen College StudentNo

Results, Essays, and Advice

Accepted9 schools

MIT, UVA, GA Tech, UCSB, UCSD, UC Davis, Case, Randolph-Macon, Stevens

Waitlisted or Withdrew1 schools

WashU

Denied2 schools

Princeton, UC Berkeley

Tap/click a school logo above to view essays and advice specific to that school.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Applied for a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Accepted and Enrolled Legacy: No

School Specific Essays

Personal Statement

238 Words

Leadership experience, Role model/inspiration, Volunteer/public interest work

The white, frosty air of our breath contrasted sharply with the heavy black coal we carried in our hands. It was a cold winter morning when the community service project began. Following the instructions of the faculty advisor, we lined up and passed along large lumps of coal to a community inaccessible by car. As our hands began to move faster, I noticed the inefficiency of our single line: compressed as it was, not every student could participate. I was,...

Personal Statement

250 Words

Feeling out of place, Overcoming personal struggle

The most significant challenge I have faced was the two sudden, consecutive school transfers. All my life, I saw people come and go through the military base I lived in. I never expected to be the one leaving. The first move occurred because I could no longer attend the school, due to new enrollment policies. Hastily, I contacted some of my friends who moved to the States. I received an “OK” from a friend in Arizona, and off I went....

Personal Statement

242 Words

Embracing your heritage, Feeling out of place, International background, Overcoming personal struggle, Story central to identity

Going off base seemed like leaving the United States. This, in a sense, was true; legally, the military base was US property with a stateside address, yet surrounded by the busy city of Seoul, Korea. My life mirrored this duality. I held in my hands two passports of different colors, green and blue, when I left or entered a country. I had mixed feelings when I folded the two flags at school; I began to wonder which side I belonged...

Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay

96 Words

I love that mechanical engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines and yet continues to expand and improve the world. Because of the long history of this field, I have seen different ways it has been used. The department at MIT clearly demonstrates the constant advancement in mechanical engineering. Hearing of the innovative gear of wheelchairs and a more ideal artificial limb developed by MIT professors, I am able to understand why engineering existed in our society; it is...

Supplemental Essay: Amusing anecdote

94 Words

All humans eat. This I know as a fact, since sufficient nutrition is biologically necessary for human processes. Cooking is an art, as a dish portrays the soul of the chef, a sense of the ingredients, and the culture behind the cuisine. Whenever able, I like to cook for others. I strive to create food that challenges the norm, pleases my guests, and shows them how I perceive the world. I am delighted whenever I try new cuisine because I...

School Specific Advice

How I chose schools to apply to

342 Words

I chose them first by the majors they offered. After a brief introduction to engineering at a summer program here at MIT, I decided that engineering was my first choice major, and that MIT was the place I wanted to be. I didn't even consider a STEM major until then, so this was a huge change for me. My choice of major crossed off a lot of the colleges on the list. My first choice before then, UChicago, didn't even have engineering (sad!) so it got crossed off too. I took a look at the location of the colleges. I...

General Admissions Advice

What set me apart from other applicants

312 Words

There are thousands of applicants being read in each admissions office, and so many of them are just thrown in the trash (figuratively, if not literally). How do you make sure yours isn't turned away at first sight or even after that? How do you know for certain you'll be placed in the 'accepted' pile? You really cannot tell whether or not you'll be accepted, especially for the most competitive colleges. However, there are certain ways to increase the probability of it staying. First, make sure there are no huge red flags to get you automatically thrown to the trash...