The Georgia Institute of Technology

“Being from a top-tier Atlanta public school (in DekalbApr 23 2004Industrial Operations Engineering
Being from a top-tier Atlanta public school (in Dekalb Co.), with a high GPA and o.k. SAT score, it was easy.
SAT: 1280 Male

“Get decent SATs,Nov 11 2003Electrical Engineering
Get decent SATs, GPA. Write an essay to demonstrate you can write.
SAT: 1400 Female

“I was an in-state student, so didnt have toNov 08 2003Computer Science
I was an in-state student, so didnt have to do anything particulary outstanding. Just try to get at least a 1200 on the SAT and have at least a 3.7 GPA if you're in-state, and you're probably in.
SAT: 1290 Male

“Get goodNov 03 2003Industrial Operations Engineering
Get good grades and high SAT.
SAT: 1390 Male

“Ok, for any university, here's the 99Oct 29 2003Aerospace Engineering
ok, for any university, here's the 99.9% all-the-time of getting in.

in order of the admission's grading...

1. GPA = 4.0
take all of the hardest and highest hs courses
2. Standarized Tests
SAT/ACT = 1500+/32+
AP = as many as you can.
SAT II = MATH IIC/Writing/major= 750+
IB = if you have 'em, awesome! if you don't, oh well.
3. Extracurricular Activities
Rule 1: Think BIG -- national level or gigantic proportions.
example: Key Club: normal folks just get hs elected and do community-only activities. abnormal folks get elected regionally/nationally and then appear on CNN for doing something super-cool for a disadvantaged class.
example: Mathematics: normal folks get A's and small awards within their town. above average folks do well on AP's and state awards. beyond belief folks finish calculus I 10th grade; earn a deluge of national awards; then do a junior summer internship at NASA, NSA, or a local/state college.
4. Leadership/Awards
same as #3. think big. anything you put on that college application should "National something"

Note 1: Who's Who among American HS students === this is a joke. don't sign up. don't put it on your resume. you'll get points penalized!

5. Recommendations
Get the best AND most unique ones. the teacher that wrote the recommendation for the MIT kid? get hers. does your boss work for a law firm or engineering center? get his. they count. trust me.

6. essay.
Choose your writing style...
Shakespeare; Dickens; Hugo; etc.
.. and write an essay like they would, except better.

you have approximately 3.5 years to do all this stuff. time's a wasting.
ACT: 36 SAT: 1600 Male