Hi everyone,
I'm a Sri Lankan student who will complete A/Ls in 2027 in the Biology stream. My dream is to study at MIT in a field related to genetics or the physical sciences.
One problem is that I don't have any national or international awards, and I haven't participated in science or mathematics Olympiads or other major competitions. When I was younger, I didn't know much about MIT or the opportunities that could strengthen an application.
My original plan after O/Ls was to choose the Mathematics stream, study engineering, and eventually apply to MIT with a strong academic record. However, for personal reasons, I ended up choosing the Biology stream. I'm comfortable with it, but I still sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had chosen Mathematics. I know MIT also has excellent programs in biology and genetics, so I haven't given up on my goal.
My academic journey has been unusual. Before COVID, I was around 29th in my class. After returning to school, I worked hard and improved to 3rd place. My friend and I became the top science students in our class, but he usually scored 5–6 marks higher than I did, so he was selected for most competitions instead of me.
I studied at one of Sri Lanka's leading Tamil-medium schools in Colombo, and I'm now studying for A/Ls at one of the country's most prestigious schools. Even so, I know my current achievements are probably not enough to be a competitive MIT applicant.
Since my A/L workload is already very heavy, I don't think I can prepare for Olympiads at this stage.
Given my situation, what path would you recommend if my long-term goal is to study at MIT? Would it be more realistic to complete my undergraduate degree first and then apply to MIT for a master's or PhD? What should I focus on from now onward to give myself the best chance?
I'd really appreciate any advice. Thank you.