Getting into MIT: How I Did It (Ft. Snow.Day)

How did a first-gen, low-income student get into MIT without traditional resources like college advisors, Science Olympiads, or robotics clubs?

In this video, I break down my entire high school journey year-by-year to show you exactly how I did it.

My name is Ruben Stephen, and in this detailed guide, I walk you through the "canon events" that shaped my path -- from the advanced STEM courses I took in middle school to the passion projects I built during COVID. I share the story of my sophomore year "lock-in," where I overcame burnout by diving into productivity systems and habit psychology, and discuss the life-changing books that gave me a framework for success.

SnowDay: https://snow.day

LearnWell Blueprint: https://drive.google.com/drive/folder...

Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 - Introduction: How I Got Into MIT Against the Odds
00:36 - Pre-High School: Building the Foundation
01:35 - Freshman Year: COVID, Coursework & Passion Projects
02:51 - My First Engineering Project: Building an RC Robot
03:06 - Clutch Resources That Got Me a 4.0 GPA
03:29 - Sophomore Year: The "Lock-In" Arc & Overcoming Burnout
04:19 - How I Redesigned My Learning Systems from Scratch
04:27 - Life-Changing Books (Tim Ferriss, Charles Duhigg, etc.)
04:54 - The 3 Habits That Changed Everything: Journaling, Meditation & Exercise
05:28 - Junior Year: Leveling Up & Returning to In-Person
05:36 - The Country Club Job Story: Resilience & College Essay Gold
06:46 - Learning About Questbridge & Taking the SAT
07:00 - More Book Recommendations for Personal Growth
07:37 - Senior Year: Burnout, Financial Stress & Almost Dropping Out
08:26 - My College Application Strategy (Proactive & Authentic)
09:02 - Why I Only Applied to 2 Schools: MIT vs. a Full-Ride at UCF
09:59 - How Elite College Admissions Actually Work: The 3 Axes
11:43 - My Personal Application Breakdown (How I Think I Was Graded)
13:32 - Resources I Wish I Knew About Sooner (ft. Sponsor: Snow Day)
13:55 - Top Scholarships & Fly-In Programs for FGLI Students
14:25 - Final Takeaways & Where to Find More Resources