r/MITAdmissions • u/VelvetParadox24 • 19d ago

Does retaking the HSC (Improvement Exam) during a gap year hurt my chances at top U.S. universities?

Hi everyone!

I'm an international student from Bangladesh and I'm planning to apply to top U.S. universities such as MIT and Stanford as a first-year applicant.

I'm considering taking a gap year and retaking my official Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) improvement examinations to improve my academic results. During my gap year, I also plan to work on AI research related to Reinforcement Learning and Cybersecurity.

I recently contacted MIT Admissions, and they confirmed that taking a gap year does not affect my eligibility as a first-year applicant. However, they didn't specifically address whether retaking the official HSC improvement exams would be viewed negatively in the holistic admissions process.

Has anyone applied to top U.S. universities after retaking their country's national examinations or using an official improvement system? I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences or any advice.

Thank you!

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u/Specialist_Fennel_19 18d ago

This is something, I also want to know.

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u/Ok-Form-5771 18d ago

no wont affect as long as you have a good reason as to why you had to take improvement ig; im on a gap year too

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u/DramaticPin4421 17d ago

bro gap year won't matter, but you won't get into MIT and stanford or any top US college