Hiya :) there really aren't set scores to get in; it's based on the scores of the others that apply. I had 35 ACT / 4.0 GPA; many others had very similar.

Your school was actually able to nominate 8 people to go? It must be huge... my school was only allowed one. Or is this a nomination inside your school, from which they'll pick someone to nominate?

Best of luck :)

The average MSA attendee's test scores and GPAs are high, but extra-curricular acivities and involvement in other things are definitely a plus, especially volunteering.

They're totally looking for two things:

• Evidence that you're someone who would cope well with being put in an environment full of a couple hundred extremely intelligent peers (e.g. you're not extremely socially impaired or wacko)
• Evidence that you are capable of expressing yourself clearly, with a minimum of cruft and fluff.

Prove those, and it doesn't matter what you write about.

Best of luck! :)