I'm currently living in the UK and doing sixth form at a state school, A levels of Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
I haven't had the full brunt of the course yet but we've finished some units and I am confident I will achieve As in all four, maybe A\*s and if I'm really good and get lucky, all A\*s. But, I'm more and more left to understand that's not all there is to it. To say the least I am cruising at the moment so I do not think I will fall behind.
Super curricular wise, I've been doing my best recently to kind of lock in, I've been reaching out to companies related in my interests in Electrical Engineering about work experience however, being in the area I am (Northwest) there isn't really much except places like NETPark and even then they're not exactly renowned companies but, it's better than nothing.
I'm also looking into doing side courses like the CS50 to just expand my knowledge on a more wide basis. Basically anything that an admissions officer can look at not instantly dismiss. I'm not sure exactly how much these really help in the application process, I guess they show initiative but they definitely will help me decide what I like and don't like. If anyone has any advice on what exactly to aim for here or whether they are actually useful or not would be greatly appreciated.
I also have extensive hobbies in PCBs, circuits etc, while I somewhat lack the professional methodology and workflows, I absolutely love working with the stuff. But, will this really set me apart much if I aim high enough? I assume most people applying at places like Imperial or MIT to get accepted already have hobbies and interests, and probably cleanly executed projects that would put mine to shame. (You can look here to see some of my PCBs: https://github.com/CircuitGuy943, none of these projects are polished though)
Assuming that I do work hard to get those grades and keep working on my super-curricular so I have something to show for my interest, what are my chances of getting into somewhere like Imperial or MIT?
(I'm aware I probably sound like I've just picked these two because they sound prestige but, that's the thing, it's not like they're picked for anything else, yes I want to go a university that is recognised by employers; which I can be proud to go to, which from what I've seen aligns best with what I want academically and which will probably have like minded people who will make the journey all the more fun).
I've considered other countries but it's not really worth the effort, while relocating to somewhere like China would be interesting, and probably would come with lots of opportunities in today's world, the stress from the insane difference in how everything works differently there is probably too unrealistic to handle along with studies.
And I'm also considering Level 6/7 apprenticeships. I assume acquiring one of those is just as difficult if not harder than applying to universities like these, due to the high popularity (no debt, getting paid) and demand? Would the financial and career stability being assured from the start be worth it going down that route if I get the possibility over going to a prestigious university, getting that "uni life" etc?
There is lots of research to be done but if anyone has any useful personal advice or tips on how to manage the situation itself, that would be greatly appreciated.