Ahh Pi day. It's an important day for nerds worldwide, but it's perhaps most important for some future nerds here at MIT (not to be confused with nerds from the future here at MIT). As I'm sure you already know, decisions day (D-Day from here on out) is upon us and for the prospective students that means sweaty palms, quickened paces, and anxiety that WebMD can't explain (the likes of which you won't see again until prom) and bandwidth-crippling refreshes of https://decisions.mit.edu/verify.php. If this sounds like you, then you are who I'm talking to right now. There's just one thing you need to do between now and tomorrow:
"Don't Panic"
(and remember your towel)
You see, MIT is a great many wonderful things, and it's the place I love being at the most (a good thing since I spend most of my waking hours here – most of my sleeping is done when I'm on vacation =] ). It is not however the end-all deciding factor of whether or not you'll be happy for the rest of your life though. Somehow I missed that when I was applying so I hope you guys don't. D-day is a day of extremes, lots of people will be ecstatic to get their decision; many more will be disappointed.
If you don't get it, don't sweat it. Really. The admissions office is a well-greased machine that is incredibly efficient at figuring out who's gonna be happy to be here or not. Their job is in some ways to look out for you. There's a certain relationship the two of you have: Admissions knows MIT very well, but you not so much. You know yourself pretty well (at least I hope you do -- you live with you!), but you don't really know how MIT is. You might think to yourself "oh but I know so much about MIT!" and that might be true, but you don't know about being at MIT. And that's what Admissions knows about.
MIT is hard. Almost anyone knows that, but the way it's hard is a bit more transient. It's tough now even to explain, but I distinctly remember my first week real week here I thought, "I get it, I know why people wouldn't want to come here." It's not for everyone.
So in short, if you don't get in, don't worry. It doesn't mean you're not destined to do great things, nor that you're forced to be unhappy at some other college because you're not good enough. On the contrary, if you don't get in it's a good indication that this probably wasn't the best choice for you.
From here on out, changes in your life are dramatic and fast. It doesn't seem like two years ago that I was driving home from the bank thinking about what the computer screen would tell me I'd do for the next four years of my life. Before you know it, it will be you guys who'll be amazed by how far away just two years ago seems (and I'll be graduating--EEP!). But no matter where you end up going to school, take it by the horns. Carve out a niche for yourself, join clubs, talk to professors, explore and think. Those are the qualities that will make your life as an intellectual enjoyable no matter where you go, and those are the qualities you already have– just don't forget about them. MIT is a tool you can use for your education, but there many others that can do the job as well. You're in charge though; it's your life. Make something of it.
(also feel free to read what I wrote before decisions last year: http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/misc/miscellaneous/about_tomorrow.shtml)
Good luck, so say we all!
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: 0 on March 13, 2010
Posted by: DarX on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Mohamed Amine Mhedhbi on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Ehsan Ghandhari on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Mohammad('14?) on March 13, 2010
Posted by: ADx '14 on March 13, 2010
Chris Mills, one question is really screwing me. Is that what you say the only reason for not getting in? This is surely acceptable, but what if some don't get in just because there are not enough places. I really hate it when such an enormous success and distressful process turns out to be dealing with large amount of chance.
Posted by: Armin on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Mohammad('14?) on March 13, 2010
Posted by: DarX on March 13, 2010
Some commentators believe it's a tradition. Only Snively's blog has a filter to delete 'first' comments.
One other thing, eventhough we have a Captcha form, some posts are duplicate!
Posted by: Armin on March 13, 2010
you've got a good point. Here's my take on it. You're right in thinking that there are many more qualified people for MIT than there are spots at MIT. But that means only the best fits get in, which is to say only the people who will be most happy here. Since you're goal is to be most happy wherever you go to school, it's in your interest as well.
This is not the kind of place you can really be too mediocre about. You either love it, or you hate it. So you may be perfectly qualified, but maybe you'd rather go somewhere else.
You'll get in wherever you're the best for.
Posted by: Chris M. on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Ahmad on March 13, 2010
I would rather mispell every second word and still attend MIT so don't be so cocky :D
Posted by: DarX on March 13, 2010
If the only thing you took from what I wrote is that I made a homophonic grammatical error, I think you missed the point. I'm not writing an essay. It's a blog. It's casual writing. I probably have a bajillion excessive commas.
That being said, I'm happy to correct mistakes when I find them or when others do so for me (some of them I miss), but I do not appreciate being called ignorant. I'm well aware of the difference between "they're" and "their" (and "there" for that matter), but I'm a human being and I make mistakes.
Posted by: Chris M. on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Aditi on March 13, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 13, 2010
I believe you meant "misspell"
Posted by: 0 on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous on March 13, 2010
I'm pretty sure it's "misspell"
Posted by: Felix on March 13, 2010
I'm pretty sure someone already told him.
Posted by: 0 on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Ki on March 13, 2010
Dont let Pi Day stress you out!!!!!
Be nice.Chris is cool.
Posted by: Nasser on March 13, 2010
Dont let Pi Day stress you out!!!!!
Be nice.Chris is cool.
Posted by: Nasser on March 13, 2010
Dont let Pi Day stress you out!!!!!
Be nice.Chris is cool.
Posted by: Nasser on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Hamsika '13 on March 13, 2010
Good luck everyone!!!
Let's go to bed early tonight and wake up early tomorrow and make a Pie (if decisions can't sweetn things up, I'm pretty sure Pie would) so don't stress yourself too much. Accept the reality and move on.
Everyone 'maybe' is best for MIT, but MIT isn't best for everyone!
Best regards,
Masod
Posted by: Masod on March 13, 2010
Posted by: K '14? on March 13, 2010
Loveddd the "(not to be confused with nerds from the future here at MIT)."
Posted by: Shivam on March 13, 2010
This is the quote I first read on Chris's blog last year before my decisions came out, and this is what helped calm me down. MIT isn't easy (especially next week!), and whenever I feel like I've had enough (which I would feel a lot during first semester, but don't feel a lot now), I think about this quote. It helps.
Hey Chris, thanks for being an awesome blogger and an awesome 8.02 TA!!
Posted by: Deeni '13 on March 13, 2010
MIT loves you all and you are the coolest people in the world.
never forget that you are awesome.
Posted by: Matt F '12 on March 13, 2010
Posted by: Jae Lee on March 13, 2010
and yes, I also remember reading your post last year before decisions came out
Posted by: Hana '13 on March 13, 2010
(and remember your towel)"
I see what you did there. . . You ARE a sly one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy
Epic Fail: ReCaptcha = "Brezhnev exposure" (and I didn't realize they included proper nouns in those things. . .)
Posted by: SillyGoose on March 13, 2010
By the way, if any of you are devastated because you won't have access to a computer at exactly 1:59 PM tomorrow (I intend to be on a mountain skiing), I wrote a program that allows for text message lookup on decisions. Send a text message to 41411 containing "HEIDEL " and my server will look up the results and send a text message reply. Don't worry, the script doesn't store or distribute information in any way; in fact, I'd be happy to share the source code. Note the script allows you to specify if you want the 2nd, 3rd, etc., page of the message in case you are unable to discern your admission status from the first 150 characters or so that the SMS protocol allows.
Good luck to everyone, both in MIT and other college decisions!
Posted by: Jeff Heidel on March 13, 2010
Correction: "HEIDEL [mymit username] [mymit password] [page (optional)]"
Posted by: Jeff Heidel on March 13, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 13, 2010
never count yourself out, or go into battle assuming you'll lose, many people end up losing that way :D
@Anonymous
I think people who belong there go and get accepted into MIT. I read number 6: selection progress, that might answer your question.
I just started reading many blogs here they r all great! Very interesting great job! ^-^ @ DarX
never count yourself out, or go into battle assuming you'll lose, many people end up losing that way :D
@Anonymous
I think people who belong there go and get accepted into MIT. I read number 6: selection progress, that might answer your question.
I just started reading many blogs here they r all great! Very interesting great job! ^-^ <3
Posted by: val_val on March 13, 2010
Posted by: aleriosg on March 13, 2010
Mine is "Nipples it".
I really don't know what to think.
Posted by: Alex on March 13, 2010
NOT necessary to BE strong, BUT to FEEL strong
God bless us all!!!
Best of luck
Posted by: Hannah on March 13, 2010
Also, excellent luck everyone, it seems that we're going to need it this year...
Posted by: Alex on March 13, 2010
Posted by: ‚ò£AW‚ò£ | ‚ô†FIRE@CE‚ô† on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Arpit on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
May the great Les'Narab be with you!
Posted by: Leonadis '14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Piper '12 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: FuLanKe on March 14, 2010
As someone applying from Italy to both the UK and US, I've had a lot of applications to fill out. My initial thoughts were "if I get rejected then that's a lot of time down the drain". However, I now realize that all of these essays and applications are part of a greater learning process. Had I not applied to MIT, I might regret never finding out whether or not it was right for me.
I'll be anxiously waiting for my decision today. I have little expectation due to the incredibly low acceptance rate for internationals (~3%), but I know that whatever decision is made will be for the best.
Good luck to everyone! Only about 5 hours to go!
Posted by: Jai on March 14, 2010
It is so true that it's most important to make the best out of your life. You can do well and be happy anywhere if you have that in you mind.
Still, good luck everyone!
Posted by: Val'14? on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Cindy on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Rachel on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Gwen on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Ki on March 14, 2010
Thank you for inspiring us :D
Ah less than 2 hours remaining XD
captcha: hooey victory! yay!
Posted by: Veluz on March 14, 2010
Posted by: adhami! on March 14, 2010
PS: u should seriously write some inspiring books!!...n best of luck to all applicants!
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Emily Lydic '13 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: rejection on March 14, 2010
I can't believe it's been a year already! Good luck to everyone! Thanks for the inspirational post!
Posted by: Trilobite '13 on March 15, 2010
Comments have been closed.