Eye Of The Storm

Mar 15, 2008

Hi all,

I am here in the office preparing the blogs for the post-decision-release onslaught of comments. It's eerily quiet, which is both nice and unsettling at the same time. In the last two months - days, nights, weekends, whenever - I can't remember a time in which I was alone here. I hope that all of my colleagues are still asleep - they deserve it!

I'm sitting here reflecting on the class we just admitted and feeling incredible about it. We've admitted some great classes over the years, but there's something about this one that just feels perfect. (Yes, I say that every year. Yes, it's true every year.)

Having said that, there are of course many of you to whom we were not able to offer admission, and I am feeling equally sad about that. Having you in the class would have made it no less perfect. But the numbers are the numbers, and there are only so many spots.

Shannon '12 did an amazing thing for me and calculated whether my job is net joy or net sorrow as a function of admitting, not admitting, and time. Maybe she'll let me blog her results sometime. ;-)

Anyway, I need to go get some things set up before we release decisions at noon. If you're looking for a way to pass the time, and you haven't read this already, check out this post from a couple of years ago. Hopefully it will help you understand what the last few weeks have been like for us.

Best of luck to you all! I'm thinking about you.

-B

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

First

Cant blive it

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

Oh! my GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

As the clock seems to grind to a halt...just 80 more minutes...

Posted by: Michael on March 15, 2008

AM THE SECOND!!!

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

Thanks for everything you do, Ben.

Posted by: JohnJimJoeBob on March 15, 2008

Here we go guys... we're almost there....I'm getting nervous, heart beating faster, knees trembling

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

Wow...Just read the linked article. I suppose I had some idea of the admissions process...but no idea it was that stressful. Thank you to all involved for all your hard work, and best of luck to all waiting for decisions.

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

me too! MIT has been my dream. I have a picture of it on my cabin... I love MIT

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

for everyone else frantically refreshing the decisions page: save your F5 key, get this https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/115

Posted by: Sergey on March 15, 2008

The longest hour of our lives is just about to begin. DA DA DA DAAAA.....

Posted by: Siya on March 15, 2008

i'm scared. i can't pretend like i'm not. and i'm already in. i'm scared for the people i know.

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

the blog you linked to really made me tear up. it was really sweet... i'm glad people like you read my application.
saying that, it kind of reminded me that i'm not nearly wonderful enough for MIT...
but it's ok.. i'll be fine...
thank you alot for doing what you do. for all of us.

Posted by: kayla on March 15, 2008

lol, refreshing the decisions page doesn't work. You're refreshing a page that will always say "Not Yet." You have to actually log out and then back in to see.

Posted by: Snively on March 15, 2008

BLOG IT. You know you want to.

And if you give me an hour's heads up, I'll even recalculate it to give you your weekends back.

Posted by: Shannon '12 on March 15, 2008

Good luck everyone.. I'll be thinking of you.

I can't wait to meet the rest of '12 at CPW!

Posted by: Meghan '12 on March 15, 2008

Well, I suppose this is it. However, getting in or not doesn't change my accomplishments over the past four years, and my only regret is that I am occasionally way too intelligent for my own good.

Having said that, I have a script to finish to pass the next hour or so.

Posted by: J'aime les Hawaiennes on March 15, 2008

i'm actually shaking. and will be shaking for the next few hours, either way. it's ridiculous. i should NOT be THIS worried. Been waiting for this for at least two years. And it's finally HERE! And it's scary. But it'll work in the end, either way. Our lives will be fine with or without MIT, but I'd still absolutely love to go. Good luck all. I really mean it. And if I'm moody and cynical later because I didn't get in, I'm still really excited for all of you who did get in. Make the best of it.

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

I share the shaking sentiment.

Posted by: Eric on March 15, 2008

Alright...~

Posted by: Amy on March 15, 2008

omg

Posted by: rohan on March 15, 2008

No matter what comes to my kid, here I thank all MIT admission officers for your dedication and hard work. Reading your blogs really help a lot to understand the processes. Thanks again.
A mom.

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

This is it!...the culmination of an incredible journey (regardless of the result)...
A BIG Thank you to each and every person who played a part in bringing us here...we owe it all to you!

Posted by: Nihar on March 15, 2008

Oh boy...anyone else just staring at their screen and talking to 15 people on msn and begging them to wish you luck?

Posted by: Shoyz on March 15, 2008

Hey rohan where are you from?

Posted by: anon on March 15, 2008

india, cant wait for da results

Posted by: rohan on March 15, 2008

where in india? just half an hour !

Posted by: anon on March 15, 2008

I want to cry....I really do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

Ben after reading your blog from 2006, i got tears in my eyes. I truly appreciate the work u do to make our lives..after reading that ..i m a little more comfortable truly..if i dont get in I know that someone out there read my story and appreciated it...and the ones who get in are really more deserving than me...so no problem...i wont loose hope, i will still chase my dreams and succeed..with or without MIT..

I am so so proud to have been a part of MIT's admissions process..atleast

Posted by: moni on March 15, 2008

I can't wait too

Posted by: Weiqing on March 15, 2008

delhi

i think i'll faint

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

delhi

i think i'll faint

Posted by: rohan on March 15, 2008

were are u from?

Posted by: rohan on March 15, 2008

I am just numb.... I dont know what to say :(

But really, Ben! You rock :D And so does Matt! And the entire admissions team!

Posted by: Shruthi on March 15, 2008

Posted by: Fatin on March 15, 2008

Thanks, Ben. You are my favorite blogger

Posted by: Karen on March 15, 2008

I'm excited as well, but if it doesn't go as planned what can one do? Not the end of the world

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

Hey guys! Best of luck to you all!!!!!!! ^__^

Posted by: Rutu on March 15, 2008

Thank you, Admissions Team, you have done so much for us and am ever so greatful. No matter what happens I will always be glad I went through this process and glad that I met the people I did. Best of luck

Posted by: Justin Powell on March 15, 2008

half an hour left...

Posted by: maryam on March 15, 2008

When exactly are admissions decisions coming out?

Posted by: joe on March 15, 2008

Have faith in Ben Jones

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

cant wait

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

lalalaaa
lalalaaa
<3

Posted by: Annie G on March 15, 2008

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

nvm

Posted by: joe on March 15, 2008

im from India too ... live in the UAE though.... anyone from the UAE?

Posted by: Lionel Vaz on March 15, 2008

Waitlisted. :(

but that's ok. I love you guys anyway. Thanks for being there for us!

Posted by: mo on March 15, 2008

Anon above me, why did you post just an interrobang?

And congradulations to the Admissions team for actually being able to make this decision, either way. I just hope that I got in.

Posted by: J'aime les Hawaiennes on March 15, 2008

Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008

im from the uae lionel.... are you in dubai?

Posted by: liza on March 15, 2008

Thank you Ben, the blog article really helped me see things in a new perspective.

Posted by: Freeman on March 15, 2008

As the clock seems to freeze...just 63 more minutes...

Posted by: Kinshuk on March 15, 2008

So, when are the decisions post coming out?

Posted by: Reg on March 15, 2008

Hi guys, I was not waiting for a decsision (i'll be, though, next year), but I could feel the heat!

For those who got in - congrats, work hard, invent ,trust your mind and hand . For those who have the rest of the world to themselves, remember, physics works everywhere!

Posted by: Usman Anwer on March 15, 2008

paralysis.
the index finger hovers in air while the grip of my hand strangles a poor defenseless mouse.
click!
don't click!
click!
don't click!
the battle continues and my mind grows foggier with the bloodshed, the explosions, the gunshots.
one man down
two logics killed
running low on resources
war must end and life must go on
only a matter of time.

deep breath

the war is over, honey, open your eyes
open your eyes, open your eyes

Posted by: Miri on March 15, 2008

@miri

thats one classy poem you got there.

Posted by: Leanna'12 on March 15, 2008

Shannon — A mathematical approach to a situation that is mostly emotional—intriguing. Wouldn't you have to account for the relative happiness of the applicant with their decision, though?

Posted by: José P. on March 15, 2008

does any one know how to email ben or ask him a question ?

Posted by: Moe on March 15, 2008

Well, got rejected from MIT. I think the interview is what killed me. After all, the interviewer and I didn't click at all. And to be honest, I don't think I ever had a worse interview. Got into CalTech despite being an international student. So I am happy, although I am disappointed with the MIT decision.

Posted by: Sarah F on March 16, 2008

"Having you in the class would have made it no less perfect"
Ben, that means the selection is purely on luck ...or the above is just for consolation.

Posted by: Harnur on March 16, 2008

Thank you for everything Ben !
And a big huge thank you to the entire admissions team!

I love you guys

Posted by: Aditi on March 16, 2008

what do you do with the nice summaries of applicants . could you mail them or something? That+ the polite letter might really cheer up someone who's not admitted. just an idea.

Posted by: saira on March 16, 2008

I second Aditi. A HUGE, HUGE THANK YOU for everything Ben. We love you, and all the others at Admissions, not because you admitted us, but because who you are, the way you do your job, and the way you pour your heart out to us exactly the same way we try to do to you.

And now I have to stick up your blog post #2 on my study wall and learn all the 50 things (and MORE....) to do while we are at MIT.

Thanks for everything again, and especially for creating a two-way traffic.

Posted by: Rik on March 16, 2008

i hope this class is as awesome as ours.

Posted by: omar on March 16, 2008

I was procrastinating for my test tomorrow, and I decided to drop by and read a blog...your linked article was really touching...now i wonder if admissions officers from other colleges are like this, since everytime I read mit blogs..I keep thinking "wow...mit admissions people are actually real, live, talking people", not those computer-generated ones from the other colleges..Thank you for everything! =)

Posted by: carmen '12 on March 16, 2008

I'm going to have to second Rik

Thank you again!

I cant wait to meet the bloggers. ( have I said this already?)

Posted by: Aditi on March 17, 2008

Hey BEN! I'm just wondering...is there no string for transfer applicants? I mean, we don't get an online app., we don't get an interview...you could at least put us at more ease with a blog string! Please start one for us or tell me where I can find one. Thanx!

-an enthusiastic blogger

Posted by: Jci on March 24, 2008

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