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MIT staff blogger Matt McGann '00

February updates by Matt McGann '00

Midyear grades and more.

Hello! I wanted to take this opportunity to provide an update on the admissions process.

We have received approximately 15,600 applications for freshman admission this year. As you can see on the admissions statistics page, this represents an increase of more than 2,000 applications; this is a record number. With so many excellent applicants this year, it will be hard to choose.

We have begun selection committee meetings. Thus, it is too late for any supplemental materials to be considered by the selection committee. However, an admissions officer will continue to review anything you send in as a supplement. I think it is important to remember, however, that if you have completed your application, we have everything that we need to make a decision on your case.

The Application Tracking System on MyMIT is no longer available. We are still processing midyear grades. If we are missing your midyear grades, and they have not yet been processed, and we have a question about your academic performance, we will be calling your school to get them. For other students whose grades have been consistent, we will make a decision on the case; when the midyear grades later come in, we will review them, and the decision will be reviewed if there is an aberration in the midyears. At this time, due to the continued processing of midyear grades, calling to check on the status of your midyear grade report is not necessary.

We do no yet have a set date for the release of admissions decisions. When we know, I promise you we will announce that date here on the website. We are aiming for mid-March but there is not yet a target date. Admissions decisions will be available exclusively online.

I hope this update is helpful!

100 responses to “February updates”

  1. deng says:

    15,600 O_O
    ok I guess I’m glad that at least I’m not younger

  2. FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    WHOOHOOOOOOO

  3. ^^^Maybe not!!

    *makes a funny sad face*

  4. harika09 says:

    Thanks for the update! it’s incredible and scary to think that 15600 applicants will be decided in about three weeks

  5. harika09 says:

    Thanks for the update! it’s incredible and scary to think that 15600 applicants will be decided in about three weeks :O

  6. Abdel-karim says:

    Matt,

    If MIT is targeting a class of about 1000 students, does that mean the acceptance rate is going to be around 6% confused!? This is going to be a very competitive year. Or is MIT planning to increase the Freshman class size?

    Good Luck,
    A-K

  7. Abdel-karim says:

    Oppps. . . the class is going to be about 1500(according to last years statistics) which means just under 10 percent acceptance! Still freaky!

  8. Generic_bob says:

    Awwwwwwww. My chances just became lower. Pesky AP Statistics, all those means an normal curves cause so much pain and anxiety. Ignorance is bliss.

  9. Vytautas says:

    Hey Matt,
    will this increase somehow affect the Transfer admissions? Is it possible to get in as a Transfer international after not having been accepted last year?

  10. Eyas says:

    Agh! I promised myself to adopt a much cooler attitude that doesn’t get nervous. This post just made me scrap those plans raspberry

    Seriously though: best of luck to all! smile

  11. '13? says:

    Matt,

    If it is too late for the supplement to be considered by the selection committee, what does the admissions officer do with the supplement? I have been dealing with a severe back problem and was about to fax my supplement about my circumstances tomorrow. Is it really too late? Also My counselor was supposed to fax you a letter about my medical condition with the Mid-Year Report. The online tracker does not show that the Mid-Year Report was received. Does this mean that the admissions committee wont have knowledge of my condition while they make their selection? I am very worried.

    Any response will be appreciated

  12. Matt A. says:

    HOME STRETCH!!!!!!!! The waiting is almost over, hope I don’t lose it before decisions come out. XP

  13. David says:

    Just wanted to remind people that today is a holiday called Mardi Gras!

    yes. I am posting this three times.

  14. deng says:

    is the 15600 just for regular decision?
    and do you know how many international applications there are?

  15. Anonymous says:

    Do you have approximate number of international applicants?

  16. Anonymous says:

    well, ~10% is still a fair game.

    what about internationals?
    how many applied? is acceptance rate going to be ~2% …?

  17. Laura says:

    What, no mail this year? At all?

    Lame!

  18. Oasis '11 says:

    “exclusively online”

    Sounds like a special offer on the shopping channel. wink

  19. Matheus says:

    Hey Matt,
    I was wondering if there was any way to apply for international financial aid online.

  20. Colton says:

    Good luck, everybody!

    @Matt McGann: May I suggest March 14th? It’s pi day, Einstein’s Birthday, and a Saturday. I don’t think that there is a more appropriate day than the 14th in mid-March.

  21. Neil says:

    I’ve been thinking the same thing.

    π day, PLEASE!

  22. Incredible…. 15600 people to compete with!
    Sooner the results, better it is!

    @Matt McGann: Can you inform us about how many international applications have been received?

  23. SADNAN says:

    sir,
    when can i know the number of intertional applicants anumber that will be admitted???

  24. Gerardo says:

    Lets all hope for the best :D

    Congrats to us all for even taking on the challenge of applying to join the elite at MIT smile

  25. '13(?) says:

    @ Gerardo: hey, where are you from?

  26. Jamo says:

    woohoo! only ~half a month to go!
    -Jamo

  27. '14? says:

    wow… I shudder at the thought of how competitive next year will be. Better talk to Satan now before the soul market gets flooded.

  28. '14? says:

    wow… I shudder at the thought of how competitive next year will be. Better talk to Satan now before the soul market gets flooded.

  29. Varun says:

    Pi day is good. But talking of numbers how about the class of 13 getting it on March the 13th. Oh but that’s Friday the 13th…but this month also had a Friday the 13th. 2 unluckies make a lucky?

    15600 applications? All the best to the Selection Committee and applicants (including myself).

  30. Ashwath says:

    Gulp. 15600. Gulp.

    Thanks for the information – it certainly puts everything into perspective! I’m having a really hard time trying to ignore my dreams of selection committee meetings where my application is crossed with a big red pen and tossed into the rejected pile.

    Anyway, good luck with the selection committee meetings and let us know the release date as soon as you can.

  31. Ashwath says:

    More like nightmares, not ‘dreams’ in the other sense.

  32. Ahana says:

    Well… My nightmare comprises of my application sitting on a conference table and encircled by the Selection Committee, who point their fingers at it and laugh like The Joker.

    Breathes in, breathes out.
    15.6 k??!!!
    Aborting…
    Runs to stand under the shower.

  33. deng says:

    correct me if I’m wrong, but actually (to answer my own previous question) I think it’s 15600 total: RA and EA. since EA was 5000+ people, RA is actually ~10000, which is not much more than last year, even taking into consideration all the deferred EA people.

    hope the international pool hasn’t gotten much bigger either xD

  34. Dago says:

    Well, good luck Matt. It’s going to be a whole lot of work. And like the other internationals, the number of international apps would be appreciated although it’s not to important now haha. All there is left to do is wait. Enjoy the nice february-march, you must be used to it by now.

  35. Susana says:

    The evening of 3.13 would be fitting of MIT culture. Friday the 13th, because MIT is agnostic when it comes to superstition, March the 13th, because MIT will welcome the class of ’13, and the evening because perhaps MIT prefers the lunar calendar, and by this, days technically begin at sunset, and so our beloved Pi day will have already commenced. That said, 15,600 applications is quite a workload. Thanks for the time you’re all putting in for us!

  36. Roshal says:

    My Fellow Applicants,

    YES WE CAN!

  37. Gerardo says:

    @ ’13(?)

    Umm Los Angeles, Ca..
    why?

  38. Faiz says:

    Chances 4 acceptance this year are 6.63*10^-34!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  39. lissa138 says:

    international student…

    mid-year grades just came out recently.. and i’m trying to get in contact with guidance to fax these updated grade 12 marks.. hopefully, theyll come soon!

    otherwise, everything else i assume for me is fine. cause i got everything else in :] way way way way before… =)

  40. Dago says:

    We shouldn’t really mind about the release date, it’s not a race. The more time they take looking at our applications the better,since they’ll get a more thorough feeling of the way we are. As long as they don’t take too long of course.

  41. Anonymous says:

    to all those wondering when the decision date is, it is always before MIT’s spring break, which starts march 20. 3/20 should be the latest date to hear back from admissions. it could still be before that though.

  42. Dhvanit says:

    15.6k!! That’s the thrill of this whole application process. I bet the admissions committee had a great time reading all those applications!

  43. TorffickA says:

    o_o
    >.o_o
    >.<
    T_T
    ….now thats competition.

    @ Colton
    Awesome idea

    @Susana
    Making a great point

    I would agree with either one, but with Susana just a wee bit more ‘cuz it’s a weekday and we can possibly call admissions *yelling for joy* if we get in…or vice versa.
    Hopefully we won’t have to resort to vice versa. XD

    Good luck to us all !!!

  44. Tugce says:

    Hello Matt,

    Thank you for the update. I have one question in mind: do the crisis and the increase in applicants number affect the students who apply for full scholarship?

    Thanks!!

  45. gold says:

    6.63*10^-34?? keke funny.. smile

    Good luck for everyone~!!

  46. Isra says:

    When I clicked the submit button, I made up a 50%in/50%rejection mind…i think this is important because, like most of us, the decision is quite significant, but we need to be bold and face IT in the EYE! Don’t panic now, keep it for the ‘DAY’ lol…(some movie has prolly influenced a lot!) i really wish good luck to all the applicants out there smile!

  47. Isra says:

    Oh and yeah, Friday the 13th sounds awesome :D

  48. O.O

    15.6k

    That’s… a lot of reading.

    *waves her chances goodbye*

  49. Ruhban Shah says:

    yaay some news–15,600-cool–awaiting the result more than the looming boards

  50. Kelly says:

    At least I know I won’t be getting a small envelope…

    (I’m not a pessimist, I swear. I’m a realist).

  51. Corey says:

    WOW!

    That’s a heck of a lot of competition.

    GL everyone.

  52. Ashwin says:

    15,600
    Neat.

    15,6O_O is more like it =)

  53. Anonymous says:

    How many international applicants are there?

  54. ngolsh says:

    Its not statistically impossible, in a matter of speaking…

  55. gold says:

    For me, 13th seems too early. I think 16th through 20th would be more feasible.

  56. Shivank says:

    Oh my god!!!
    Well, we can only hope for the best….so
    Best of Luck everyone

  57. Linz says:

    Wow. It just goes to show how amazing this school really is and what people truly think of it. Almost 16,000 newcomer applicants. Truly amazing to say the least.
    *good luck to all that apply-I will next year.

  58. Hopeful says:

    wow im freaking out lol

  59. I really really really really want to live, learn AND HACK amongst the wonderful people of M.I.T…
    Awaiting for decisions has made my love for M.I.T even more strong because I realized that the admission committe is putting time to consider my application and bringing me one step closer to my dream of living and learning admist the wonderful people of M.I.T. smile

  60. '13? says:

    Matt,

    If it is too late for the supplement to be considered by the selection committee, what does the admissions officer do with the supplement? I have been dealing with a severe back problem and was about to fax my supplement about my circumstances tomorrow. Is it really too late? Also My counselor was supposed to fax you a letter about my medical condition with the Mid-Year Report. The online tracker does not show that the Mid-Year Report was received. Does this mean that the admissions committee wont have knowledge of my condition while they make their selection? I am very worried.

    Any response will be appreciated

  61. '13? says:

    From 5,019 early action applicants, there were approximately 540 admitted.
    If we consider that MIT is committed to admitting no more than 30% of its class during early action, there will be at least 540/30% = 1800 admitted students. This represents an increase of more than 200 admitted (compared to last year’s 1,589).
    So the percentage admitted will probably continue to be about 11%.

  62. @Ashwin

    Where are you from?

    @Matt

    Any info on the number of international applicants?

  63. Zak says:

    O mit applicant, beware the ides of march

  64. nikko says:

    <nerves;>
    Well, I guess that’s what I get for wanting better knowledge of the odds against me.

    But is it true what I’ve heard that our class, in terms of pool of applicants, will be the largest for several years?

  65. Arfa '13 says:

    Good luck guys! I hope to see some of you next year smile

  66. Bahamaboi says:

    Whoa!!! 15,600? For everyone who gets in this year, count your blessings. And if I get in (this is almost funny), I’ll be right there with you, thanking the admissions committee and doing victory dances around campus come fall.

  67. Bahamaboi says:

    @ Michelle from Israel : Just in case you havent noticed, I’m next to you waving my chances goodbye, as well wink

  68. Anonymous says:

    My chances are also very slim, although I hope I successfully conveyed my love for MIT in the application… lets hope for the best.. and GOOD LUCK to everyone!! =D

  69. ravi kiran says:

    oops!

    anyway i hope the alMITy committee gives me a fair chance to graduate from this great institute.

  70. How many international applicants?

  71. deng says:

    @nikko
    why “will” be the largest?

  72. Paula says:

    Hi Matt,

    I have received a few more awards since I sent in my application. Is there any way to update the admissions committee? Thank you!

  73. Kat says:

    I like the Planck’s constant reference…though I really hope the odds are better than that. Speaking of quantum mechanics, can we think of ourselves as both accepted and unaccepted? We won’t know until we open the envelope! Ah, uncertainty… :(

  74. Ashwin says:

    @Sharath:
    I’m Indian =) NRI though.

  75. Anonymous says:

    I guess I mean “clicking the button” instead of “opening the envelope”….

  76. Marwan Q. says:

    156000 applicants!
    even if the admission’s rate is 10%, this is a nightmare!
    so from each 10 they will choose 1!!! what would make this one unique from the other 9! nevertheless mentioning that almost all applicants are special!
    no offence but
    after this i guess its a matter of luck!

  77. James says:

    That’s so exciting! So many people are hyped about MIT! Regardless of the many who applied for a spot in the freshman class, Class of 13 will without a doubt be an excellent class.

  78. Ashwin says:

    @Sharath: Yeap, I am =)

  79. deng says:

    ^ hm… maybe I should have been younger afterall

  80. Anonymous says:

    Ψ(accepted|SATMath<550) = i

  81. Ψ(accepted|SATmath<550) = i

  82. OK it didn’t recognize my html tags

    Ψ(accepted|SATmath below 550) = i

  83. Jamo says:

    Come on guys! let’s be positive! We still have lives to live and there’s no sense of letting apprehension take away from them. After all, what is done is done and worrying won’t make it any better ya? I’ve done my best, no regrets. All there is left to do is smile and wait!
    -Jamo smile

    (someone has to be the deviant? lol)

  84. Abdel-karim says:

    I have this area51-type idea, that the adcom actually look at what we write on the blogs. . . lol!

  85. @Ashwin
    So you are an international applicant?

    @Matt
    Any update on the geographical distribution of the applicants?

  86. 13' Hopeful says:

    @Abdel-karim

    Due to the fact that one can change one’s name to anything on this blog, such a event would be the probability equivalent of actually discovering aliens at Area 51.

    I hope that all our applications did a magnificent job of conveying our characters to the admissions committee. The rest is truly out of our grasp.

  87. Abdel-karim says:

    Ya but you also enter your email address. Its a joke, lol.

  88. Ian Tai says:

    Thanks Matt! This update helps clarify many things for me.

  89. nikko says:

    Ψ(accepted) ≈ 0.2676
    Ψ(waitlisted) ≈ 0.2429
    Ψ(rejected) ≈ 0.9324

    :(

    But from what I heard (and this was a while ago; it might be entirely wrong) the nationwide graduating class this year would be a peak not again reached until something like 2015.

  90. T. Saw says:

    So anxious!

    Good luck to everyone!

  91. Abdel-karim says:

    WOAH!!! 14 Days that if its on Pi Day

  92. Kevin says:

    3 more years if it’s on February 29…

    @ Everybody asking for # of international applicants.

    Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the 15,600+ applicants encompasses international applicants, of which I can only estimate to be similar to last year’s numbers: anywhere from 3000-4000 perhaps?

    But at this point in the game, numbers are meaningless. This is MIT: enough said. Have some confidence in your abilities, hope for the best, and stockpile on confetti. If you get in, you can have a party; if you don’t, you’ll have lots and lots of confetti!

  93. Paul says:

    Hi Matt,

    We live in Massachusetts; is that considered a disadvantage in the Admissions process? Our son qualifies to go anywhere just as many of your applicants do. As his mother is from the Middle East, is that enough to offset the perceived disadvantage of being a MASS resident? We do not want him ruling out MIT just for this one reason.

    Thanks

  94. erik says:

    Holy jesus,
    im scared now. MY birthday is on the 19 th pleasepleaseplease dont make it the 19 th. What a crappy way to turn 18!

  95. Abdel-karim says:

    @Paul: All US citizens are compared equally, no matter where there from.

  96. me says:

    please please please not the ides of march.

  97. Saad Asif says:

    Waiting for the gift from my creator…

  98. Saad Asif says:

    Waiting for the greatest gift from my Creator.

  99. Eyas says:

    @Kevin: dammit! I had the idea of making a website *just* like yours.. then I gave up thinking it’d be too “far fetched”. raspberry

    Needless to say, good job! And great video :D

  100. sepideh says:

    oooooooh i am soooooo worried after so much time screaming that there are’nt any SATs in iran, i got an e-mail asking me about my SAT….i feel bad….