So, if you've been deferred, you may be asking, "What now?"
Is it all over for me?
At MIT, a deferral isn't just a "polite rejection." Your application will once again be considered by the committee during regular action. You are at no advantage or disadvantage versus the regular action applications. We will admit the best applications we can during regular action, regardless of when the application was submitted. (A little historical data: last year, we admitted 295 deferred students during regular action, 267 the year before, and 326 the year before that)
What should I do now?
I recommend spending the next few weeks before January 1 working on regular action applications for other schools. You should still put the same energy and thought you put into your MIT application into your other applications.
[But MIT is my dream school, I can't imagine being happy anywhere else!]
[This doesn't apply to everyone, but occasionally some students become so focused on MIT they can't see all the other amazing schools that are out there. For those students who are really attracted to MIT's campus culture, I've found these students often are also happy at many other schools, including Caltech (January 2 deadline), Carnegie Mellon (Jan. 1), Cooper Union (varies), Harvey Mudd (Jan. 15), Olin College (Jan. 1), RPI (Jan. 15), and the University of Chicago (Jan. 2). For those students who particularly like the Boston area, you can also look at Boston College (Jan. 1), Boston University (Jan. 1), Brandeis University (Jan. 15), Harvard University (Jan. 1), Northeastern University (Jan. 15), Tufts University (Jan. 1), and Wellesley College (Jan. 15), among others.]
Should I send in extra materials?
The only thing we ask that you send in is the midyear grade report. You can download one off of the MyMIT website if you need one. Your semester grades are very important so keep working hard. We'd like this report as soon as possible after your grades are available; by the beginning of February would be great, but definitely by the end of February.
You may also want to keep us up-to-date with any news in your life. This is not required nor is it expected, but if anything exciting happens definitely let us know. It's best if you send any such letter by the end of January, but you may keep us in the loop through the time we mail regular action decisions in mid-March.
Should I send in a whole new version of my application, or all new essays?
No. You do not need to "improve" your application, or redo/edit/modify part or all of your application. You were deferred because your application was already strong enough to make you a contender in the Regular Action round. Let your application stand.
What about extra essays, recommendations, etc?
You may send along anything (such as...) that you feel would be helpful to the committee. We do not expect or require any of these things. Simply sending in additional materials does not by itself increase your chances of admission.
What other advice do you have?
You should check in with your guidance/college counselor. Often, their years of experience provide wisdom and insight into your particular situation. They're more than welcome to give our office a call if our decision isn't consistent with their experience, or just to talk about the process.
Can I call admissions to find out The Reason why I was deferred?
If you call in, we will not be able to tell you "the reason" why you were deferred, or "what needs to be improved," simply because things are much more complex than just one reason why you were deferred. Usually, when I take a call from a deferred applicant, there's nothing that I see to be lacking or needing improvement -- most of our deferred students submitted very strong applications, the kinds of applications any school (including MIT) would love to have in their student body. Honestly.
I'm glad to see from the comments that most of you, while understandably disappointed, are remaining upbeat, continuing to work on other applications, and knowing that one year from now, you'll be getting ready to take a holiday break from some really amazing school (maybe MIT) to spend some quality time with loved ones. Being an optimist, I know that things always turn out well in the end.
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
How many days until March?
Posted by: K on December 11, 2006
Posted by: james on December 11, 2006
Thanks for the encouragement.
Posted by: Avishek Panth on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Elizabeth on December 11, 2006
I wholeheartedly agree, it's great that the blogs are so informative and encouraging ^.^ Thanks so much admissions committee for making the application process easier, and more meaningful.
Posted by: helen on December 11, 2006
I've been in dance for about 15 years and I have studied ballet, jazz, modern, tap, acrobatics, lyrical... a whole bunch of dance every week for most of my life. I was wondering if a DVD of my dance performance or choreography would be a good contribution to my application. Is there anyone there who would even consider watching such a thing, or would I be better off simply submitting 2-D artwork to showcase artistic talent? I have some of that, too, but I'd need to get some newer pieces finished if I was going to be sending it to colleges.
Also, if my team wins our regional finals and I make the county Academic Olympics Team in February, should I bother letting MIT know? It doesn't seem like a huge feat, but by the time we'd get to state, the application process would be over.
Is sending any of the above items just going to make me "the annoying kid"?
Posted by: Nicole Reilly on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Ben Williams on December 11, 2006
Anyone else here applying to RPI?
Posted by: Kelly on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Anjanie Sriram on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Anjanie Sriram on December 11, 2006
secondary school report:the part where we have to mention what AP/IB courses we have taken:
after we check the part saying that no AP/IB courses are offered ,do we have to check the other boxes about what subjects we take anyway?...i'm an indian..under the ISC system...help plz...i'm on my way to school right now and i'm supposed to tell my principal what to do there
Posted by: 0 on December 11, 2006
When I went to a recruitment seminar last year, I asked if there were any advantages (besides the additional slot availability) to applying EA. The admissions representative told us that we would be given pointers on how to improve our application if not admitted EA. I'm aware that you said we don't need to improve our applications (above), but I expected this additional application tutoring. I think that future recruiters should make this more clear.
Thanks!
Posted by: Colton Myers on December 11, 2006
Yeah, I applied to RPI...and the Cooper Union...lol...feels so good to have applied to a school an MIT admissions officer talks about
Thanks Matt!
Posted by: MD on December 11, 2006
yup, i just finished off my app to RPI (i had the candidate's choice app so it took literally 15 minutes). umm also caltech and carnegie mellon. ditto MD
Posted by: 0 on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Tara on December 11, 2006
I'm applying to RPI, too. Somehow, though, it just can't compare to MIT.
Oh well. *sigh* Cross your fingers, I guess.
Posted by: K on December 11, 2006
but, on the bright side, Anjanie's 1, 2, and 3 are all true. hang in there guys, we'll make it somewhere.
Posted by: John on December 11, 2006
as far as other schools go -- yay wellesley
Posted by: theresa on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Anonymous on December 11, 2006
Posted by: anonymous on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Ben Williams on December 11, 2006
Where in Florida do you live? I only applied to one FL school...I'm ready for a big change. Different weather, big city, new people, new opportunities!!! I sure hope FL does not become either of our homes for another 4 years! Depressing! I'm sure everything will turn out well...we can only hope =)
Posted by: Tara on December 11, 2006
assuming he's not too busy, i was wondering if daniel would grace us with some more blog entries, and maybe talk a little about the entire financial aid deal for those of us who haven't been through it before....
=)
Posted by: 0 on December 11, 2006
Posted by: Ben Williams on December 11, 2006
I'm just curious what you guys do between now and Jan. 1- do you have plenty of apps to go over and organization and stuff? Just curious what the average day is like;)
Posted by: Elizabeth on December 12, 2006
To everyone who got deferred/rejected: don't let one school monopolize your hopes and dreams. Be in control, keep your options open, and don't let your happiness and self-worth rest on MIT's decision. Nothing in life is worth that.
Posted by: Edward Kaplan on December 12, 2006
Embarrassment, I shouldn't post anything on less than 5 hours of sleep. (I should also sleep more than 5 hours a night.)
Posted by: Edward Kaplan on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Kristin on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Parcelsus on December 12, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 12, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 12, 2006
What may be considered too much stuff? Obviously, another 5 recs, 10 essays, and a DVD may be too much, but what's a reasonable amount of stuff to continue indicating your interest in MIT? An essay or two? Maybe another recommendation?
Posted by: Yossarian on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Parclesus on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 12, 2006
Would the admissions committee's reaction be more along the lines of, "What an interesting essay!" or "Curses, another 600 words to get through!"? Obviously this is difficult since you haven't read my essay, but as a general rule...?
By the way, I love these blogs. They're very helpful.
Posted by: Meara on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 12, 2006
man...march cannot come soon enough! (haha, but i def still have to turn in like all of my applications...)
Posted by: Josh V on December 12, 2006
that would have been such an amazing experience (if only had i been accepted. hahah.)
Posted by: Josh V on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 12, 2006
I definitely have to agree with Meara's statement...MIT's not so presumptuous as to assume that we didn't apply to any other schools...and I feel that the essays I wrote for some of those other schools give a better picture of myself, one that may have been lacking in the MIT essays I sent. Could I send these?
wow. I...basically just repeated his/her question. XD
Posted by: Yossarian on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Ruth '07 on December 12, 2006
I know, I'm doing the whole "I'm not disappointed, I am happy :D" thing, but I've been totally certain MIT is My School for years and years, so this is all a tiny bit traumatising.
(PS: Thank you, Matt! Having the blogs here for explanation makes this whole deferral thing so much easier to handle. Just tossing applications into the void freaks me out.)
Posted by: Sarah on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Parcelsus on December 12, 2006
i'm straight up seattle...beacon hill. i go to seattle prep. where do you go to school?
(let me guess...eastside? or do you go to a public school?...and i only say eastside because hella people in WA go to private school...)
Posted by: Josh V. on December 12, 2006
Matt -- I know you said there was no need to "revise" our application, but would sending in another essay be acceptable or would it be too much to read?
Posted by: Kelly on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Kelly on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 12, 2006
Thanks for the transparency provided during the entire EA process. It is not an easy task.
However having seen the EA results I must say there are a lot of grey areas that could have been overcome. I know it is easier said than done but here in this case it is not something that one wishes and forgets. I am writing this because it is MIT an Institution for Math & Science Students primarily.
I am quoting you “most of our deferred students submitted very strong applications, the kinds of applications any school (including MIT) would love to have in their student body. Honestly.” When you say there are very strong applications that have been left out – I don’t understand. To say “Yes” or “No” there must be a rationale however insignificant a thing or object or matter is and more so in this case when an application (which by no means is an insignificant matter) is being considered. What was the rationale? Please do not say it is so complex that we cannot explain. If it is complex all the more reason that there should be a logical deduction.
If everyone accepted is well qualified above the others deferred then there is some logic. I have come across certain students, not only the ones that I know, but also from others in four other states and, it is difficult to comprehend their acceptance at the cost of some good students.
The figures quoted below are from the Blog (may or may not be true):
I am aware all that is written here is not true. Students with 600 and 650 on SAT II math have been accepted. I am not here to discuss SAT scores. How different and strikingly stupid can an essay be that you base your judgment of deferment on this one factor knowing fully well that the student has an 800 on SAT II Math? Is a GPA of 3.5 better than 4.0, is a SAT score of 2390 better than 1950? If this is not true then it must be the essay – how stupendously brilliant was that essay the student who wrote that got the better of the student with 4.0 GPA and 2390 on SAT? – The student is a great writer and would be a good fit at other institutions. Why deny a brilliant Math & Science Student the opportunity of studying at MIT? I have no clue.
Is MIT producing writers, essayists, poets etc? Isn’t MIT the Premier Institution for Technology where Math & Science should count much more than anything else? We have so many other colleges in the nation to provide writers etc. Where does a student, who excels in Math and wants to pursue it and be challenged, go to other than MIT? They find that just because they are not good writers, the door is closed. Future engineers, scientists are being put to the sword every time MIT takes this approach to selection.
We hear day in day out that the rate of Engineers being produced in our Nation has declined and is declining exponentially. Should we look elsewhere for the reason?
For quite sometime we have been hearing that the admission process is a complex one and that not one factor decides anything. It is time to provide a metric for the selection process. We have been gullible to this talk and it is little wonder that China and India are approaching the frontline in Technology. We will be left far behind the other nations soon at this rate.
Do you need Engineers to graduate out of MIT? If not, your responses are satisfactory. Please change the name of MIT to MIGS (GS- General Studies). I still regard MIT as a Great Institution and please don’t make me eat my words and let the reputation of MIT erode.
JT
Posted by: JT on December 12, 2006
I couldn't agree more with your discussion. It seems that avery thing, includes MIT, is a moving target. It is easy for a student with experienced coach to get the target, while other talented ones have to depend their luck!
Posted by: EG on December 12, 2006
MIT is the TOUGHEST school in America to get into!
Posted by: TO on December 12, 2006
I hope you liked the advice, esp. from a student who is 3000+ miles away and applying to the US after having not seen it for 13 years!!
Posted by: Sarab on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Amanda on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Victoria on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Victoria on December 12, 2006
Last year a student at my daughter's high school was deferred and ultimately rejected by MIT, then accepted by Harvard. He's now a freshman there. His case illustrates the point I hope to make, so here's his story. His application described his national recognition in math competitions and his longtime presence on the math team. He was a valectorian at his high school. He was a national merit semifinalist. He also had attained state recognition as a gifted pianist. Now as it happens, at his high school, out of 500 graduating students, 18 participated on the math team. Of these, perhaps 6 or 8 attained national recognition. Of these, 6 became valedictorians, 18 became national merit semifinalists, and at least 3 were talented pianists. So talented in fact, that they had won awards in state competitions. As someone whose been on the deciding side of the admissions process, here's what happens sometimes. You read the first application with this profile. "Great! Admit!" You read the second, with the same response. Perhaps you also admit the third. But by the time you encounter the fourth applicant whose a gifted mathematician and gifted pianist, you start to ask yourself, "How many pianists can play in the orchestra?" And so perhaps you defer a wonderful, talented student, a student who will certainly succeed elsewhere, and who will prevail in life.
Don't give up. Now here's the advice. As you work on your applications for other institutions, practice thinking about how you would complete this sentence: "I am the only person at my high school who ..." Think about the unique perspectives, gifts, and talents you bring to the table.
Best of luck!
Posted by: U.C. Berkeley alum on December 12, 2006
Posted by: EG on December 12, 2006
The acceptance rate for Indian Institute of Technologies is 0.5% to get into the your preferred department.
The results on the Entrance Tests determine whether you'll get in or not. The test contains mostly very hard questions from Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry.
Here's an opportunity for everyone to share his/her thoughts on this integral question:
Should entrance tests be the primary criterion for admission? (keep in mind, for a country with a population of 1 billion+)
Posted by: Siddharth on December 12, 2006
Great comments and advice.
Posted by: EG on December 12, 2006
Anyway, when by applying to MIT, you have showed agreement with the "rules of the admission game" You do your best, and hope for luck. That's all! Anyway, life will continue
Posted by: MS on December 12, 2006
i like your post. i think that luck in the admissions process, especially at a school like MIT where all the applicantions are amazing, is something that is not recognized by many applicants. That was one of the biggest things my guidance counselor has been telling me. she said that even if i am on par with the everyone else, chances are that pretty much everyone has very competitive applications. it really can just come down to choosing a handful of students from a pool of equally competitive applications.
Victoria,
it's nice to hear from someone at MIT from my area! do you think that not getting into the MITES program will reflect negatively on my application? (ps: i think it's hilarious how we have a Beacon Hill here and there is one in Boston, but they are so different from each other)
JT,
Here's my two cents. Yes, MIT is a math/science school and yes, SAT scores do play quite a significant role in the selection process, but i agree with others on this blog that say that scores are not everything and that essays show MIT the "real you".
believe me, i have been a math/science kid since elementary school, but i do think that there has to be something said for writing and literature.
very early in middle school, i remember being frustrated with lit because i just did not enjoy it as mjuch as science (even now, subjects like lit and history are my biggest hurdles). however, one of my teachers impressed upon me the importance of english and lit in a way that i will never forget. She said told me to imagine that am the greatest scientist in the world. i just found the cure for cancer. then she asked me how i was going to let the world know of my discovery. that is when i saw the point she was making: you could be the smartest person in the world and be the best scienctist at MIT, but if you cannot express your ideas in a thoughtful, eloquent way, then that knowledge is lost because no one else will ever be able to know it.
so i think it is fitting that MIT considers good essays (and this is coming from someone who doesn't usually write good ones). MIT needs to know that academic excellence is not just concentrated in math and science; that its students have at least a solid grasp of grammar and rhetoric.
and as for SAT scores, what's wrong with a 1950?! maybe some people just don't test well. mabye some people don't have 750-800's in their subject test. i still think these students can have something to offer the school...and that can be seen in their essays.
Posted by: Josh V on December 12, 2006
There will be great essays one after the other as mentioned above so what do you base your selection on? You need to a differentiator and what best from what we have.. SAT (your actual individual effort). You could have bad days while taking the test and that would mean getting 720 or 740 and not 600 if you really know your stuff.
We will keep presenting ourselves better with essays and creating an impact and when it is time to work Differential Calculus, send it to China. This is what is happening to day as we run elsewhere to solve our problems (from s/w development to manufacturing and so on)
Good luck
Posted by: JT on December 12, 2006
i see your point with the SAT's being a differentiator...but essays can be as much a differentiator as SAT scores if everyone has similar scores...and that comment to sarab...harsh. haha.
but anyways, good luck to you too
(and to everyone else who's been deferred...and to those like me who have yet to submit their application...hmm, maybe i shouldn't be writing in this thread. oh well, whatever.)
Posted by: Josh V on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Kevin on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Prashanth on December 12, 2006
Yes, standardized test scores are an indicator of what your level of knowledge and your abilities. But, as others have said, most people who apply to MIT have ridiculously good scores. If I were an admissions officer and this sort of situation arose, I would pick whoever wrote an essay that made me think of them. I should be reminded of them throughout my day by their essay.
But these two factors aren't the magic keys to accepting a student. You're forgetting that you have a life outside of school, too. What you do outside of school (whether you're in sports, clubs, community service, hanging out with friends, travel, employment...) is an even better indicator of who you are than just SAT scores and an essay alone.
Good luck to all of you!
Posted by: K on December 12, 2006
The reason colleges use SAT scores, as far as I understand it, is to have some kind of objective standard that helps them determine that an applicant can do the work. Who cares if someone got a 600 on the Chemistry SAT II? Maybe they took the class a few years ago and only just realized they needed a subject test; maybe their chemistry teacher left out something important and they missed a bunch of questions because they dealt with a topic they'd never learned. (My physics teacher, for instance, never taught us relativity.) That doesn't mean they're bad at science, or that they wouldn't do well at MIT. Same thing goes for school transcripts--an A in math at one school might be the equivalent of a B- at another school.
However, I don't completely agree with the people who think that an essay is the most important indicator either; I doubt anybody bares their innermost soul in a college essay, and really you can't fully describe anything in 500 words or less. That said, essays and interviews and the answers to all those random questions on the app are all important glimpses of who you are, maybe even more important than how you did on the SAT.
Basically, colleges have to make their best guess based on the information they've got; maybe they'll guess wrong, maybe they'll take a chance on somebody and be proved right. There is no perfect test that can tell if somebody is a fit for MIT. I for one feel a lot better knowing that my entire future isn't going to be determined by my score on one test, or even several tests.
As for exporting differential equations to China, or some other such apocalyptic future--I think you need to relax. Just because somebody knows how to write or how to present themselves doesn't mean that they can't crank out a Jacobian or two. Being a good communicator and being good at math/science are not mutually exclusive.
Sorry this is such a long post--didn't mean to write a treatise.
@Yossarian: Great minds think alike! And I am female, by the way. Just thought I'd clear that up.
Posted by: Meara on December 12, 2006
Here's my views about the SATs:
How well of an indicator your SATs are depends on where you are from. I come from a one traffic light town in the middle of nowhere Florida and have been in public achool my entire life. My scores will be weighed differently than someone from a college prep-school. JT, you said if you're having a bad day your score should be a 720, well, that was my bio score. To put it in perspective for you: my biology teacher was not allowed to teach evolution. People do not all receive the same type of education. So for me to get a 720 with the educational background I have is more impressive than the same score from a prep-school student who has had the info drilled into his head (I'm not meaning to offend, you could be from a public school for all I know, I am just trying to make a point). My guidance counselor never even heard of the SAT Subject Tests, neither did she know what Early Action meant. And I was still good enough to be deferred and not rejected.
Posted by: Amanda on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Meara on December 12, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 12, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 12, 2006
Applying to MITES shows your interest in MIT and won't reflect your application negatively in any way. I know peers who weren't admitted to MITES but were admitted to MIT. Good luck! =)
Posted by: Victoria on December 12, 2006
I completely understand your logic, and it is true that SAT scores can be considered as differentiators. BUT, only at a certain point. SAT scores will surely help the admissions committee make the difference between a 500 and a 800. Fine.
Then, in my opinion, one would have to take too many factors into account for scores between... let's say 650 and 800. It's easy for one person to spend the summer studying for Physics and Chemistry, which are basically questions on material stuff. I myself had no clue of what SAT II tests were before August, as I moved from France in September of 2005 to a high school not necessarily known for sending students to amazing schools such as MIT. By September I had a job (30+ hrs a weeks), varsity soccer, a really really tight schedule with tons of AP classes, clubs, and yadi-yada. Basically, I had no time to study for the SAT physics, and I honestly do not have innate knowledge of magnetic fields or current properties, despite loving physics as much as...eating cheese and striking I guess. My score was 730, and I feel extremely happy about it, considering the small time I put in studying for the test. I am sure that most, if not all, early applicants, with a decent of time, tons of practices, tutoring-coaching or whatever, would receive 800s.
My point is: after a certain score, SAT cannot be THE indicator of someone's intelligence in math or physics or anything.
Furthermore, mathematical or scientifically logic is somewhat related to any other logic, even ..."literature logic" or "artistic logic." Think about Da Vinci and all the Greek geeks -- nice alliteration-assonance -- who brought so much to mathematics, science, philosophy, etc., and all at the same time. Obviously, no comparison between us, or me at least, and those amazingly smart super-humans can be made. But the way one writes assists the admission committee in comprehending the way the applicant thinks.
Anyway, if the number of engineers is falling in the United States, I doubt MIT has anything to do with it. It might be the premier institution in the world, but there are many many many others around the country that can form relatively good engineers. From the perspective of someone who was educated in a foreign country, I personally think that the average education an American education receives is one of the major reasons why less engineers graduate every year. Hasty generalization? maybe...
I have so much more to say, but hey, this discussion thread isn’t about the importance of SAT scores.
“God Bless America,” I mean, GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
Posted by: Matt T. on December 12, 2006
future engineers aren't being put to the sword every time they aren't accepted by MIT. after all, there are lots of great engineering schools out, something ben pointed out. also, there is more to an app than essays and scores: what about your transcripts, your interview, any supplements you send in, and your recommendations? The blogs have said over and over again that while the SAT's are a good indicator of academic strength, they aren't nearly as important as the overall person an applicant seems to be. They also stress that making decisions are incredibly hard, and there isn't always a cut and dry reason as to why one person gets in over another. To infer that outsourcing could be significantly decreased if MIT started accepting only students with exceptional math/science scores, regardless of their other qualities and attributes, seems sort of ridiculous - not to mention bitter. Obviously, MIT wants strong math and science students, but they also want students who will make an impact on the world, and this is not always indicated by a superior SAT score. The incredible people that graduate from MIT every don't necessarily need to be engineers to make a difference. Denying a student simply because they don't have near-perfect math/sci grades and disregarding all their other qualities might sound good to you, but it obviously doesn't work that way, and for good reason.
Posted by: anon on December 12, 2006
Posted by: GRP on December 12, 2006
Posted by: theresa on December 12, 2006
1. There are a BILLION people + in each country. Out of whom everyone knows that the way to a better life is an Enginerring or Medicine Degree.
2. However, I see no answer to the fact that even as an engineer you need to interact with people. I mean chaps like you may want to spend your entire life working, but then on your deathbed you'll sit and say what a waste......
3. And do you mean to tell me, that MIT should become only a science school? Then Johns Hopkins and WashU should become only Med. schools? And then, you'll have the situation there is in India. MIT will take barely half a percent of the applicants. 3000 out of 60,0000+ will get to do engineering. JHU will take a glorious 50 out of 30,000 and then everyone will scream about admissions being so difficult....
4. And if you're so keen on Engineering at MIT, TRANSFER. Don't waste your fingers typing out inane replies, apply to another college, and do your Graduate studies at MIT!!
Posted by: Sarab on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Meara on December 12, 2006
Posted by: Brian on December 12, 2006
maybe they want something you're passionate about that it isn't tech-related.. and for everyone it's different - I do music, but others may do sports, politics, art, etc.
well anyway, hope that answers ---
Posted by: theresa on December 13, 2006
=P
@Josh V - I AM on the eastside...but not a private school. Bellevue High School. heck yeah. haha
@meara: oh, the irony. great minds get deferred too. *sigh*
^.^
juuust kidding. hahah
Posted by: Yossarian on December 13, 2006
Posted by: AZ on December 13, 2006
Posted by: theresa on December 13, 2006
I think you've hit it right on the head. This is my first time posting on these blogs, dispite the many, many hours I've spent reading them. I too was deferred. I was waiting to post until I was accepted, but I felt compelled today.
SAT scores are just that--SAT scores. They measure how well you did on a particular day on a particular test. I myself did no preparation for any SAT test. I went into the physics subject test completing the only physics offered at my school: old school mechanics. I had no idea that anything besides mechanics would be presented. Needless to say, I scored a 690 doing the best I could with the knowledge I had.
But a score is just a score on a given day. I could have prepared more and improved. I could have done nothing, taken the same test again, and improved by 30 points. Or done worse by 30 points. The College Board recognizes this when they state a range of scores, +/- 30, to truly represent your score. If they recognize that a score can vary in a person for a variety of reasons, then it makes sense that MIT recognizes this and doesn't elevate having perfect SAT scores to a divine level.
Virtually everyone that applies to MIT is smart. Someone doing D level work with and SAT I score of 1680 doesn't apply to MIT. Every year the admissions office is presented with thousands of qualified applicants to fill a class of a little over a thousand. What they have to do is narrow it down by character qualities, which cannot be expressed numerically, through ways such as essays. I admit, an essay is not a perfect indication of a person. It is 500 or so words. But taken in context with test scores, grades, etc. it can provide a clearer picture of the person.
MIT wants persons of integrity. Persons of passion. Persons of ingenuity. People who can and will be leaders. And this is best seen through mediums like essays.
Today I was coming back from a school board meeting. It was 9:30. It was raining. I was tired and hungry. But I saw people having car troubles on the side of the road. It would have been esay to keep on driving, but I stopped and asked if they needed help. I ended up helping them push a Jeep over a curb onto the hilled roadside. During the few minutes this took, I thought about the hundreds of people that drove by, not even considering stopping. Hell, one person nearly hit my car, which had the emergency flashers on! But I stopped and helped anyways. Now, I'm not trying to make myself seem perfect or better than I am or anything, but is this something that can be expressed in a number? I'd like to think that MIT alumni would stop and help me if I was ever having car troubles, or any similar problem.
It sucks being deferred. It's going to be a long three months until March. But in the end, whoever MIT chooses to admit, they admit. Sure, a perfectly qualified student may be turned down. Many are. But having MIT-caliber scores is not the same as having the MIT outlook on life, as I understand it. MIT values respect for and responsibility towards others, towards all of humanity. And the essay, as well as interview, are ways to find out if an applicant shares these characteristics. We shouldn't forget this simply because we are mad that we were deferred.
Posted by: Victor on December 13, 2006
@Yossarian: This is getting creepy. I was just wondering the same thing about these boards and the admissions office. I kind of doubt they do, though--they seem a very above-board bunch. And it's not like admissions officers want EXTRA stuff to read.
Posted by: Meara on December 13, 2006
thanks Victoria for your info.
yossarian--go washington! haha. i really hope we both get in...
...then we can start an "i love starbucks" club. hahaha.
ps: i agree with meara...that whole discussion seems to have gotten a little heated, and it seems like it has been directed toward jt (just because his post started it). so sorry to jt if it sounded like i was attcking you. i wasn't.
people...calm yourselves. we all just need to chill. the fact that you guys/girls are even blogging here shows that you seriously want this. everyone here sounds like they would be perfect for mit, so just leave it at that. we'll all know in march.
Posted by: Josh V on December 13, 2006
My take on things are there are guidelines that are followed and the process is rather holistic in nature. Someone is chosen because that person seems to "fit" with MIT better than some others. For something like this, dealing with so many people, it is impossible to use an exact measuring system, only an estimation. Its a hunch of mine that after close examination and comparison, those that seem similar are determined by hunches of which would be better suited for MIT: how things were written, linking among separate parts of the information recieved, these would cause slight judgement changes in the sub-conscious, if you will, mind and thereby give a hunch of who is "better" in the sense that "better" is better for MIT, not better for something else. Everything does not simply add up, but act as tuning on say an etch-a-sketch to make a complete picture.
I think the components are important, but it is how they come together to make the whole that counts in the proccess. So then the question becomes more of why I want to go to MIT and if that correlates well with what MIT would like out of its students. Like a jigsaw puzzle.
Victor, you beat me to the thought.... ^_^
Posted by: Felix on December 13, 2006
Posted by: Edward on December 13, 2006
sorry for the random-ness..
Posted by: theresa on December 13, 2006
These discussions are fine and we have had some good insights to it. I am closing.
Don’t get me wrong – Selection is a whole process made up of a lot of elements. But some elements must be differentiators. I am not saying it should only be SAT scores (please read carefully what I wrote).The elements that you need to define as differentiators depends upon the College and what it offers. So MIT, in my opinion, should look at the strengths in Science, Math and not so much on essays (I am not saying don’t pay importance but the degree of importance). The differentiators will be different for different institutions.
Essays – who wrote them? So you should not be placing “Out of the way emphasis” on it, some are good at expressing themselves in writing, some good at talking (We have specialized speech writers just for this) and it goes on…… I read in the blog about how would a Doctor tell the world about his/her work …True, BUT you have to be “DOCTOR” First.
MIT is a unique Institution – set aside all that is said here, Science and more importantly Math retain prime positions. If this is difficult to comprehend, Forget MIT.
Josh this is a blog and I never felt you attacked me - your comment is on my opinion and not on me (Thats teh way one should see it). Each one to his opinion. Sarab or whoever you are learn some etiquettes - you comment on the opinion and not the person. Stay away if you can't do this.
Enough has been said and Good Luck to all of you!
NO MORE
Posted by: JT on December 13, 2006
These discussions are fine and we have had some good insights to it. I am closing.
Don’t get me wrong – Selection is a whole process made up of a lot of elements. But some elements must be differentiators. I am not saying it should only be SAT scores (please read carefully what I wrote).The elements that you need to define as differentiators depends upon the College and what it offers. So MIT, in my opinion, should look at the strengths in Science, Math and not so much on essays (I am not saying don’t pay importance but the degree of importance). The differentiators will be different for different institutions.
Essays – who wrote them? So you should not be placing “Out of the way emphasis” on it, some are good at expressing themselves in writing, some good at talking (We have specialized speech writers just for this) and it goes on…… I read in the blog about how would a Doctor tell the world about his/her work …True, BUT you have to be “DOCTOR” First.
MIT is a unique Institution – set aside all that is said here, Science and more importantly Math retain prime positions. If this is difficult to comprehend, Forget MIT.
Josh this is a blog and I never felt you attacked me - your comment is on my opinion and not on me (Thats the way one should see it). Each one to his opinion. Sarab or whoever you are learn some etiquettes - you comment on the opinion and not the person. Stay away if you can't do this.
Enough has been said and Good Luck to all of you!
NO MORE
Posted by: JT on December 13, 2006
These discussions are fine and we have had some good insights to it. I am closing.
Don’t get me wrong – Selection is a whole process made up of a lot of elements. But some elements must be differentiators. I am not saying it should only be SAT scores (please read carefully what I wrote).The elements that you need to define as differentiators depends upon the College and what it offers. So MIT, in my opinion, should look at the strengths in Science, Math and not so much on essays (I am not saying don’t pay importance but the degree of importance). The differentiators will be different for different institutions.
Essays – who wrote them? So you should not be placing “Out of the way emphasis” on it, some are good at expressing themselves in writing, some good at talking (We have specialized speech writers just for this) and it goes on…… I read in the blog about how would a Doctor tell the world about his/her work …True, BUT you have to be “DOCTOR” First.
MIT is a unique Institution – set aside all that is said here, Science and more importantly Math retain prime positions. If this is difficult to comprehend, Forget MIT.
Josh this is a blog and I never felt you attacked me - your comment is on my opinion and not on me (Thats the way one should see it). Each one to his opinion. Sarab or whoever you are learn some etiquettes - you comment on the opinion and not the person. Stay away if you can't do this.
Enough has been said and Good Luck to all of you!
NO MORE
Posted by: JT on December 13, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 13, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 13, 2006
I believe this should be the most significant component.
SAT scores shows how you performed in a 4,8,or 12 hours of your life - enough said.
Essays are valuable but also vulnerable to fraud and other outside forces.
The transcripts shows how you consistently performed over the past 4 years, and they are all judged within the same frame as your peers.
As many colleges state, "While there is no hard and fast rule, it is safe to say that performance in school is relatively more important than testing. A very strong performance in a demanding college preparatory program may compensate for modest standardized test scores, but it is unlikely that high standardized test scores will persuade the admissions committee to disregard an undistinguished secondary-school record.
"
Posted by: Dennis on December 13, 2006
Good Luck once again to all!!
Posted by: MD on December 13, 2006
@Theresa - I'm sick, too (in Va).
@Sarab - Your comments didn't seem too personal to me.
Posted by: Kelly on December 13, 2006
Posted by: Lana on December 13, 2006
And I agree. I think we're beating a dead horse, here. Let's talk about something less depressing than how we're all not going to get in during regular action and how unfair it was that we got deferred.
Posted by: Meara on December 13, 2006
for the rest, i think MIT means it when it says applications are evaluated holistically. my interviewer told me, after a 2.5-hour long interview, that since the applicant pool is so self-selective grade-wise, the whole thing basically comes down to the writing parts -- your recommendations, your essays, your interview report etc. it seems pretty logical that it would be so.
Posted by: 0 on December 13, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 13, 2006
Good luck to all of you. And I imagine RPI will be busy next week; my son is also sending in app there as well as other tech schools.
Posted by: lisa on December 13, 2006
I had been sick for about a week and had been diagnosed with strep throat, but the antibiotics did not seem to be taking effect. I feared that I had mono but hoped for the best. After I had the blood test done, my teacher, Mr. Adviento, called to ask what the decision was. I told him that I had not checked yet, and he proceeded to tell me that one of my closest friends had been admitted. I was so excited for my friend, but then I felt the pressure really build "Could I have been accepted too?" While I was waiting for the doctor to get the results from the test, I asked the nurse if I could use the computer. I found out that I was deferred. I felt terrible. A minute later, the doctor walked in and asked me why I looked so down. I told him, and then he said he had more bad news: I had mono.
I am sorry that my story is so depressing; I am trying my best to complete other applications and keep my hopes up for MIT.
Posted by: Daniel on December 14, 2006
I don't have a story quite like that...we had an Asian family party thing that night, so it just meant that we didn't bring up that issue then. I ended up going to a Christmas musical, where we sang songs from Moulin Rouge all the way there. It def cheered me up. ^.^
Posted by: Yossarian on December 14, 2006
Posted by: Sarab on December 14, 2006
I was up early in Saturday morning helping my academy's fair for potential students (this is for high school), and my counselor told everyone that I was expecting MIT decisions that day.
All the people there clapped for me and wished my luck, but then when I went in to fix a technical problem, I accidentally ejected the dvd when I'd fixed the problem, and a parent said "you're not getting in."
Ten minutes later, I didn't want to check, but my friend forced me to check, and I read the first few lines and was like "ehhh."
I didn't really feel down because my good friend got deferred along with me, so we were in same boat, until one day at our afternoon student tutoring program a kid from another school who'd gotten into MIT showed up to pick up his cousin. I said I was going to study for midterms and he said he'd probably go party. That's when I started feeling bad...
Just thought it was funny...
Posted by: james on December 14, 2006
Haha...I wonder if I can send a youtube link instead of an actual cd. Anyone know?
Posted by: James on December 14, 2006
There a lot of people out there sick. This is the season so take good care.
There is more to life than college admissions. I keep telling my brother, who has been deferred by MIT, the same. It is hard for him and I understand that. He has done much better than the numbers mentioned here.
MIT is a tough school to get into. During my time (we did not even think of applying to MIT with scores of 2300 and without AP physics or Math and 4.0 GPA). It was so competitive. I am not bringing this up to spoil the mood. The kids who got in definitely had better grades. Maybe an odd one (just the very odd) here and there would always be there. That is why MIT maintained its premier position as a Technology Institute.
I have been seeing the Blog. If what is being said (about the scores etc) is true, it is bad. I agree with JT (though sometimes he is slightly overboard). It is the harsh truth and we don’t want to believe it. You will realize it when you complete your course and go out to work. Here I sympathize with my brother for being deferred.
An interesting statistic comes to mind. MIT received a little more than 11,000 applications and, even if they read around 365 applications a day it would take approximately 30 days (they had only about 30 days from Nov 01- Dec 01) to complete the reading. 365 applications is a lot of reading for any Objective Appreciation of an application which has so many parts to it. To read 365 applications for a proper assessment there should be a minimum of 10 readers (each reading 35-37 applications/day or more). I doubt if this happened (10 readers and each reading 35 applications) unless somebody tells me that my thinking is all over the place. Please tell me.
Reading 25- 35 applications/day/person is the most at elite colleges to ensure a proper assessment. A couple of years ago there was a statement going around about applications being thrown up and those that fell on to one side of a line drawn on the ground were accepted and others deferred. We laughed at the absurdity. I truly believe it is absurd until I saw the figures this time. Can you objectively read 11000 applications in 30 days????? It is anybody’s guess. How could they have?
Every body writes a readable essay if not a brilliant one. Keep in mind all of you are High School Kids who have written a lot for SATs, competitions and various other things. Your essay just cannot be bad.
So I deduce that “Luck” is the most important factor here. So don’t feel depressed about being deferred even if you had great things to put into the application. There is a better college out there.
For MIT – if the statistics are right it a very, very sad day.
Wishing all the students here the very best. You are the Best and you know it. Enjoy your holidays and take care of your health. Intelligence and ability can never be suppressed.
Posted by: Stan on December 14, 2006
Happy Holidays.
Posted by: Stan on December 14, 2006
Posted by: Oh my on December 14, 2006
Posted by: james on December 14, 2006
I was also deferred...However I hope everyone who has posted gets accepted in March. Best of luck to you all. Keep up the good spirit. Even though there were quite a number of us who got deferred, we were not REJECTED because there is something about us to hold on to.
We are Special, We are Unique. We will get into an amazing college.
Posted by: wow on December 15, 2006
Anyone know anything about Florida Institute of Technology. Someone suggested it to me and I got in but I dont really know anything that great about them other than being close to NASA.
I agree with wow on this one we all have at least a shred of dignity because we did not get rejected. Although we have not gotten in (yet) there is still a decent chance of getting in.
My only advice is to have fun over Christmas break and try not to worry about getting in all of the time.
Whew time to start the dreaded Harvard application. Have fun everyone and don't worry everything happens for a reason. Just sometimes it takes a little in depth thinking to figure out what that reason is.
Posted by: Ben Williams on December 15, 2006
Anyone know anything about Florida Institute of Technology. Someone suggested it to me and I got in but I dont really know anything that great about them other than being close to NASA.
I agree with wow on this one we all have at least a shred of dignity because we did not get rejected. Although we have not gotten in (yet) there is still a decent chance of getting in.
My only advice is to have fun over Christmas break and try not to worry about getting in all of the time.
Whew time to start the dreaded Harvard application. Have fun everyone and don't worry everything happens for a reason. Just sometimes it takes a little in depth thinking to figure out what that reason is.
Posted by: Ben Williams on December 15, 2006
Really, the deferment really confuses me, especially afer I received the acceptance from Caltech...
Posted by: Allen on December 15, 2006
awww, Kristin, you rock.
wow, when I found out that I got deferred, I actually was AMAZED.
still. we don't get any sort of mail here in Asia (yes, I'm an American citizen living in Singapore) on the same scale as you would in America. how did MIT send the decisions out internationally - by rush or by regular mail? I'm just curious to know that part...
Posted by: Michelle S. on December 15, 2006
I know of quite a few pople that got accepted to CalTech while getting deferred by MIT. The only explanation I can give for that is that CalTech's admission rate is higher (20%)than MIT's. Also CalTech isnt as conservative in thier decisions for early action (at least from what I have seen). Just dont sweat it you will get in and hopefully I will to
Posted by: Ben Williams on December 15, 2006
Posted by: Anonymous on December 15, 2006
so I went to the orthodontist the other day, and he asked what my plans were for college. I say "well my top choice is MIT, but I was deferred." Despite the "I was deferred" part, just the name MIT puts him into complete amazement. He gazes at me, while his lower jaw drops and literally twitches. He is beyond speech for two minutes. He then proceeds with fixing my retainer. He can't talk of anything else but MIT and Boston for the rest of the appointment.
Posted by: theresa on December 15, 2006
I would also like to thank MIT and the admissions officers who looked over my application and essays. Even though I was not admitted, I will keep on working my butt off to try and ensure I am admitted with the regular action group.
Thank you once again everyone and have a nice day!
Carl Darukhanavala
Posted by: Carl Darukhanavala on December 15, 2006
contact me at
kanika_thegreat@yahoo.co.in
thnx
kanika,INDIA
Posted by: 0 on December 16, 2006
EVELYN LITWINOFF
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
(what other kind of friend would embarass you like this????
A BILLION SMILES AROUND!!!!
bff,
theresa
Posted by: theresa on December 16, 2006
Posted by: Cody on December 16, 2006
I'm asking because my friends and I had thought previously that deferrals were fairly uncommon (because the WHOLE POINT of applying early is TO KNOW IF YOU GOT IN OR NOT! Matt, do you know if deferring students is becoming more common at a lot of selective schools?
I'm asking because my friends and I had thought previously that deferrals were fairly uncommon (because the WHOLE POINT of applying early is TO KNOW IF YOU GOT IN OR NOT! <--caps are because this is how everyone deferred that I know says it, with annoyed, disappointed frustration). But now that a number of decisions have come in, a lot of people that I know have been deferred.
First I was deferred from MIT, and now 1 friend's been deferred from Columbia, 1 from Brown, 2 from Yale, and 1 from Georgetown. We've started a club and we have readings of Langston Hughes' "A Dream Deferred," and we're thinking of having t-shirts made up.
But seriously, I'm wondering now if schools are deferring more people so they don't have that reputation of taking loads of upper-class kids early. Is this the case, or are my friends and I just kind of dumb? (I'm totally kidding here, don't worry) Are more schools, including MIT, going to drop early admissions? Because if so many people are going to be deferred, I think you probably should.
So, basically, the question here is (in case I lost you with that long post):
Is deferring students becoming more common among elite universities?
Posted by: KM on December 17, 2006
Posted by: KM on December 17, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 17, 2006
I got deffered, but MIT is the only college I want to go. It's just tooooo perfect. There is no replacement for MIT.......sad.....
Posted by: Jerry on December 17, 2006
1) I was considering retaking my SAT Biology test because my score (690) may have been one of the factors in my deferral -- would you recommend it? Or should I just study and try to keep my grades up? My SAT I and Math Level 2 scores are 2310 and 770 respectively -- how much difference does one score make?
2) If I send in an art portfolio, what are the chances I will receive my pieces back? Is it acceptable to scan/photograph my work and print it out instead of sending the actual pieces themselves?
Thank you for all the help!
Posted by: Angela M. on December 17, 2006
P.S. I just want to shout out to all of my fellow Floridians! (I'm from Lake Worth; it's in Palm Beach County in the West Palm Beach area) I saw snow for the first time in my life last week! (but only for like 5 minutes haha) Thankfully, this has been an abnormally mild winter, yay!
Posted by: Corey on December 18, 2006
I am Ajay Chahar, a 16 year old student from India. I hail from a middle class family. My father is an Army Officer in the Indian Army. I want to pursue my higer education at MIT(aerospace engg.). The only hinderance is my financial status. My parents cant afford the costs. They have an annual income of $7000. I am listing a few of my achievements:
1. Secured 2nd Rank in 7th International Level Science Talent Examination conducted by The Bangalore Science Forum.
2. Represented Delhi Public School Rajkot at 'LISTEN- The Worlds First Conference on Childs Concerns'.
3.Secured 3rd Rank in National Cyber Olympiad.
4. Secured 7th position in Assesment of Scholastic Skills thorugh Education Testing
5. Appointed School Captain recently.
6. Awarded 'A' Certificate by National Cadet Corps
7. Special appreciation by 'Leprosy Mission' for social work.
8. Represented K V at the State Science Fair at IIT Kharagpur.
9. Represented region at State for Volleyball and Ball Badminton.
10. Won state level debate organised by Hindi Samaj
11. Appointed school basketball and volleyball team Captain.
12. Appointed School Captain at DPS, Rajkot.
13. Choosen as a member of the Indian Ubuntu Linux Team.
I am in dire need of financial aid. I will be finishing my high school in 2008.
Posted by: Ajay on December 18, 2006
Posted by: Andrew on December 18, 2006
Do not worry about a 690 in an SAT subject test. 690 is good. I had 500's in literature but still I was deferred. They look at more than your sat score.
Posted by: Brett on December 19, 2006
Posted by: Tim on December 19, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 19, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 19, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 21, 2006
Posted by: 0 on December 21, 2006
nuthn guarantees admission at MIT no great achievements lik urs no 2400/2400 on the SAt nuthn
so u betta start rearrangin ur priorities..n da guy who asks y der r too many indians in da world lemme remind him ..v have already litterd da world by bein da 2nd most populous nation...so ur bound to find indians evrywhere n newhere (mostly nerds) ,...it geeks ...well im not will nebody answer the question i posted above
thnx ya
kanika
(india)
Posted by: 0 on December 22, 2006
Most of the Indians aren't Geeks and nerds
Almost all of the American Univ don't take Int'l in the winter sessions, those which do don't provide much aid.
Jan scores will arrive in time, MIT has mentioned it somewhere.
Cheers
Posted by: Abhishiv Saxena on December 23, 2006
yeah i agree nt all indians r geeks n nerds (like say im not) n may b ur nt,,but v hav e an image of da kind dats y ,,it is mentioned on da admissions page dat jan scores wudb accepted but i was expectin a reply fer sumwn who has gone thru a situation like mine so dat i can be assured ...u knw ,,thnx newayz fer da info
ciao
kanika
Posted by: kanika on December 24, 2006
Most Indians are not geeks or nerds. Not the kind MIT wants anyway because most of the really studious people in India are only into books. Very few pursue extracurricular activities seriously. Maybe one in a million is brilliant at something outside academics.
That said, most middle-class and upper-middle class Indians interested in studying engineering don't have any option but to appear in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) selection. I presume you know what it is. Well, JEE is one of the most stringent examinations in the world, there are very tough problems in physics, chemistry and mathematics. On an average atleast 2000000+ Indians appear for the exam out of which approximately 3000 get selected on the basis of merit. There are approximately 4000+ seats in IIT of which ~25% is reserved for the backward classes. Out of this many applicants, the ones who get selected end up being very, very sound academically. Maybe this is the reason, you get the impression of the Indians being 'nerds'.
Also remember a vast majority of the country cannot even afford education. Most of the children in villages (~60%) study till middle school, some finish high school and very rarely does someone go beyond.
Posted by: Jahnabi on December 26, 2006
It is easiest to get into MIT as a freshman. Transfers are very difficult. And as a graduate, MIT graduates are preferred over graduates from other schools.
Posted by: Jahnabi on December 27, 2006
I know it's been a while since you asked, but it's now officially 95 days until regular decision is released. This is what happens in sixth period English with a sub.
-Louise
Posted by: Louise on December 28, 2006
Comments have been closed.