With a record number of applications, this year was once again the most competitive ever for MIT admissions. Admitting less than 1 in 10 applicants from our amazing applicant pool means that we had to turn away many, many, many incredible students. For those of you who fall into this category, this is an open forum for you to talk.
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: Paul Troupe on March 14, 2010
good luck at other places, everyone.
Posted by: anshul on March 14, 2010
Posted by: manis404 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Baransel & Zeki on March 14, 2010
Posted by: kenny on March 14, 2010
captcha: direction eyesight
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
I did get caltech though :p
Posted by: Kaylee on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Rehan on March 14, 2010
I'm going to be more successful then ANYONE you admitted this year. And then you will be sorry.
Posted by: jamie not '14 on March 14, 2010
So, my fellow rejectees, remember IHTFP, from the current students.
Posted by: tree on March 14, 2010
Posted by: andJarodsaid on March 14, 2010
Posted by: tsndimino on March 14, 2010
That says everything.
Posted by: Vladimir on March 14, 2010
I'll be back soon.
Posted by: Sreyan on March 14, 2010
Posted by: noo on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Sam on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Go panthers!
lol
Posted by: Rachel on March 14, 2010
Posted by: anon on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Fenfen on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Well, the driving force of my life and dream school are now gone. Sort of a kick in the face that my best chance is now to get in on the waitlist at Caltech (where I', not all that excited about going). But life will go on, once I let go...
Posted by: Jazzy on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Florida (not class of '14) on March 14, 2010
Oh well. I may be sad now but I won't remember this day when I become more successful than anyone else in MIT Class of '14.
Posted by: Bianca / cykia (Not '14) on March 14, 2010
I will be back to postgraduate though xD, and if I am not accepted to any of the schools I applied to, I will try again MIT.
Posted by: André on March 14, 2010
Posted by: n.vilcins on March 14, 2010
Posted by: --- on March 14, 2010
1. see decisions
2. write sth in blog
3. Go hanging
Posted by: starfather on March 14, 2010
All of the people who have or are gonna berate MIT for not accepting 'em! Do as much as you want but don't say that this place wasn't worth it or wasn't good enough!!Coz you applied to MIT thinking it was good enough!!
I am gonna get over this and shine again....God please don't ever do this to me again!!!
Worst day of my life!! :|
Posted by: Dreamer('14??) on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Farhan on March 14, 2010
Posted by: parav on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous on March 14, 2010
Grad school maybe?
lol
Posted by: Mainak NOT '14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous on March 14, 2010
:(
Posted by: Evan on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Adwitiya on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Brian on March 14, 2010
Just seeing that "sorry" on the page.
Not going to say "it's not worth it" b/c I'd be jumping off the sofa screaming if I had gotten in, but...
Posted by: [x] on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Woohoo on March 14, 2010
I still enjoyed applying to this school though.
Time to move ahead.
Posted by: Ali on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Tim on March 14, 2010
Posted by: S.. on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Aditya Kumar on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Allen NO'14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: LOLO on March 14, 2010
Posted by: L on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Kumar on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Hamid Mir on March 14, 2010
Posted by: anonymus on March 14, 2010
Good luck to everybody.
Posted by: Anurag !14 on March 14, 2010
So...? What's everyone's second choice?
ReCaptcha: more smarter...lol!
Posted by: Rachel on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous on March 14, 2010
"Officially rejected.
Oh well. I may be sad now but I won't remember this day when I become more successful than anyone else in MIT Class of '14."
Oh, wait, I'm NOT sad and will still be more successful than anyone else in the Class of '14.
Hello, freedom :D
Posted by: Caio not '14? on March 14, 2010
My cow bowed and hit me which means good luck for HINDUS
Posted by: Kumar on March 14, 2010
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 14, 2010
Posted by: chris on March 14, 2010
Posted by: darxsys on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Kierra/Kaynay on March 14, 2010
Posted by: ME on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: NARZAB on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
@KUmar please......have some manners....
learn from us pakistanis.....
Posted by: ali on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: tom on March 14, 2010
Do realize, everyone, that you've fought in one of the hardest admissions years yet.
So it goes,
SamY
Posted by: SamY on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: starfather on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Kumar on March 14, 2010
Posted by: friendly neighborhood spook on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Bill Jacobson on March 14, 2010
Anyway, I spent a hell of a time for these applications, I dreamed, I had mixed feelings, I was hopeless and hopeful, I wanted to make my family proud...for those admitted, be happy with your decision, it's a lifetime chance for you, don't keep saying u hate MIT; thousands would have liked to be admitted like you. But if you still hate M.I.T so much, then it puts me in great doubt of the admissions committee; they've actually admitted people who hate and do not want to attend M.I.T and rejected thousands who love MIT and would do anything to attend. Food for thought there...admissions committee, thank you for all. But you are humans, and you do make mistakes. I think next time in the applications for the future, add a question saying: "Do you really want to attend M.I.T?" lol...anyway would be great if you could remove those who are admitted but who hate M.I.T and give their place to students who actually want to attend.
My best of luck and hope to all those rejected like me. It was my lifetime dream, I could see myself there. But now, I just have to move on, my parents will be disappointed and I'll have to face the look in their eyes.
Posted by: Keshav on March 14, 2010
tomorrow 9 pm
18 Ragni apartments,
24 Kumaran Road,
Calcutta.
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Krishna on March 14, 2010
Ha, just kidding, love you guys. See you in four years for grad school, or possibly a transfer.
I hope you realize, though, that I might actually go to Caltech now. This is all your fault, MIT
Posted by: Anshu Chimala on March 14, 2010
I completely agree with that. I mean, there are people who are thinking twice, but are accepted. come on. but okay. they'll be sorry :D
Posted by: darxsys on March 14, 2010
But I got to go to another university and prove my worth. See you MIT for graduates, maybe.
I am just another rejected applicant from Pakistan.
Anyone accepted from Pakistan? Let me know, i'm just curious. A lot of my friends who had just about everything got rejected.
Posted by: Rehan on March 14, 2010
I guess there must be some reason MIT didn't like me.
...and to everyone who's so angry, calm down, this isn't the end of the world. We'll all be successful. And best wishes to those accepted.
Posted by: Lauren on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Ammar'14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Bill Jacobson on March 14, 2010
mit will definitely regret this reject someday when i show them what they lost out on!
your loss mit...im sorry to inform you, mit that you have lost out on one of your best applicants.
all the struggle for 5 months to apply here has gone waste.
but i will admit, it is a place i really wanted.
Posted by: faith on March 14, 2010
Goodluck everyone with everything else..
and congratulations to those who got in! woooh! enjoy yourselves!!
Posted by: Chandra on March 14, 2010
Posted by: maalun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Dave on March 14, 2010
Posted by: -_-'' on March 14, 2010
I'm personally fine with not getting in. I still have excellent options and I hold nothing against MIT or the admissions officers. Good luck to all, and don't take it too hard.
Posted by: Frank not-'14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Pride is fine, but keep it PG-13
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 14, 2010
Posted by: liangshihao on March 14, 2010
the people who are admitted are just taking it for granted. meanwhile, the rejects like us are wondering what the hell did they find in our applications that made them reject us or what they didnt find good enough.
its pathetic but this is life.
a day can be your mother or your stepmother. for me it was the latter today.
Posted by: faith on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: >< on March 14, 2010
Congrats to all those accepted!
Posted by: Jack on March 14, 2010
no hard feelings MIT, you are amazing !!
i dont see how people who can use swear words on a blog related to such a prestigious institution can even aspire to be a part of it...dont let it be a case of SOUR GRAPES :D
-ps ... I also feel that insulting the moderators or the students of the MIT class of 2014 is demeaning and crude......GROW UP kiddos!!
( is anybody else heading to Umich ???
GO BLUE !!!! )
Posted by: Indian from Sharjah on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Bill Jacobson on March 14, 2010
So....MIT!!!!!!!!!
I am going to prove to you next year that I really really belong to you!!!!
Posted by: Wilson on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Hannah on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Kumar on March 14, 2010
Yeah, you have totally right...
I was rejected; such is life. MIT still remains the best place of the world, and that will be the first place I will try after I undergraduate.
Good luck for every admitted!
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
rejected !! rejected !!! rejected !!! not even waitlistted....
but thanks MIT !!!
THANKS alot for making me have a dream and look forward in like THANK YOU !!!
Posted by: mimo on March 14, 2010
and being and indian myself, i still say only a fool would take IIT over MIT.
go sleep with your cow.
Posted by: faith on March 14, 2010
So... why does MIT have this quota on the number of international students admittted every year?
Simply said, in very many cases this regulation rejects people who aren't of given nationality. Why does MIT allow such an unfairness?
I've heard that this is because internationals use to take more financial aid, but this is a second-hand information.
reCAPTCHA: "only trial"
Interesting.
Regards,
Szymon
Posted by: Szymon Bartus on March 14, 2010
Wait... did someone say the admissions rate for international students was less than 3%?Wow... I must admit that makes me feel better.
Then again, isn't it ironic somehow that we get so upset about something like this, something which was a gamble to begin with? I mean, no one feels dejected for not winning the lottery. I know that's an extreme example but nonetheless: we all went into this knowing our chances of admission were incredibly low, and we decided to take the risk. We're all high achieving students, or we wouldn't have applied. Think of those people who are happy to get 650 on the SAT. We should be happy with, and proud of what we have achieved, even if it didn't get us into MIT.
That said, I’m disappointed, of course I am, but I shouldn’t be. None of us really should.
Posted by: Diana on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Emily on March 14, 2010
Posted by: David on March 14, 2010
Cal-tech here I come!!!
MIT was a good tool to encourage me to get my grades up, and Somebody obviously noticed.
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Please note that the reference by maalun at 02:37 PM (that makes a reference to Stu) actually uses some very offensive language and makes some very obscene remarks to Stu in the second sentence. It should be removed ASAP.
In fact the word 'maalun' is actually shortened version of a string of very offensive words in Hindi. It doesn't mean much by itself, but anybody from the Indian Subcontinent could figure it out. And we obviously wouldn't want it to remain on the blogs.
Besides, it is obvious that he has totally lost his mind. I vote for all his posts to be removed. He is a disgrace to international applicants.
P.S. That means you have to remove/censor all the places where 'maalun' is mentioned.
Posted by: Rejected, but still concerned applicant on March 14, 2010
Personally, for me the last six months have been the journey of a lifetime. I have never had this much joy and excitement over an academic process before! I've felt for half a year that I've had this wonderful family standing behind me, and you know what--I still feel that way. For me, this is a blow, yes, but it must have happened for a reason. I have several excellent schools to go to as backups, so right now, I am trying to focus on the positive, not the negative. Think of it this way--we came this far, what's going to hold us back now? My best friend did not get in either, and we are both upset. And he COULD build a particle accelerator in his garage, for the record...but my plan is this: go to another school for the first year, see how I like it, excel far beyond anyone else and enjoy myself, and then, if I decide I still want to, try to transfer into MIT the year after. And regardless, I am going to try to do my graduate work at MIT.
If I get into Harvard, I am going to make myself a t-shirt that says--"Only Harvard On the Outside!"
So long for now, guys, but just for now...I feel certain we will meet again. I have some really great ideas for hacks on the Great Dome...This just means my journey is going to be a little bit longer.
Cheers from San Antonio! Ame
Posted by: Amethyst--MIT fan forever! on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Viv on March 14, 2010
so with that being said, stop dissing one of the greatest instituions this world has seen.
Posted by: ham '13 on March 14, 2010
Thanks. Hindi is not one of my skills.
@ Amethyst
Two words: cross registration
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Morteza on March 14, 2010
Let people hate on MIT. It's called cognitive dissonance; you convince yourself that the situation's not all that bad because the alternative wasn't that great anyways. Would you prefer these people remain extremely upset? Show some sensitivity.
Posted by: Ethan on March 14, 2010
I was dismayed to discover that I will not be matriculating with the class of 2014 at your insitution. I am equally unimpressed with your callous method of informing me of your decision. Please know that your rejection letter will be of use in my future career as a cage fighter/method actor, and I hereby reject your rejection letter and withdraw my application. Good day, Sir or Madam.
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: No more '14 on March 14, 2010
Thanks for reviewing my application I enjoyed to do it I hope you did enjoy to read it too, even though I now know there might have been way better ones.
I'll hibernate my dream to get in until next opportunity comes.
Greetings from Bolivia
Posted by: Jochi Pochi on March 14, 2010
At first I was upset but now after some time to think I've realized it's the best thing for me. If it didn't happen it wasn't supposed to happen. Although the idea of going to MIT for college has the shock and the "I'm smart" factor, I realized that wasn't a good reason to spend four years of my life at a place.
The last thing that I would want is to go to a place and be metaphorically drowning for the supposedly best years of my life. I don't want to look at my friends at other places and see that not only are they getting a great education (and will be very successful in their lives) but they are also having fun and partying and even meeting their future partners. Look, the majority of the most successful people in the world didn't go to an Ivy league/MIT/stanford. And that is just a fact (knowing all of us applied to MIT we really do like facts and numbers...)
It sucks to be rejected but now that I think of it, I'd rather go to a good school and be able to live my life then go to an amazing school like MIT but have to life my life constantly sleep deprived and unhappy from too much work.
So instead of people joking about hanging themselves or whatever because they weren't admitted, just think that maybe now you'll be able to be a big fish getting lots of help from your professors instead of a small fish drowning in lab work. Go to a great college and work your hardest and when someone asks you where you went to college be proud of your answer no matter what it is.
Who knows, maybe I'm just being a pollyanna here but this could easily be a blessing in disguise.
But truly congrats to all of those who got in!
Posted by: CINYC on March 14, 2010
As far as I am concerned, I can honestly confess right now that i know what was missing in my efforts- and I know that I NEED to fix my errors now. I think this probably is the best way to look at our present situation - so I think I am fine with it.
Quotes that are helping me right now- *You do not always get what you want , but you always get what you need.
*Life is just an educational game - so don't take it too seriously.
All the Best for your future everyone!
P.S. I still love you a lot MIT !!
Posted by: Ira on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Mohammad-Not'14 on March 14, 2010
uchicago '14 aw g
Posted by: andy on March 14, 2010
However, I do agree with the fact that admissions officers should explain their decision to rejected applicants. Not as a mere formality or as a justification but as a means of promoting our self-improvement. After all, we should all learn something from this process... No one's perfect, but far too many people are arrogant!
Posted by: Iñigo on March 14, 2010
Thank you
Posted by: ABotond on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Hardik Gupta on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Can'tbe-engineer on March 14, 2010
there once was a school called MIT
and i applied, but it cost me a fee
i got rejected
and not accepted
and now its hard for me to pee.
Thank you!
Posted by: Benny on March 14, 2010
Captach: try seizing
lol...I tried, hard.
Posted by: Keshav on March 14, 2010
why, MIT, were you mean?
do i really need to call you fiend?
i love you so much
goodbye MIT, you look like a bean
Thank you!
Posted by: Benny on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Nicholas on March 14, 2010
Oh come on, let us have some fun for at least one day
We all know MIT is a great school and people are just railing on it because we got rejected. Let us be angry and irrational for a little bit.
Posted by: Jack on March 14, 2010
And to my fellow rejectees, remember this: By being rejected you join a group of over 15,000 great students. Don't take it too hard, and don't be spiteful - there's always grad school.
Posted by: Anonymous on March 14, 2010
wish i was admitted, but this probably means i belong at another school
even though having rejection makes me sad; i'll get over it eventually.
Posted by: not a '14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Keshav on March 14, 2010
Posted by: randomperson on March 14, 2010
1. Why do my chances of admission double if I were to become a female?
2. Why do I need to be more than just "academically qualified" for admission, while applicants afforded minority status require no more than that?
3. Why does the admissions office neglect to address these simple facts with an open and clear policy, instead merely calling itself a "meritocracy"?
To all the applicants who dreamed, ponder these questions and then consider the clear divide between what the admissions office labels itself as and what it actually does.
Posted by: In praise of mediocrity on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Hanging in there on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Faris on March 14, 2010
a recommended pick me up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMjvyPbUt6Y
Posted by: jwingly on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous Mom on March 14, 2010
I'm sorry you feel that our selection process is unfair and disingenuous. I couldn't disagree more forcefully. In fact our policy on affirmative action and diversity is posted on the website for the world to see, 24/7 (Apply -> Affirmative Action):
"In undergraduate recruitment and selection, MIT looks at each application holistically, taking account of many different factors that have shaped a student's experience, including his or her racial, ethnic, social, economic and educational context. We believe it is crucial for the successful future of our world to educate people from every walk of life, and we take great pride in the diversity of our student body, which is typically made up of 19-22% underrepresented minority groups."
MIT values diversity of all kinds, and it is just one of the many things (though not, as you imply, the only thing) we consider during the lengthy, time-consuming, and often emotionally draining holistic evaluation and selection of the Class of 2014.
There is only one reason a student is admitted into MIT, and that is because they have earned the right to be part of MIT's vibrant intellectual community.
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 14, 2010
Posted by: musirid on March 14, 2010
Posted by: musirid on March 14, 2010
A dashed dream, all the same, kudos to those who can live thiers
So many other little things could have caused it, a teachers report, an essay, etc
Lets know that this doesn't neccessarily mean we are not as good as those admitted
Anything could have caused it, so Lets forge on with life
Posted by: Mayomikun on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Tom on March 14, 2010
@ Viv...I totally agree for my child. I have been much worse off than she has waiting for this decision.
@ Extremely Negative Former Applicants....do you have to wonder why you weren't offered a spot? I'd say the admissions staff is spot-on in not offering admission with the attitudes and lack of class that you have shown. Consider growing up before you leave for college. It is okay to be disappointed but there should be limits for supposed "bright" young people.
@ Amethyst....You are one classy young lady and I wish you the best of success wherever you enroll. I really enjoyed reading your comments.
Posted by: Michigan Mom on March 14, 2010
I have yet to see anyone's college tatoo'ed on their forehead. So once you have your first job, few really care where you got your degree. It's what you do with your talent that counts.
@Dave, is the applicant pool made up of 47% female? Or 19-22% of underrepresented minorities?
Posted by: a mom on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
no hard feelings
Posted by: yin on March 14, 2010
no hard feelings
Posted by: yin on March 14, 2010
Every year I am gutted because there are students whom I interview that I know would do well and fit in, but the choice has to be made somehow and some of them don't get in. Right now I am anxious because us ECs only get to find out the decisions on Tuesday. It may even be that some of my students are already writing here. My heart goes out to them. I can remember being that age.
I wish you all the best, wherever you end up. And perhaps you will go to MIT some day. Either way, I hope that you'll see someday that MIT does not have a monopoly on having brilliant people- I've met so many good people who didn't go there.
Posted by: an EC on March 14, 2010
Posted by: anon on March 14, 2010
Walter Lewin doesn't teach anymore
Posted by: anon on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Don on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: A Disappointed Alum on March 14, 2010
I guess that it was a good experience overall. A desire to go here was the thing that led me to apply to schools abroad so i guess in the end it was fruitful in some ways. I might just take a year off after HS and relax as well as reapply next yr i suppose, although, I don't know if i can endure this feeling again.
After a brief reflection, MIT doesn't offer an actuarial degree, which is what i had really wanted to do anyway, so I guess U of Waterloo ftw.
Good luck guys. I suspect that most of the rest of the applicant pool is similar to me so do not forget that we are still some of the greats, even if it may not seem so right now.
Brad
Posted by: Brad on March 14, 2010
reCaptcha: Diversity oakmont
That's a testament to A Disappointed Alum
Posted by: Brad on March 14, 2010
(Why do people have to be so immature about the decisions?)
@Morteza: Really hope you get into Princeton. Maybe I will see you there; I applied too. Stay safe, I know things aren't so stable in your country right now. Best wishes...
@Dave in the admissions office: *wicked grin* Why do you think I applied for Harvard in the first place?
I'd just like to say to everyone who reviewed my application, thank you so much for the opportunity! And don't listen to all the negative people. You must have had an incredible job to do. I'm sure they will all simmer down in a week or two...
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: james on March 14, 2010
Posted by: ra on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Amethyst on March 14, 2010
Hey, possible fellow future Waterloo student there
ReCaptcha: Asked refunded
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
I wish there was just ONE line with a very brief explanation of the denial starting with "You are not a good match for MIT BECAUSE:" and e.g. "LACK OF INTEREST", "Weak academic record", "Not enough extracurricular involvement/achievement", "Writting incosistency", "You are way too selfish and individualist", "We do not believe you could build a particle accelerator", "Your mental health is a concern to us" or "ALL OF THE ABOVE, and btw what were you thinking when you applied?". Any of those would have worked better than: "many of our applicants are not offered admission SIMPLY because we don't have enough space in our entering class". we all know that admission is extremly competitive (that's one of the MANY reasons why MIT appeals to me), but then what? Once AO's have a pile of all the students who deserve to study at MIT that exceeds by 5,000 the spots available... they start flipping coins? Of course not, they get more picky and meticulous and probably a tiny mistake may become a reason to refuse an application. As the list shrinks and some spots are filled, a sense of what kind of group is being made, should arise. it should become exponentially harder to decide who fits better in that class. "Good matches", who are rejected, deserve something more than "We do not have enough spots available" something like "We believe you will not be happy at MIT" or "You matched with MIT, but not with this particular class". Maybe my suggestions are childish, naive or stupid, BUT reading any of that, getting an idea of how far or close I was, having a particular reason, would have helped me a lot more than "not enough space".
Out of so many countries in the world, out of more than 4,000 colleges in the US, MIT is my first choice and out of 16,600 students, I wasn't MIT's top 1600 choice (truly heart breaking). I could have been the last choice, the worst applicant for Class 2014 or the very last in the "Denied" pile; I will never know. It breaks my heart, BUT we all better learn to deal with it, get over it and move foward.
I believe that one of the most important factors to be a TOP university is the application process. The universities need the best SET of students they can get and they know it. By reading some comments I realized that AO's knew what they were doing when they rejected them, but in other cases it might be harder to find out. So I trust their decision. Maybe they forsaw that I was not going to succeed at MIT or got a sense that I was not as accomplished as I could have been because of carelessness or lazyness. If we trust and place our faith in the AO this might be easier.
I really try to see it this way. Just for the fact of considering MIT, we are all top students likely to succeed in the future. Completing the application is not that easy, so that also shows we are determined to seek our goals and dreams, but this is the risk of applying to a top college. So being rejected is not the end of the world (for the record, I was rejected from Exeter and Andover a year ago and look here I am, trying over and over again) because there are many excellent universities willing to accept us for Fall 2010, or for Spring 2011 or upcoming years. Probably an other top college will accept us, maybe not. Still we are likely to succeed anywhere we go.
For those who claim that they will become more successful than all the MIT Class of 2014, then guess what? That university you attended or whatever you did was RIGHT for you, not MIT. Check mark for the Admission Officers.
My most sincere Congrats to all admitted students and best of luck for your years at MIT. You may be somehow ahead of us, but not for long;).
(If someone did not apply to any other college and keep trying, take this as a warning to open your mind to other chocies in the future)
Posted by: Jorge R. Martinez on March 14, 2010
I totally agree..
Posted by: disappointed on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Eli on March 14, 2010
Watch the "Fountain" of Darren Aronofsky!
It helped me a lot:)
One of the best films of the world:)
Posted by: ABotond on March 14, 2010
I believe that would be difficult for the admissions office, not to mention the piles of letters they would get in response.
example:-
"Dear Jack Florey, you were not admitted because we think you're not motivated enough academically"
Response: "From: Jack Florey, Subject: I AM MORE THAN JUST MOTIVATED ENOUGH!!!"
and then our dear Jack goes into a novel-length rant about the magnificence of his motivation.
unless of course you want the admissions committee to be totally cruel about it, e.g. "Honestly, compared to the people we admitted you did nothing special, you don't interest us"
And people, try joining the tautology club next time.
Posted by: Ammar'14 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: xxe on March 14, 2010
P.P.S. I salute the serves and Sysadmins behind this site that holds against all this traffic with absolutely no noticeable delay, Thanks guys!
Posted by: Ammar'14 on March 14, 2010
it is like a hundred students admitted out of all the application. How unfair that can be and of course SAD at the same time !!! i still love you MIT, but u r not fair with everybody.
I remmeber MIT said that no one have an opportunity more than the other !!! can you explain this now !!!! very dessapointed !!
And to all who were admitted !!! you are exceptional guys best of luck in ur studied !!!
Posted by: painful on March 14, 2010
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/international_applicants_helpful_tips/international_men_women_of_mys.shtml
http://tech.mit.edu/V127/N14/admissions.html
hm, is it coincidence that the captcha words for this entry are "quotas determined"?!
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Valerie on March 14, 2010
Did they look at the music supplements and interviews from EA?
I don't see how they could have accepted anyone from Utah when they won't accept someone with a perfect GPA at the most competitive and most difficult school in the state. Don't even mention the facts that I am an Eagle Scout, that I have played piano my entire life, that I have earned enough college credit for an Associates Degree, and that I rank in the 99 percentile for the ACT.
By the way, if you didn't notice, I didn't get accepted. They really should stop overvaluing AP and IB credits. Concurrent Enrollment and college courses is where it is at.
Oh well. I guess I am screwed since the application deadlines for other schools are over. No college at all for me? That sucks.
Does anyone know of any top schools in the US still taking application?
Posted by: Landon(not '14) why? on March 14, 2010
Rejection is not the end of the world. There are a lot of great colleges and universities out there, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
I applied to about a dozen schools, and saw quite a few rejections. While I was accepted to MIT, Caltech, Yale and Princeton, I was rejected by Harvard, Stanford and Rice.
Being rejected does not mean that you are a failure, or that you are not as impressive as some other people are.
The school you end up attending will be your home for the next 4 years (give or take a few). Be it MIT or some place else, all of us will make new friends, get hammered with homework, and be hosed by exams.
What really matters is what you do with the opportunities laid out before you, regardless of what school you end up going to.
There are many brilliant and successful people out there, in the public, private and education sectors, that never attended MIT... and some who never finished college.
Likewise, I know people who graduated from MIT, yet never seemed to do much with their lives or live up to their potential.
So, to all of you who did not make it into MIT, I saw this...
Good luck to you all! Make the most of wherever you go! And always remember, any college you go to can be great!..... unless you go to Caltech or Harvard, which just suck!
=P
Kim
MIT Class of 2012
Posted by: Kim '12 on March 14, 2010
Hey why don't you get in touch with me waterloo potential? symphonia4@hotmail.com
Posted by: Brad on March 14, 2010
Hmm... maybe it's because you are an arrogant jerk? And why would you apply to only one school, did you just assume you would get in because of your insane awesomeness?
Posted by: Chase on March 14, 2010
Wherever you go, do not forget to change the world.
Posted by: Adriana Barrag√°n on March 14, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: randomperson on March 14, 2010
be back in 4 years
Posted by: Anon on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Zane on March 14, 2010
Posted by: QA on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Haha on March 14, 2010
Thanks!
Posted by: Smit on March 14, 2010
Did you seriously just apply to ONE school? Are you THAT certain you would get into MIT? o_____o
Anyway, there's no chance that "top schools" are still taking applications now. You're better off just taking a year off. Do something cool or enroll at a community college and reapply next year.
Any future applicants reading this: PLEASE do not apply to just one school!
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Jochi Pochi on March 14, 2010
To all other well-qualified but rejected applicants: No matter what your life goal is, there must be multiple paths leading to it. I'm sure MIT is only one of them.
It is interesting to see that according to statistics, those who are accepted to MIT but choose not to go end up just as successful as those who chose otherwise. From this, we can conclude that someone who is truly qualified but did not receive an offer due to factors out of their control will not suffer in the long run. They will be successful regardless of which university they attend.
Finally, I want to say congratulations to all my fellow applicants, whether accepted or not. We took a shot at the world's top university, and whether gold or silver, we made it to the final round.
I sincerely wish everyone the best of luck in the future.
Toronto, Canada
Posted by: Someone In Your Shoes on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Matt on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Someone In Your Shoes on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Someone In Your Shoes on March 14, 2010
Good luck to everyone wherever you end up going!
Posted by: Liam on March 14, 2010
Posted by: REJ on March 14, 2010
captcha: "beamish he". Jabberwocky?
Posted by: Macfuddy on March 14, 2010
Posted by: ibrhm on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Denied on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Arpit on March 14, 2010
Farewell, but not for long,
Tyler Devan
Indianapolis, IN
Posted by: Tyler on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Home on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Arpit on March 14, 2010
.......... It will help me convince myself
Posted by: Arpit on March 14, 2010
I'll probably be attending Waterloo this fall. You?
Posted by: 0 on March 14, 2010
Posted by: anon on March 14, 2010
See you at Waterloo in Fall 2010! I'm aware that a few others on this forum are also headed for UW. Hope we'll find each other there.
Posted by: Someone In Your Shoes on March 14, 2010
Your disappointment is misplaced. MIT DOES NOT have quotas.
I'll say it again: MIT does not have quotas.
Am I being clear? I can say it again if necessary.
We do not include diversity for the sake of diversity, but rather as part of a whole person. Just as academics, arts, athletics, leadership, and a dozen other qualities we feel benefit the MIT community are considered as desirable, so too is diversity. It's a piece of what makes people who they are, and what makes MIT a vibrant, wonderful vortex of awesome. If you think that any student is admitted to MIT because they only possess a single one of those desired qualities and not a whole lot more, you're just plain wrong. With a 9.7% admit rate we can't afford that luxury.
@ dad_mitrej'ed_gr8_kid
This year's increase was tame compared to last year's (17%). The admissions office has brought on several new staff members, including me, to help share the intensive workload of selection, and the staff members who manage the process do a fantastic job. I can't speak to specifics, but remember that for us, selection is an event that runs from October through May. The admissions officers still work very, very (very) hard to make sure each student gets our full attention, best effort and the benefit of every doubt. It's one of the aspects of selection that makes us emotionally invested in the students we read. Each of us have students we really wanted to be part of the new class, and we all feel the joy and pain when decisions are made. We all wish there could be more joy.
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Also in those shoes on March 14, 2010
Posted by: MIT Reject on March 14, 2010
Posted by: Memo on March 14, 2010
Well at least I tried and had a great time.(MIT was my first application!)
I guess what the bloggers said is true...MIT isn't or everyone. I'm just not good enough. I think this just showed me how much i need to improve. Still it hurts.
Anyways, at least there are transfer and gradschool! I will be back in no time, MIT.
Will be thriving some plce else..at least for next school year. =D
Posted by: Val'14? on March 14, 2010
Thank you for all the hard work you've done.
See you at grad school, maybe? LOL
Posted by: K on March 14, 2010
Or maybe...
Roll up your sleeves people!
Let's outperform, out-invent, and out-achieve!
It's time to prove an admissions department wrong!
But first, a little pick-me-up from happier times...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye8mB6VsUHw
P.S. I still like MIT
P.S.S. Though Pi Day will never be the same... -.-
Posted by: Hector on March 14, 2010
Posted by: thethinkingatheist on March 14, 2010
When the results came out I took a deep breath and clicked on "Display Result". Well I didn't take the decision gracefully. lol. I think I went through all phases of dealing with 'dissapointment'. First:-
Denial :- I refreshed the MIT decisions page a couple of times hoping it would change.
Anger :- I mentally cursed Stu (sorry). If i were you I would always sleep with one eye open.
Bargaining :- I prayed to God. lol. Considering the fact that I'm an atheist that wouldn't have worked right?? However I'm not ashamed to admit that I did beg God to make it a mistake. Ah!
Acceptance :- It sure took me a lot of time to accept what had happened. I had already cried a lot. I had vomited and yeah the food came out a bit. :( Rejection washed through me. Then I cried again. Meanwhile my parents consoled me. (they didn't succeed.) Right now they are trying to pamper me lol. But I don't want anything. I tried to sleep but couldn't. I opened my chemistry book and studied for a good 2 hours and then slept. That made me forget the horrible result for some time.
But then i read a story and its lesson "This too shall Pass". Well I sure hope so. Well MIT I'll apply again. Please don't think that you'll get rid of me this easily.
Hey anyone does bribing work at MIT?
Posted by: Suryansh Pant on March 14, 2010
think about, reading it would just make the job harder.
so i guess that's it, i'm really not going to MIT. :( or no college at all. :( :(
i still love MIT and will obsessively come here and read about-whatever....hopefully it stops like soon.
oh well, it's totally there fault i mean you're missing a vital, vibrant, energetic, happy, wonderful...[and other great adjective] person in your class.
i guess my billion dollar future donations will go to some other school, or not.
ugh, why cant i get over it. :(
and guess what songs comes on
yes, breakeven by the script.. :( tears i really don't wanna cry.
I will love MIT always!
-all i wanted to do was use MITs resources to create opportunities for my people.
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
don't you just love life and time, and how neither ever stop or slow down or go backwards
Posted by: same Anonymous above on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Carlos Barksdale on March 15, 2010
Here, here, brother!...that sounds suspiciously close to my plan.
To be honest, this might actually be healthier for me in the long run. I go kinda restless if I stay in one place too long; 4 years is almost the max anyway. Maybe it would have turned out that 4 years even at a place like MIT would be too much to bear...interesting thought.
Posted by: Amethyst on March 15, 2010
take meeeeee, you were always my number 1 and you will never cease to be; ill wait for a "lololol jk we totally admitted you, dude" letter
:D
Posted by: Ariel on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous on March 15, 2010
Everyone who rejected and accepted are the best!!!
I'm from Kazakhstan and planning to apply for class of 2015. I'll try my best to get in. And look at your self some of you are in Caltech (that's my friends dream school).
Life keeps going!!! You'll be lucky in something bigger!!!
Every one is special in own way!!!
A. Einstein.
Posted by: Ruslan on March 15, 2010
I got rejected from MIT.
All this time I had this feeling that I might get in. I thought I knew everything about MIT just because I memorized almost everything on their website.
I spend the 90 percent of my applications time on MIT.
I thought I am the perfect MATCH. But just as my EC said " even MIT does not know what they are looking for "
Today I am telling this right here, right now to everyone who might have lost all hope after getting their decisions.
Every year at least 1000 students graduate from MIT,
1000 from Harvard,
And probably the same number from the top 10 universities in the world. So a total of 10,000 Highly Talented World Changing Super Efficient people gets in to the Real World. And if these Universities are at least 50 years old. Then 500,000 of these GRADS already exists in the world.
But how many of these people are actually changing the world ????
Most of these graduates end up selling them selves to a "big" company for a high paying salary.
Now you may think that I am saying all this because I turned out to be a rejected looser.
But trust me MIT i have gained something so much more Important that even a million mit degrees put together cannot give me.
May peace be upon all of you !
Posted by: Desperate Rejected Looser on March 15, 2010
see what I found ::http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/FSif0oeAinx/Unemployed+Banker+MIT+Graduate+Peddles+Street
Posted by: I am a Desperate Looser too on March 15, 2010
I read rejects announcing that they will be so much more successful than their admitted counterparts and scoff. But is that really any more pathetic than my idea that I'm condemned to become another cog in the machine because I was not one of the less than 10% let in?
MIT was not my lifelong dream or anything, so you don't need to feel that bad about it, admins. And I know I probably opened up my heart to you too much in my essay about my greatest challenge, to the point of awkwardness. The process was not all bad. I learned about myself. No hard feelings.
Well, some hard feelings.
Posted by: wouldntmindareply on March 15, 2010
I will definitely come back to MIT as a post graduate....or as a Professor to teach here.. and will tell these people what they lost.
Posted by: Mukarram Shafique on March 15, 2010
Posted by: prefrosh'15 on March 15, 2010
In posts above, you said that you “couldn't disagree more forcefully” that MIT’s “selection process is unfair and disingenuous,“ and that “MIT DOES NOT have quotas.” I sincerely do not doubt your incredibly hard work and dedication to applicants in the face of an ever-increasing torrent of top quality applications. And, of course no one believes that anyone is rejected for a single reason or lack of a single quality. However, please have enough respect for the 90% of applicants who were rejected to at least consider the following points.
1. Fairness and quotas: MIT prominently reports gender and underrepresented minority distributions for enrolled applicants, but is much less forthcoming about admissions rates for these same groups. In fact, to achieve the acclaimed 46% female enrollment rate for the class of 2013 last year, the acceptance rate was actually 8.7% for men versus 19.4% for women (data on MIT website at http://web.mit.edu/ir/cds/2009/c.html). Analogous numbers for underrepresented minority applicants are not provided.
2. (Dis)ingenuousness: As a private institution, MIT is of course welcome to engineer the composition of its incoming class however it wants, whether it is done through explicit quotas (unlikely and forcefully denied) or by a sufficiently ambiguous definition of diversity and affirmative action that this is achieved “holistically.” Given the time and emotional investment that so many students place in their MIT application, however, don’t you think they at least deserve the transparency of knowing, for example, that men’s odds of acceptance are less than half of that of women? If this is not the case, or if I have misunderstood, please say so, with actual data!
@Everyone else:
Of course none of this matters to you, MIT rejected you. However, if you were basing any part of self worth on MIT Admissions’s opinion of you, please realize that MIT’s (or anyone else in life’s) priorities are not necessarily matched to your own. Go to your next choice school, and make it better by your presence! If you got this far, you will succeed!
Posted by: Another Disappointed Alum on March 15, 2010
http://web.mit.edu/ir/cds/2009/c.html
Posted by: Another Disappointed Alum on March 15, 2010
Am I disappointed? Yes, it would be inhuman not to be.
But, honestly... Think of the future. When you or one of the other MIT rejectees is President or head of the Department of Energy or something, won't it be nice to say in an interview, "Yeah, MIT rejected me."
Essentially, MIT didn't grab all of the "world changers" in their application pool, as they aren't clairvoyant, or psychic.
So lets buck up and further prove the college admissions process is a completely fallible and sometimes seemingly arbitrary process.
Posted by: John on March 15, 2010
Now, inshaaAllah, off to Canada either U of T ,MgGill or Waterloo
Catch you later MIT
Posted by: official-mit-reject on March 15, 2010
I'm going to give you a reply:
I've been scanning these posts all day in disappointment, looking for answers or for people who feel the same as I do. Frankly, I agree with you about half way, but something about what you said resonated with me more than any other person so far.
I also pondered, "maybe I'll be a little in over my head at MIT," but then I reasoned that any person in their right mind should feel that way, and if they don't, it's pure egotism. Most of us are successful and capable people, tackling many great endeavors. We haven't run into any "no you can't" situations because most things come easy to us. This is where I begin to disagree with you. Rejection from MIT isn't a "no you can't" situation. This is sadly, a numbers game. There are simply too many talented people for an unfortunately small number of spots. I am not disappointed with myself, nor my seemingly outstanding performance in high school. I am just disappointed there are not enough spots. I am not jealous of anyone who has gotten in, for I know I would be proud to sit next to them in any MIT classroom. I trust they are my equal, and that is precisely the reason why I am disappointed.
Rejection from MIT is no reflection on who you are as a person or your ability to succeed. Your success in life isn’t written on an admissions letter, it’s written by your work ethic. Keep up what you’ve done your whole life, and things will fall into place.
Posted by: Connor on March 15, 2010
Posted by: still love MIT on March 15, 2010
Some people seem to think that because the admit rate is X percent for men and Y percent for women that this represents a quota.
A quota is where there are N slots or N % allocated for men/women/Martians/beings with three legs and, do or die, those slots will be filled by the admissions office with beings having those characteristics.
This is different from what actually happens, which is that in order to achieve what it thinks is a balanced class, MIT selects what it wants from a huge applicant pool, and all of the people it selects are qualified.
No matter which way you slice it, you will find that the admit rates are skewed. Suppose somebody applies who is the only three-legged Martian in the entire applicant pool, and gets admitted. Does this then mean that the admit rate for three-legged Martians is 100% and therefore MIT is applying a quota?
I think not. If there were no qualified female applicants one year, there would be 0% women in the graduating class.
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Kenneth (Caltech '14) on March 15, 2010
Posted by: prefrosh'15 on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Conceited & Selfish Ada (Casual Observer) on March 15, 2010
partyyyyyyyyy
good luck all you MIT people. dont go wild and drink too much coca cola
Posted by: partylikearockstar on March 15, 2010
Anyways I would like to thank the adcoms for viewing the app. Like a person above said a note would be nice, but they are busy people after all. And thanks to my interviewer and the great bloggers here, who kept everyone's hopes alive.
Guess I'll try again in 1 or 4 years hehe and that time I'll make sure you dont turn me down (just kidding)
Captcha: Gruesome was --kinda true lol
Posted by: Akshay on March 15, 2010
Posted by: ME! id luv a reply on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Vienna ´14 on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Kasengo on March 15, 2010
Cool, count me in !
and while you're at it
http://techtv.mit.edu/genres/28-life-at-mit/videos/1502-behind-the-scenes-of-admissions-at-mit
a bit old but still nice. we'll end up like the "infamous" student that come check up on the admissions office every other day ^_^
Posted by: Ammar on March 15, 2010
Posted by: ann on March 15, 2010
Posted by: sm on March 15, 2010
Best Technical School on the Planet and MIT can't base an arguement on statistics? How weak is that?
Posted by: Bob on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Caio (not '14) on March 15, 2010
I'm not angry or anything, I just believe that an appeals process would be beneficial for both the institvte and the applicants. I'd really like the admissions department to look into this as I believe that people who might not be as impressive in terms of awards and distinctions as others might sometimes be a better choice. Maybe they're more aligned with MIT's mission etc.
Ahhhh, M.I.T.
Posted by: H on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Caio (not '14) on March 15, 2010
statistics can't be used as a predictor because sometimes there are underlying factors that can skew them. One thing that I have heard admissions people say, when they came to talk in my town, is that the women who apply are somewhat self-selecting so it's not a true sample of all the female high school students anyway. I don't work for admissions office so I cannot prove or disprove that; however, the argument is valid. Danger of posting statistics is that then people will use it to hold MIT to things that it shouldn't be held do eg. suppose next year it is women 5% admit rate, men 15%, people are going to ask what the reason is for the discrepancy, when there is no "reason" as such- that's just how the numbers worked out that year, there is no conspiracy keeping women (or men or [insert demographic group here]) out or in. I think you would be opening up a huge can of worms where the admissions office would be forced to justify a set of statistics that is meaningless.
Another problem appears to be that what the institute thinks of as "fair" is clearly not what other people think of as fair. And that is because "fair" is not definable like a law of physics. Some people are equating "fair" with "equal probability of any applicant getting in based on external characteristics such as gender, race, ...". Admissions office is defining "fair" as "we choose from the large pool of qualified people". Who is "correct"?
Laying all my cards on the table- I am a female alum. I don't know what the statistics were in my year, but i know that in my time there I didn't meet anyone, male or female, whom I thought was unqualified to be at MIT. I also met a lot of people who were not at MIT who were pretty qualified and would have done great there.Some had applied but didn't get in, some didn't apply and went elsewhere and did great anyway.
Posted by: alyssa on March 15, 2010
Posted by: genii on March 15, 2010
p.s ...this will be a lifelong thing and to qualify u need to be brilliant and a reject
p.p.s both the above qualifications are satisfied if u have applied for mit ( obviously)
and forgive my lack of punctuation..
Posted by: genii on March 15, 2010
Posted by: genii on March 15, 2010
Posted by: mit-reject on March 15, 2010
Posted by: zhongzhi on March 15, 2010
Posted by: zhongzhi on March 15, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
Successful people are ORDINARY people with an EXTRA-ORDINARY desire to succeed... in real life it really doesn't matter where u study...
Posted by: manu on March 15, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
You got the point there!!!
Posted by: Ruslan on March 15, 2010
@mit-reject: Waterloo ftw! (*^__^*)V
Posted by: Someone In Your Shoes on March 15, 2010
Posted by: cory on March 15, 2010
That's the spirit! Being from Indiana also, I can empathize! So few people at MIT know the "Wander Indiana" song, or the "There's more than corn in Indiana.... Indiana Beach" song!
If you still have your heart set on MIT, there is always Transfer Admissions.
Additionally, there is also graduate school. MIT has more graduate students than undergraduates.
Do well, wherever you go! Be hungry for new opportunities! And, if in a few years, you still want to go to MIT, the chance is always there.
-Kim
MIT Class of 2012
P.S.
Last year, I met an 18 year old, 4th year MIT graduate student. The guy graduated from a small town college when he was like 12. Then, he took like a break for a year or two, before coming to MIT for graduate school.
I am truly disgusted!
Posted by: Kim '12 on March 15, 2010
MIT has always been a dream for all of us. Let's not give up. Besides Undergrad is quite irrelevant in comparison with Graduate School. MIT is always an option to come back to in four years.
But I will continue to carry my head high, knowing I did my best, and that is completely fine by me. And not sure about the rest, but I can bet I will be applying for transfer in the next year
CAPTCHA: as orpheus I have officially been rejected for the first time in my life. It is sad, but also inspirational at the same time. Some of you say this is Game Over, but I think not.
MIT has always been a dream for all of us. Let's not give up. Besides Undergrad is quite irrelevant in comparison with Graduate School. MIT is always an option to come back to in four years.
But I will continue to carry my head high, knowing I did my best, and that is completely fine by me. And not sure about the rest, but I can bet I will be applying for transfer in the next year
CAPTCHA: as orpheus <3
Posted by: Sanford ('14?) X on March 15, 2010
You are right that SAT scores are not everything.
I knew one girl from MIT whose SAT math and verbal scores did not break 600. I don't think I knew anyone here with a lower SAT score.
But, as I understand it, her school grades were good, she had a VERY STRONG extracurricular and volunteer background during high school, while working part-time.
MIT does not judge you on just a single category. Nor does MIT look for a single, cookie-cutter template, when it comes to admissions. It looks at the whole picture.
If things were so cookie-cutter, the girl I knew would not have made it into MIT. But, she shined in so many other ways, that, on the whole, she got accepted.
-Kim
MIT Class of 2012
Posted by: Kim '12 on March 15, 2010
my friend forwarded a msg to me a few days ago it said '.. it's madness to stop dreaming just because one didn't come true..'.. so true..
life's a roller coaster ride and it's short.. so i suggest that we stop mourning and get on with what we really want to do.. and that is to make the world a better place..
to the admissions committee and SFS: thank you for reading our applications and helping us make a decision.. while i agree it would have been nice if we just got a note stating the reason for our not being admitted, i realise that it would be very troublesome for you.. and i would also like to thank Diane whom i pestered with a lot of questions, to each of which she replied with equal importance and patience.. thank you all for everything.. it was my first college application and the first time i did each and everything on my own.. thanks for making it so easy and stress-free.. and some people may not be nice to you now but do know that, regardless of anything, you did a great job.. thanks once again..
and it's still not over MIT.. i'll apply again.. maybe as a transfer or for PG
Posted by: rejectedbutdetermined on March 15, 2010
You should be happy about even the chance, that you could try to apply to the best technical university of the world.
MIT is in the USA, and for american people.
Why should an american institute educate foreign people, who will make an other country better(maybe for the bad of america)?
I agree with that quotas, and thank you MIT for the chance, and that you (and especially Richard Feynman) gave me a dream!
I hope we'll meet in the grad school, and until then, I'll work on some hacks in Europe (just to prepare for the MIT)
Posted by: ABotond (not '14) on March 15, 2010
------->The return -------...->will be soon
the best fowler is the to last to flourish
MIT you are the best university in the world.
GREATING FROM TUNISIA
Posted by: Mohamed Amine Mhedhbi'14' on March 15, 2010
Even my teacher, after I broke the news today, who had taught her in the past, said (and I quote)
"She is smart, but she is not quite your caliber"
MIT, of ALL schools, should be a haven for intelligence, hard work, and academics. The fact that MIT chose based on recruiting is disgusting to me, and made me lose so much faith in the university system, especially MIT. But whatever, I know that we three will be more successful at whatever school we go to, I just hope that MIT isn't graduating a bunch of jocks who don't know a lepton from a higgs-boson :(
And please, Dave, delete my post. I dare you. God forbid people know the truth about admissions these days. Recruiting and affirmative action have gone WAY too far. Smart kids are getting boxed out for jocks and "URM", and it is just WRONG.
I dont care about me, because Im going to work hard and succeed wherever I am, but I implore you, for the class of '15, to reconsider this new, deplorable policy of recruiting. Leave that to the Notre Dames and the Dukes of the world; the havens for student-athletes. Leave MIT to the real thinkers.
Posted by: Insomniatic on March 15, 2010
Posted by: Lucky Guy on March 15, 2010
At least I found out that I didn't match with MIT. If I took the spot of one of the accepted applicants who actually deserved MIT, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror.
Posted by: crossrunnerzero on March 15, 2010
I have more words of personal reflection but it doesn’t really matter. Tell other friends who didn’t make it in, just read some other people’s post. It really helps you to realize that you are among some of the smartest people who happen to be disappointed about the same thing. Good luck everyone.
BTW: I can’t believe that’s all they gave us for an Officially Rejected message. Three paragraphs? I spent so much money, so much time and effort and that’s all? Cold!
Posted by: Alaska on March 15, 2010
You have no idea why this woman was accepted. None whatsoever. Did a coach call you? Did the admissions office send you a letter?
You really are a punk
Posted by: '13 on March 15, 2010
Wholly inappropriate, and nothing to joke about. *deleted*
@ Insomniatic
Why on earth would I delete your post? You haven't personally attacked a fellow commenter and there's nothing obscene. You're free to speak your mind here.
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 15, 2010
TELL ME MIT WHY !!!! YOU BROKE THE HEARTS NO A PERSON OR A 2 OR A 3 OR 10 OR A HUNDERED BUT THOUSANDS !!!!!!
LESS THAN 3% WHY WHY WHY NOOOOOOOOOO !
WE ARE ONLY ASKING FOR SOME FAIRNESS IN THIS WORLD !!! THIS WORLD IS VERY BAD !!! IF MIT NUMBER 1 HAS NO FAIRNESS WHO DO WE EXPECT HIM TO HAVE SOME FAIRNESS !!!!! DARK WORLD !!! VERY VERY VERY !!!!
Posted by: PAINFUL on March 15, 2010
Should expect something like that out of you, after what you said to ann who was making the same point I am. No, I do not think SAT's determine being a 'real thinker', but a lot of other things do. I dont have a 'holier than' anything attitude. The other three kids I talked about deserved it more than I do, and I will readily admit that, but this particular girl, I dont believe, quite earned it. Lets face it, recruiting happens. Schools get money from alums who enjoy keeping up with the school teams, and sports have become really big in america. I dont think theres anything necessarily wrong with that, but I do believe that recruiting should be left up to the schools that really are suited to student athletes, and frankly MIT, as one of the top technical institutions IN THE WORLD, should not be picking based on athletic ability. This is merely my opinion. I also believe affirmative action to be incredibly racist, why should we hold people of different races to a lower standard? Color is so incredibly irrelevant, and we shouldn't base peoples relative intelligence off of it. I find you to be rather rude, '13, and if you wish to make a point you could lay off the Ad Hominum attacks. Jeez.
Posted by: Insomniatic on March 15, 2010
Hi all. I'm a second-year MIT student. Congrats to all of you who applied, I know how hard the process was and how many hopes and dreams were banked on this process. So I'd like to tell you all that it's not over. Life is all about the long haul. If there's one thing that MIT taught me more than anything, it's this: everyone blows out sooner or later. But if you're the one who can take it, gets back up, and continue on with a smile, you're the one who wins out in the end.
To those who got rejected and are getting pissed at the institute, believe me when I say that you should thank your luck that you got rejected, because MIT would have wiped you out. If one little rejection letter is enough to make you quit, or lose your cool, you weren't made of the right kind of mettle for this place. You'd become just another one of those sad cases who brags about being at the top of the world, falters as soon as they realize that everyone here is as good as they are if not better, and breaks when they realize they start losing ground. As they say, pride goeth before the fall.
But to those of you who, admitted or rejected, takes a look at the new game and resolves to win this one, or at least to do as well as you possibly can, take comfort in the fact that you've taken what the institute had to throw at you and not only survived, but you won. IHTFP, we all do, but when it's over, we'll be smiling at the other side. I look forward to seeing some of you next year, and some of you in four years.
Cheers,
fiicere
Posted by: fiicere on March 15, 2010 05:51 PM
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
Thanks for giving me hope and motivation to work hard for six month ....
congrats 2 admitted ...
Posted by: Ahmad_Egypt on March 15, 2010
Posted by: a mom on March 15, 2010
Look at it this way: If you tried to paint a vibrant picture of our human experience, but only used one color of paint, your painting would look pretty damn boring.
I know that sounded corny, but it's what I truly believe. I'm a sophomore in high school this year, and am also a white male. I haven't had to endure the college admissions process yet, but I know the "holistic" approach that MIT takes to admissions is for the betterment of our community at large. Just my two cents.
Posted by: NolanMB on March 15, 2010
MIT does not lower their admission standards for athletes. Their sport(s) might take the place of other extracurriculars, but their test scores and grades still need to be within the acceptable range. What you might be misunderstanding about student athletes is their work ethic and their time management skills. What MIT has probably discovered is that students who can balance one or more varsity sports and a rigorous academic schedule successfully will likely be driven to work hard at MIT too.
A strong work ethic goes a long way at MIT. My own student was not a National Merit Student, but was able to out work many other students with more brain power. One of the biggest concerns of incoming freshman is that they don't know how to study because they've never had to work very hard for the grades. Sometimes a strong work ethic is a better indicator of who will be able to handle the workload at MIT. Those with great time management skills and the work ethic required of accomplished varsity athletes are very likely to be successful at MIT and they do not deserve to be badmouthed here.
Posted by: a different mom on March 15, 2010
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/pulse/the_match_between_you_and_mit/index.shtml
These are not likely to be measureable qualities, like test scores and grades, but characteristics reflected in the application or recommendations.
Posted by: a different mom on March 15, 2010
As a side note, the 4 hours I endured on public transportation for my MIT interview was the longest trip I have ever made for a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
Posted by: Paul on March 15, 2010
Posted by: a mom on March 15, 2010
I take offense to the implication that any student who was not admitted would not be able to handle the workload of MIT.
Posted by: a mom on March 15, 2010
Completely, 100% agree. thank you! Nothing wrong with students being admitted for special talents, but lets be fair here and treat actors and artists with the same importance as football players and track stars.
Posted by: insomniatic on March 15, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2010
Nope, it's not just IMO medals that want. My IMO medal failed to work.
Posted by: Kenneth (Caltech '14) on March 16, 2010
If you still really decide you must, you can chuck me out later, but for the present...WAITLIST ME!!!
Posted by: WhyNotMe? on March 16, 2010
There is no way my son, who thought he wanted to follow his sister to MIT was going to attend and flourish there, regardless of what he would bring to the diamond. And he had 2000 on his SAT. Yeah yeah yeah, not up to some of your standards, but pretty damn good. Even with being an athlete and a sibling offspring, I am sure MIT may have seen it was not a fit.
Athletes do let the coach know of their interest in MIT, and can write a letter (after getting to know the student/athlete), informing admissions of their opinion about what that student can offer the school as a whole, including fitting in academically. The coach does not sit in on any decisions, etc. Man oh man, get over the fact that you were not accepted, and move on...Over 90% of the people who applied were not accepted.
Trust me, one year from now you will have moved on, so start doing it now.
Posted by: PArent '13 on March 16, 2010
It sounds like you're bitter that your less qualified female class-mate was admitted while you were rejected. However, you are in no place to judge her or the adcoms. Maybe there was that match between her and MIT that you did not have. Or maybe her application reflected more passion and motivation that yours.
@a mom: Yes, the musicians, academicians and hard workers are all equally considered. This is why applicants are asked to write about themselves and what they do.
Anyway, I'm only a prefrosh, trying to defend what I consider the most transparent admissions committee in the world. I could be wrong.
Posted by: 0 on March 16, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 16, 2010
This is a board for students who were not admitted. Let them whine, or cry, or experience whatever emotion they would like. From the posts, it's easy to see what a wide range of reactions there are. I appreciate those current students and parents who have attempted to be sympathetic, encouraging and supportive. For some students, it is a lifelong dream that is being altered. I don't think it's asking too much to show some courtesy and respect to them. Telling people get over it and move on is not being supportive. (As are the posts saying "you wouldn't have made it here anyway", etc.)
BTW, I am "a mom", not a student.
@anonymous - My comment was in the context of recruitment. Best of luck to you.
Posted by: a mom on March 16, 2010
MIT coaches do recruit athletes, and are happy to talk to any student who thinks they might want to apply to MIT and have an interest/talent in sports. Most of that work is trying to convince great athletes to apply to MIT, and making sure they understand that at MIT, academics always comes first. MIT's common hours help support our athletic community, and we're justifiably proud of our great student-athletes.
Recruited or not, MIT doesn't offer guaranteed spots for athletes. We're very up front about that, but I thought I should specifically mention it. In fact the idea of athletic recruitment being a ticket to admission would make most MIT coaches laugh (and occasionally cry). Just ask them.
What does happen is that MIT coaches evaluate athletes, give us an expert view of an applicant's ability, tell us what that student might bring to the campus community, and pass that information along to us. In much the same way we ask music and arts faculty to evaluate supplemental materials in those fields. Those evaluations are the extent of outside input into the selection process.
We do consider athletics during selection. Of course we do, for all the reasons already stated in this discussion. But to say that we consider athletic achievement more than other areas is simply not true. Any activity that takes up a student's precious time, indicates passion and dedication, or displays achievement is of interest to us. The selection committee has absolutely no idea if an applicant has been "recruited." We only know whether or not there's an athletics/arts evaluation.
I know it's difficult to try to figure out why MIT didn't offer admission. I doubt I can improve on what my predecessor said on the subject, because while the numbers change the sentiment remains the same.
I don't want you to think you didn't get in to MIT because you were or weren't an athlete. I don't want you to think you didn't get in to MIT because you're somehow not an amazing student and whole person. Sometimes MIT isn't the best place for an applicant. Sometimes there's simply not enough room to let in everyone we'd like to.
To take away that being turned down by MIT diminishes the brilliant minds, gifted musicians, visionary artists, talented athletes, determined community organizers, inventive tinkerers - whatever makes you wonderful - of our applicants; that's the wrong message. We fully expect all of you to do great things and change the world. That journey just can't always start here, and we do understand that's often our loss.
Sincerely, all the best.
Posted by: MIT Admissions - Dave on March 16, 2010
Interesting that not only did you not hear it first hand from the student, you did not even hear it from the student's parents.
In DI, athletes are approached by schools and coaches. In DIII, a student expresses an interest in a school that they believe they can compete at academically. They fill out a form and a coach will contact them about their interest. There are NO athletic scholarships at DIII schools. AND those schools do not provide academic scholarships for athletes a DIII schools either. After a student expresses an interest and fits the academic profile, a coach does stay in touch, and encourages an overnight as well. The same way the school in general encourages that for all students expressing interest. Trust me, as a parent who just went through major college recruitment for baseball (which competes with pro baseball draft), MIT does not recruit.
If you want to say they do, then they also recruit for musicians, artists, and the like.
So stop whining about being left out in favor of someone who now plays a sport is what I am saying. Fine, whine and vent about not getting in, but don't blame it on something you don't know anything about.
Posted by: Parent '13 on March 16, 2010
@Dave - Thanks for clarifying and for some POSITIVE words.
Posted by: a mom on March 16, 2010
Posted by: Amethyst on March 16, 2010
Now, his SATs (Jan 2010) are just as impressive as his sister's who is at MIT, and his course load may be a little tougher. Should his swimming be though of less than someone who attends science fairs?
Posted by: Parent'13 on March 16, 2010
Posted by: Parent '13 on March 16, 2010
Posted by: a mom on March 16, 2010
it could mean:
>>you wouldn't enjoy it here at all (this is likely), and you would hate the next four years of your life.. (more than the average mit student, anyway)
>>they think you might burn out after the first time you get less than 50% on an exam...
>>you are the type of person who isn't self-motivated to spend 7 hours a day (in addition to class) studying/psetting/etc.
>>>>>even if you did this in h.s., it's way diff. in college. you have to be your own security net.
>you applied to a list of schools that looks similar to this...
>>>>>>>>>harvard
>>>>>>>>>dartmouth
>>>>>>>>>mit
>>>>>>>>>caltech
>>>>>>>>>olin
>>>>>>>>>carnegie mellon
>>>>>>>>>stanford
>>>>>>>>>UC Berkley
>>>>>sure, each one of these schools might have felt like home, but if you didn't make it very clear in your app that mit was your first choice, accepting you is a gamble for the school. it could hurt their '(n_enrolled)/(n_accepted)' rate. plus it looks like you don't really want to go to mit but just to Prestigious University "X"
>>you have always been #1 and you'd be more motivated fighting to keep at the top of a less intense university
>>or (this is really unlikely, as nobody seriously applies to mit c/o actually being a competitive applicant) you aren't up to mit standards or lack potential
so, i'm not saying that you fall into any of these categories, but i do want to stress that the MIT admissions committee does not take their decisions lightly. if you did not get in, it doesn't mean that you're stupid or that mit is better than you, or anything. it just means that mit and you are not the best match. this is a GOOD thing. now you know. trust me, not getting into schools makes the whole college decision tons easier.
for whatever reason mit is not going to bring out the best in you, and why would you want to go anywhere that won't help you to be the very best version of yourself? i know y'all aren't going to fully realize this until you are halfway through freshman year, but it is true
it's far better to accept this now than to have gone to mit and have it kick you in the face. the place for you is out there, and it probably has better weather and a better meal plan.
SIDE NOTE:
Don't blame you not getting into MIT on not doing the right sports or not being a concert pianist. there isn't a some tennis player quota that they have to make each year. and even if your mad violin skills are a big part of your application, it wouldn't matter if it were paper football skills instead, it's mostly about how that has affected you as an individual and how it is expressed in your character. someone that played varsity soccer might get in over someone who did no sports, but there was no one deciding factor... (e.g. i got in, i only did sub jv cross-country and track freshman and sophomore years of h.s.)
also, mit is not a 'fun' school. i mean, i have fun, but it'd be easy not to.
Posted by: student '13 on March 16, 2010
I felt like I was beaten down to almost nothing, then kicked in the teeth when I was down. In case anyone misreads this as being some sort of misbegotten attempt at making MIT students out to be superheroes- it isn't. I don't think that one should have to go through that in order to graduate from college. I don't think my experience was atypical of MIT students, and I don't think that a lot of other schools have that same culture of "IHTFP". Sure other schools are hard, but I've not really seen many others in which pride in being hosed is that big a part of the culture.
I got a lot out of it- I'd stop short of saying "it was fun". I have to say i also was completely, utterly miserable at times. Don't get me wrong I'm not sorry i got in and not sorry I went but like student '13 said- "I have fun but it'd be easy not to". it was a pretty thin line at times. maybe I am a wimp..?
so what was the culture fit there? I guess the ability to tolerate the above and come out the other side. Plenty of people get through life successfully without having to do it that way. I don't think less of people who didn't go through it.
all I'm trying to say is- there's not necessarily a correlation between SAT scores, being a top athelete, artist or musician or whatever, and being a fit with the MIT culture. It could be that you think you are but there isn't the evidence to show that you are. Don't ask me what that evidence is.. I have no idea how one measures it, but I know the culture.
also, now that I've been out a few years.. I realise how much people change after graduation. It may be that after you graduate from elsewhere, you will be a better match.
Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2010
I agree. MIT can be a complete shock, for even the most gifted of students.
There are many students here who were at the top of their respective high school classes, who soon discover themselves failing MIT exams, doing all-nighters on problem sets, and dropping classes.
Then there are situations where your fellow classmates make you feel really really small. Let me give you an example...
So, I considered myself to be a pretty good math student. I got a 770 on the SAT Math (I know, I know...), A's in high school, and placed on various state-level competitions.
One day, I was walking with a classmate of mine, walking towards MacGregor, when my classmate encountered a person she recognized. I discovered they recognized each other from the International Math Olympiad. (I had no idea that my classmate was part of that.. she had never advertised that before).
So, let's just say that I felt like a math wimp in the shadow of these people.
In another case, I learned that a friend of mine spent the summers of her high school junior and senior years doing research projects at a big-name bio company.
I, on the other hand, had never done any sort of research work like that before. My high school career was pretty much JUST high school classes and clubs, a calculus summer camp at Purdue University, some state-level math competitions, a little bit of volunteer work, and a few other minor things... all of which seemed to pale in the light of my classmates.
I often consider myself to be a "normal" mortal attending a school filled with many "Supermen".
I am now a sophomore here at MIT. I have yet to do a UROP, and doubt I will ever find the time to pursue one.
I pulled 2 all-nighters back-to-back this week, trying to do my 18.404 homework, which quite frankly, I am not really comprehending. Turing machines, how you elude me so!
I managed to squeeze out a 4.75 GPA here so far, which I am pretty happy with, but realize that it was by no means easy. This involved me...
1.) pulling many many all-nighters, to finish homeworks,
2.) attending TA-run office hours, to get help,
3.) using HKN's free tutoring services for assistance (in this case, for 6.042, where I was getting a D in the class at the beginning of last semester, but managed to eek out an A- at the end of the term)
4.) hiring private tutors for additional help (for Linear Algebra)
One of the biggest difficulties for many students who excelled in high school is asking for help. We were so accustomed to having others ask us for academic assistance, that it is often a foreign notion for us to be asking others for help.
But, at MIT, we all learn that we went from being a big fish in a small pond, to being little fish in an ocean. And honestly, there are some who are unable to cope with that realization.
I know that there are a good number of people who applied to MIT who did not get accepted.. people who earned better grades, got higher test scores, did more impressive extracurriculars than I ever did. Those people may have felt confident that they deserved, no... that they could conquer MIT.
But, MIT is a powerful, menacing beast, that can suck the life out of even the most accomplished hero. Many have charged in, only to be crushed under MIT's mighty claws.
More often than not, to survive MIT, you need to be flexible, collaborative, willing to accept that you need to find a party, recruit a buffer and a healer... because here, you find that your hit points just are not enough to solo the quest.
-Kim
Massachusetts Institute of Trucking
Class of 2012
Posted by: Kim '12 on March 17, 2010
Past is past.
Can someone give an opinion on what would be more reasonable next year - to apply as a transfer student or as an undergraduate?
Posted by: n.vilcins on March 17, 2010
but if you do get in, you will have a lot harder of an adjustment, and you'll have a lot of catching up to do. i'm not saying that to mean you shouldn't go for it, just it's something to be aware of and really think about. is it worth it? or would you come out better after four or five yrs by going to a different school.
also, remember, what if you don't get in the next time around, i hope whatever you did that year trying to increase your chances of getting into mit still mean something and are a positive incorporation into your life if it doesn't lead to mit.
i guess what i'm really trying to stress is that you shouldn't have to bend over backwards changing who you are to fit into what you believe is the model of an mit student. i'm not going to say that you can't do it, but if going to mit means you can't be yourself...don't do it. you won't be happy
whatever you do/did to 'impress' mit should still be meaningful and worthwhile if mit did not exist.
best of luck to all of y'all, and if you want to, you will love your college more than any other school and have a blast and no regrets wherever you end up, it really is ~90% attitude
Posted by: student '13 on March 17, 2010
Posted by: student '13 on March 17, 2010
Posted by: Et Tu on March 17, 2010
Your 770 SAT Math ain't worth anything, "I got a 770 on the SAT Math (I know, I know......)"...
It's time to get over yourself and stop feeling so smug because there are lots of non-MIT students who scored more than that...
Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2010
Anyway, take heart everybody. If they made a mistake, show them. After graduating top of my class in computer science at Stanford I applied to MIT's PhD program. It felt really good to turn them down!
Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2010
@anon first of all it was kim, not kate. and if you read what she wrote again you'll realize that that was the exact point she was making..... she definitely was not being 'smug' and i think you read the 'i know, i know' the wrong way. i'm pretty sure it meant i know that 770 is about avg for the people writing on this blog.
b t dubbs, it is worth something. 770 is awesome, and compared to other sat scores, it will always be worth something.
the only way it would've been a valid statement for you to shoot down someone's SAT score is if you're point was that SAT scores in general don't really matter in the great scheme of things, life, etc. saying it isn't worth anything because it isn't as high as yours or someone else's just makes you sound like a jackass.
and really, after you hit M:750 V:700, differences in scores aren't going to carry a lot of weight. (i.e. 770 is, for all intents and purposes, the same as an 800)
Posted by: student '13 on March 17, 2010
It's easy 770 SAT Math; but whether SAT scores correlate to later success in life is something I don't know or even care about...btw I had a 790 and loads had 800 from my country.
I know exactly what I am talking about; the point I am making here is that this is a "rejected" students forum, not some outlet for a bored MIT student to sound their horns for purposes obvious known only to them...
You have your approach wrong but I am not surprised 'cos you are sticking up for one of your own, for your type...Your kind make me sick.
miao miao
Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2010
Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2010
Anon, I,a reject too, think you read it wrong. Sometimes, tone is important, and that's hard to convey in blogs.
Oh well, MIT see ya in cuatro anos! And until then, I promise myself to not read your blogs ever again.
P.s. Most intelligent people should try "The Onion"
Posted by: Et Tu on March 17, 2010
honestly, we (mit students) read these blogs because a lot of the comments are funny.
funny because y'all take some things way more seriously than they should be taken
i'm not trying to 'sound a horn for purposes' i'm just saying what i wish someone had told me last april and the december before that.
i wasn't defending anyone based on where they go to school, i was merely suggesting that you may have misread what they wrote, and i didn't want other people taking your misinterpretation on it. it is a subject i feel strongly about, and you used some pretty powerful words shutting her down, i was trying to undo that. the truth is, sat scores really aren't super important, and so they shouldn't make you angry enough to insult someone without taking a step back to realize what they are saying.
and, finally, mit didn't make this blog for rejectees to bash mit.. i'm just trying to give some people a positive perspective on the situation bc you sure as hell are getting a lot of negativity on here
Posted by: student '13 on March 17, 2010
Hopefully I'll hear back from Stanford soon. I could see myself there, and there's always transfer applications.
Congratulations to everyone who made it and sorry to those who didn't. I just hope we can all find somewhere to belong.
Until next year, I'll miss you.
Posted by: Jacob on March 18, 2010
Oh My God, like you are seriously "saucy" and sick? or something, calling someone a "jackass" here, you have no right to do insult and be abusive and must be respectful towards other users because you are the one who seems so sad and pathetic.
Your comments should be taken off this blog presto; your type have no business being at MIT. You think that just because you are at MIT gives you the absolute right to denigrate others..
I think Anon was only trying to point out Kim's obvious superciliousness, her comments def ooze that, I agree.
Your affected attempts at being condescending and morally superior, e.g. "comes across as being from someone who is in a pretty bad mood", are frankly, irritating, and make YOU the one who sounds like a jerk and a douchebag.. (tw*t)
Posted by: Lauren on March 18, 2010
Cheer up and just look forward.
My words are exclusively to the international applicants, but domestics are welcome too.
You all are wonderful and you will be admitted in another top university, be sure.
I didn’t have the intent to write here at all, but I changed my mind when I realized what is in fact the profile of an average MIT student and I’m surprised.
Well, MIT is great, and it will be. Even without you. But do you really think that the admission committee has reviewed all of the nearly 4000 international applications just in one pass and has made the right choice for a pool of 130? Selecting 3%, comparing applicants of different culture, different scholar systems, different social, political, religious and economical live and philosophy and all that in one pass? I’m a teacher in a selective high school with an acceptance rate of 1/5, requiring entrance exams in math and literature and we always check the works twice, independently, and if the grade deviation of a work is greater than 0.5 we check it again. But MIT makes the decision, reviewing 4000 applications, much more complicated than just an exam, only in one pass, at the same time declaring that the process is more than precise.
I was told that the admission process for internationals is a lottery, but I didn’t believe it. Now I think I was wrong.
I’m a mother of a rejected international. His GPA is 4.96. Ranks second in one of the strongest Math and CS high schools in our country in Europe, with an acceptance rate of 1/20. SAT Mathematics 800, SAT Chemistry 800, SAT Physics 740. TOEFL 105. 10 National Olympiad Medals. 7 National Merit Scholarships. 2 European Projects Scholarships. NASA contest medal. MENSA 99 percentile. MENSA member since he was 10. Strongest curriculum, especially in math and CS, strongest extracurricular activities. Granted by the city administration for his social activities and achievements in science – every year. But he will never say that he is something more than you are, and I know that many of you have much more to show. But how many? So I don’t think that all of the applications have been reviewed in a way they should be. He is rejected. Even not waitlisted. As he used to say – mom, I’m wastelisted. Well, he is offered admission by universities in London, Madrid, Toronto, US and some American universities abroad he had never applied to. Somehow they knew all his scores and achievements. And I’m happy. But my son is not. Because he wants just MIT. Because all of the above was just a preparatory work for MIT. He was assured by an alum that MIT is the best choice for him and that he is the best fit for MIT. Now he is in shock. He feels like a piece of a puzzle that should fit the shape but doesn’t match the picture.
But I’d like to hear your opinion, especially you at MIT, what you think could be the problem with his application?
One more question to all of you, guys. If you were my son, would you try MIT again? Same lottery again?
Posted by: mother on March 18, 2010
I don't think your son was one of mine as I didn't tell him that MIT was the best choice for him and he was the best fit. However, the story really resonates, because he could be one of my students.
Many of the international candidates I interview are seriously good and I know that many of them would do well at MIT. BUT, I also know that there is a limit on the number of international students in the freshman class (well-documented and I think I've seen the links posted somewhere here already).
When that happens, the choice has to be made somehow. If there are more qualified candidates than places, then some qualified candidates will not get in. MIT does not have enough place for all.
I am almost certain that there was no problem at all with his application. It is not a numbers game because they don't just throw all the names into a hat and pick 50 out (or whatever the number is)- I know that the admissions are considered very carefully and they are always group decisions (someone from admissions office correct me if I am wrong, please).
It is hard to have to choose, but the choice has to be made, and that is what has happened.
Your son sounds like he will do well anywhere. I wish him and you all the best.
Posted by: an EC on March 18, 2010
Posted by: an EC on March 18, 2010
So stop blowing your own trumpet and stop being annoying and boring (yawns...), acting like you are the best that has ever been. I, for one, I am not your fan or one of your "admirers". Personally, I think you are just A PRETENDER!
Posted by: Karen on March 18, 2010
A few things I wanted to clarify...
When I said that I got a 770 SAT Math, I did not mean it in a condescending way. What I was trying to convey was this:
1.) When I was in high school, I thought I was pretty good in math. This was because, relative to my high school classmates, I was probably the top math student there.
2.) After I came to MIT, I learned just how wrong I was.... that my math skills were nothing compared to some of my classmates here.
3.) That sort of realization can be quite a shock. I know it was for me. I had been so confident about my math abilities, but MIT made that confidence crumble in many ways.
4.) I am not alone in feeling this way. There are many students who thought they were the best of the best in high school, who feel mediocre once they come to MIT.
I apologize if I did not properly express what I was trying to convey before. I was not trying to be smug. Quite the opposite.
MIT can be quite humbling. MIT has humbled me (as well as walked all over me and spit on me a few times). There are times that I wonder if I can handle my current classes, yet alone 2 more years worth of classes.
Many people apply to MIT, confident that they belong to MIT. Some of them probably are. But, as I learned, both in my experience and in those of some of my classmates, MIT can unnerve even the best of us.
I hope that clarified things.
Kim
MIT Class of 2012
Posted by: Kim '12 on March 18, 2010
That's really touching. I bet the "haters" are a bit sorry for themselves right about now...It's just that the pressure of the college application process can sometimes make us folk "steam over", or act in most unpredictable ways.#
I know, I am applying transfer so it won't be any easy for me...either!
Posted by: Oce (the other cambridge) on March 18, 2010
Posted by: KRoch Scouribe (Scotland Svc) on March 19, 2010
Sorry that wasn't clear--theat was actually the point I was trying to make, that the profile of the dumb, non-creative athlete is totally not true. I was agreeing with you and some of the other commenters.
Posted by: Amethyst on March 20, 2010
Add a comment