So How Does It Feel?

Nov 2, 2009

As the MIT EA deadline approached last year, I remember reading over my essays obsessively, fine-tuning my sentences, changing words, and asking others for advice. It got to the point where I nearly had my writing memorized, and I grew tired of seeing the same little letters in the same order as I opened the same word documents every day.

So I spontaneously pushed submit. A week before the EA deadline. It felt good.

But then, I found a spelling mistake. And nearly died of panic. After receiving repeated reassurances on College Confidential that my tiny error would not cause me to be instantly rejected from MIT, I calmed down slightly, went trick-or-treating for Halloween, and stalked the application tracker on myMIT.

I couldn't sort out my thoughts; I felt anxious about my application, impatient for decisions, reluctant to do my other apps, doubtful of my prospects. There were nearly a dozen people applying from my school alone, and I couldn't help but think that compared to them, I didn't stand a chance.

And now I'm wondering - To all of you who just clicked 'submit' on your EA apps: what thoughts are racing through your minds? Do you feel exactly as I did?

Let me know
Just below
Because that's where
Your comments go

^ Check out my poetry skizzles :)

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

Yeah - to some large extent. Except that I feel a little differently - I'm applying as a junior, rather than as a senior. I actually submitted my application more than a month ago, and so I've been impatient more than anything else. Most of the other feelings (uncertainty, doubtfulness, etc.) were there a month ago, but by now, impatience eclipses the others.

You're not alone (or weren't, anyway)!

Posted by: Elias ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I am so relieved, but so nervous for the Mid-December decisions release. I can't help but wonder if I could have done something better, but I can't do anything about it now. I want the tube!

Posted by: Lindsay '14 Hopeful on November 2, 2009

I'm having a mini-freakout; my counselor sent in the teacher evaluations and the secondary school report in one big package a week ago, but the corresponding boxes on my application tracker remain unchecked.

AND I found a spelling error on my essay a couple minutes ago. Story of my life.

Posted by: Nate '14? on November 2, 2009

I felt relieved when I submitted my application about a week ago, but now I am starting to feel nervous. One and a half months seems like such a long time...

Posted by: Jamie '14? on November 2, 2009

I'm pretty nervous, and doubtful of my chances. But even if I don't get admitted, I'm very glad I applied. I enjoyed the essay prompts for the most part and got to probe into myself a bit. The application reflects me very well. I wish everyone the best

Posted by: Mike '14? on November 2, 2009

It's hard not being nervous. With such a competitive pool, nothings guaranteed. I'm doubtful of my chances, just as many are, but I can never really be sure how the world -- or the MIT Admissions Office -- works.

Posted by: Sean '14? on November 2, 2009

'Tis important to take deep breaths...you deserve them.

Posted by: Red One on November 2, 2009

'Tis important to take deep breaths...you all deserve them.

Posted by: Red One on November 2, 2009

Oops! This Verification (spam) thing made me post virtually the same message twice.

Oh, MIT admissions is ultra-competitive: this is the most in-demand Technology school in the world.

Anyway, good luck every one, including EAs.

I wonder what might become of us hesitant prospective transfers sitting on the fence..Think we'll go for it!

Posted by: (The) Red One on November 2, 2009

@ (The) Red One

Including RAs.

Posted by: Oci on November 2, 2009

I felt strange hitting that submit button. I had been thinking about this application for months, and pushing that button meant it was completely out of my hands. That loss of control is both the scariest application moment, but also the most freeing. I feel like I have a huge weight off of me- it's all on the admissions office now.

I also dramatically changed my application at the last minute by switching an essay and deciding to mail in my abstract.... I felt good about it then. Now I'm freaking out a little. Oh, and I found a nice grammar mistake, too. Excellent! I can blame that for being deferred.

good luck to everyone. with the amount of talent applying to MIT, I'm sure we'll all need a little.

Posted by: Katie '14? on November 2, 2009

Hitting that submit button (and the yes-I'm-sure-I-wanna-submit button after it) was more exciting than anything. My dad and I read through my application backward and forward hunting for spelling errors and then, after anticipating that moment for months, years even, I hit submit.

It's surprisingly anticlimactic, though. Sure, I'm panicking maybe a tiny tiny bit, but I'm perfectly satisfied. I said everything I wanted to say, I think, and I'm ready for it to be out of my control.

Posted by: Lydia AK on November 2, 2009

It feels way good! As Katie said, it's nice to have that out of our control now. Sure, the 6-7 weeks between now and mid-December will be a bit nervewracking, but I really don't miss that looming deadline at all.

Posted by: Sawyer '14? on November 2, 2009

It really wasn't a big deal pressing submit. The flood of anxiety was over whether my essay topics were "good enough". I did the best I could, so I'm just ready to see where it takes me.

Posted by: Koocher on November 2, 2009

Well... it felt good.

At the last minute, I decided to use a petition that I wrote as a sophomore as my optional essay. I'm pretty happy with my decision, as I did not talk about my veganism/animal rights activism in any other part of the app. However, I had to type the whole thing last night (I only had a hard copy), so it is possible that I may have a typo or two in there... EEK.

Though I feel a new sense of freedom, I am a little nervous. I don't think that I will look at my application now that it is submitted; it will most likely make me even more nervous.

Along with these feelings, I feel quite reluctant to work on my other applications. I think I may need to take a few days off of these things...

Posted by: VAL ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I really wish they had EarlyApp for international applicants!! :(
My app's pretty much ready, and I'd have definitely listed MIT as my first choice school....
Well, the wait's gonna extend right upto March for me!!

Posted by: Sreyan on November 2, 2009

And its pretty cool to think that some of the commenters of this post might actually be at MIT next year!! All the best Early Birds!!
Sorry for the double post!!

Posted by: Sreyan on November 2, 2009

10% of us will be overjoyed on that day in December. 80% of us will face suspense for another 3 months. 10% of us will be disappointed.

But in all cases, we'll all have grown from the experience of applying to MIT. So I guess in any case, it's all good and we should just relax for now.

Posted by: Sean on November 2, 2009

I submitted on my birthday (Oct. 31)at 12:30am and I'm glad I did that because if I hadn't I probably would have sat in front of my computer editing my essays all day, which definitely isn't the best way to spend your birthday.
I ditto the comment some of you said about not really wanting to write the essays for other colleges and I also ditto the comment about being nervous for decisions in Dec. I guess all we can do is wait and hope that we'll be "partying in the MIT" next fall

Posted by: Su ('14?) on November 2, 2009

Isn't it great that only about 1/10 of us will get accepted? I would say good luck, but that would lower my chances. No, I am joking. Best of luck to all of you (and me).

I submitted my application 15 minutes before midnight. It was a good thing that my internet didn't kill over and die. You never know in Utah.

Posted by: Landon ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I'm relieved, I think. The only thing that makes me nervous about the whole process is that the application tracking still doesn't reflect the receipt of my teacher evaluations and secondary school report, which I know for a fact was postmarked October 26, so it made it by the EA deadline. It took a lot to hit the submit button, and then it asked again "Are you sure?" and I laughed because it had taken so much to push the first one. I'm excited now though.

Posted by: Alex (Hopeful '14 EA) on November 2, 2009

I like Sean's comments with the percentages. It's so true. I've been waiting for this for months, and I guess I'm happy now that the application is out of my hands.

Posted by: Wish to be at MIT on November 2, 2009

The waiting is the hardest part, except for the essays.

Posted by: Tom Petty on November 2, 2009

I'm wondering what is the chance that I'll be notified prior to mid-November? One of my other schools said early November and I heard back on October 22nd. And it was a yes! I'm still very interested in MIT though, so anxious to hear.

Posted by: Ralph on November 2, 2009

@Landon, so true about the Utah part...hey, another Utah person! Only about 3 Utahns per class at MIT, I think, so good luck to both of us!

And Ralph, I'm pretty sure it's mid-December, not mid-November, but hey, I've been wrong before. The admissions committee would have to be pretty heroic though to make it through all these apps in two weeks.

Man, did everyone write another essay for the optional section? Now I'm nervous, I used it for an abstract instead.

Also, captcha for this post is "Rockefeller dweebs"...

Posted by: Sawyer ('14?) on November 2, 2009

@ Tom Petty:

I bet some of us could write NOVELS...not just essays, for MIT Admissions!

Posted by: Oce on November 2, 2009

I'm nervous.
I keep reading over my essays and wondering if I could have done better.
Also, for the AP courses section, I listed exams that i am studying independently for, but I didn't list these courses in my self-reported coursework. Is that ungood?

Posted by: Name on November 2, 2009

Well... I was going to submit it a week or two early, but, like always, life got in the way, so I had to settle for a couple of hours before the deadline. I'm glad I had that time to relax and watch a movie... and then contemplate the admissions process yet again.

The "Are you sure?" thing really lightened the mood. I finally decided that everything was the way I wanted it, hit submit, and almost laughed when it popped up as if I hadn't asked myself that same question a dozen times.

Posted by: Travis ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I'm just trying to forget about it all together That way, when my tube or (more likely) lack of tube, comes in the mail, I won't be so upset. I also warned my family that if anyone mails a tube to my house as a joke I will get violent.

Posted by: JF('14?) on November 2, 2009

I was so happy to press that button!

In the days before submitting the essays, when I was editing them obsessively, it felt as though every bit of my being was directed towards that application. Therefore, for everything else, I was slow, distracted, and simply not there. Sending it was a huge relief, not only because I don't have to worry about that anymore (I really don't want to think about those essays until December), but also because I feel really good about how it turned out.

I mean, we'll see how it goes, but for a while I was really scared that there was something else I could have done to make it better; I am gradually coming to terms with the fact that I gave it my very best.

Now, that being said...

I can't wait for December!!

Posted by: Natalia ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I am really nervous, and even though I can't change my essays now I am constantly thinking about them and how they could have been different. I rewrote most of my essays on October 31.

Hopefully I get the tube! good luck to all.

Posted by: David on November 2, 2009

Lol I think I did way too many revisions =( The shorter word limit makes three choppy essay that aren't nearly as good as a long one (even a first draft long one). Well glad that got out of the way... now just the terrible wait... >.Lol I think I did way too many revisions =( The shorter word limit makes three choppy essay that aren't nearly as good as a long one (even a first draft long one). Well glad that got out of the way... now just the terrible wait... >.<

Posted by: Anonymous on November 2, 2009

I feel oddly at peace about my application. I feel like I represented myself well, and I got to know myself a little bit better in the process. Now it is just time to play the waiting game and hope that admissions thinks that I will be a good fit for the MIT population. Best of luck to everyone who is applying!

Posted by: Brit ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I'm very nervous about my short essays. I feel I paid way more attention to the longer ones while neglecting (and not even getting advice on =x) the shorter ones. I guess we'll have to just wait and see!

Posted by: Carlos on November 2, 2009

Yeah, I didn't even do the optional part... Oh well. Im pretty nervous but I won't be overly saddened by an adverse decision. I almost wish I would get accepted or denied in December and not have the very-likely deferral. It would be sweet to have a definite answer to end the stress.

Posted by: Brosef on November 2, 2009

I feel totally relieved to get it off my hands, but at the same time, the loss of control is nerve-racking. I haven't even looked over my application since I sent it in. I'm too nervous that I'll find some large error.

Posted by: Jennie ('14?) on November 2, 2009

Was I the only one expecting to see a haiku after submitting?

I feel pretty good about my application. I'm still waiting for Evaluation B to be checked off on my application tracker, but I trust my teacher wasn't joking when she said she'd mailed it.

Posted by: Petar on November 2, 2009

Petar - you watch; I'll bet they'll do it next year. Or maybe in admission letters.

Posted by: Liz ('14?) on November 2, 2009

@Petar: I wrote a poem for one of my essays. :3

Posted by: VAL ('14?) on November 2, 2009

Finally submitting that app felt so rewarding, but at the same time pressing the "Are you sure?" button and not getting some kind of popup congratulations message was pretty anticlimactic.

I'm still worried that no one will read my optional part, which was my most important essay...

Posted by: Abhi on November 2, 2009

I was weirdly non-freaking-out as I copied and pasted my essays into the application and submitted it all. I've been thinking about this school and application for so long that I think I was just ready to finally finish it.

I'm now trying not to think about it [and obviously failing], because I know that it's out of my control and the chances of getting in are low.

Posted by: Claire ('14?) on November 2, 2009

I expected to see some sort of spectacular marquee when I hit submit. Aw man.

I'm excited.

Posted by: Harish (14?) on November 2, 2009

Hello fellow CCer!

Right now I'm just letting everything unfold. I've done all I can.

Posted by: Vinay on November 2, 2009

@Sawyer
I too used the optional section for abstract(s). [I had two.] Figured research was an important part of my life.
I'm actually not one to freak out about college admissions. I tried my best on the essays, and chances are I'll forget when the decisions come out. Even for Siemens a friend of mine told me when decisions came out morning of. He was really excited, but I was oblivious. This is not to say that I don't want to got to MIT, I am applying EA for a reason, I just have a lot of things going on in life that take precedence over freaking out over something that I no longer have any control over.
Best of luck, all.

Posted by: Luczek on November 2, 2009

I never thought I would think Snively was right about the app. I thought I would feel relieved, and I did. But that wasn't the only thing running through my head. I read over my essays one last time, and I thought for a moment about how in writing these essays, I really put my finger on some things I knew about myself, but never really spelled out. Then I snapped out of it and hit submit.

I had read over my essays a few times on my own and with a teacher at my school. We both agreed that they were good essays that represented the different facets of me. And I was done editing. It seemed that further editing could only take the punch out of them.

Obviously I still wonder if I could have done anything better, but I'm convinced I did the best I can. The admissions office also did a good job of being relaxed, convincing me that one grammar glitch wouldn't kill my chances of admission.

So I know how tough it is, but I've been preparing myself for this for the past year. So my blood pressure remained constant. Even when I pushed that button. Best I can do now is to forget about it for the next month.

Posted by: Louis ('14?) on November 2, 2009

For those of you trying not to think about it... if homework and other applications aren't enough to distract you, read The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It is AMAZING (no, I haven't finished it, but I loved it from the first chapter).

Posted by: booklover on November 2, 2009

Hitting the submit button was the most stressful part of the process. I only interrupted my girlfriend's English reading like 30 times, looking for errors in that last five minutes before I hit the submit button.

Unloading all of that stress has had the adverse effect I would've expected. Now I feel empty: there's nothing that I can do for the next two months but wait and see what the all-powerful MIT Admissions Office thinks about me.

Overall, I'm confident in my essays. While I'm definitely not the "perfect" candidate for MIT, I do believe I have a really good shot at getting in.
But I guess we'll see later.

(Good luck to all you Utah guys, but not too much luck. Haha =D)

Posted by: Tyler '14 on November 2, 2009

I remember just staring at it for awhile. And then I just clicked it. It felt good. And then I wanted it back immediately to try and make it better in areas, horrified that past me had not been thinking at the time. But now I've put my trust in past me, in my teachers, and my EC. I feel better, but I really want to be in MIT now. So now I'm drooling and hoping for that lettter. But I feel a ton better.

Posted by: Tim on November 2, 2009

Posted by: Tyler '14 on November 2, 2009

i'm sorry for posting late since im usually early. but as you know. i submitted like a week early as well. and i like checked the thing 10 times. and then after i hit submit i noticed that for my courses they randomly had 11 on one of the blanks but it wasnt on the part of the app. so i freaked out. >.> but hopefully i wont find anymore mistakes. that would not be cool. im still worried about it... but there's a lot more stuff i need to be worried about besides this app since its already in (like my physics test tomorrow)

Posted by: jialing on November 2, 2009

FOR EVERYONE ASKING ABOUT TEACHER RECS:

Quote Matt McGann:
"It is okay if your teacher recommendations are later than the deadline. We are very flexible with your teacher recommendations."

So DON'T WORRY. The Admissions Office is receiving a ton of data right now, and they can only process so much at a time.

Once again: DON'T WORRY. You've done your best, so take a deep breath and don't hold it otherwise this upcoming month-and-a-half is really going to suck for you. Plus I'm pretty sure it's impossible to hold your breath for more than a few minutes (unless you're David Blaine).

Good luck to you all

Posted by: Jeanne '13 on November 2, 2009

Again, good luck to you all! Having so much enthusiasm in yourselves for MIT will definitely show out in your application. =)

Posted by: Justin on November 2, 2009

I'm curious to know how many people actually applied to MIT EA this year compared to past years... lol

Posted by: Colclasure '14 on November 2, 2009

From an MIT rep on CC:
We received 23 (TWENTY-THREE!!!) buckets of mail today, folks. Right now, if your letters of recommendation were received today, then it will take approximately two weeks for them to be processed and reflected on your MyMIT account. We will likely take the tracking system offline shortly, so as to allow us to process all of these application components. I'd check back in the Monday before Thanksgiving. Note that we wait until the last minute to review partial cases, so we won't even get to the applications with missing evaluations until the end of November.

Posted by: Mike on November 2, 2009

YAYA YOU'RE ALL DONE WITH YOUR MIT APP!! Seriously, worrying about it for the next month and a half will not help you get in, but it might help you get ulcers. So seriously, pat yourself on the back, and forget about getting in to MIT for a month.

You can start worrying about decisions again in the beginning of december. In the mean time, enjoy senior year, and have fun reading the blogs!

Posted by: Carin '13 on November 2, 2009

Congrats on finishing your MIT Application!

My best advice would be to try not to think about MIT for a while even though I know it's really hard to do. December will be stressful (I started counting down the days until decisions came out from Thanksgiving) but, the stress is all worth it in the end, no matter what your decision may be.

Posted by: Holly '13 on November 3, 2009

@Jialing: Hey, I had a random 12 showing up on one of my blank courses! I noticed it before submitting, but nothing was there when I tried to change it. It's probably just a bug (gasp! at MIT?).

Posted by: 0 on November 3, 2009

see you next year!

Posted by: nmk on November 3, 2009

As an international I know that MIT doesn't want us as much as an American.It is just giving a chance for being less nationalist!
First Americans are admitted by early app,later lazy or busy Americans are admitted by regular app,finally we have a chance for being admitted but surprisingly in very less percentages!Thank you mighty MIT God!

Note:Is this Autumn Depression or am I right?

Posted by: '14? on November 3, 2009

@ '14?....."lazy Americans", low blow. And read the blogs, they explain why theres no international EA.

Posted by: JF('14?) on November 3, 2009

Well I'm certainly not relieved. Just found out a couple of grammatical errors. =(
Also I think I forgot to count in the time difference between Taipei and Boston so actually I had another twelve hours to proof-read my essays.(Is that right? Does time difference matter or does the deadline differ for every country?)
But I do feel enriched. =)(The Snively spirit!)
AHH December! Hope I'll have a great gift for Christmas.

Posted by: Val'14? on November 3, 2009

Lazy american? Duh. In fact, it's the internationals who are of lower standard. For example, in 100 Americans that apply, its about 20 of them who are REALLY good.

For internationals, its 2 in 100. Most (but not all) are just holistically underdeveloped academic robots. But its not their fault though...I am only comparing.

Also, personally, I would never blame AMERICAN universities favoring AMERICAN students.

I am international btw. Of the holistically underdeveloped type.

Posted by: MOARRR on November 3, 2009

How does everything get entered into the computer for the application tracker? I'm just curious, because I sent all of my evaluations and secondary school report in the same big envelope, but the tracker only recognizes one evaluation.

Posted by: MIT Hopeful on November 3, 2009

@MIT Hopeful: Yeah, I did the same thing and my Evaluations A and B were checked off before my Transcript was. I think you're good.

Posted by: Name on November 3, 2009

hi Hamsika. i am thinking of joining MIT after i finished my 12th.i am currently in my 11th year of schooling.Can you pls e-mail me how did you prepared for the exams & also which exams you wrote.I would like to take up mechanical engineering.pls comment on the application process also my id is shamilks@yahoo.com.looking forward to ur reply...

Posted by: Shamil on November 3, 2009

Well, I didn't really feel much when I pressed submit. This was one week before the deadline. After I send them, I no longer read through my apps. Instead, I just try to feel that I did the best I could; I can only now wait and see. If there happened to be errors or areas of improvements, oh well; ignorance is bliss.

Posted by: George ('14?) on November 3, 2009

@ Shamil:

RTFM

Posted by: 0 on November 3, 2009

I was pretty relieved once I hit submit... once I closed my eyes and pressed the button, I was so happy I had finished. Then I opened my eyes to see "Are you sure?" and I laughed. And I pressed "Submit" again. Now I'm glad that I've applied. I know I tried my hardest and what happens, happens. Good luck to everyone, EA and RA. Whatever happens happens for the best. Now I'm off to read The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and forget about college applications for a while

Posted by: Lauren on November 3, 2009

I received a packet from MIT that said "Don't Panic (About Admissions)".
Then why am I panicking?
In my school there are scary people who have taken 12 AP classes and killed themselves for a high GPA while I sat at my computer and composed music. When my scores compare to theirs, I seem a bit mediocre, though I'm still in the top 10% of my class of 985 seniors. However, everyone in the top 20 or so wants to go to Stanford or Cornell and not MIT, so, screw them! I want to get into MIT and I congratulate everyone who did EA on a job well done. However, as an ironically lazy perfectionist, I am chewing my fingers off as I read manga and do AP Physics homework at the same time (not very productive.)

MIT + tvtropes.org = hypothetical win, too bad the big OvenMIT isn't a creative writing college.

Posted by: Nestor on November 3, 2009

I'm just trying not to think about it anymore and just focus on what lies ahead. I might have to ban myself from browsing the blogs so that I can stop thinking about how awesome it would be to get in.

Posted by: Emily on November 3, 2009

It was good to get my application out of my hands. =] Although now I feel like, I could have said this, I could have said that. Haha, I'm just going to try to focus on life instead of my application.

Congratulations on getting your apps done, everyone. Good luck!

Posted by: Janet on November 3, 2009

I totally agree with you. I am really anxious to get my admission decision from MIT. I am the only one applying from my school but I believe, I have a good shot at getting accepted under Early Action. I come from a low-income area, so getting accepted would be more than dreams come true for me. It would be hope for the future that has been reaffirmed.

Posted by: Joseph' 14 on November 3, 2009

@ Nestor: as I understand it, admissions first weeds out applicants who couldn't keep up with the work load, then they pick the awesome people. Composing music is way cooler than taking lots of AP classes, so you probably have a better chance than your one-dimensional classmates. Btw, like your study method : ).

Posted by: non-namous on November 3, 2009

Sometime during my billion and thirteenth time of rereading my essays, I found out that you can spell gray (the color) two different ways. The way I spelled it (grey) was the internationally accepted way to spell it, but my computer recognized it as a misspelled word. I had a mini-panic attack, and then realized that I was going completely bonkers, because I was freaking out about the spelling of a COLOR. Geez...

Posted by: crystalizedpineapple on November 3, 2009

It was kinda sad to give my halloween but I was really happy when I got done with them. No more spontaneous re-editting!!! but now I'm just going to forget everything and then start panicing again when december comes. I'm so relieved that MIT doesn't consider SAT writing score...

Posted by: Alaska on November 3, 2009

I submitted mine around the 11th - so, 3 weeks ago.

At this point, there's nothing I can do, so I'm not worried at all. Honestly, I can't bring myself to worry about something I can't affect (just like I don't study the night before an AP test because I know it won't make a difference). Though I'm excited to hear from MIT in a month and a half (seems like such a long time).

Posted by: Sri '14? on November 3, 2009

Euphoric.

Posted by: Diana on November 3, 2009

I had spent so long working on my application: deciding what stories to write about, figuring out what to include on my resume, prioritizing subjects.

It was just such a relief to finally see it finished and sent. Out of my hands. I don't have time to worry, because I have other things to focus on. I'll probably forget it's mid-December when I get a response.

Posted by: Geoffrey Ong on November 3, 2009

Just wanted to say thanks to the admissions officers for the effort they're gonna put in to reading the apps. =)
And good luck to everyone, EA or RA!

Posted by: Anonymous on November 3, 2009

Just wanted to say thanks to the admissions officers for the effort they're gonna put in to reading the apps. =)
And good luck to everyone, EA or RA!

Posted by: Anonymous on November 3, 2009

Felt really good! I did basically the same thing as you... I was so tired of reading my app!

But feels great overall. The wait can be a bit restless.

Posted by: Anjian on November 3, 2009

I suppose I felt pretty much a mixture of what everyone posting on this thread thought. Most of all, though, I was re-writing my essays 'til last minute, to the point that I was frustrated enough to realize that I was a failure and wasn't getting in end of the world ahhh.

But i guess it ISN'T the end of the world. I think two people above me commented on how MIT is the most competitive engineering school in the world-- that's just how it is, innit? It would be presumptuous for me to place myself in that category, without knowing what being in that category requires.

So I'm not really hoping for anything. If the admissions staff thinks I can handle MIT it's admission or deferral, and if not, out-and-out rejection.

...that was therapeutic.

Posted by: Anvi on November 4, 2009

Hi Hamsika,
I'll be writing my 12th grade CBSE Board Exams this march. I want to try for admission in MIT. Can you brief me on how to apply for MIT? I'd like to take up Mechanical Engineering. What exams do you need to write and what scores are required? And by the way, what's this essay everyone keeps talking about?

Looking forward to your reply.

Posted by: Sidharth on November 4, 2009

Hi Hamsika,
I have completed my 12th year in school.Now i am taking admission in India's Indian Institute of Technology Delhi(IITD) for B.tech in Computer Science and Engineering.I want to do my M.tech in Computer Science and Engineering from MIT.Can u please tell me how can i get admission in MIT?

Posted by: Ashutosh Pasi on November 5, 2009

@non-namous
Thanks for the encouragement, I'm sure the Admissions officers at MIT will take into account all the random stuff I do outside of school, and at least when I do my community service I willingly want to do it, unlike half the people pressured by the public schools/universities who do 500 hours that they didn't learn from at all, or have fun. Not that 500 hours is bad, I'd rather enjoy them. (That's an opinion! XD)
@MOARRR
Us pesky Americans! Tsk, tsk, tsk! MIT should definitely favor international applicants because they live extremely close to it right? I mean, since everyone is taking a crack at the U.S. these days, maybe MIT should reconsider accepting American kids. You know, bad reputation and stuff.
Only joking! I'm sure any internationals accepted into MIT are so awesome they deserve the acceptance letter.

Nice uncyclopedia article by the way.

Break the impossible! MIT EA & RA Applicants!

Posted by: Nestor on November 5, 2009

is it true that only few international applicants
are selected . on what basis selection is done ?

Posted by: Ashish on November 5, 2009

Well I was planning to apply Regular Action because I have not taken the Sat II's yet (I will now in Nov. 7) Thank god one of my friends from school last year (now MIT '13) called me 2 days before EA deadline and told me apply now! I applied with suspense but with hope, and channeled all the excitement on a Halloween party later. Good luck to all EA's and RA's, hope to enjoy next year with you all.

"You can study in a class, and you will educate your brain... you can transfer your knowledge and time for the good of others, and you will educate your heart..." -Me while trying to use a cool pickup line after tutoring (lol) G.L. all!!

Posted by: El Puertorro ('14 hopeful...i hope) on November 5, 2009

I wanted to submit my app at 11:11:11pm. Pressed submit on the dot, then saw the "are you sure" page.

Aw mannn... haha

Good luck everyone!

Posted by: Daniel on November 5, 2009

Honestly? Distressed. Repeated AppTracker stalking has revealed that the College Board still hasn't sent the all-important Chem and Bio SATII scores, and general paranoia isn't helping. On the bright side, I'm lucky in that I'm an American citizen applying from abroad. Best of both worlds. We'll see though. It's intimidating enough retroactively reading the class of '13 profiles. Though I'll admit the appeal of the university to me lies in the high standards and the knowledge of the other students, there's not a chance in heck I can out-science the Uno kid. Yet. So we'll see...

Posted by: Tymko M. T.(14?) on November 5, 2009

Honestly, I think I feel calm as I have the most important task of my to-do list completed. But then again, the wait is difficult. I have my SAT IIs tomorrow, so I really don't have the time to think about it anyway. For the other EA applicants, good luck!

Posted by: Darshi('14?) on November 6, 2009

Hey all! You must also share your SAT scores and other academic records so that everyone realizes who're they competing with!

Posted by: Asad on November 6, 2009

Oh god. I had no idea what to write for awhile and all I did was make jokes, haha. I hope the admissions officers at least have fun reading my essays, even if they stare at my academic incompetence and go "yeah, we'll pass on that one...>__>" I don't think I have a chance at all, but that doesn't stop me from hoping, right? XD

Posted by: Jay on November 6, 2009

Wise men say
Stressed paths lead not to
MIT

Posted by: Andrew H. ('14?) on November 7, 2009

I submitted my application on the 30th of October. I didn't see this blog until today (I was trying to stay away from this website)so I can't quite remember how I felt when I pushed that submit button (I just know it was a flash flood of emotions).

I feel really nervous right now. I know that I gave it my best shot having revised each essay with English teachers twice. My SAT/ACT English/Reading scores aren't the best; they are probably my Achilles's heel. I hope that being Brazilian will play to my advantage. The only thing I partially regret is not writing an essay on that optional part like some of you did. I wrote some things in that box, but I could have done much better. I can't believe I didn't fully use it to my advantage! Oh well. What's done is done.

I wish the best of luck to everyone who applied; in mid-December, may the tube be in your mail box.

Posted by: Luiz on November 7, 2009

Yes, I feel exactly the same way you did! I know of around four other people from my school who are applying, and I can't help but feel like I will be passed over for some of the others. But hearing that you had the same worries makes me feel slightly better. Thanks!

Posted by: Cherice T. on November 7, 2009

When I sent my application it EA, it was around a week before deadline. My AP Language teacher Pike obsessively corrected every grammatical element in my essay, but liked my writing style alot (and yet he uses words like "more bigly" in class). I really did not feel too nervous, I'm confident that I won't get rejected outright or deffered. But yes, there was that feeling of "now it's in the hands of fate."

Posted by: TheRealJMP on November 7, 2009

Ive been feeling the same way, and I just took the SAT I again today which will hopefully come in time for early action decision. I think I did really good the second time, so im just going to try to keep a positive outlook and hopefully things will be in my favor once december comes around the corner.

Hopefully MIT won't look @ my horrific May SAT and just wait for the November one

Posted by: Justin H. on November 7, 2009

I have too have consistently stalked My MIT tracker every chance I get and I am becoming worried that I may just be a little obsessed. It does not help that I visited MIT for the first time only days before I pressed the submit button. It was almost torture to leave because I fell in love with MIT and Boston and every day now I randomly thing about the Reading Room under the Dome or wonder what hack that someone will think of next. I love the fact that the application process is over but now my next goal is keeping myself sane and busy for the next month and a half so I will not check the Tracker every hour.

Posted by: Cecili R. on November 9, 2009

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