After my kickboxing class today I ran to the Bush Room and just finished a three hour shift of the Admissions Telethon, calling to congratulate Early Action students on getting into MIT.
It was... tough. What do you tell a high school senior during a surprise phone call on a balmy January evening?
"HimynameisConnieandI'mafreshmanatMIT... andIwasjustcallingtocongratulateyouonyourearlyadmissionanddoyouhaveanyquestions?"
The first few calls were just as surprising for me as they were for the person I called, but I understand if we caught you off guard or in the middle of homework. We had a team of roughly 25 students calling students on the East Coast, slowly moving across the US into the West Coast by 9pm EST. The best part of my job was calling students who were ecstatic that they were getting a call from MIT, their dream school!
.JPG)
.JPG)
The room, the fuel and the tool!
Luckily after two of my roommates joined me, the process started going a lot smoother. We got a chance to chat with students from Massachusetts, New Jersey (Anji's home state!), Florida, Georgia, Washington (Nicole's home state!), and California (my home state!)
Anji after a few successful calls... and Nicole after her first one!
We tried our best to answer as many questions as possible about CPW, housing, extracurriculars, athletics, campus life and everything in between. In case you thought of any questions or have more, please feel free to email me at connie.huang at mit dot edu or just comment on this post! I'd love to follow up with the students I got a chance to chat with and hear from the ones I didn't get to reach.
After Nicole and I finished our eightieth call, we downed the last of our chips and were serenaded by the Chorallaries, in the middle of practice in Lobby 10 for their upcoming competition!
Lookin' good, Hannah Wood.
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Awesome stuff. Asians FTW!
Also--I think I actually recognize one of those people, having seen them in real life. (As inferred by the smart people reading this, I do not go to MIT.)
Early admissions? I wish I could... /jealous
Alas, if only--but good luck and have fun!
It is a lovely day today~
Posted by: It's a lovely day on February 1, 2012
<3 That particularly awkward prefrosh ^_^
Posted by: Erin K. '16 on February 1, 2012
Who do you recognize?
@ Erin
It was great talking with you too, I'm glad you found my blog post. I'll be here to answer any more questions if you think of anything else!
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Erin K. '16 on February 2, 2012
Yup, connie.huang and connieh both work!
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
But I didn't catch the name of the person who called me... all I know is that she lives in Maseeh! Oh well. She was awesome.
Posted by: Aish on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Hannah Wood on February 2, 2012
All you prefrosh are awesome!
COME TO MIT. Visit Connie and me over CPW
Also... awkward photo of me on the blog -____-
@Aish... I'm wondering if I talked to you... but idkk.... LOL is it bad that I can't really remember all the names?
Posted by: Kirsten L. '15 on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Sammyyyy on February 2, 2012
ohoho
@ Kirsten
It was so much fun! I can't wait for CPW : )
@ Sammy
ohoho you
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Aman Jain on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Aish on February 2, 2012
They should. Two of my roommates who got in RA remember their calls, so I don't think anything will change this year. : ) I'd love to do another round of calls!
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
Haha just kidding :/ Wasn't me because I'm a freshman... glad you met someone awesome though!
@Connie:
MEET THE BLOGGER EVENT. CPW. so excited!!
@Aman:
They definitely do calls for RA
Posted by: Kirsten L. '15 on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Mary on February 2, 2012
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! We had a limited number of volunteers going through as many students as possible, but we couldn't reach some numbers (no one picked up) and didn't get to all of them. I'm happy to still talk to you though, I'll shoot you an email. : )
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Aman Jain on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Derp on February 2, 2012
Don't die, you'd need to live to come to CPW! : )
@ Derp
You could do that... or it might just come as a total surprise on some random weekday. Both call for a good amount of exuberance, just at different times. : D
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
I am just waiting to receive a call from MIT :D
I think it would have been better if you could call the students before the online understanding. this way it is much more surprising.
just wait until I get in. I would probably change the rules. 10 X :D
Posted by: Kamran on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Carfreak Gauve on February 2, 2012
YOUR REPLY WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL
Posted by: KANISHK on February 2, 2012
Dear Friends,
my plan only has a small problem and that is a increase in the rate of the deaths among RD students because of Sheer Heart Attack. :D
Posted by: Kamran on February 2, 2012
I just thought it was decision.
Posted by: Kamran on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Pam on February 2, 2012
I'll send you an email. : )
@ Pam
Yesterday was the only day we called unfortunately. : ( What happened was we started calling states on the east coast and started moving through time zones by the hour with the hopes that we'd reach everyone at a good time. We tried to leave messages if possible (but not all callers left messages, so there's a chance they missed you) and would cycle back to try numbers that didn't pick up. But we had a limited number of volunteers juggling calling new numbers and going back to old ones, so we didn't get in touch with everyone.
If you still have any questions or want to chat with a student, please feel free to email me. I'd be happy to do a make-up call for you. : )
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 2, 2012
I was looking through the comments, and all this @ business is blurring all sense of cohesive conversations. Ahaha, but that aside--
I recognize the, um...guy between the two girls in the second picture in your post. (Ah, and the "um...guy" was not because I was unsure of his gender.) I think.
It's a lovely day today, too~
(Oh, mind if I email you just for fun? Just curious, and in a non-creeper kind of way. Wait, that's exactly what a creeper would write. Never mind, can I just email you?)
Posted by: It's a lovely day on February 2, 2012
Posted by: Aman Jain on February 3, 2012
i did send u an email long time back oct 21 2011 but i never got a reply i have written down many thing from this email in my application now..and i wish that the admission officers pay attention to it and value it.. the email i sent you was on your address... conni.huang@mit.edu
Posted by: Carfreak Gauve on February 3, 2012
the dates mentioned are april 19 to april 22 and it reads CPW(campus preview week...i guess my question is clear though unsaid..) y do they call it CPW when its for 3 days?
next, will it be the same CPW dates for we, the regular action applicants also?
Posted by: Carfreak Gauve on February 3, 2012
But you don't know my email and if you do know it please reply fast. I am really eager to know the secret XD
Posted by: kanishk on February 3, 2012
Have you ever read the book The Alchemist?
there is no secret (at least for this university's application process). everything is only inside yourself. if you had searched the MIT website and read the blogs you would probably know that whether you are capable of enrolling in this university or not. there would be a felling inside you that you and MIT have chemistry. if you could answer the question : Why do I want to come to MIT? what is the differences between MIT and other top universities that I am so eager to come here? and you were satisfied with your answer you have done everything right up to know.
I am so sorry that it is a bit hard to understand it. I can't explain any better.
wish you luck,
Posted by: Kamran on February 3, 2012
I forgot this one :
just be yourself and do whatever you enjoy. if you are doing something just to get admitted to MIT. you are doing it wrong.
this is what I think.
Posted by: Kamran on February 3, 2012
And alas, I don't have any secrets for getting into MIT. As far as I know, there aren't any. : )
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 3, 2012
What I really wanted to know was |after sending the documents that MIT asked for is there something left or is it just the endless wait now| just wanted to know your experience Connie
@kamran read the monk who sold his Ferrari. that too is on the same theme and is awesome.
and another book on the same kind of theme FIVE POINT SOMEONE - CHETAN BHAGAT, really humorous book
Posted by: kanishk on February 3, 2012
Posted by: kanishk on February 3, 2012
Do you call international admitted students too ?
Posted by: Moe on February 3, 2012
I just wanted to clarify what I wanted to say. unfortunately I am so busy this year and lots of books are in my wait list. anytime I got free time I would check those more.
I am not very good as understanding the sarcasm.! same as Sheldon Cooper.
Just kidding! (really, it didn't sound like sarcasm
I think you can send additional document anytime you wish.
Posted by: Kamran on February 3, 2012
Posted by: Aman Jain on February 3, 2012
the problem is that we don't have the answer to your question and it is Connie who should answer it, so you should wait until she answers you.
Sorry Dude,
Posted by: Kamran on February 3, 2012
And thanks for replying so quickly.
Posted by: kanishk on February 3, 2012
Posted by: Nabhajit Bardhan on February 3, 2012
Posted by: Nabhajit on February 3, 2012
Do the admissions depend on our extra curricular activities in high school? Actually I will be admitted to the eleventh grade this year and if the admission givers check upon our extra curricular activities I must not give up my guitar!!
Posted by: Nilanjan on February 4, 2012
Beyond putting all you can into your application, there isn't much else to do but to enjoy your time before college! Do as much as you can in what is hopefully a relatively carefree time of your life. : )
Nabhajit, I'm originally from California, so yes!
Nilanjan, extracurriculars definitely add a lot to an application but they don't guarantee anything. I think that when it comes down to applications, the readers won't make any decisions like "oh this student has played guitar for 10 years, and this other student has played for 11... so the second one is better!" It's far from that. All the extracurriculars you have just tell the readers more about what you're really interested in and what makes you unique. I think it's very impressive if you've been playing guitar for a while and it would be great if you continued, but don't do anything for the admissions readers. If you're really passionate about everything you put your time into -- your academics, extracurriculars, volunteer work, even random hobbies -- it will show in your writing and hopefully throughout your application, and that is what helps an application stand out. : )
As for myself and why I chose MIT, my old blog post (http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/fit) might help! It sounds like I'll have to write a new one soon... : )
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 4, 2012
You're roommate's cute. Give her my number
Posted by: George Hart on February 4, 2012
Posted by: Connie H. '15 on February 4, 2012
Posted by: Kate on February 4, 2012
Posted by: Nilanjan on February 5, 2012
H is the beginning of her family name and '15 is her class number. (it indicates the year she entered MIT) as I know class 2015 is for the entries of the year 2012.
Posted by: Kamran on February 5, 2012
@Connie .. I am still waitin for a reply over my question ..!!??
Posted by: Aman Jain on February 5, 2012
Thanks. yep you are right. this mistake was made because I thought we would be the entries of the year 2013 :D and the reason was mistake in changing our own calender into the American one.
Posted by: Kamran on February 5, 2012
Posted by: Kamran on February 5, 2012
Your post is really awesome. And I'd be glad if you mail me those particulars((" I just want to know from you apart from what MIT wanted what else did you send to them that showed them your passion, devotion, interest in your dreams ?? O.o ??"))...part that kanishq asked for.
Would be glad to meet you sometime on MIT campus.
Thanks!
Posted by: 7up on February 5, 2012
How many courses can we take at MIT?For example,can we take only maths or do we have to take any additional with maths.
Posted by: Nilanjan on February 6, 2012
Posted by: kanishk on February 6, 2012
Add a comment
Comments have been closed.