Okay, here's that "real entry" I promised yesterday. First some pic explanations...

The Beard. As you've probably noticed in the picture above, I'm getting kindof hairy, much to the chagrin of my wife. There's a story behind this: I challenged the other admissions officers to a "no-shave" reading period, culminating with a ceremonious shave on mailing day in March. Only one other has embraced this pact with me: the fantastic and wonderful Juan Salvador Acosta. (You guys should write to Matt and tell him to join us!) I'll post some "beard progress" pictures over the next month. But when you see that picture at the top change to clean-shaven Ben, you'll know that the decisions have been mailed.

The Name On The Door. Why does it say E.Jones when I am B.Jones, and why is it squared? Here's the story on that one... I share 3-107 with Matt some other folks, including Edmund Jones, our dashing and talented Administrative Officer. Though I've gone by "Ben" my whole life, that actually comes from my middle name - my first name is Edward.

When I got to MIT, Edmund and I thought it would be cooler to capitalize on the dual "E.Jones" thing instead of having "E.Jones" and "B.Jones" on the door. Some folks have suggested that it should be 2(E.Jones) instead of E.Jones², but the truth is, our power really is exponential when we work together.

I think that answers all of the pic questions.

How To Respond To Your Offer Of Admission. I hear from the folks in The Waiting Room that many EA admits have been wondering how they can officially accept MIT's offer of admission (i.e. let us know they're coming). You'll get a mailing after the RD decisions are sent which will have the official form that you'll need to sign and send back by May 1. The reason that we don't have a separate form for EA is that the form contains a survey that won't be ready until after the RD decisions have been made.

That said, you can call us and tell us verbally that you are coming and it will be officially recorded into your file. You'll still need to fill out the other form/survey when it's released, however.

Pictures. Folks have been requesting more pictures, specifically of the campus. I'll get to work on that next week, no problem.

EC. Matt and I (along with a bunch of other admissions folks) had lunch with some EC residents yesterday. I feel compelled to note here how AWESOME EC is. If I'd gone to MIT I totally would have lived in EC. I'm not saying it's the best community, because that's totally subjective - there are so many different people, and thus, so many different communities at MIT - but for me, a quirky, uber-creative guy who likes to stay up late every night and who values tolerance of the differences in people above all else - EC would have been my home. It's like one big family over there - people who really care about each other and who really want to learn from each other's differences. I dig that.

I'll try to dig up perspectives on the other dorms in the coming months...

I'm off to the library to read more apps! Have a great weekend everyone.

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

Howdy and good morning, Ben!

Thanx for the good post.
Ben, could you, from post to post, give some little, cool, MIT-style (whatever you think it is) stories from students' lives?

Sincerely, Eujin

Posted by: Eujin on January 28, 2005

Yo, Ben, the beard looks *great*! Sorry to hear your wife doesn't care for it: I've lived next to one for 20 years and still dig it. I'll be happy to encourage her, should you want to keep it. (Oh wait, you're shaving it in March, never mind!) The new site looks great, I'm looking forward to reading more updates from you. And although I still recommend the option of a parental MyKidsMIT portal some day (that was my comment a few weeks ago), I've finally talked my kid into letting me get the info I need from his. So it's all good! Happy reading.

Posted by: leftcoast mom on January 28, 2005

I knew the name-on-the-door part, but thanks for the info about responding to the admission offer

Posted by: Fabrice on January 28, 2005

Honey, you and the new site look great. But I can't wait until March. I can't think of a better way to find out that the decisions have been mailed than to look for a change in your picture. Great idea.

Love, me

Posted by: Tanya on January 28, 2005

Funny you should mention that - I have talked to very few other people that can appreciate EC in all its glory. Well, in a way I'm glad, raises the odds of the housing lottery for me

Posted by: 0 on January 28, 2005

oops forgot to fill in my name

Posted by: lulu on January 28, 2005

I've really enjoyed reading this blog! I have a question... (Sorry if this has been answered somewhere.) Do you wait to read our applications until you receive our midyear reports?

Posted by: Meow on January 28, 2005

Hey Ben,

Awesome. Is it a local show or opening up for a national act?

Hm about UpperHand: We are doing really well and have had the opportunity to play at a lot of huge shows around here, and it's only been a year that we have been together. We honestly have no idea how things are going to work out next year and will just wait to see how things play out. The good news is that all the seniors in the band got into their early admission schools (Princeton, Dartmouth, UMBC, and of course MIT) but the bad news is that we have plenty of miles between us. Additionally, we have two juniors in the band and one freshman at Rutgers who will still be here in central Jersey next year. We will see how things pan out but in the mean time we are making the most of the time we have left together. (Maybe there are some musicians in Cambridge/Boston who are also ska fans).

Currently, we are working on some new songs for a second album that we hope to record during the summer. That's why some show activity has slowed down. Actually, last Saturday when the snowstorm hit, we were supposed to open up for Big D and the Kid's Table, but alas the show was canceled. They are a really awesome Boston-based ska band that people love around here. You may have heard of them.

So I see from your band's website that you are a vocalist/guitarist just like me . You have no mp3s or anything I can listen to on your site! What kind of band are you? What guitar do you use? Any weird stage rituals?

-Ah ending this long winded post,
Akash

P.S. Anthony, I already knew that you already knew about the name on the door part. Actually, I know you already know everything about MIT admissions!

Posted by: Akash on January 28, 2005

Oh and by the way, when you "preview" the comment, it doesn't recognize line breaks. Just letting you know.

Posted by: Akash on January 28, 2005

I love the picture.....and when it's March I'll be checking it quite often

P.S. squared is better, speaking from personal experience. (x^2)

Posted by: Xiaoxuan on January 28, 2005

I guess I missed the blog-warming party, but very awesome blog!!! But Ben, growing a beard may cause you to have a funny tan line after the admissions are sent out... I just didn't want you to be suprised when the rest of your face is five shades tanner.

I guess if you slather on suntan lotion and stay out of the sun for two months you'd be okay .

Posted by: Katharine Chu on January 28, 2005

Hi Ben,

Not shaving at all means you can't try and control the way it grows either. Good luck with that one... By the way, I remember Juan. He was the guy who did the info session when i visited MIT and the one who came to Germantown Academy, over here in PA, to give another session which i also went to!

Posted by: Nbot1 on January 29, 2005

I'll be eagerly awaiting that clean shaven face of yours as well...

Posted by: Nbot1 on January 29, 2005

I dunno - I kinda like him a bit scruffy.

Posted by: Fabrice on January 29, 2005

Control yourself, anthony.

Posted by: lu on January 30, 2005

Hey, Anthony is a new man with a new hairless face.

Posted by: Akash on January 30, 2005

Who's Anthony and why do you keep addressing me with that name? :D

Posted by: Fabrice on January 30, 2005

YES!! He cracked.

bwahahhaha

Posted by: lulu on January 30, 2005

He did indeed crack. First off with his scruff, now off with his psuedonym....

Maybe he should wait until CPW to shave the goatee off. I'd pay to see that!

~Kelly

Posted by: Kelly on January 30, 2005

Hi folks!

Thanks to everyone for posting, as always!

Questions answered (in order)...

Eujin - no problem, I'll do this whenever I can. A better source would definitely be the students themselves, however, like Mitra, Allison & Kevin - 'cause they're immersed in the MIT experience in many ways that I'm not, being an old dude and all.

Leftcoast Mom - thanks! You're the first person to say something positive about it. The parental login is a huge priority for us, although I'm still not sure when it's going to happen. In the meantime, I'm glad your son is sharing the MyMIT love!

(This isn't an answer to a question, but check it out - my wife (Tanya) actually reads this! See how awesome she is? She hates the beard but still says it's a cool idea... that is love my friends.)

Meow - we generally read w/o the midyear reports (because they're mostly not in yet) but (per the wizard i.e. Matt) they do get attached prior to selection.

Akash - it's a local show, no big headliner. Sorry about the MP3's - they'll be up soon, we're in the middle of making our first recording. We're a rock band influenced by everything from Incubus to Counting Crows. I play a PRS Hollowbody and no, unfortunately no weird stage rituals (yet).

All - sorry about the lack of line breaks in preview. It's a Movable Type thing, I'll see if I can fix it.

Katharine - tan lines? In Boston? Hahahahaha.

Posted by: Ben on January 31, 2005

I was wondering - an extension to Meow's post: How much of an impact do the midterm reports have? Could they actually change a definite yes or no to the other, or do they just help you in cases of indecisiveness?

By the way, I heard through the grapevine that you're related to one of the teachers at the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science...Mr. Jones? I haven't had the good fortune of having him as a teacher - he doesn't teach BC Calculus and I had someone else for precalculus, but he's easily one of the most fascinating people I know and clearly fits at the Academy simply through his passion for mathematics. Do you share that at all?
Have a great day and can't wait to see that you've shaved! (anxious for the responses and not much of a beard fan, even though it was a very neat idea).

Posted by: Kledia on February 10, 2005

Hi Kledia,

Most midterm reports are consistent with the rest of an applicant's record, so they're usually just part of the "big picture." But a horrible midterm report, just like a horrible anything-else, could definitely turn a "yes" into a "no." I've never seen this happen though.

Thanks for your kind words on my uncle! He is indeed an awesome guy. I share his passion for learning, but unfortunately not his talent for math - my brain just isn't wired that way. My dad (his brother) was a literature/writing guy, and those are the genes I got.

I'm getting tired of the beard too. Can't wait to mail the decisions...

Posted by: Ben on February 15, 2005

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