In the near future, we'll have some advice here on the blogs about being waitlisted. In the meantime, feel free to use this forum to discuss anything waitlist-related.
In the near future, we'll have some advice here on the blogs about being waitlisted. In the meantime, feel free to use this forum to discuss anything waitlist-related.
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: Vanilla on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Matt on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Kinshuk on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
but still, I love you guys! you were amazing!
Posted by: mo on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Posted by: kevin on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Ivan on March 15, 2008
Posted by: quentin on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Matt on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Isshak on March 15, 2008
Posted by: viraj on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Amanda on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Evan on March 15, 2008
Posted by: :) on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Ivan on March 15, 2008
Posted by: amandaL on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Angus on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Kevin on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Granton on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Ivan on March 15, 2008
Posted by: kevin on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Isshak on March 15, 2008
Posted by: yukiko on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Al on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Lauren S. on March 15, 2008
Posted by: mp on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Janis on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Claire on March 15, 2008
I'm confused about how the waitlist process goes - we have to decide by May 1 where we're going but we won't know until late May whether or not we can go to MIT. Does anyone know how this works?
Posted by: Rob on March 15, 2008
yeah, the same question crosses my mind.
how many people were on the waitlist?
Posted by: Granton on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Kitty on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Binga on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Claire on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Jim on March 15, 2008
Nah, just kidding
Posted by: J.L on March 15, 2008
so basically... we got a consolation prize, but unless we've got absolutely nowhere to go come the middle of May, goodbye MIT?
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Disha on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
if it says you're waitlisted on the 1st paragraph of decisions.mit.edu
then you are.
There is a little bit of hope......
Posted by: Mo on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Matt on March 15, 2008
"MIT, you defer me in EA. You waitlist me in RA. You're probably going to make me fight an ogre come late May to see if I'm worth admitting. Seriously now, most girls I've known haven't led me on this badly. You should be ashamed of yourself." -J.L
This is my quote of the week.
Posted by: Rob on March 15, 2008
That quote made my day a whole lot better.
Posted by: Matt on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Anonymous on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Hadley on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Kevin on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Alan on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Kevin Mader on March 15, 2008
I don't understand what you are saying, can you say it differently ? What's about me ?
Posted by: Isshak on March 15, 2008
Oh, well. Hope for the future!
Posted by: JP on March 15, 2008
Posted by: PinxiSimitu on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Hello everyone I am Ishaan, I believe To err is human , to joke divine :D
Posted by: G.I. Joke Ishaan (India) on March 15, 2008
Oh God I hope this year's yield is huge so they can take people off the waitlist, and by people I mean me...
I wonder how many other internationals got waitlisted. God helps us all, I hate this uncertainty limbo they call a Waitlist, but I guess it beats rejection
Posted by: Andrea on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Paul on March 15, 2008
apologies
Posted by: G.I. Joke Ishaan (India) on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Granton on March 15, 2008
Does Anybody here know what is this enclosed card???
Posted by: Homero on March 15, 2008
It will come in the mail on Tuesday/Wednesday.
Is anyone here not going to accept the Wait List?
Posted by: Rob on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Eric on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Viraj on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Derek on March 15, 2008
I am begging the people who got admitted to Caltech to go there
:D
(Just for the record, I did not apply to Caltech because it is not need blind for international).
Good luck to all with the decisions from other universities. God bless.
Posted by: Faizan on March 15, 2008
If you take a look here http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml
you can see that last year there were like 1550 Freshman admits, and 500 waitlist, so last year it was more like 3-1. But that doesn't mean that it's different this year or something. I really have no clue.
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
For both Cal Tech AND MIT.
Posted by: Jack on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Oasis on March 15, 2008
I personally think everyone here needs to celebrate. I mean...MIT thinks we're good enough to go there. That is an enormous accomplishment, no matter what happens in May.
Posted by: Hadley on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Chow on March 15, 2008
But then i read that out of 500 waitlist people, only 20 got in in the waitlist.
Can somebody explain?
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
I'm not an admissions officer, but I'll try to explain this.
So what happens is that MIT generally anticipates the number of people that are not going to come as part of their estimate when they are admitting students.
For example, last year, MIT admission officers already anticipated that there will be ~65% "yield" (people who decide to accept admission) in the number of students, so they would accept more than the actual class size. After they figure out the "yield" and the expected class size, then they adjust the expected class size up and down from the yield by using the waitlist. If a record number of people decide to accept MIT, then the waitlist might not even be used. This is also the reason why you guys have to wait until May (after everyone admitted had expressed their decision by May 1) until you get a final word on your status.
You can read this article for more information (it's about our class, 2011):
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V127/N25/admissions.html
Posted by: Oasis on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Alex on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
At the same time, it continues the emotional roller-coaster for another six weeks. But with a 4% take-rate last year, I'm not holding out much hope.
Posted by: Micah on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Talal Saleem Almani on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Talal Saleem Almani on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Talal Saleem Almani on March 15, 2008
The thing to remember is that what happens, happens for the best--in conjunction with destiny. I think all of us should be happy to even be considered individuals who could potentially be admitted later on. As Talal said, it is a bitter-sweet moment.
Posted by: anonymous1 on March 15, 2008
Curious George wants to know!
Posted by: George on March 15, 2008
you got your yale decision already? i thought it was april 1....did they send it to you early or smth??
Posted by: Blaargh on March 15, 2008
Some Ivy schools call or send a letter their cream-of-the-crop applicants and kind of "hint" that they already got in before other decisions are released. If you didn't get a call or a letter, it doesn't mean you didn't get in; they alert those kids about decisions early so they have more time to decide.
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Rebecca on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Anon on March 15, 2008
TO THE ADMITTED STUDENTS' BLOG!!!
Just kidding. I'm actually really happy that the admissions officers at MIT think I'm good enough to attend their school. Now I just hope I actually get the chance to attend it come next fall.
Posted by: Will P on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Steph on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Steph on March 15, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Vavoom on March 15, 2008
Posted by: Jen on March 15, 2008
Waitlist is definitely not bad. Best of luck to everyone here!
Posted by: Elliott on March 16, 2008
Good luck guys, and I'll see some of you at Caltech's Prefrosh Weekend!
Posted by: Andy on March 16, 2008
With the incredibly low admittance of waitlisted students, it seems to me like I'll need to beg and grovel and pledge to clean every building on campus with a toothbrush in order to have the slightest chance of getting in. 4% last year? That's pretty rough. But if gaining admission means being the personal servant to all the admissions officers, a practice dummy for the football team, and target practice for Archery club, then I'll do it and be happy it was archery club and not the rifle team.
Posted by: Awkward Turtle on March 16, 2008
aaah ok. thanks for clearing that up...that's kind of silly though. they should do it all at once. oh well, the ivies are nuts we all know that
@ Jen
you are sooo right! the posts for the rejects (like me) and the waitlisted are so much more interesting/soulful than the OMG's of the admitted (no offence intended). Just goes to show what awesome people we are
Posted by: Blaargh / Kamya on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Kamya on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Alexa on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Interesting on March 16, 2008
you are the lucky who(waitlisted) get the light in dark
atleast you have chance to get select
Posted by: Akash on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Almani on March 16, 2008
Hopefully good news will come in MAY. I love MIT!!!
Posted by: Chris T on March 16, 2008
Hello Everyone,
Let me tell you an interesting story:
I applied early action to MIT last year. Ever since I first moved to America in the fourth grade I had wanted to go to MIT. After nine years of hard work and sending my life in a 10*14" manila envelope, I, too, was deferred. Unwavered, I continued the application process, applied to a whole bunch of other schools regular decision, and waited. I sent a one-page letter off in January to all my schools because a lot of good things happened in January which I thought they should know about. In the spring, another letter came from MIT. I was waitlisted. Everyone told me to let it go, choose a school, and have it be done. My math teacher said they didn't deserve me if they couldn't make up their minds. A friend's mother said I was too normal for MIT. But I wanted it. I wanted MIT so bad. So I stayed on the waitlist.
An e-mail came on the last day of AP exams. I had just finished AP Ovid & Catullus when I came home, checked the mail (nothing), checked my phone (nothing), and turned on the news (nothing special) when finally I opened up my Outlook e-mail to find a message from Mari McQuaid titled:
"WELCOME MIT Class of 2011"
It might have taken me six months, but it was damn well worth it.
I've been at MIT seven months now and I have never felt more at home. Coursework was surprisingly easy, people INCREDIBLY friendly, faculty so supportive. I have never been happier than I am right now. I fit into MIT like a face-centered cubic crystal. After coming here, I now understand why it took me until the waitlist to get in. You would not believe how talented kids here are.
In short, then, the moral of my story is:
If you want it bad, don't give up.
Being deferred or waitlisted is just part of the process.
Be stoic about the admissions process. If you gave it your all, then there's nothing more you can do.
And remember,
it's all just business.
All the best,
Ken Haggerty
Posted by: Ken Haggerty '11 on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Isshak on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Andrea on March 16, 2008
Posted by: Talal on March 17, 2008
Posted by: Matt on March 17, 2008
Posted by: Amanda on March 17, 2008
Posted by: Ross Klosterman on March 17, 2008
Posted by: sam on March 17, 2008
Posted by: Lawrence on March 18, 2008
Wise words from Mollie about the waitlist:
"If you get an offer from MIT (which usually happens around mid-May), they will send you a financial aid offer at the same time, and you'll have a few weeks to make a decision. You should pick a college by the May 1 reply deadline [for US schools] and send in whatever deposit is required by that college, but if you are accepted to MIT and decide to go, you can just notify that college that you will not be coming in the fall."
Hope this helps! Matt will be putting out an entry with more information for waitlisted students soon.
Posted by: Paul on March 18, 2008
Posted by: Alex Mallory on March 18, 2008
Posted by: Andy on March 18, 2008
This year's waitlist has 739 hopefuls, which is a lot.
But if what Alex Mallory said is true then I'm not giving up hope.
Posted by: Andrea on March 18, 2008
Posted by: Pavel on March 18, 2008
Gr8!!!...If 1/4 is the scene then i guess we have a good reason to be all the more optimistic....Thanks for keeping our spirits high!!
@Paul
What usually are the chances of internationals being admitted from waitlist? I guess they would admit us only if space becomes available in the quota for international students..??
Posted by: Disha on March 19, 2008
I know in one of Matt's earlier posts (from 2006), he said to keep MIT updated with good news or give the office a phone call. Is that all I (and everyone else on the waitlist) can do?
I want to be proactive, but at the same time, I also don't want to come off as overly aggressive.
Posted by: Tiffany on March 19, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 19, 2008
Posted by: Almani on March 20, 2008
Add a comment