- When taking the SAT, write "Chuck Norris" for every answer. You will score over 8000.

- Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in Chuck Norris can divide by zero.

- When you're Chuck Norris, anything + anything is equal to 1. One roundhouse kick to the face.

- Scotty in Star Trek often says "Ye cannae change the laws of physics." This is untrue. Chuck Norris can change the laws of physics. With his fists.

- If, by some incredible space-time paradox, Chuck Norris would ever fight himself, he'd win. Period.

- Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.

- When J. Robert Oppenheimer said "I am become death, the destroyer Of worlds", He was not referring to the atomic bomb. He was referring to the Chuck Norris halloween costume he was wearing.

- The easiest way to determine Chuck Norris' age is to cut him in half and count the rings.

- That's not Chuck Norris doing push-ups -- that's Chuck Norris moving the Earth away from the path of a deadly asteroid.

- It is believed dinosaurs are extinct due to a giant meteor. That's true if you want to call Chuck Norris a giant meteor.

- Nothing can escape the gravity of a black hole, except for Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris eats black holes. They taste like chicken.

- Industrial logging isn't the cause of deforestation. Chuck Norris needs toothpicks.

- When chuck Norris does division, there are no remainders.

- The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed... unless it meets Chuck Norris.

-There's an order to the universe: space, time, Chuck Norris.... Just kidding, Chuck Norris is first.

- Chuck Norris can do a roundhouse kick faster than the speed of light. This means that if you turn on a light switch, you will be dead before the lightbulb turns on.

- The Manhattan Project was not intended to create nuclear weapons, it was meant to recreate the destructive power in a Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick. They didn't even come close

- In the movie "The Matrix," Chuck Norris is the Matrix. If you pay close attention in the green "falling code" scenes, you can make out the faint texture of his beard.

- Proponents of higher-order theories of consciousness argue that consciousness is explained by the relation between two levels of mental states in which a higher-order mental state takes another mental state. If you mention this to Chuck Norris, expect an explosive roundhouse kick to the face for spouting too much fancy-talk.

- Lightning never strikes twice in one place because Chuck Norris is looking for it.

- Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet as Chuck Norris.

- Chuck Norris can split the atom. With his bare hands.

-Chuck Norris's body temperature is 98.6 degrees... Celsius.

My Favorites:

- Chuck Norris does not know about this list. If he did he would have just deleted the internet.

- Chuck Norris can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.

Thanks for playing Engima Wrapped In A Riddle! Don, tell them what they've won.

Wow! I am impressed by how many of you met the challenge. Initially we had planned to only award one winner, but by the list you can see we are feeling the holiday cheer! The following 20 individuals will get the gold star.

If you are listed below, email me (bgnance at mit) your complete name and mailing address and we will send you your gold star. (Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.)

If you are interested in seeing more of John Kostick's handiwork, please visit the Quadric Designs website.

Until the next time, stay tuned to the MIT network... All Numbers, All The Time.

First place six-axis and tetraxis winner:

(Drum roll in your head...)

Posted by: Ana L on November 27, 2007 04:32 PM

Second place tetraxis winners:

(Extended, really long and annoying drum roll...)

(Please hold all applause until all winners have come to the stage...)

1 Posted by: Kim on November 27, 2007 04:20 PM
2 Posted by: Vika on November 27, 2007 04:50 PM
3 Posted by: Jai on November 27, 2007 04:59 PM
4 Posted by: Berkeley on November 27, 2007 05:29 PM
5 Posted by: Louis on November 27, 2007 05:31 PM
6 Posted by: Kevin X on November 27, 2007 06:01 PM
7 Posted by: Chris on November 27, 2007 06:18 PM (commented to give his prize to Melis)
8 Posted by: Merritt B on November 27, 2007 06:28 PM
9 Posted by: Lauren S. on November 27, 2007 06:48 PM
10 Posted by: donaldGuy on November 27, 2007 06:53 PM
11 Posted by: SKishore on November 27, 2007 07:13 PM
12 Posted by: Karen on November 27, 2007 07:49 PM
13 Posted by: Keshav P on November 27, 2007 08:12 PM
14 Posted by: Will on November 27, 2007 08:45 PM
15 Posted by: intleyes on November 27, 2007 08:56 PM
16 Posted by: Zev Chonoles on November 28, 2007 06:21 AM
17 Posted by: harrison on November 28, 2007 04:49 PM
18 Posted by: Vihang on November 29, 2007 03:24 AM
19 Posted by: Shantini on November 29, 2007 06:58 AM
20 Posted by: Leo V on November 30, 2007 10:11 AM

I know that many of you are stressed-out over the SATs, ACTs, SAT IIs and EIEIO (a test only given by Professor O. McDonald), but you deserve a break today. Listen closely: drop the practice test book and back away slowly from the college applications and I promise you that no one will be harmed! Take a moment to examine John's front-yard project. Drop me a line if you think you know what he's building.

• Hint # 1: Put on your math-based thinking cap.
• Hint # 2: Since I have not seen any wildebeasts, sloths or rhinos walking 2x2 in the neighborhood, I can speak with some certainty that he is not Noah and said construction in not an ark.

Good Luck!

P.S. A prize will go to the first person to unwrap this mystery.

As a matter of philosophy, MIT is committed to the idea of equal access to higher education for everyone. It has been our experience that the cost of applying to MIT can be a barrier for those of modest financial means or those who are experiencing situational financial difficulties.

Why do we charge an application fee anyway?
Between staff time and materials, the costs of running an admissions office are vast, and the application fee only covers a small percentage of the costs associated with processing your application. The application fee also discourages those students who have no real interest in MIT from applying (the ones who do not wish to attend but just want to see if they can get in).

How do I know if I should request a fee waiver?
Your decision to request a fee waiver is not unlike the many parts of the admission process in that, here too, you are being held to the highest of ethical standards. Just as we expect you to not plagiarize your essay, we expect that you will not misrepresent your ability to pay the application fee.

It is safe to say that you should apply for an application fee waiver if you fall into any of the following categories:

• You receive free or reduced lunch at school
• Your family receives public assistance
• You meet the criteria set by the College Board as requirements for a fee waiver
• Situational financial difficulties are currently imposing substantial or undue hardships upon your family

In many ways only you and your family truly know if applying for an application fee waiver is the right thing to do. We suggest that you start by respecting the intention of this process. There is a big difference between "I can't afford to pay" and "I'd rather not pay." If you're not sure, we recommend consulting your Guidance Counselor, the College Board website, or other adults outside of your family who can help you to determine your need for a waiver.

Fee Waiver: Selfless Good or Selfish Bad?
I've spent the majority of this entry defining who should apply and why. Some of you may come away thinking that we offer this application fee wavier but don't really want to give it out. Not true at all! But you do need to take the initiative here. Consider this lesson one about MIT: Self Advocacy. Ask any current or past student and he or she will tell you that those who are most successful at MIT are those who have no compunction about asking for help. If you need the waiver and don't request one is that selfless good? No.

There are many scenarios which one can concoct as a reason for a fee waiver. Here are some examples on which we take a dim view:

• I am applying to 25 schools and I can't afford MIT's application fee
• I need the new 160-gig i-Pod
• I need to save for the Senior Trip/Senior Prom

Um, no.

So what does all of this really mean? It's simple: If you need a fee waiver for the right reasons and you request one, chances are very good that we'll grant you one.

Action Steps for the Fee Waiver
You can write directly to MIT with a letter from your counselor or another school official requesting an application fee waiver. While that works for MIT, what about the other schools to which you are applying? Do you really want to write a bunch of different letters requesting a fee waiver?

Earlier I suggested that you visit the College Board site for general information and overall criteria for fee-waivers in general. While you are at the College Board site I suggest that you also register through the College Board itself for a fee waiver that will be accepted by most colleges. (MIT actually prefers the College Board form.)

It's all about the Guidance Counselor - or, as we call him or her in the admissions business - the GC. In case you didn't know, the GC is the guardian and gatekeeper of the college process for most high school students. How important is your GC? Outside of your parents and teachers, your GC is one of the most important people in your life during your senior year.

So what is it that GCs do that make them so valuable to you? For starters they:

• Help you register for standardized tests.
• Help you complete and mail you college applications.
• Help you with the financial aid process.
• Help you apply for outside scholarships.
• Plan college visits/college fairs/ college nights for you and your parents.
• Write letters of recommendation for you.
• And most importantly: give YOU solid advice about the college process.

As you can see, your GC has a very important role in the College process. So what can you do to maximize this relationship and make it work the best for you? Great question! I'm so glad that I asked it. Here are some ideas that may help you build a great working relationship with your GC.

1. Do you even know who your GC is? If not, find out now. Usually this information can be found on your school's website. Once you find out the identity of your GC, be sure to introduce yourself post haste. In fact, if you are able to get his or her email address, why not drop a note introducing yourself.
2. Do your homework! Many schools have websites that give very detailed instructions explaining the college guidance process for seniors. Learn it. Know it. Adhere to it. Remember, GCs have many, many students to assist. The better you know the rules, the better the process will be for all involved.
3. Never be flaky. Make sure that you are taken seriously. Although you may not have narrowed your college choices down to, say, less than 30 schools, it doesn't mean that you should be seen as flaky. How do you avoid being seen as a flake? Again - do your homework. Even if you have 30 schools on your list, be able to explain why. If possible, divide your choices into categories. Categories may include: public schools vs. private schools; or reach vs. middle vs. safety. It is up to you to create the categories and to be able to explain them.
4. Respect the process and your GC will respect you. Enough said.
5. Zen is your approach when dealing with your GC. Be firm in your convictions yet open to suggestions. Bend like a reed in the wind. If not, you will snap like a maple tree in a hurricane. (I have no idea what that means but it sure sounds cool!)
6. Know what you don't know. This process can be overwhelming. Be honest with yourself and with your GC about your interests, hopes and dreams for college. Most of all, be honest about what you don't know or understand about the process. This admission to your GC will show that you are mature and willing to seek assistance. Both are really cool characteristics that we love on this side of the desk!
7. Trust your GC. If there is something important going on in your life that impacts your application or your high school career, tell the GC. The GC will in turn tell us. When it comes to the details of your college application, less is not always more.
8. Create a working, professional relationship with your GC. Your GC is not your mom/dad. My GC's name was Bernie Cohen at Cardozo HS. We had a real love/hate relationship. He'd suggest and I'd ignore. He'd strongly suggest and I'd strongly ignore. Wisely, he told me that he had nearly 1000 other students to help and that I should come back when I was serious. Somehow I expected him to keep nagging me the way my parents had. I took his advice and we began a great relationship that lasted almost 20 years. How proud was I to visit Cardozo as a College rep some years later knowing that he had a hand in my success.

Any questions?

Something Old...

• The Nance Effect is immersed in the annual road trips known as MIT Central Meetings. For me, this means: Washington DC; Alexandria, VA; Bethesda, MD; Baltimore, MD; Austin, TX; Detroit, MI; Ann Arbor, MI; Milwaukee, WI; Greater Chicagoland, IL and the greatest city in the free world, New York City. (Sorry Red Sox fans.)
• As usual, staff, faculty, new and returning students are all excited by the start of the new academic school year and the possibility of a New England World Series. (Sorry Yankees fans.)
• More blogging advice from me about the college process, coming soon...

Something New...

• The Class of 2011 has descended upon the Institute. New faces, new ideas, new experiences, new potential hackers...
• I am more excited than usual because I will be a freshman advisor for the first time. You gotta feel sorry for the three poor saps who are stuck with me as an advisor! ;-) Seriously, I am honored and excited at the prospect of helping my advisees navigate the first 25% of their MIT career.
• I am pleased to announce that Ms. Tamy-Fee Meneide has joined the admissions staff as Assistant Director for Minority Recruitment.
• My oldest daughter is a high school junior this year, so I'll get to see the college process from the point of view of a dad and not just that of an admissions officer. In fact, we made our first college visit together earlier this summer. Hummmmm..... we'll save the details for a separate entry.

Something Borrowed...

• All I can think of for this section is my daughter's Powerbook (she has some really good music). But she made me give it back.
• Okay, that was lame. How about this: Minority Ambassadors (MIT students who assist me with the recruitment process) and Tamy-Fee will be doing some guest blogging for The Nance Effect. There, that's better isn't it?

Something Blue...

• I am sad to report that Ms. Millene Hahm, former Assistant Director for Minority Recruitment, has departed the admissions world for the opportunity to become a student again. Currently she is enjoying classes and homework as a MBA student at the Fuqua School of Business-Duke University. This just proves that learning is a life-long endeavor and that it's cool to go back to school!

In future blogs I plan to discuss: EC interviews, rants from the road, and life as a parent in the college process.

So, what's your story? What's old, new, borrowed or blue with you?

For this entry I propose that this blog depart from its usual cutting edge, intellectual discourse about admissions and instead transform into a cozy place where we can discuss my three favorite TV shows: Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, and Grey's Anatomy.

SPOILER ALERT! This entry assumes that you are up to date on all three shows as of January 22nd. Proceed at your own risk...

Battlestar Galactica:

1. Is this the best science fiction show ever?
2. What do you think of the idea of technological blowback? In other words, machines becoming so advanced that they reach human-like awareness and rebel against their creators?
3. What do you think of the religious overtures of BSG?
4. Who do you think are the last 5 Cyclons?
5. Is Starbuck a toaster? Is she one of the chosen 5?
6. Does anyone know where I can get a used Viper?

Heroes:

1. Is Mr. Bennet (Claire's father) good or evil?
2. In an earlier episode we learned that Hiro couldn't change the past. What do you think are the consequences of him changing the future?
3. What do you think are Micah's secret powers?
4. Who will Simone choose, Isaac or Peter?

Grey's Anatomy:

1. What's up with Alex and Addison?
2. Will Yang and Burke work it out?
3. Will Izzy ever pull it together?
4. Now that Grey and "McDreamy" are back together, will they adopt another dog?
5. Will Grey name him McPooch or McMutt?

Feel free to answer any or all of these questions. Hopefully, this slice of pop culture will give your stressed-out psyche a much-needed diversion. Think of it as a Double Quarter-pounder, super-sized, value meal for your mind, not your body. Look at the bright side: unlike the real McArtery Clogger, there is no need to worry about carbs or trans-fats. See how much time I saved you on the treadmill? Be sure that you can use that saved gym time wisely. May I suggest that you practice playing Dance, Dance, Revolution?

That's enough from me. Let's hear what you have to say.

What is an LΔ? It is all of the factors that help to give a clear understanding of what you have learned relative to your beginning knowledge base and your overall effort within the learning process.

One of my good friends is a professor and administrator at MIT. Whenever I speak to him about a student's academic standing, he never gives me an arbitrary number or letter grade. Instead, he always responds by describing the student's LΔ. This is such a beautiful concept because it allows me to view the student in a more appropriate context that is not just based on results, but includes effort and hard work. Many times when we ask how a student is performing academically, what we really want to know is how invested the student is, what has the student learned, and is the student really stretching to grow and to learn. LΔ acknowledges that not everyone starts from the exact same spot or the exact same knowledge base. By focusing on LΔ we can really zero in on YOUR individual growth.

The LΔ allows us to focus on the process, not just the outcome. Think about it this way - what if the Boston Marathon only had one start time and one finish time for all of its 20,000 participants? Instead, the starting times are staggered - thus allowing for individual race times that emphases individual Δ measurement. Do you have to be in the very front to win? No. (But you'd better be near the front real quick or have a breakout performance!)

Here's another example. Let's look at two students who we'll call James and Etta. Let's say that both are taking multivariable calculus at Georgia Military College, in Milledgeville, Georgia. Etta is a straight-A student. She walked into the class with a firm grasp of calculus concepts. At the beginning of the class she took an assessment test to determine her overall aptitude and preparation for the Calc class. Etta earned an A on the exam. Fast forward to the end of the semester and we see that she finished the course strong, earning an A for the semester.

On the other hand there is James. For whatever reason, James did not enter the calculus class with the same level of mastery as Etta. In fact, on the same placement exam he only earned a grade of D+. By the end of the semester, however, he was able to earn a B. So who was the "better student?" If we measured performance strictly by outcome standards, we would say Etta - because she finished with an A. What if, instead, we measured performance based on an LΔ assessment? Under these circumstances, James now comes alive. If we adjust for where they both began and ended, the accomplishments of James cannot be denied.

So - am I saying that we discount the student who has straight A's in lieu of students with B's? Absolutely not! Straight A's are straight A's, and they usually signify a mastery of the subject material. What about the 'B' students like James though? Should we discount his accomplishments simply because of final grade? If we mean what we say about not comparing applicants to each other, should not we measure students individually and according to their LΔ?

Blah, blah, blah. What does this mean in terms of you? What was your LΔ throughout high school? More importantly, what was your LΔ as an applicant to MIT? How did you grow during the high school years and even during the application process? Let's say you applied EA to MIT and were deferred, what did you do? Did you do a realistic self-assessment? Did you view the decision as a speed bump and immediately look for ways to "show and prove" that you indeed are working from the point of view of a high LΔ? Or did you in fact, blame others or worse, blame yourself? What will you do now to begin or continue your upward LΔ?

MIT - and all schools for that matter - use traditional tools to gauge success. You know them as grades, rigor of courses, and standardized tests. Can we rely solely on these tools? I say no. None of the aforementioned specifically measures intangibles. What about heart? What about determination? What about resilience? Sure, grades and test scores are all good at telling us how you did, but do they really tell us how you will do?

To get a more balanced view we ask you to also submit essays that we hope will highlight who you are as a person. We ask you to SERIOUSLY consider having an interview - that will also help us to better know you as a person. And we also use tenants of LΔ. We don't just want to know if you will survive at MIT; we want to know if you will thrive at MIT.

So if you have straight A's in challenging coursework, is that good? Yes, but - as every blogger and admissions official at MIT has written ad nauseam - "You don't have to be perfect to be admitted to MIT..." The LΔ is how we measure that which is hard to measure - concepts such as work ethic, stick-to-it-ness, how you overcome adversity. When we measure your growth specific to your learning situation, it makes it very easy to look at you as an individual, rather than in comparison to other applicants. Believe me when we say that we are savvy and seasoned admissions professionals. Thus, therefore, and ergo - we know that students who display a high LΔ are the very same students who are great at self-advocating and who are also very likely to be academic adventurers. In other words, we believe that the students willing to take sound academic risks are the very same students most likely to maximize learning and to have a high LΔ.

I'll close with this. The concept of an LΔ is really important for all college applicants, no matter where you apply. Forget about LΔ and its effectiveness for college applications for a moment. Every attribute that contributes to a high LΔ and success in the classroom will also contribute to success in life. So remember to keep the LΔ concept in mind... we do.

Enough from me, what do you think?

NEWSFLASH... NO ONE MAKES IT AT MIT/COLLEGE (OR IN LIFE FOR THAT MATTER) ALONE! (Except for Justice Clarence Thomas who claims to have gotten into Yale law school solely based on his own efforts without the help of another living mammal in 1966... less I digress.)

In my humble opinion, the world is comprised of two types of students. Student type 1 - we'll call her Stephanie - is the type of student who defines the world in which she lives. Student type 2 - we'll call him Mills - is the type of student who is defined by the world in which he lives.

Lets examine Mills first. Mills is a student who is defined by the world in which he lives, thus he is reactionary in his approach to education. Mills looks to his or her peers for validation or rebuttal. He is overly cautious about the learning process and tends to be obsessed with issues such as GPA, class rank. He is quick to shy away from any action that he believes will negatively affect his chances of getting into a "good school." Worst of all, Mills is the type of student who tends to overvalue or undervalue himself based on the value system of those around him. A good example of undervaluation is how Mills interprets his SAT scores. He evaluates his scores based on comparisons of his scores as related to the scores his "peers." We know that if he scores higher than the majority of his or her peers then he may tend to think of himself as superior. However, when he finds others against whom he does not measure as highly... From Mills' perspective his scores don't quite measure-up.

Nevertheless, despite his reservations, Mills applies to MIT anyway. Much to his surprise, he is admitted to the Class of 2011.

Let's back up for a moment and also look at a different example. Mills performed well in high school with little effort. Performing well in the classroom and getting good grades seemed to just came naturally to him. In fact, he was more likely to provide help to his peers than to ever ask for help. In this way, he became overconfident in his academic ability, which of course leads to an overvaluation of his skill set.

The real tragedy for Mills is what comes next. Fast-forward a bit and we see Mills walking the Infinite with the rest of his peers. Except Mills is truly struggling. He is frustrated by his classroom performance. How can this be? Complicating the situation is his feeling that he is the only one "not getting it." "That's fine" he thinks. He believes that he only has to work harder and everything will be ok. He must work harder because he fears failure most of all. Those thoughts that he's kept buried deep are beginning to surface. He remembers the harsh stinging comments of his high school classmates who intimated that he was only admitted to MIT because of affirmative action. Maybe his SAT scores are an indication of his ability. (Nevermind the fact that his scores were well within the MIT's middle 50% of scores). From here as you can imagine Mills is in quite a pickle.

Where did Mills go wrong?

1. By working harder not smarter.
2. By not self-advocating. He was reluctant to ask for help.
3. By buying into misconceptions on the part of some of his peers that he was admitted b/c of his racial/ethnic identity.
4. Afraid of failure to the point that his actions became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
5. Afraid to fail, therefore afraid to try.

Now lets take a peek at Stephanie. Stephanie is a student who knows herself. As such, she is more inclined to be proactive than reactive. Stephanie is a bit adventurous as a learner. She is led by her intellectual curiosity rather than by the group-think. She's the student who will take an advanced course at the local community college because that's where the intellectual challenge is, not because it will look good on her transcript. Even though she ended the semester with a grade of "B" in the college course instead of the "A" that many of her peers received in the AP class, she still relished her decision. Self advocation is second nature to her. She did not let foolish pride keep her from applying for a fee waiver. She tends to "lean forward" into challenges and when she fails (oh yeah, she will see her share of failure!) she immediately looks for ways to get back on the horse. She tends to learn as much from failure as she does from success. This keeps her humble, honest and in touch with who and what she really is.

The real success is what happens next. Fast forward a bit and we see Stephanie walking the Infinite with the rest of her peers. Stephanie is struggling a bit as well. Here lies the difference. Stephanie is a shameless self-advocater. She is making great use of the support systems available to her. In doing so she has come to realize that everyone at MIT struggles with something at MIT. She is too busy moving forward to actually worry about failure in the way that Mills does. She realizes that this opportunity at MIT should not be taken for granted and taken lightly. She too has fear of failure but is smart enough to use that fear to find ways of working smarter, not harder.

Where did Stephanie go right?

1. By working smarter.
2. By being a fearless learner.
3. By being a shameless self advocator.
4. Owning and making her own future.
5. By being willing to change in order to be successful.

Never will you actually see anyone as one-dimensional as Mills or Stephanie, of course. The truth is, if we look deeply we will find a little bit of both of them in all of us. I will end this with just a few conclusions:

1. Everyone falls down; it's the winners in life who get up really fast and learn from the experience.
2. The person who never stops being an adventurous learner is the one who ultimately wins in life.
3. Make sure that you take the time to find, refine and trust in your voice.
4. Only after that is done can you make sure your voice is always heard by those around you.

Thoughts?

Tucson, AZ (A.K.A. Wildcats & Mr. Rattlesnake)

"Dry heat" huh... You know what? 99 degrees is 99 degrees. End of conversation!

[SIDEBAR] Why did the flight attendant spend 10 minutes explaining that my seat could be used as a floatation device even though the entire route of the flight (Phoenix to Tucson) was over the desert? Just thought I'd throw that out there.

What a great town. I got a chance to be like Tiger on the links in Tucson. I now understand desert rules for golf. After marveling at a 240+ yard drive (just off the green) I encountered a Tucson native inhabitant; the rattlesnake. There I am in the middle of my back swing when I hear what can only be described as someone shaking beads in an empty soda can. I wish I could tell you what he/she/it looked like but I quickly vacated the area. It was at that moment that I realized why the entrance of the golf course suggested "Desert Rules" and "Beware of Rattlesnakes." I wonder if the snake thought that I might taste like chicken.

The MIT Central Meeting was held at Catalina Foothills High School. I was treated to a pre-game show by the School Marching Band. All I can say is wow! If you happen to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, be sure to keep an eye out for The Catalina Foothills High School Marching Band. Overall I had a blast. There were great students and there was great southwestern food, but no fish tacos.

Phoenix, AZ (A.K.A Sun Devils)

"Dry heat" huh... You know what? 108 degrees is 108 degrees. End of conversation!

I had another spectacular Central Meeting that was held at Phoenix Country Day School. The crowds really turned out for my meeting. We had lots of great conversations and more than a few laughs at my expense. Sorry about the technical difficulties, Phoenix. I know, I'm from MIT so there should be no technology issues with my presentation. In my defense I'll remind you that I only work at MIT.

Oklahoma City, OK (A.K.A. SOONER Country)

Beautiful weather and great students! During my visits in OKC I was able to meet students from Classen HS and Northeast Academy. The prize for the largest student turn-out goes to Oklahoma School for Science and Math who rolled into the library 50+ strong! Talk about a warm welcome!

Norman, OK (A.K.A. BOOMER - SOONER Epicenter)

Everyone who knows me is fully aware that when it comes to sports I L-O-V-E the University of Oklahoma football SOONERS. Hell, I probably would have named my daughter Boomer if I thought I could have gotten away with it. Less I digress. As I drove into Norman it was hard to see the road because of the tears in my eyes. (Yes I was happy, but I ran over a dead skunk on highway OK-77 South). Despite minor setbacks, I pressed on.

I first visited Norman High School where we talked and talked and talked. I left thinking, " what a great group of students." (I must admit that collectively the Norman students had a warped and twisted sense of humor...probably the reason that I enjoyed the visit so much.) They threw lots of tough question at me and hopefully I answered to their satisfaction. Norman HS, let me know how you'd rate The Nance Effect Road Show.

After you visit Norman H.S. there is only one place left to go... that's right, Norman North H.S! This time I was ready. With no dead skunk aroma and a cup of Starbucks Venti Skinny Peppermint Mocha Late (no whipped) I was ready for the Norman North crowd. In a room designed to hold 12 we stuffed 25 students and a video camera for an extra long discussion about MIT. Did I mention that there was no AC in the room and the outside temperature was in the high 80's? Still Norman North, you showed me mad love Sooner style.

After all of that activity, I thought that I would go to the OU bookstore, take a few pictures of the football stadium and call it a night. Ohhhhh no! Not the kid! I was reunited with the great Paul Rocha, Student Recruitment Specialist at OU. (Some years earlier we were a dynamic admissions duo at Cornell.) After an amazing Mexican feast we moved on to Edmond, OK where we conducted a joint college presentation at the Edmond Native American College Program. (Big shout-out to Ms. Baya Sanchez Crynes and Ms. Sydna Yellowfish for the warm welcome and cool Native American print t-shirt!) After a great few days with awesome students and friends - new and old - I was forced to bid farewell to Sooner State. (Still no fish tacos)

El Paso (A.K.A. Miners)

El Paso welcomed me with open arms and mercury readings in the high 90's. Enough with the dry heat references!

Unfortunately, I was not able to make any high school visits, but I finally got my fish tacos! Life is so good to me! After a few hours of sleep and a great meal I was ready for the best and brightest that El Paso had to offer. True to form, I was not disappointed in the number of students and families that came to learn more about MIT. Great questions and conversations from a very knowledgeable crowd. It was a love-fest. I am disappointed that my schedule did not allow me to visit any schools in the El Paso area, but I did get to make my first trip to Mexico. I spent a grand total of 20 minutes south of the border. So much to do, so little time. Alas, there is always next year.

In the coming weeks the The Nance Effect Road Show is headed to New York City and Southern California. If you happened to catch it or you have questions about the application process, drop me a line and we'll tawk.

Why do we send you all of that stuff? Good question. The answer is that we hope you'll like enough of what you see to want to apply for admission or at least want to come for a visit. So, you go through the box, pull out 10 schools that seem promising... what do you do next? Go visit if you can, silly! This entry will focus on the dos and don'ts of a fall visit to a college or university that you are interested in attending.

Rules of Engagement

1. Do not let the cost of tuition dictate where you visit or where you apply. At this point you should not care how much a school costs. You are in the process of determining where to apply at this point.The only way to know that you can't afford a school is after you've applied, have been accepted and you have applied for and received your financial aid award. Until all of that has happened, you have no idea what you can afford.
2. Choose wisely, because time is money. Given your course load and extra-curriculars do you really think that you'll have the time to visit 10 schools?
3. Choose wisely, because money is money. Visiting colleges can be an expensive proposition. Make sure that you are going to a place that you are REALLY, REALLY interested in attending.
4. Whenever possible, attend an official campus preview. Most will take place during one of the many fall federal holidays.
5. If money is a concern, contact the college that you are interested in visiting to see if they offer subsidized visitation programs. Before you ask, MIT does not. sorry :-(
6. Do your homework. Learn as much about the the place that you plan to attend. Know when the information sessions and campus tours are given, then plan your day around those two activities.
7. Did I mention that you should attend the information session and campus tour? P.S. WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES! All tours are walking tours and many can last as long as 90 minutes... even in the driving rain.
8. Ask if it is possible to have lunch with a current student. If yes, ask to eat at the most popular student hangout.
9. Traveling as a family can be stressful. Agree ahead of time what you will do together and what you will do separately. This will keep all involved sane. Here are a few examples: Together - Campus Tours, Campus Information Sessions, Financial Aid Sessions.
10. Go it alone at some point during the visit. You need to know if the the place that you are visiting is where you want to spend the next 4 years of your life. Go to the place were students congregate and just hang out. Check the vibe. See if it is your kind of place.
11. Parents: while your child is off discovering the campus, you should use that time to visit places of interest to you. Go to Campus Safety and find out how that institution plans to keep your baby out of harm's way; check out the banking facilities, check to see which cell phone providers offer the plans an coverage in that area; eat a meal in one of the campus dining facilities; travel as the students do to see how far of a walk the dormitories, class rooms and other campus hot spots are from each other.
12. Get off the beaten path. Visit the Office of Minority Affairs and find out first hand what kinds of activities and cultural events are available to students; Visit the student center to see what kinds of clubs are offered. If possible, pick one and attend their meeting. Visit the town surrounding the College. Depending on the location of the school, it may be an extension of the university.
13. Go visit your intended major/department. Again, plan ahead and see if you can meet with a professor.
14. Randomly walk up to students and ask their opinion of the place that you are visiting. I've found that students will always be candid with you. (There is one caveat: every student hates his or her school during mid-term and finals week!)
15. If you are adventurous, plan an individualized visit. Many schools (including MIT) have overnight visiting programs that are designed to give you a first hand view of the college by having you stay overnight with a current undergraduate student. What better way to lean about a college?
16. Take notes! There is no way that you are going to remember everything, especially if you visit multiple schools. If your parents accompany you to the visit ask them to also take notes so that you can compare on the trip home. Remember, if you ask your parents to take notes, you have to listen to what they have to say. Be sure to give clear directives about the things that are important to you. Use that as a basis for "note-taking" guidelines. If you went it alone, notes can helpful in conveying your experience to you parents, guidance counselor, etc. when you return home. Above all else, come late October and you trying to remember why you wanted to apply early to a school in the first place.

While on Campus, here are 9(ish) questions to ask:

1. What are weekends like?
2. What is the Financial Aid process. What are the deadlines? Are you need-based or merit-based? What kinds of scholarships are available to me? Does work study mean that I'll get a hair-net & spoon for the food line a campus dining?
3. How much is the average financial aid award? How much of that is covered by loans?
4. What is your overall retention rate? What is the retention rate for minority students?
5. What kind of services do you offer students in making the transition from HS to college? Be sure that you get an answer that covers both academic and socialscenarios.
6. Do you offer the academic program that I'm interested in? What other majors fit my study interests? (This is very important for Pre-Med, Pre-Law & Pre-Vet as most colleges do not have any pre- majors)
7. Are there any rules or guidelines that are unique to your college application process? For example, MIT strongly encourages Educational Counselor interviews; and West Point requires a letter of recommendation from a US Senator.
8. Are there any rules or guidelines that are unique to your college? For example, The University of Virginia has a very strict honor code and at MIT even if you major in Music and Theater Arts you still receive a bachelors of Science degree upon graduation.
9. Whom should I contact if I have more questions?

Give this a try and let me know how it worked out for you. Did I leave something out? Drop me a line and let me know. (This means you too, parents!) Enough from me. Let me know what you think!

Greetings to all! Can you feel that? Summer is slipping away and the crisp New England weather is looming just around the corner. (Funny I say that even though Boston had a heat index of 106 degrees last week.)

As we get closer to September the class of 2010 prepares to take their place as matriculated students at MIT, and future classes, especially the class of 2011, are preparing to run the gauntlet known as the college application process. In some ways this entry represents the changing of the guard for The Nance Effect.

Many more of those reading and posting to this blog will be new or first time Bloggers. To you I say welcome! Come on in, the water is just fine. I hope that you will not hesitate to throw your two cents in to any and all conversations. This is, after all, a community designed for and about you. When I began to blog a little more than a year ago I wrote the following:

My blog will hopefully give you a backstage pass to the theater of the absurd, better known as College Admissions. Instead I will discuss real issues that affect minorities and the college application process. Does that mean that you have to be a minority to glean wisdom from, or participate in, this blog? Au contraire, mon frere! This is a place to recognize and support all diversity with particular sensitivity to the African American, Latina/o, and Native American communities. I can't promise you the answers to all of your questions - remember, the only way out is to THINK your way out. Enough said. Let's get down to business.

This blog is designed so that we all learn from each other. Remember: a sense of humor never hurts!

To those of you who are returning as veterans of The Nance Nance Revolution, welcome back! Please continue to do what you've always done - inform and entertain us with your experiences and tell us about your life in general.

I would be remiss if I did not also welcome parents to our little corner of cyberspace! As always, we have reserved a place at the table for you. Just remember, unlike Thanksgiving dinner, the priority goes to the 'Kids Table'.

Let's get this party started right! Remember Mrs. Brown's second grade class? The first day was spent with each student in the class standing up in front telling everyone how he or she spent the summer. Well, I'm going old school on you. I'll start Show & Tell with how I spent my summer solstice. (Unlike most of you, the admissions office is forced to work through the heat.)

Consider this your first assignment. Be sure to tell us how you spent your summer. If you are new, be sure to introduce yourself! Again, welcome to NNR!

Here are a few pix from my summer...

I had the pleasure of working with the MITES students this summer. Here are a few photos from their ice cream social:

I rubbed elbows with the Class of 2010 students who attended Project Interphase this summer. (Unfortunately, I don't have any candid shots of the group, but I do have this really cool official-like photo:

In addition to working with students on the MIT campus I also attended several college fairs. The largest was held at Columbia University, in New York City on July 19th. Here are a few more pics:

I played in the backyard with my kids (Miles and McKinley)

I CLEANED & RELOCATED MY OFFICE!

Before...

After...

Finally, I celebrated my 40th birthday. Ben will post photos of that here soon. :-)

In the fall of 2001 - Thanksgiving weekend to be exact - I sat in a dining room table in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn trying desperately to convince a young lady to apply to Cornell University. She was one of the first students that I recruited to Cornell and she is responsible for some of the biggest lessons that I've learned about how to recruit minority students.

Much to my surprise it was a tough sell. I thought that all I had to do was to show up and tell her a few facts about Cornell, and then I'd be money. I was sure that she'd be seduced by the allure of the Ivy League. I was positive that she'd just take me at my word because I was an admissions professional. I left her house not at all sure if I'd see her application.

Lesson One: Never assume that students are just going to take you at your word.

Lesson Two: Never speak condescendingly to potential applicants. EVER!

Fast-forward four months. Not only did she apply to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, but she was also accepted! Silly of me to think that she would attend Cornell just because she was admitted. The process began all over again. I was grilled on everything from where to get black hair done to the availability of urban radio stations. When she came to visit and saw cows on campus, you can imagine her response.

Lesson Three: Be prepared to discuss issues around race and ethnicity openly and honestly. Don't just play up the school's strengths, but also acknowledge its weaknesses.

Lesson Four: It's not just about the academics for most minority students; it's about finding an institution that makes them feel safe and comfortable.

Lesson Five: Student savvy grows exponentially throughout the college application process. The young lady that I spoke to in April was ten times savvier than she'd been just a few months prior.

As my granddaddy used to say: To make a short story long, this young lady did decide to attend Cornell and began her educational odyssey in the fall of 2002 as a Communications major. Over the next three years I witnessed a somewhat shy and sheltered girl blossom into a smart and beautiful woman. She was a constant fixture in my office. Although I complained about the lack of veggies in her diet (chicken fingers every day for lunch) and her keeping me from getting work done; I secretly enjoyed her presence and I credit her with keeping me up on my peeps.

As you can see from the photo, Kimberli is now a 2006 graduate of Cornell University. Kimberli, I am very proud of you! Somewhere along the way I realized that you did not need my advice, but you sought it anyway. Thanks for keeping me grounded and relevant. On those days when I wonder why I do this for a living I think of you graduating. God Speed! The circle is complete.

You are smart, hardworking, and destined for greatness. I will be very proud if my own daughters turn out to be just like you.

As a disclaimer it is important that I disclose the fact that Kimberli is my niece. Yep, she's family... but in many ways every student of color that I admit to college feels like family.

Please take a moment and rejoice with Kimberli on this monumental occasion. Drop her a comment to wish her well.

Anyway... (Stay on target!) Monday night's movie selection was very disturbing: D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation. This movie, shot in 1915, has been described as "a legendary classic, [that is] technically innovative and sweeping. Director Griffith made brilliant use of the close-up, cross-cutting, rapid-fire editing, the iris, the split screen shot, and realistic and impressionistic lighting. His once-record-breaking $100,000 spectacle ran over three hours and eventually altered the entire course and concept of the feature film."

It has also been described as: explicitly racist. Shortly after its release, the newly-formed NAACP bitterly condemned Birth of a Nation for "its racist and vicious portrayal of blacks, its proclamation of miscegenation, its pro-Klan stance, and its endorsement of slavery." They went on to call this cinematic masterpiece "the meanest vilification of the Negro race."

Even more shocking was Director Griffith's response to the controversy. He claimed that he was not racist. When screened at the White House for then-President and former history professor Woodrow Wilson, he was quoted as proclaiming, "It not only historically accurate, but like "history writ with lightning." According to IMDB, this was the 'first' true blockbuster, making $18 million. It was the most profitable film for over two decades, until Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released years later. If we adjusted the gross to fit the present day consumer price index, Birth of a Nation would have made over $336 million dollars. This movie is credited with massive race riots throughout the country.

So why was there such an uproar over this movie? As provided by IMDB, here is the plot summary: "Two brothers, Phil and Ted Stoneman, visit their friends in Piedmont, South Carolina: the family Cameron. This friendship is affected by the Civil War, as the Stonemans and the Camerons must join opposite armies. The consequences of the War in their lives are shown in connection to major historical events, like the development of the Civil War itself, Lincoln's assassination, and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan. In its climactic finale, the suppression of the black threat to white society by the glorious Ku Klux Klan helped to assuage some of America's fears about the rise of defiant, strong black men and the repeal of laws forbidding intermarriage."

I can't say that I sat through all 3.5 hours of the movie. (Remember I have 2 kids under the age of 3.) But I saw enough of the movie to get the gist of it. I found that I wasn't affected as emotionally as I thought I would be. Don't get me wrong; it lived up to every bit of its racist billing. Yet when put into proper context, I was left feeling empowered by the situation. This brings me to that age-old argument of censorship. Even if done for the right reasons, I believe that censoring the isms (sexism, racism, classism, etc.) can lead to serious blowback. The very thing that you hope to deny exposure to the light can often grow in power by the recesses of the dark. Should there be limits? Of course there should! This is not the movie to show to kindergartners in lieu of Barney and Sesame Street. But it most definitely should be shown to smart and precocious high school students. Discussions around race issues in this country have devolved to sound bites. Most people are retrenched in their own personal feelings that they believe to be 100% correct. The implication is that anyone with opposing thoughts must be 100% wrong.

Better yet, let's really drive this home. We live in a world of extreme political correctness. As such, we are willing to choke off and suffocate any topic of conversation that is deemed uncomfortable. We mask these uncomfortable thoughts from ourselves by claiming that any discussion of the matter may offend others around us. So who are we looking to protect - others, or ourselves?

I think we do significant damage to ourselves by playing the political correctness game in these situations. For example, if someone were to tout some of the cinematic achievements of Birth of a Nation, your first reaction might be to brand that person as a racist. Yet PC norms might keep you from calling the person out as such. So you're then left with a feeling of inner rage and left to harbor ill will towards the person making the comments - which may or may not be justified (without bringing up the issue, you'll never know for sure).

Look, I'm not saying that the person speaking positively of Birth doesn't have a responsibility to act responsibility with his or her comments. But we must learn to embrace the opportunities to confront ourselves by confronting others.

How is it possible that a movie is technically brilliant yet morally repugnant? How can I respect this film for innovation, yet simultaneously abhor it for content? How do you hold seemingly contradictory ideas in your head at the same time? It's a tough one, I'll grant you that. But growth is painful. It has been my experience that the people who are the most successful in life are the ones who never stop learning.

I learned quite a bit about myself by watching Birth Monday night. Even though this movie is actively being used as a modern day recruitment tool for the KKK, I will no longer feel the same level of anxiety about Birth as I did before seeing it. Confrontation can be a good thing... if handled correctly.

Enough from me... what do you think?

For the greater part of my blog's existence, many of the regulars have insisted on calling me Nance Nance Revolution (NNR). Well thanks to one of my favorite prefrosh, the dream is now reality!

Check out an incredible piece of graphic art from Ms. Star Simpson of the great state of Hawaii. (Embarrassing moment coming...) Star, you are so awesome for creating my new banner. Not to mention the fact that you are a perfect fit for MIT and I can't wait to see you as a freshman this fall. Remember to bring warm clothes... even our September weather may be a bit brisk for you!

CPW RECAP

I would like to give a shout out to all of the great students who humbled me with their presence during Campus Preview Weekend. Thank you Blessing, Carley, Star, Timur, Carlos, Jose, Lisa (love the hair color!), Allyson, YeSeul, Darryl, Jonathan, Cecilla, Ricardo, Keri, Willie, Dina, Javier, Isaiah, Bayo, Nur, Justin, Camille, Xavier, Marie, Daniel, Muhammad and Ryan (just to name a very few of you).

For those who couldn't make it (like Kelli), we really missed you. Words cannot express how pleased I was to gaze upon the MIT family and see a reflection that is much more representative of America than ever before. Ladies and gentlemen, take a bow. You came, you saw, you proved why you belong at MIT.

While I'm at it, parents, you should take a bow as well. You heeded the call of your sons & daughters. You got out of the way. You left the students to their own devices. As we say in the urban vernacular, "You chilled while your peeps was handlin' they biz in the cut."

For those who missed the festivities, we kicked off CPW with two receptions on Thursday night - one for parents and one for students.

I was at the parent reception and those folks went to Church! We had a Gospel Choir sing and two of MIT's finest - Karl Reid (Director of the Office of Minority Education) and Wes Harris (Department Head of Aero/Astro) - lit the crowd on fire. It didn't hurt that we had an open bar for the parents! (Hey, $40,000 worth of tuition ought to get the parents something too!)

The student reception began with a buffet that was out of this world! Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Candied Yams, Sweet Potato Pie, Burritos, Refried Beans, Tamales, and of course Enchiladas. As a way of welcoming you, 200+ of my favorite MIT students showed up to welcome the newly admitted minority students. And just to show you that we got flava' we were treated to hot performances from Mocha Moves and Casino Rueda.

Friday we let you go to classes and see MIT in all of its glory. We finished off the evening with what I thought was the star attraction, the Meet The Bloggers party. It was great to put names and faces together, and it was really cool that all the parents showed up to say hello.

Saturday was a day of days! We were treated to an unexpected Probate Show from the Distinguished Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. (Big ups to my main man Bradley from the ATL!) Thanks to their showmanship we were able to bring African American Sororities and Fraternities from all over the greater Boston area to campus. This was a great way for us to prove that the minority community here is much bigger than a single campus. When you come to MIT you inherit an extended family from all over Beantown!

What's a Probate show without food? Prefrosh and their parents got a chance to break bread with over 400 minority students from the greater Boston area. No trash talkin', no drama, just a sea of Black and Brown folks chillin' and eating top shelf BBQ. (Don't think I didn't see the folks from the Dirty, Dirty - a.k.a down south - make those pulled pork sandwiches with the cole slaw!)

That night transitioned nicely as the brothers of Chocolate City hosted a standing room only Open Mic Spoken Word event. All I can say is two snaps up! But the piece de resistance was watching one of my best friends take the stage at the Battle of the Bands. My colleague and fellow blogger Ben Jones and his band Tremulant took center, and as Eric B. & Rakim used to say, they Moved The Crowd. As if that wasn't enough, my boss and mentor Dean Marilee Jones took the stage with Tremulant and delivered a stirring rendition of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi. (Where else can you see Tim the Beaver crowd surfing?)

There is no question that this event was the highlight of my tenure at MIT. Just as I've acknowledged the attendees, I need to do the same for the folks behind the scenes that made the magic possible.

First I need to thank the Minority Ambassadors - Ms. Monica Simo, Ms. Val Lugo, Mr. Jeffery Kirby, Mr. Jon Gibbs and Mr. Luis Cervantes. These super-dedicated students take time out of their busy schedules to assist the admissions office in recruiting our fair share of minority students.

I'd also like to thank my co-workers for allowing me to try different hair-brained ideas all at the last minute. Thank you Ben, Jenny, Alia, Mikey, Stu, Jo-Jo, Amy, Matt, Edmund, and of course, Marilee.

The biggest thanks of all have to go to my wife Tina. Thank you for letting me pursue my passions with reckless abandonment. Thanks to you and this job, I am constantly reminded that I am bigger than the sum of my parts.

Enough from me. What do you think of my new NNR banner? How was your CPW experience?

Parents,

Welcome back to the Nance Effect! Hopefully you found a few nuggets of wisdom in my last post that will help you and your child survive the process of choosing the right college for him/her. As you may suspect, this blog is written from the point of view of a man of color to an audience of color. With that said, I believe that the vast majority of my writings are applicable to the masses. Everyone is welcome, come on in, the water is just fine.

In my first piece I addressed philosophical issues and solutions for surviving the college decision process. In this piece I want to address specifics - in particular, down and dirty pitfalls that make this process focus on the wrong factors and make it a living hell for all involved.

As previously noted, I've spent the last six months talking to your offspring about the college process. I must say that they have handed themselves with extraordinary grace, intelligence, maturity and savvy. Still this process is as counterintuitive as a good golf swing or skydiving - or for those of us with young children, paying more for daycare than rent. (I know, I know, that's another conversation altogether).

Despite all that your children are saying - or in some cases not saying - they need you to help get them through this process. Here is where it gets counterintuitive for you; to be effective you must say more by saying less. You must make your words count and you must help to keep your kids on the right decision making path. AND YOU MUST LET YOUR CHILD MAKE HIS OR HER OWN DECISION. Avoid the minefields or at least know where the problem areas dwell and your child will be the better for it.

FINANCIAL AID

Every year I scratch my head as many minority students fall into the trap of not attending a school such as MIT because they did not understand the Financial Aid process. Don't let your child fall into this trap. Here are a few myths/traps.

• How do you know that you can't afford MIT if you haven't seen the financial aid package? Raise your hand if you've had a conversation with you child about just how much you can afford to spend on his/her education. What's that, 4 or 5 hands? Just as I suspected. Look, I know how anxious this topic makes you. Guess what, so does your child! Whenever I'm recruiting for MIT I start my presentation by stating the costs of MIT for 4 years. Without fail, the majority of students are quick to point out that I should move on because their parents can't afford MIT. So parents, I pose the same question to you that I ask your children: How do you know that you can't afford MIT if you haven't seen the financial aid package? It's not the advertised sticker price of a school that you should worry about; it's the final, parent contribution that should draw your attention. And you won't have that until your child's financial aid package is complete.
• Make sure that you complete all requested paperwork in a timely manner. Once your child is admitted, the decision-making clock begins. It is difficult to make a decision if you don't know the terms of the financial aid package from a given institution. Not knowing can be paralyzing. There is no doubt that this missing factor will add lots of stress to an already stressful process. Remember, many institutions have a finite amount of financial aid that they dole out on a first come, first serve basis.
• Know the ways that financial aid is packaged. At MIT a student's financial aid package consists of a combination of grants, loans and jobs from private sources, MIT and the government. Grant aid is an award based on financial need that the student does not have to repay. Loans are a type of financial aid, which must be repaid, with interest. The federal student loan programs are a good method of financing the costs of your college education. These loans are better than most consumer loans because they have lower interest rates and do not require a credit check or collateral. Some even provide a variety of deferment options and extended repayment terms. Federal Work-Study (FWS) provides undergraduate students with part-time employment during the school year. The federal government pays a portion of the student's salary, making it cheaper for departments and businesses to hire the student. For this reason, work-study students often find it easier to get a part-time job. Eligibility for FWS is based on need. Money earned from a FWS job is not counted as income for the subsequent year's need-analysis process. (These definitions were taken from the FINAID website. Additional financial aid definitions can be found here: http://www.finaid.org/questions/glossary.phtml
• When in doubt, always go to the source! You should visit the web site of the school and also find out the email or phone number of the financial aid counselor who is handling your child's case. Call/email if you have questions. Although it may be tough to get through, persistence pays off.
• Not every scholarship is equal. Yes, there are many schools out there promising full-ride scholarships. There are also many car dealerships offering you a new car for $99.00 down and $99.00 per month. If you were buying a car and it sounded too good to be true, you'd be suspicious. The same should be true of scholarships.
• Know what questions to ask about financial aid. What is the appeal process? How will the institution count outside scholarships? What is the policy for divorced parents? Is there a payment plan? What are the residency requirements (for state schools)? Is this award need-based or merit-based?
• Know the questions that you should ask about any "fantastic scholarship offer":
• Is it guaranteed for 4 years? Many of the full-ride scholarships only cover year 1 or maybe year 2; then the grant aid (free money from the institution) is replaced with loans.
• Does it come with a minimum GPA requirement? Some scholarships require students to maintain a specific GPA. In some cases, the scholarship is terminated if a student drops below the minimum.
• Is it tied to a specific major or program? If the scholarship is tied to specific major or program, your child may lose funding by simply changing his/her major of focus of study.
• What out-of-the-classroom requirements are attached to the scholarship? This is important because it can really suck up your son/daughter's free time. A scholarship that requires 75 hours of community service per semester can make for a rough transition to college.

CAMPUS VISITS

• If at all possible, make sure that your children visit campus before making a decision. They should visit even if they visited before being admitted, because they'll be in a completely different space now. Your child's previous visit brought her to us as a candidate. Now she comes to interview us. We know that her savvy has grown exponentially and that she now comes seeking answers to very specific questions. Before she asked about majors and now she'll ask about classes. Before she asked if there are sororities on campus and now she'll ask about the pledging process. Your child is not just coming to go to school here, she is also coming to live here for the next 4 years.
• If there is a minority visit program, do it. Campus visits are particularly important for minority students because they need to get a feel for the campus climate. Additionally, they need to understand the community that they will be joining in visceral ways. This happens quickly when they are immersed in the campus climate via these types of programs.
• Should parents attend? Yes, with some rules. Of course you are welcome to attend campus open houses for admitted students. We call ours CPW (Campus Preview Weekend). You need to feel good about where your child will study and play. However, you must remember that this is his/her decision. I don't care how close you and your children are, they will act very differently in your presence. Remember the Eisenberg Uncertainty Principle.
• If you decide to attend, remember to observe the following rules:
• Part ways at the beginning of the program and don't reconvene until the program is over. (Except for those few joint activities.)
• Attend all of the parent receptions and seminars. We spend a lot of time putting these programs together to answer your many questions. Don't forget that many of us are parents too!
• Compare notes with other parents. If you have specific questions, ask if it is possible to speak to parents of students who have been through the process already. Some institutions even provide a list of parents to contact from your hometown.
• Visit Financial Aid First! BRING ALL PAPERWORK WITH YOU! In fact, try to get everything to the Financial Aid office before you arrive.
• Go to all the places that provide care for your child. Go to the medical center so you'll know how the staff handles cases of illness, eat in the dining facility so that you'll know what the chow is like, take the campus tour so you'll know how far she has to walk in the cold, go to campus safety so that you can understand how safe your baby will be.
• Take plenty of notes. On your trip back your child will babble on and on about what he/she experienced. Notes help you to ask the kinds of questions that promote sound decision-making.
• Encourage your children to do the same. If the experience was good, they'll rattle on forever. If the experience was bad, they'll become very tight-lipped. Lists can help you to understand and interpret the visit.
• Ask a ton of questions! This is a very complicated process. If you don't ask, we'll assume that you understand everything.

I could go on forever with tips for choosing the right college but I'll stop here. I can't say enough times that this process can be overwhelming if not managed properly. Also remember that this can also be a beautiful experience. If you avoid the common pitfalls and communicate with your child, you will bear witness to a defining moment in his or her transition into a young adult. After all, isn't this one of the moments that you've sacrificed and planned for all of his/her life?

Enough from me, let me hear from you. Do you have any suggestions or pitfalls to avoid?

I am particularly pleased with the diversity of this class. For many there is a perception that the only way to increase diversity is to 'relax the standards'. I can't speak for other Colleges/Universities, but that is not the case at MIT. Everyone had to withstand close scrutiny and examination before being admitted. PERIOD.

Hats off to those who were admitted. This is an exciting time for you. Take a moment and bask in the glow of getting the MIT fat packet. Once that moment is over, get back in the game because you have a big decision to make in the next six weeks. Not to worry, we are here to answer your questions about all things MIT. (Probably not all things MIT; more like most things MIT.)

For those who were not admitted, I know how hard you worked and I know how much pain you must be in right now. You too need to allow yourself a moment to reflect on what this news means to you. Just like those admitted, once your moment is over, you need to get back in the game as well. Although you were not admitted to MIT I am more than confident that you have received other great offers of admissions from very good colleges. So you too must have exciting news to share with our blogging community. So let it be written, so let it be done!

Best of luck to everyone.

I am giving you a hall pass for this blog entry. This entry is for the people you call Mom and Dad. (I'm sure that you call them other things when they are not looking, but that's another entry). So call mom and/or dad to the computer, bring up this page and walk away. WAIT, WAIT! DON'T GO TOO FAR! They may get freaked out if your IM pops up and your best friend begins to talk about the party that you were not supposed to go to. Disable your IM and then walk away.

Parents,

Welcome to the Nance Effect! For the last six months I've spent time in cyberspace talking to your offspring about the College Process. I must say that they have handed themselves with extraordinary grace, intelligence, maturity and savvy. Even though they won't clean their rooms, stay up too late and drink way too much coffee, you should be proud of them. (Let's keep this between us. As it is you need a shoe horn to get their heads through the door)

This entry has been on my mind since this time last year. My college roommate called for advice because his oldest daughter was going though the application process. When I got off the phone I was struck by how little he knew about the process. This really bothered me because I've known him for 20+ years and he's one of the sharpest people that I know. Finally, it dawned on me this is not the same process that it was just 15 years ago. There is more pressure and information that seniors must endure. We never had to sift endlessly through web sites or spend our summers studying for exams and/or stuffed on a bus or the back seat of the car on the never-ending campus visits.

I know that this process is equally stressful for you. In less than 6 months your child will go off to college. Complicating matters is the fact that you have to help guide a hormonally driven young person through arguably the biggest decision of his or her life. As a wise man once said, "I feel your pain." Or as my grandfather was fond of mumbling to his 13 grandkids, "Youth is wasted on the young."

In this post I hope to give you a few pointers that will help you and your child flourish together as you sift through the college decision process.

General Points:

• No matter what they say, they listen to you and take their lead from your reaction. Remember this when they come home excited about being admitted to Existentialists University. The frown on your face may be related to some completely unrelated thought. To your child, it's a frown of disapproval.

• It's all about them. Always. For example, if you called to say that your brand new Mercedes was just stolen from the mall parking lot, don't be surprised if the 2nd question is "How am I supposed to get to the Prom" (Of course the first question is are you alright? It may be all about them but they still love you). THIS IS THE LENS THROUGH WHICH THEY SEE THE WORLD AND THIS PROCESS.

• This process is overwhelming! They are being asked to make the biggest decision of their lives with 4-6 weeks of deliberations. If you attended college, the process has changed drastically since you applied. If you have not attended college, not to worry, the process is just as foreign for the college-educated parent as it is for you.

• The only way for your children to make this decision is to think their way out. Be there as a source to ask thought-provoking, open-ended questions that are designed to spur internal dialog. This is where life experiences come in handy. Draw upon your life's journey for inspiration.

• As such, very few teenagers have the expertise to separate the message from the messenger. The moment that you lock into 'decision making mode' for him or her is the moment that you have made you voice irrelevant.

• Do not take advice from family or friends about this process. Would you let you uncle fix the brakes on your car; or let your uncle do your taxes; or let your aunt give you a perm and a trim? The same principle applies to choosing a college. Just before accepting this position at MIT, I had a close family friend pull me aside and tell me not to go to Boston. When I asked why, he reminded me of the issues surrounding court-ordered busing in the 1970's. When I pressed him to be specific and about MIT, he complained about the time his car broke down on Mass Ave and how no one stopped to help him. Tragic for him, but not a reason for me not to choose MIT.

I think that I've given you enough to ponder for now. If you take just one thing away from this piece let it be the following: Deciding on the right college is as much about the process (journey) as it is the outcome. Try as you might, it is impossible to account for all variables or know all the facts. It is only through diligence and hard work associated with the process that you and your children will acquire the tools necessary to arrive at a proper outcome. Please allow your children to learn and grow from this process. Let them tap into their inner voice and embrace that which separates the children from adults: Well Reasoned Decision Making.

The second part of this post will come next week. In the meantime, let me know your thoughts.

Greetings all!

As you know I recently added a new member to our family. Miles Nathaniel Nance made his way to the world on January 11, 2006 at 10:40 pm. My wife tried valiantly (15+ hours) to deliver naturally. Considering his size and length, lets just say I've never been so happy to hear the words Caesarean Section!! He was 9 pounds 15 ounces and 22 inches long at birth. My wife was ecstatic to hear, "Your Epidural is in." Upon seeing Miles for the first time, I believe my dad said it best, "Wow, looks like you gave birth to a toddler!" Yes, he's a very big boy.

As we settle in with our newest bundle of joy, we are trying to help his older sister (McKinley "Drama Queen" Nance) understand that having Miles around is A GOOD THING! It was all-good the first week that Miles was home, but slowly it became evident that she considers her brother to be a threat. At best, she thinks he's pure evil, at worst she thinks he's the Anti-Christ. Should I be worried that she keeps looking at his scalp for the 666 mark? In fact, given the tantrums that have become her hallmark of late, I'm sure that we could win as a write-in candidate for the Academy Awards. Her award; Best dramatic actress in a tantrum in the 2 and under category. If not the Oscars, she's a shoe-in for the 2006 Chernobyl - Three Mile Island Award. A relatively new award, it is given to the to the 2 year old who best demonstrates the human version of a core meltdown.

NEVERTHELESS, we are all doing well. So the assignment for this entry is divided into two parts: one for the students and one for the parents.

Parents: thank you for your kind words and your timely tips for handling life now that we have an additional human in our life. Currently we are trying to negotiate the many needs of the MNN duo (McKinley Nicole & Miles Nathaniel) and other trivial demands of life, like: sleep; laundry; full time jobs; and kid-free times for the parents. I am calling all parents within the proximity of this electronic signal... Please post any tips that you may have that my wife and I could use against these two that might tip the balance of power again in our direction. As you well know, time is our enemy. In return, I promise to tell you all that know about the college process, so that you too may regain control of your house and life, one child at a time.

Students: please post your earliest recollection of your encounters with your younger or older sibling. Yes, I really want to hear about all of the not-so-nice things that you did to your kid sister or brother in an effort to regain your status as the "spotlight child." I also want to hear from the victims. Please tell us your gallant endeavors to survive the most dastardly deeds perpetrated by those you call big brother and/or sister.

Let me hear from you soon!

Ben here, with an update from The Nance, who called me at 7AM to tell me that his wife's contractions were 20 minutes apart. (Next time, Bry, just stick to the 9AM report unless they're 20 seconds apart, mmmmmkay?) :-)

So Lance "Nance Nance Revolution" Nance is on his way.

I'll keep you updated over the course of the day. Let's use this thread to make predictions on the exact time and weight. The closest time and weight guesses will receive gifts from Bryan (Ha! I love hijacking his blog and making promises on his behalf!).

Personally I am hoping that the little guy waits until after midnight so that he will be born on my birthday, which is tomorrow. So my (wishful thinking) guess: January 12, 12:42AM, 7 pounds 1 ounce.

Let the predictions begin!

-Ben

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[EDIT] 2PM: Contractions are 10 minutes apart, but they are lasting longer. Bryan says that anyone who guessed over 8 pounds is going to be in big trouble with his wife.

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[EDIT] Noon on 1/12/06: Finally got in touch with Bryan! Alas, Baby Nance was not born on my birthday. :-( He was born at 10:40PM on 1/11/06, weighing in at 9lbs, 14oz (!) and 22 inches long. Congrats to Bryan and Tina!

For all of you who call the "Nance Effect" a home of sorts, thank you for your continued insight, wisdom, humor, patience and dedication. Much to my surprise this blog seems to really resonate with many in cyberspace. It is hard to believe that I've only been at MIT since July of 2005 and this blog has only been active since late August 2005. It is no exaggeration when I say that The Nance Effect has become a true on-line community.

What does that really mean? Everywhere you look you see the word "community" casually bandied about. To me there are few concepts more sacred than that of community. What is more important that community? It's the place where you commune with family and friends. It's the safe and supportive place from which you embrace the learning process. It's the place from which you venture out to spread your wings and go about the often-tumultuous process of learning and growing physically, mentally and emotionally. Most importantly, it does not rely any one individual for its success.

Everyday I see signs that The Nance Effect is great community. I watched as total strangers met at my blog for conversation, fun and intellectual discourse. I saw you joke with each other about your favorite movies and music, and you even weighed in with clever suggested names for my soon-to-be-born son. (YES, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR HIM & NO; WE AREN'T GOING TO NAME HIM PROMEITHESIS!)

I saw you cheer those who were tubed; and I witnessed many of you struggle to make sense of the pain and disappointment of being deferred or rejected in the Early Action pool. I watched as many of you asked difficult questions of me and of each other, all the while respecting points of view that were counter to your own personal philosophies. In particular, I was very proud of the way the vast majority of you handled yourselves when responding to the "Deferred" and "Welcome MIT Class of 2010" threads. It would have been easy for you to post comments that had a mean or negative tone. Even when baited by comments that were clearly out of bounds, you did not fall for the Jedi mind tricks. In fact, many of you went out of your way to remind us that mutual respect is the community norm and anything other than that would not be tolerated.

Why is finding and forming this kind of community so important? Simple. It's exactly what you hope to do when choosing where to attend college. The same principles and intrinsic qualities that you find appealing in this community are the same ones you should seek out when deciding which college communities to join. Remember, you are not attending a college simply to study, you will also live in that community for at least four years.

It did not take long for me realize that I was onto something special with this blog. As Paris Hilton would say, "that's hot!" It is very important to me that this blog be a conduit for useful tips on the admissions process for students of color. But honestly, the posts that I've enjoyed the most are the ones in which I get to dispense laughs or in which I get a chance to learn from you. It was great to confirm my suspicions - in addition to being WICKED SMART, you are a witty lot. I am pleased that you continue to ask your friends to join this community. I am constantly amazed that you quote me or reference The Nance Effect on your personal blogs.

I am humbled that you have continued to keep this community alive and vibrant even when I needed to "back away slowly" for a few weeks.

Before we return to the regularly scheduled soapbox, I call for a moment of reflection. Let the community know:

- What worked?
- What did not work?
- What would you like to see in print in the coming year?
- What do you never want to see/discuss ever again?
- Where did I drop the ball?

As we forge ahead into the '06, I offer this quote from one of my favorite writers: "no man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." -John Donne, Meditation XVII

There are a great many more of you that were deferred that admitted. I'm sure that receiving the news that you are deferred has to be disappointing (to say the least) to all of you. Please take heart in knowing that you still have a shot at MIT. Unlike Langston Hughes' poem A Dream Deferred, your dream is still alive. Let's talk about it, openly, and honestly. Please let me know how I can help to put it into a perspective that helps you see the situation from a strategic and global vantage point. Before you respond to me, be sure to read the post by Dean Marilee Jones on the TIM Blog. If it doesn't resonate with you, then your heart pumps ice water.

Please post and let's chat!

If you've seen Ben's blog you know that our selection rate this year is 12% down from 14% last year. I know that many of you will automatically begin to spaz as soon as you read this. Don't. Just wait and see, you may be one of the 12%.

For those not in the 12% - do not despair! Many of you will be deferred. And many of those who were deferred will be selected during Regular Action.

Nevertheless, The Nance Effect is a great place to discuss whatever is on your mind.

Behold in Awesome Wonderment the pace from which I execute MIT Admissions Policy. Granted, it's "less than immaculate" - but hey, it's home away from home.

Allow me to give you the grand tour. Picture 1 gives you a great head-on shot of my desk. It's the place that I store my most important papers:

If you look at picture 2, you can clearly see my filing system. It's a simple concept. If it's important, it's on my desk. Out of respect for my ingenious storage system, my colleagues will only leave material for me on my chair. I tell you what, after some papers with loose staples I've learned to look before I sit:

Finally, in picture 3 you can see the place that I store my prized office possessions:

• Top of bookcase: coffee mugs
• 1st shelf: oversized binders
• 2nd shelf: decorations, cds, and gifts from students
• 3rd & 4th shelf: Favorite books including: Savage Inequalities, EgoTrip's Big Book of Racism, EgoTrip's Rap Lists, Lakota Woman, A Primer for Organizational Behavior, Technology & the Dream: Reflections of the Black Experience at MIT, & Pedagogy of the Oppressed
• Bottom shelf: junk that was left by the last occupant of this office.

I guess some things never change. As a kid my mom used to yell at me to clean my room. Now it's my co-workers yelling at me to clean my office. However, to my credit, there are no strange smells in my office. I can't say the same about my room as a kid.

Have a great weekend! Do get some sleep and have some fun!

So let's get to the meat of the matter (or for you vegans out there, the shiitake mushroom of the matter). Here are some of the things that impressed me:

• The quality of the essays. I was constantly floored by the way so many of you approached your essays and your overall style and flow. Dare I say, I saw flashes of brilliance every now and again? I SO wish that I could share snippets of some of the essays that I reviewed. Alas, under penalty of law and all that stuff concerning your right to privacy, I am forced to discuss them using only my inner voice.
• The fine ways that many of you give back to the community. It is not hard to tell when someone is just going through the motions or trying to pad their application. I saw true selfless activities. This includes everything from the creation of clubs in school to activities that help to relieve human suffering to activities that help to right injustices. It is humbling to see so many students showing so much compassion for their fellow man.
• The great ways that you spend your free time. (Although, I do wish all of you would sleep more!) Other than hang out on my blog, I am pleased that you are having fun, & that many of you have such a great sense of humor!
• The amount of passion in your applications. WOW! It does the soul good to know that you love this stuff. Some of you have been doing things related to your intended fields of study for quite some time, while others of you are chomping at the bit to jump right in. As the Black Eyed Peas said, "Let's Get it Started in Here". (DISCLAIMER: Do not assume that you won't be admitted if you have not already pursued a great deal of activity in your intended field of study. We know that an interest in creative writing is easily expressed as compared to one in Nuclear Engineering. In other words, we believe that writing samples make fine submissions, whereas we REALLY discourage the submission of fusion reactor cores, no matter how much lead you use as packing material.
• A low geek factor. Normal students apply and will be accepted to MIT. If what you do makes you a geek in HS, it'll make you a superstar at MIT.

I need a big favor! I am up to my neck in applications (I just want to save my wrist watch!) For this entry do you mind if we don't discuss applications? I need to switch into holiday mode and I believe that you need to do the same. As I read your responses I'm sure that if I put a piece of coal in a chair, and asked some of you to sit on it, in 2 days flat we'd have a flawless 30 karat yellow canary diamond.

I propose 3 topics of discussion: Movies, Music, and Baby Names.

MOVIES

Send me a list of your top 10 all time classic movies. If you need help, I suggest IMDB.

Here are the rules:

- Each movie must be at least 7 years old

- It must be available as a rental (Sorry, that excludes Valley of the Dolls)

- You must have at least one movie from the following categories:
   - Westerns
   - Drama
   - Horror
   - Sci Fi
   - Comedy
   - Animation
   - Action

- Other categories include:
   - Biography
   - War
   - Documentary

- No more than two movies from any one category; and sequels/trilogies count as multiple entries.

MUSIC

I need you list the top 5 songs and/or top 5 CD's of all time. (You can mix and match, so long as you don't exceed a total of 10 per genre) Here are the categories de jour:

- Hip-Hop/Old School Rap (1975 to present)
- R&B (From the late 1960's to present)
- Classic Rock (1960's to 1975)
- Love Songs (whenever)
- Re-Makes (whenever)

BABY NAMES

My wife is expecting a boy in the beginning of January. We are still not 100% set on a name... Here's your chance! Name the new Nance Baby! Give me 3 good names. (Remember, this child has to live with the name, so be nice!)

Let me know what you think and I'll post my favorites in a few days. Be prepared for vigorous and lively debate!

[Ed. note: naming Bryan's son will not automatically get you into MIT.]

So far I've been fairly serious with my entries about the college admissions process. I think that it's time for me to lighten the mood around here. So to all of you uber-serious folk... back away slowly and no one will get hurt.

As most of you know, I've been on an AWARD TOUR WITH MOHAMMED MY MAN. And everywhere I go, you want to know the skinny on how to get into MIT. The more I try to tell everyone that just showing your passion and being yourself is enough, the more I get the "yeah, r-i-g-h-t" look. So let's try another tactic. I know that you love numbers, stats and checklists, so here's a checklist for the ages.

52 THINGS NOT TO DO IF YOU WANT TO BE ADMITTED TO MIT:

1. Don't refer to yourself in the 3rd person. It doesn't work for pro athletes and it won't work for you.
2. Don't use the flashback essay. You know, the one that envisions you receiving the Nobel Prize in Biology and attributing all of your success to your admission to MIT. Yeah, that's about as original as the obligatory standing ovation at the end of an Ashante concert. (This is NOT an endorsement of Ashante or her inability to maintain pitch control, not lip-sync at live performances, or to write lyrics that use Boo as a pronoun.)
3. Do not use words that do not exist... irregardless of how much you orientate the direction of your essay.
4. Avoid slang. Use "street cred" on your own time. If you want to "keep it real" get an "A" in Calculus. That's hot!
5. Never refer to your parents as Mommy and Daddy, your dog as your best friend, or your girlfriend as your "Ride or Die."
6. In that same vein, if your mother really is your hero - you'd make your bed, refrain from calling your younger brother a mistake, and stop taking the cable box apart for poops and giggles.
7. Do not quote Holden Caufield in your essay. (It's a good way to share A ROOM WITH MARK DAVID CHAPMAN.)
8. Additionally, don't use quotes from Fountainhead or Jugghead.
9. The "Every Important Lesson I Learned in Life, I Learned From Wolverine" essay has been tried. (Feel free the ask the author how he's enjoying his PG year.)
10. There is no reason to use the word "nipple" anywhere on your application.
11. Unless you work for Bad Boy Records, The death of Biggie and Tupac do not count as defining moments in your life.
12. Under the section labeled Extracurricular Activities, do not list the following: Being a great boyfriend/girlfriend; 20 hours per week.
13. Never quote the MasterCard commercial that ends with the word PRICELESS.
14. Know what the hell you are talking about! Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Their chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. The New Radicals are a one hit wonder 80's pop band. (You only get what you give!)
15. Refrain from cutting and pasting whole sections of our web site to use in your essay. (If you do cut and paste, please use quotation marks and change the font to match that of your document.)
16. NEVER CUT AND PASTE BETWEEN COLLEGE ESSAYS. If we receive an essay that states, "...and that's why Harvard is my dream school" WE'LL TRY REAL HARD TO MAKE YOUR DREAM COME TRUE.
17. Think carefully before quoting music lyrics. If you must do it, Gwen Stefani's chorus is "I ain't no holla' back girl" NOT "I ain't no Harlem Black Girl."
18. The same goes with movies. Yes, Cool Hand Luke is steeped in allegory and I do believe that it is a modern parallel of Christ. No, I do not accept that Mean Girls is anything but a tween movie.
19. Don't submit anything written or drawn with a Crayola or Sharpie.
20. Don't use statistics as proof of your excellence if there were less that 10 others that you competed against. We TOO know the power of small numbers.
21. No matter how tight your argument is, Halo groups are not extracurricular clubs and your mastery of said game is not a skill.
22. Don't attend MIT Central Meetings and pick fights with the Admissions staff. You want us to remember you in good ways.
23. Don't rely solely on your 2400 SAT/36 ACT scores to get you into MIT.
24. Don't count yourself out if you have considerable lower scores than those listed above. (Ed. note: ...or if you spell like Bryan does.)
25. DO NOT EVER BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OF COLOR THAT YOU WILL BE ADMITTED SOLELY BECAUSE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.
26. If you are not a student of color don't fall into the trap of thinking you won't be admitted because of Affirmative Action. If you are admitted, it will be because of merit. If not, it wasn't because someone else took your spot.
27. Don't spend your entire essay telling us about what you want to be after you leave MIT. Instead tell us what you want to do at MIT.
28. Do not let the costs of MIT deter you from applying to MIT. We have this thing called Financial Aid. If you don't apply, you can't afford it.
29. Don't take college advice from your crazy know-it-all uncle whose only experience with MIT was the time his car broke down on Mass Ave back in 1974.
30. IF YOU ARE NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT LEARNING AND MIT, IT WILL SHOW IN YOUR APPLICATION.
31. Don't let more than three people critique your essay. If you do, you'll get conflicting messages and your voice will be lost forever.
32. Life is not like a box of chocolates.
33. If you know who the Wiggles are - for whatever reason - keep it to yourself.
34. Anything with the words "Graphic Novel" on the cover IS a comic book. Don't quote it.
35. Don't apply to MIT solely because your best friend suggests it.
36. Do you really think we'll be impressed by the poster that has your head superimposed on the body of Arnold and is titled: "I have the will, show me the way"? Use Photoshop responsibly.
37. Don't call us repeatedly hoping that we'll give you a decision early. You'll know when you know.
38. Do not have your parents call on your behalf. Enough said.
39. NEVER question MATT McGANN. He is of the MIT Omnibus.
40. Do not write to admissions officers using email addresses that contain lewd expressions. (Ed. note: I removed Bryan's example. It was that bad.)
41. There is no way to convince me that the Designated Hitter rule is good for Baseball. Don't even try.
42. In terms of your intended major, don't confuse "undecided" with "I don't know what I want". In other words, undecided means that you are struggling to decide between disciplines; not "I don't know".
43. Don't blow off your interview or wait until the last minute to make an appointment.
44. Don't use profanity in your essay, even if you're quoting someone.
45. Don't spend your time looking for the Admissions back door. No matter what you read on College Confidential, it doesn't exist. There is only one entrance to the Infinite Corridor, and that's through the admissions committee.
46. Don't use canned essays... if you do, we'll use canned rejection letters.
47. Don't send a bejillion letters of recommendation. We know that most of you have only lived for 17 or 18 years. We don't expect you to have a ton of experiences. I'd say more than 5-6 letters is really pushing it. Remember, we'll read everything that you send us. Don't abuse this. If I read a letter from your milkman saying that you like strawberry yogurt, I'm gonna be pissed.
48. NEVER EMBELLISH. I know that you are smart enough not to lie. Do not let your desire to attend MIT overshadow your integrity. This is an area that we see as absolute and black and white.
49. Do not miss deadlines! Not for the CSS Profile or any part of the application.
50. In that vein, don't wait until October 31st (early) or December 31st (regular) to apply, especially if you plan to apply online. If the server is down for some reason, you're screwed.
51. Don't slack off academically or do something stupid that could put your admission in jeopardy. MIT giveth and MIT taketh away.
52. Admission to MIT is like wearing spandex in public - it's a privilege not a right.

Here are the rules:

1. Make sure your question is general enough to be of help to others that read the Blogs. (If it is VERY specific to you please send me an off-line email.)


2. Limit yourself to no more than TWO questions. (One question with two parts = two questions.) The one question with 34 parts� FORGETABOUTIT!


3. If someone else asks the question that you were going to ask, let me know. Those will be the questions that I answer first.


4. Finally (for this week only) I'll batch the questions and reply twice daily.

So to get this started, I'll post a question that I received many times while on the road:

• What do I do at the EC interview?


• Why is it important?


• Are MIT interviews at all like the one in the movie "Risky Business"? (Not really a question I got on the road, but humorous nonetheless.)

Let's see what you've got!

Hello All!

As you can see I'm taking the fight to the people! In the last few weeks I had MIT Central meetings in Washington, DC; Bethesda, MD; Baltimore, MD; Fairfax, VA; Ann Arbor, MI (see photo) and Manhattan (NY, not Kansas). Additionally, I've visited high schools in Detroit, MI; Queens, NY; and Brooklyn, NY.

As you can see from the Michigan Theater pix, I'm a star! If you've seen the Bryan G. Nance show, feel free to wax poetic about the experience.

I promise more comments and pix from the road in the days to come. Remember if you attend my session, stay for the late show, tip the waiters and try the veal!

See you in a city near you!

Bryan