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MIT staff blogger Dave McOwen

Don’t Panic! by Dave McOwen

MyMIT will be inaccessible on Saturday, October 31 from 6:00am until 10:00am EDT for essential maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience.

As the message on MyMIT says,

MyMIT will be inaccessible on Saturday, October 31 from 6:00am until 10:00am EDT for essential maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I thought that would be less terrifying coming from me the day before instead of in the morning when you fired up the browser to finally submit your EA application. Rest assured there will be plenty of time for applications after the maintenance is completed. Go ahead and sleep in, read a book, watch some cartoons, finish that last minute work on your halloween costume, or……

I can tell you aren’t listening. You’re already thinking about re-reading your essays for the millionth time. That’s good, too. Just try not to panic.

41 responses to “Don’t Panic!”

  1. Elias('14?) says:

    So…what’s the maintenance for?

  2. Lydia AK says:

    I won’t panic. I have a towel. =)
    (Please tell me someone gets that?)

    Also, thanks Dave for telling us ahead of time. =)

  3. Justin H says:

    I already submitted my application, but is it okay if our teachers submitted their evaluations more than a week ago and MIT has not processed them yet, even though I only live like an hour away from MIT?
    Is there like a very large pile of application supplements waiting to be processed at the moment?

    Thanks for the reminder, though.

  4. VAL ('14?) says:

    @Lydia AK: I get it. smile

    @Dave: Thanks for the notification.

  5. Dave says:

    @ Elias

    It’s either the flux capacitor or the Oscillation Overthruster. You know how it is with those things.

    @ Justin

    Be patient with supplemental materials. As you can imagine, we have quite a lot of mail. Follow up next week if you don’t see it reflected in your application tracking page.

  6. Brit ('14?) says:

    Thanks for letting us know!

    @ Lydia AK- I get it too!

  7. Lauren says:

    Hey, I have a very, VERY stupid question (especially for someone trying to get into MIT). Does anyone know when it says the deadline is Nov. 1, if it means we can submit our apps online ON Nov. 1, or does it have to be done BEFORE Nov. 1–ie, (the night of) October 31st? Thanks!

  8. Lauren says:

    Hey, I have a very, VERY stupid question (especially for someone trying to get into MIT). Does anyone know when it says the deadline is Nov. 1, if it means we can submit our apps online ON Nov. 1, or does it have to be done BEFORE Nov. 1–ie, (the night of) October 31st? Thanks!

  9. Donald says:

    @Lauren I’m rather sure you can send it in on November 1 at 2357 if you would really like to; http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/deadlines/index.shtml says everything has to be “postmarked” the first, which should mean that it has to be sent ON November 1. Of course, I would think it’d be a lot less stressful just to get it over with now.

  10. Dave says:

    @ Lauren

    It means by midnight on Sunday, November 1.

  11. Chrism says:

    Ha! Good one Dave, from Flux Capacitors to the Hitchhikers Guide, you definitely fit in here.

  12. Lauren says:

    Wow, I’m sorry. That posted three times. I hate my computer. But thanks alot!! Yaaaay I get an extra day to work on my essays!! :D

  13. Lauren says:

    ….maybe I shouldn’t apply to MIT, because I obviously can’t count. It posted twice smile

  14. Allie says:

    Does anyone know if I need to send in MIT’s secondary school report form, or if I can just use the one from my school?

  15. Anonymous says:

    @Allie: “We prefer that schools use our form, but it’s ok if your school has a policy to use its own form.” Source: http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_freshman_application/index.shtml#school

  16. @Lauren:

    You can submit them ON the 1st of November.

    @Allie:

    Please send in MIT’s secondary school report form. That way we will be sure to have all the information we need.

    @Anvi:

    I wish it were! Just poorly timed and surprise maintenance by MIT.

    @everyonewhohelped:

    thanks!

    – Chris Peterson
    MIT Admissions

  17. Tim says:

    Do the teacher recommendations have to be postmarked Nov 1st as well?

  18. Anonymous says:

    I’M PANICKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  19. Hopeful '14 says:

    I’m not panicking per se, but I’m nervous too, because I sent all of my supplements, recommendations, etc. Monday and I didn’t think it would take a week to get to Cambridge. I’ll be patient. I’m just nervous.

  20. I signed up for MIT 2 other colleges, and a scholarship service to recieve my SAT scores when I tested this month. Now (the day before my application’s due,) I check on collegeboard and it says I only sent it to the scholarship service. What do I do?

  21. AHHHH says:

    I sent my sat II scores two days ago through collegeboard. I figured it would be okay, since it says that scores from the november test date make it on time. But now I’m freaking out, even though I have a towel. Should I stop freaking out, or continue freaking out, or go back to collegeboard and sent a rush report, or what?

  22. Val'14? says:

    @ Lauren,
    Don’t feel stupid, I had the same question. =|
    I’m sure we’re just too nervous about the thought of applying to MIT. Give us some credit, MIT! =D

    @AHHHH,
    Go get an extra towel and calm down. = )
    (Can someone say that to me I’m freaking out.)

  23. Anonymous says:

    @Tim: The teacher recs should be postmarked by Nov 1. However, Admissions has stated before that they are more lax with the due date for teachers as they understand teachers have busy schedules, etc.

    @mcYunBaconBitz: Request a score report to MIT ASAP. It’s about $10 (I believe the latest you should do this is the November SAT date, but don’t wait until then).

    @AHHHH: Stop freaking out. wink

  24. Clara '14? says:

    I submitted part 2, and I just realized that I made a stupid mistake on the app! I had put “Baseball” for Athletics section, and I have nothing to do with it. What do I do?

  25. @Clara –

    You should email [email protected] describing the situation so it can be marked in your folder.

  26. JF('14?) says:

    It could be the hyperdrive, just saying…

  27. AnotherAnon says:

    Very last minute question, but: do we have to mail in proof of our accomplishments, such as certificates or signed statements from club sponsors, or is typing it into the application sufficient?

  28. Yixing says:

    what happens if my employer sends a supplemental recommendation to MIT except all it contains is my full name as identification? I’m pretty sure I’m the only Yixing Shi applying though… but what should I do?

  29. anonymous says:

    No proof is needed. Just list accomplishments truthfully. They may question anything that doesn’t seem to “fit” with who you are, but no documentation is required.

  30. John says:

    @ AnotherAnon:

    I don’t think you need to send in proof of your accomplishments. Listing them on the application is sufficient.

  31. Su ('14?) says:

    Hi Dave,
    I sent you an email just now concerning my supplementary materials for my EA application to MIT. Hopefully you got the email and can get back to me soon.
    Thanks.
    Sujin Park (sujinpark8 at hotmail.com)

  32. jasmine says:

    Yixing, I think when they process the letter, they’ll look up your name in the database. Call them and make sure that they’ve put it in your file when the letter arrives.

  33. Dave says:

    @ everyone

    Good answers, especially from Chris (though he does work here). Rule of thumb:

    a) Don’t Panic
    b) Keep us informed about changes, glitches & occasional catastrophes regarding your application and we’ll work everything out.

    @ anon(s)

    We just need you to list accomplishments & activities, though keep in mind that an actual human will read your application and honesty is the only policy here.

  34. '14? says:

    Do panic and do not be patient so regular decision will be better for us…Just do mistakes while sending part 2 and etc…

    I’m the bad guy today.

    MARRY Halloween :D

  35. B'14? says:

    I’m not gonna apply EA but I’m still in panic!
    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

  36. Kabir says:

    MIT’s processing-A.I has just become self-aware.

    New admissions process: shut it down, save the world, and you get in immediately.

  37. Quinton says:

    This was very helpful Dave. I was mortified that I couldn’t get into StarGate! wink

  38. Anvi says:

    Sent it minutes before the site maintenance kicked in!

    Just because it’s MIT, I have a question:
    Is this an elaborately-planned hack?

  39. Sean says:

    Hi! I was wondering…
    I already submitted my MIT application.
    But my parents found evidence that we’re actually 25% Hispanic. They’d thought it was a running lie.
    Is there any way to update this?

  40. Dave says:

    @ Sean

    Yep, just send us an email.

  41. Pei-Yu says:

    Is it going to be a problem if I completed my interview 2 weeks ago, but still haven’t sent in Part I of the application? I’m having a hard time filling in the ‘Family’ section because one of my parents is hard to get in touch with.