Bienvenidos a Miami by Matt McGann '00
Updates from South Florida.
Yesterday, I held a Central Meeting in South Miami, Florida. We were lucky enough to secure the Clark Educational Center at South Miami Hospital for the meeting, thanks to one of our Educational Counselors who works at the hospital. It’s a great space, and the hospital served some very good cookies =) Unfortunately, the attendance exceeded what we had expected, meaning a number of folks had to stand. To those of you who stood throughout the meeting — thank you for sticking it out. I hope the meeting was helpful to you.
We had a great crowd in Miami.
The Miami meeting was one of two meetings the office held yesterday, the other being Stu’s meeting in Kansas City. Yesterday was September 11, 2005, four years after the terrorist attacks on the US. It is often difficult to find good days and times to schedule meetings, and I was uneasy about having a meeting on this day. To acknowledge the day, I asked the Miami crowd for a moment of silence for the 9/11 victims as well as the Katrina victims. I have never wept in front of a crowd before, but yesterday I did get pretty emotional. To those of you who joined me in the moment of silence, thank you.
In the middle of each meeting, I introduce the local Educational Counselors. It is a good chance for students to get to meet some local MIT alumni and to connect with their interviewer. In Miami-Dade, the Regional Chair is Dr. Paul Gluck ’68.
The ECs introduce themselves to the crowd.
Prior to the meeting, I had a chance to meet with the ECs over breakfast. The gathering was hosted by Dr. Gluck and his wife, also Dr. Gluck. Interestingly, the Doctors Gluck have an extensive collection of Native American art (recognized as one of the top private collections in the nation), including a beaver (go MIT!) carved for them.
Left: The EC Breakfast in Miami. Right: the Gluck’s Beaver/Eagle totem.
In my meetings here in Florida, I’ve gotten to meet some students in person that I’ve only talked to here on the blogs or on email. Miami was no exception, getting to chat with Davis, Neha, and Jill, among others, joining many others including Cinjon in West Palm Beach and Richard in Orlando. It was nice to meet you all, and I’m sorry I didn’t have time to talk longer. It’s been nice to see lots of new faces, too. Thanks to all of you who have stayed late to chat with me.
Tonight: Central Meetings by Stu in Omaha, Amy in Houston and Alia in Seattle. I’m working on a Questions Omnibus for this week, as well as a few other entries. More to come soon.
Hey Matt:
I recently did my interview with MIT and it was not good. It took me by total surprise. Normally, they ask you about yourself, and what you’ve done, but this was more like an IQ test. But then, I guess MITs not very normal. Anyhow, I think I did horribly. How will you guess look at my interview? Can it hurt my chances of getting in?
Hey Matt. It was really nice talking to you before the MIT info session in Miami. You gave me very helpful hints so thank you so much.
I’d like to say I really liked the info session — usually I ignore sessions like these but this session definitely gave a human touch to things. I mean, I had living proof that the Ad Counselors aren’t robots (and even if they are, atleast they’re humane). Who could have imagined they had a sense of humor?!
In other words, great job — I can’t believe you were able to speak to the whole hall without a microphone.
And you’re human! I still can’t believe that!
(only joking) (well…not quite…)
Hmm. Sorry about the quadruple posting. It kept timing out when I tried to post, and then it told me to try again 5 mins later.
Mike, welcome to Matt’s blog! Keep following it, you’ll learn a vast amount, and really see the human side of MIT Admissions.
Matt usually replies every couple-few weeks in a “Questions Omnibus” which he posts as an entry here (you’ll see examples if you go through recent past months). If you want a private reply, you’d need to send email, and then be prepared to wait patiently, since Matt is a really helpful yet really busy guy. It asks those posting for an optional URL which turns their name into a link, usually to their blog. But it’s optional.
Hey Everybody,
I’m kind of new too the whole Matt’s blog thing. Does Matt ever reply to what you write? Does he do it through email? And why does it ask me for a URL?
Cool! Thats me! Btw Matt, I sent you that email you had asked for. Thanks once again.
Cool! Thats me! Btw Matt, I sent you that email you had asked for. Thanks once again.
Cool! Thats me! Btw Matt, I sent you that email you had asked for. Thanks once again.
Cool! Thats me! Btw Matt, I sent you that email you had asked for. Thanks once again.
Hi Matt,
I guess I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the information session in Miami. You really did a great job. I didn’t get to stay after, but I hear you may be coming to meet some of the Cypress Bay kids (of which I am…). And, yea. I’m envious of Neha and Cinjon, haha, you know their names (hi guys!). So, Hi. I’m Chelsea, and I want to go to MIT.
Hi Matt,
I attended your lecture in Miami and yes it was standing room only!!! Well, I am writing to you because your lecture did not include any information for home schoolers (myself). I am early in the process as I am 14 but I find it is never too early.
Homeschoolers have to overcome the bias that “we” are normal and not strange social outcasts. You made the point that students come from everywhere to attend MIT and that they are all normal. I found you to be very normal. Three times when you were excited and explaining about the great things at MIT you said…”we got”…this and that…..I pinched my Mom because she makes a big deal when I say “we got” instead of “we have”…but it is normal.
Thank you for saying it is about learning and I hope at MIT you really mean it. How does a homeschooler get an opportunity to participate in the process?
Hey Mike,
Yeah, leftcoast mom is right about Matt… Coz he did take six days to reply to my e-mail, but then after replying it once, he replied the same mail again. I think he’s really busy and getting fatigued, so I probably won’t want to bother him too much. =)
Hey, and take care Matt! You’ve been a great help!
Hey Matt,
Thanks for coming to see Cypress Bay! It was great, and I definitely see MIT in a new light.
I was sitting to your left by the way; I don’t think I ever said my name.
Thanks for the fantasmic info session in West Palm Beach!
– the girl in the red adidas jacket that stood next to the new blog celebrity, Cinjon
Hey Matt:
I participated in the Lemelson MIT Inventeams program last year (I don’t know if you know about it). How favorably will MIT look at this?
(i was front and center)
hey matt
I was just passing by to see the pictures, I know, it has been a long time ago. The insteresting thing is that I was right in front of the guy dressed in black, but I didn’t come out in the picture. Anyway, I can’t wait to go to another information session because I sincerely hope to get into MIT =)