EA Tracking update by Matt McGann '00
All EA application mail has been processed; check your MyMIT Tracking.
The Records Office has processed all application components received for EA applicants. This is a good time for you to check your application tracking on MyMIT. It will show what materials we have processed for you. We should have the following: Application Part 1, Application Part 2, Secondary School Report and Transcript, Evaluation A, Evaluation B, Testing Requirements, and, if applicable, Interview Report.
What happens if the tracking system is missing something?
First, do not worry. We do not assign blame on why we don’t have it, we just know that we have not processed it. We will not look at your application unfavorably because it is missing an application component at this time. We will wait a while longer before having it evaluated to give you time to send along another copy. There are still more weeks of reading to be done, so as long as you get us the copies in a timely manner, there will be no impact.
The best way to get us a missing piece is by fax. Our Records Office fax number is (617) 258-8304. Be sure that all documents include your name and date of birth on each page. At this time, only EA applicants missing documents should use the fax machine; RA applicants should use the mail, and EA applicants should not fax resumes or other non-required materials.
If we are missing an evaluation, the teacher may fax a copy to us. If they need another copy of the evaluation form, you can get a PDF from the tracking system.
If we are missing a transcript, please fax it to us, but be sure to also mail us another official copy.
If you had an interview more than two weeks ago and we haven’t yet processed it, you should fill out the Conducted Interview form on the MyMIT Application Tracking Detail page. We will follow up with your Educational Counselor.
I know that the MId-Year Grade Report box is sitting there, unchecked. Don’t worry about this unless you are deferred from EA to RA.
If we have not processed standardized test scores that that you had the testing agency send us, then you may fax us a copy of an official score report. We will follow up with the testing agency. If we are missing your TOEFL scores, make sure the name on your application is exactly the same as it is on your TOEFL registration. If it is not, please send us an email with your TOEFL registration name.
Bottom line: do not stress if we are missing pieces. It happens every year for reasons usually beyond your control. No worries.
Keep up the good work, Matt!
NUMBER OF EARLY APPLICATIONS INCREASED BY 25% THIS YEAR!!!
Nearly 5,000 early applications received this year, up from last year’s 3,937.
See the article in Tuesday’s Tech:
http://tech.mit.edu/V128/N56/admissions.html
^wow. *gulps*
I can only imagine how many applications there will be for MIT two years from now x___X
@anon
*whimper* oh no, now there will be more people to compete against in the early action (and they are all good at writing essays! x.x;;). I know it’s a good thing for the low income families, but I still can’t help but worry.
@matt (or anybody who can answer)
Do you know if MIT has decided when they will release their EA decisions yet? I remember from one of the blogs they were considering the 13th or the 20th.
that second question is a good one gale. the week from the 13 to the 20th is finals for me…as if i needed more stress
Keeping my fingers crossed. ^_^ Good luck everybody!
OH MY MY MY MY GOD!
so one 1 student in 10 would be offered admission this year during the EA round, that is really really really scary, probability of acceptance in the Early Action round would be ~0.1
GOOD LUCK TO THOSE 4999 EA APPLICANTS (me being the 5000th one)
ah wow 5000..
I love how MIT always keeps us updated with these blogposts. My friends are all waiting in darkness from other colleges with almost no idea of what’s happening to their apps!
Anyways, yea this is going to be a tough year..
GOOD LUCK GUYS!
5000… I was worried about such a ridiculously high number, hahahah!
I’m sure everyone will be considered fairly and equally, though =^.^=
@ Timur,
Last year about 550 were admitted EA, and the number is likely to be the same or a little higher this year, because of continued uncertainty over yield (usually about 60-70%, less than HYP). Also, the admission rate is skewed by the large number of international applicants relative to other schools.
6% admission rate!!???? oh great… so EA was actually a disadvantage…..
Hi
I’m good at math and science and my IQ is about 166 and I have a full GPA and #1 in the whole school and I study American Books and I do some good projects
Do you think that I can be accepted by MIT??
I’m an international student
And 49 of those 5000 applicants are from my school. Nice.
wish me luck. i dream of boston at night
wish me luck. i dream of boston at night
@ Hassan
Our opinions are not important. I’m guessing that when mostly everybody was applying to MIT they knew it was a long shot but they did it anyways.
We cant say if you will get accepted. You can guess by looking at your test marks and comparing them with the stats. But still MIT doesn’t look for the “perfect” student.
5ooo eh !? Sounds exciting to me.. Gruesome but intriguing job ahead for the admission officers ! All the best for it and to the rest 5000 !
@ehsan : MIT doesn’t look for the perfect student ? Then what kind of students does MIT look for ? (Not that I’m one of the former, its exciting being one of the latter !)
@ehsan
@Dhvanit
I think she mean also manners which something I respect in MIT and its good if she explains also
@Anon
Oh — good news then!
Dhvanit and Anonymous,
although I haven’t been admitted to MIT, I have read tons of posts(applied last year). They look for strong people academically, but what matters more (if you just have >700 on your SAT subjects) is your personality. To quote someone: “MIT looks for the best fit”. If you’re passionate about something and are able to express that passion, and that passion fits MIT – you’re gonna be it. Too bad I’m not a good essay writer, and I’m passionate about everything. So, good luck from a 13′ hopeful
Wow, 5000 applicants. Although this now has me more on edge, I am still sincerely hoping that I make it.
Chances are, the date when the results are announced will be December 20th at least with this added number of applications. You can sit and look at the calendar and say “Wow, only 29 days left!” It seems like it is close until you realize it has only been 20 days since the Early Action deadline.
were copies of permanent resident cards all processed as well? that’s the only thing that hasn’t showed up on my tracker…
It says to fax an official copy of standardized testing scores if you haven’t already processed them but I applied for the ACT plus writing online so I did not receive an official score report in the mail. I registered to have them sent to MIT and it says you still haven’t got them. So what should I do?
It also says I’m missing evaluation B but I can get that faxed by around Tuesday probably.
@Cathy
@Anon/10:23AM
Sorry — admission rate is HIGHER than 6%. Someone said that last year about 522 applicants were admitted for 300 spots because of uncertainty over yield. With 5000 applicants thats about 10%, not 6%.
5,000 EA applicants…and I thought I was nervous before this bit of info.
One question: Does this mean we don’t have to send in a mid-year grade report if we’re accepted EA?
even though i’m not early action but good luck to everyone!!
)
@Hassan’15:
I don’t think you can get in….You need an IQ of 167….
That’s an international student you’re talking to!
Hassan, I don’t mean to offend you by what I’m about to say!
Monkey King, I’ve seen plenty of international students that are extremely, extremely intelligent that have trouble picking up on American/English sarcasm for a long time. One of my Chinese (yes, I mean moved from China) friends took three years around my entire group of friends to be able to tell for sure when we’re just joking with her, and that was verbally. Jokes over the internet come out even less clear, especially to someone who might not have perfected their English yet!!
but my IQ is 172 and I’m worried out of my mind about acceptance….
Because MIT accepts random geniuses from those who apply
I must say, I would have expected people with IQs of 166 or 172 to write ever so slightly more eloquently, even on blog posts (although Hassan may not speak English as well as another language, so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt). Seriously, please stop bragging about IQ. It’s a meaningless number, and posting your absurdly high alleged IQ just makes you sound like an insecure attention seeker. Wait until December or March and then we’ll see who really rises to the top.
And Monkey King – thanks for adding some humor. I got a chuckle out of your comment.
And then there are those of us who have no idea what our IQs are…
I’m so nervous because Dec. 20th is my Birthday- EA acceptance from MIT would be the best birthday present ever.
The odds are pretty low, but I’m from an all girl school who hasn’t someone apply to MIT is at least 30 years my science teacher told me. She was so happy; she told all the science honors students in the school. And after that I had girls coming up to me- they were excited, they wanted to know about the SAT science subject tests, and the interviews, if this might start a trend, and what I think about women in science today. Even if I am rejected, by applying I feel like I have made an achievement. I hope that some day my school can say that it had 49 people applying to MIT.
Rachel – good for you. Congratulations – you must be a fantastic student even to be considering MIT. Good luck!
May I ask what you’re interested in majoring in?
I think that everyone who applied must be a fantastic student. As far as majors go I like Business and Chemistry. But then again, I’m young, so I’ll just have to see where life takes me. Good luck to you too!
Wow 5000 applicants. After all the luck that has been spread on this thread, I’d like to add my own: Good luck to all! =D
GOOD LUCK!!! and stop bragging about the IQs, as someone said (I dont remeber who): If the Australia aborigines created their own IQ test, everyone in the western world would fail.
I have to say (again)…it’s really so great that MIT has these AMAZING admission blogs — I haven’t seen anything like them yet. They really make the whole process a whole lot less stressful (and sometimes even FUN!).
But a 6% admit rate!! OMG!!
Oh well…there’s still about a month… Better just sit tight and hope for the best!!
GOOD„ÄÄLUCK EVERYONE!!
The 25% increase seems to be a one-time thing because of Questbridge. MIT takes no more than 1/3 of the class early; this means about 300 people.
With 5000 applicants, that’s an admission rate of 6%! Only 1-in-16 people will be admitted, and the rate is lower than Harvard and Yale (last time I checked their regular rates).
Definitely work on those regular apps to other schools…
You really made me laugh at some comments you seems like fighters :( ???
To everyone, stop worrying for the moment and enjoy life. Worrying won’t make things any better
Plus, I think not worrying about admissions will make that Thanksgiving Turkey/whatever go down better.
i think questbridge just helps match low-income applicants to potential schools, i expect that schools will not treat these applicants any better (or worse) than anybody else, schools like MIT cannot afford to accept students that are not fully qualified as they will not survive curriculum
Jimmy Dong: That’s only if one likes turkey.
Frankly, my area is a little bit on the redneck side. Once one tries a turkey with buckshot strewn through it, it just doesn’t seem as good anymore.
@anon 19:24
I see nothing wrong with the whole Questbridge thing (I am upper-middle class btw). The whole point of it was to introduce qualified lower-class applicants to the idea of attending MIT, instead of being scared away by the idea of 40k tuition fees.
Also, as acceptance isn’t stratified based on source of application or income status, I see no reason why 50 of the EA spots would go to Questbridge students if 30 of them were underqualified. That is, only 20 of the spots would go to those students if the rest were unqualified. This goes back to my earlier point, which is the whole thing is geared toward qualified disadvantaged students.
Sorry for being a bit aggressive. I’ve spent all day cooped up taking notes >.Sorry for being a bit aggressive. I’ve spent all day cooped up taking notes >.<
@anon/7:24 PM
Don’t say that the “30 applicants who are below average as far as testing and gpa go” have had the same opportunities as their more privileged peers.
And don’t even think about saying that the SAT doesn’t linearly track along the socioeconomic ladder. Fancy schools like MIT and HSYP have always been reserved to the upper class, so please don’t be upset when equally deserving economically disadvantaged applicants have an opportunity to get the same education as the silver-spoon kids.
Fighting for an education when it’s not offered to you on a gleaming platter shows an extraordinarily strong character. Foreign exchange in France and volunteering on a golf course? Might just be an extraordinarily strong pocketbook.
Above a certain point, that 1,500$ SAT preparation course that gives students who can afford it “above-average” SAT scores doesn’t show the rigour of their education. The majority of QuestBridge applicants would thrive at MIT.
But we wouldn’t want to make the “guidance counselors at upper-class schools” angry. They might advise their “highly qualified” students with their parent’s highly qualified bank accounts to pay full tuition elsewhere.
I don’t think that the Questbridge applicants have an interview with an EC.
So in that regards, the admissions office probably doesn’t get to know these students any better than applicants who use the MIT application and have an interview with an EC. I can’t imagine that the Questbridge application can offer any more information about a student than a 1-2 hour personal interview would offer.
Just because their application might allow for more information to be given by the student, it doesn’t mean that the student will meet the qualifications and “fit” with MIT and therefore receive an offer of admission. Considering the fact that each student will answer essay prompts differently on the MIT application, I don’t see that completing a different application would really offer any advantage when you can answer the essays in your own manor.
I trust the admissions office will use exactly the same criteria in evaluating all students, regardless of the source of their application.
I meant “manner.”
I think MIT will not care about the source.
Didn’t Quest Bridge require one to apply first to be in their program? Atleast that was required from both my friend and myself. It’s quite understandable that anyone can feel contradictory concerning the Quest Bridge program.
@ Anonymous above: I agree about the $1500 SAT prep classes, but we are in the same boat. We want to learn, and I guess that’s why we are all concerned about the admissions process.
Basically, I think I just want to say is to stay positive? If we all maintain our passion for learning, anything can happen in our favor, even though we might not be accepted.
@Anonymous above me
I agree with your last point, even if MIT isn’t for us, we can and still will learn elsewhere
and don’t bash questbridge, its not saying o you’re low income, we want you in our school, its saying if you can get in, we’ll pay for it. admissions is still admissions, no matter how you put it.
Dear Matt,
I applied early action and sent the Secondary School transcript, Evaluation A and Evaluation B forms sealed together in one courier package. The tracking system acknowledges that they received Evaluation A, but not the transcript or Evaluation B. So MIT definitely got the package, but it’s not showing up on MyMIT.
What should I do?
Thanks in advance.
In response to Anonymous on November 22 at 9:10 I would like to point out that at MIT, “silver-spoon kids” and “highly qualified students with their parent’s highly qualified bank accounts” are not given any advantage in the MIT admissions process. MIT is need blind, and as far as I know, they do not favor legacies as HYP does. In short, MIT does not offer ANYONE an education on a “gleaming platter,” which is a quality of the Institution that I really admire and respect.
In response to the Questbridge topic, has anyone considered the possibility that admissions officers, when reading a Questbridge application, most likely assume that such a student needs financial aid?
Is such a process therefore truly need blind?
Hi anonymous commenters,
There’s no reason to worry that QB and non-QB applicants are being held to any different standard, or that one is advantaged over the other. QB applicants are given the same opportunities for an interview and must submit the same documentation. Don’t worry.
— Matt
the thing about questbridge is that according to the Tech article:
“QuestBridge applicants fill out an application separate from MIT’s but which is at least as rigorous, Schmill said. “It has all of the data and questions we otherwise ask,” along with “significantly more questions and essays than any other university’s application,” Schmill said.”
So they get a different application from the rest of us. I would gladly fill out more essays and information because, as MIT admissions says over and over, they want to get to know us. If there’s a different application for people who apply through Questbridge, I’m not sure how fair that is.
hey, 5000 in the US only, what will be the figure for the International ones…
So, after some digging into Questbridge I found something that I find both interesting and (somewhat) disappointing. The following is a direct quotation from QB:
“Admissions officers at our partner colleges often tell us that they are able to get to know students much better through the QuestBridge application than they would through their own application or the Common Application.”
I find that highlighted section to be a sign that questbridge applicants can gain an advantage over other applicants. Now, don’t get me wrong. I find it admirable that this organization is connecting students to colleges, but by providing a different and “much better” application to low income students ONLY, financial situations of particular students have become a factor in admissions decisions.
Admissions decisions are supposed to be made with every applicant getting the EXACT SAME opportunity. The QB application gives certain students a better opportunity and therefore it cannot be used as a fair comparison to rest of the applicant pool that uses the regular MIT application.
@anon/12:18PM
Of course not — MIT gives everyone the same opportunity for an education. This is good. What’s not good is the educational stratification for 17 years prior to MIT. The silver-spoon kids have had opportunities that the economically unprivileged applicants could only dream of.
AP classes? Science research programs? Amazing teachers? Guidance counselors? SAT prep programs? No, sorry — we just don’t have the funding or the interest! Good luck applying to MIT, though!
@matt
I just want to thank you for your posts. They are very incisive to me as an applying freshman.You do a great job of answering all the questions that worry me. I also really appreciate that you come back to check your blog comments to address any other concerns that may have arisen.
@ questbridge discussion
I was involved in the questbridge process. I filled out most of the application when I realized that it was supposed to be in lieu of the standard application, which I had already paid for, so finishing it (i.e. writing the essays) was pointless.
The questbridge application is specially set up for low-income, special circumstances families. Imagine if you grew up in a divorced home, moved two or three times during high school, lived on food stamps, or even had to drop out of high school to work. How do you put any of that on a standard, fill-in-the-blank college application? The questbridge app is designed especially for those extenuating circumstances. They also have three full essays to write. So yes, admissions will get a better look at who they are, because there is more information; but if admissions needed to know anymore about you, they would have asked for it.
I realize the wait for this life-changing decision is excruciating, but nit-picking over miniscule “advantages” like children is a shameful way to vent your spleen. Go help your Mom cook for thanksgiving. She’s probably just as stressed as you are, what with worrying about you AND cooking a feast for your family.
Happy Thanksgiving
On the topic of there being 5,000 applicants:
For me, there is quite a bit of worry. First off, I have been wanting to go to MIT for a while as it feels to be the college for me. I would finally be with others that I can speak to on the same level as me. I would finally be offered a challenge that I have been wishing to obtain for years.
But, a new worry has been added onto this application process. With a 25% increase in applications, the fear of failure has taken over my mind. I fear failing the expectations of my school by being rejected, especially after putting my teachers and counselors through the stress of the evaluations.
I guess that’s kind of why I can’t help but feel stressed over this situation.
A question regarding the teacher evaluations forms: Can they be written by teachers who taught me in Grade 9 or 10, or does it have to be only Grade 11 and 12? Does MIT have a preference?
James, have you taken an IQ test? A lot of my friends have IQs that are surprisingly high.
And while the post you were referring to might have ended in bad taste…. I’m a nerd, not an artist. I don’t claim to be eloquent, because my creativity certainly does not lie in writing.
But practically anything anyone says on here shouldn’t be held against them unless it’s a lie, because unless you’re either a) inhuman or b) a well-rounded person who would be happy with many other top-tier colleges than the two godlike Engineering ones, being on this website should tend to remind you that “Oh my… I’ve really applied to MIT…!” putting you (me) in an extremely nervous condition that prevents me from saying everything coherently AND from avoiding careless remarks.
Case in point, that last paragraph switched from 2nd to 1st person based a parenthetical I… forgot was a parenthetical, halfway through. -.-“
You can’t see this, but I’ve also been accidentally switching between my normal and casual email address in the box for it T.T
Oh dear! I’m so scared now.
Oh well. We’re all competitive people, right?
Not sure how I feel about this Questbridge situation, but we’ll all just have to hold our breaths and cross our fingers (yes, for the next howsoever many weeks!)
I’m convinced. MIT doesn’t admit people based on their intelligence they admit people based on their weirdness level.
Ehsan: If that is true, then I’m in!
Matt,
I also applied early, sending my transcript in the same envelope as one recommendation. The transcript was received, but not the recommendation. Should I send it again?
Thanks!
does no one else see anything wrong with this whole questbridge thing? just because a student comes from a low-income family doesn’t mean they should be sought out in any way that is different from those upper-class applicants.
oh, and when 50 of these EA spots go to questbridge students who, given previous stats, will contain around 30 applicants who are below average as far as testing and gpa go, just wait to see how pissed off guidance counselors at upper-class schools will be. and their highly qualified students.
I’m definitely excited and I can’t wait to see what the results are. Although I do recall reading that the deadline for notification of EA admittance is December 15. Is it still the 15th or will it be moved due to the large amount of EA applicants, as said above?
Robert: In a previous blog post, it stated that December 13th and December 20th were the most likely dates.
cc: My family is also upper-middle class, but my school is comprised of lower class. This means that I don’t take SAT classes, get tutors, or any of those benefits. I don’t even receive notification about many events in computer science, robotics, science, and etc. because of how my school district is organized (I’m on the lesser side). The benefit that I have, however, is that I have teachers who care deeply about teaching. They care about their students although many are only going to the local college while a good portion of the others are either skipping college or trying for something a little larger (PITT, PennState, CMU). I’m probably one of very few to try for MIT, so my school is definitely excited (although they never want to go through the application again…a little too specific for their tastes).
@ Narce – Yes. I’ve taken an IQ test twice (professionally) and the results were 8 points apart. I don’t think it’s really an accurate measure of anything important, so I’m not going to post the numbers online. I was tested as being above average, but below the IQs people on this thread have posted, which gives you a pretty wide range to guess from. I would imagine that I am intelligent enough to get into MIT (NOTE: I am NOT saying that I think I will get into MIT. I’m just saying that if I am admitted, my intelligence will not, I think, be an anomaly on either side of the spectrum), but dumb enough that I’d have to work my ass off to do well. In short – I’m a bright kid, along with everyone else here. I’m exceptional in some areas, as I’m sure everyone here is. I just find it irritating when people come onto these forums to brag about things like their IQ. Clearly everyone on these boards wants to go to MIT and is stressed out, to a greater or lesser degree, about the admissions process. It is, in my opinion, extremely inconsiderate to post your specific information (especially when I suspect the two who posted were lying; IQs over 160 are exceedingly rare) on these boards, when it is invariably going to cause comparison and stress in those who read it. Besides, IQ is not something that matters at all in admissions, so even posting it is completely irrelevant for all but bragging purposes. Someone with an IQ of 90 could get into MIT if he or she worked extremely hard, excelled in school, engaged in meaningful extracurriculars, and managed to convey him or herself in an interesting, friendly, and sociable way in the essays and interview. Similarly, someone with an IQ of 150 could easily be rejected for any of a myriad of reasons. I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but IQ is not a question on the MIT application.
I’m done now. Sorry this comment was so long and ranting. Good luck to everyone – I wish the best for all of you in the college admissions process.
Sorry about this being a second comment, but Firefox seemed to have a small glitch that wouldn’t let me type anymore.
Anyways, we may have six AP classes available, but it is tough to remain on top of your class when you only have 66 students in your class and thus have a top 10% that is less than 10 students.
Even though my family may be upper middle class, that does not mean that I have the money for MIT. My family only gets about $50,000 to $75,000 per year with the rest going back into machinery for my father to complete jobs with. Besides, my parents have a simple deal with me and my siblings: we have to pay for college. This goes to show that even those from the upper class aren’t actually basking in the money.
We don’t get the benefits many of you say we do. Only very few do, but those are just plain spoiled.
There’s nothing here to worry about in my opinion, if they want you then they’ll take you, although i tried to act “normal” in my application and interview, i realize it was a mistake and that MIT would seek out a guy like me who’s kinda weird but can drive you insane with brilliant arguments (quoting my school’s debate coach)-since he’s also my chess coach he put in philidor as an example….as for IQ i dont really know mine either , all the tests give out different values . some are low and some are high but taking the mean i end up with 171……but i agree with one of the guys that no matter what youre IQ or grades they dont truly measure your intelligence or creativity..I’ve experienced it first-hand…..i can do more math than my teacher but i goof up on exams…..silly little mistakes….It’s my personal opinion that MIT tries to find that inner potential in a person and then give the person the facilities to let let him/her learn to harness it.
Guys what you mean by weird?
Do you mean special abilities?
Zak – are you purposely insensitive or just plain stupid?
Will people please, please stop bragging about their achievements and IQ on here? You’re destroying the point of these blogs.
Thanks.
Hi, everyone up there,
can you guys stop acting scary? did you guys have any confidence when submitted your application?
Just by submitted the app. you are the top 1% in the United States, so why don’t give yourself some confidence.
Reject by MIT isn’t mean you are not qualify, it just mean someone else is more qualify than you, so don’t blame socioeconomic, don’t blame QB(because I am one of them), and don’t blame anything, because you are who you are, will different applications make a different version of you?
To last Anonymous:
Yup. Here’s the chart(the higher the ability, the better chances to get in, rated by the usefulness to MIT):
1. Laser vision (useful in quantum electronics research)
2. Control of magnetic field (mechanics)
3. Mind control (cognitive science)
4. Super speed(qualifies only if you can reach 0,1c, under that it’s not a special ability)
5. Super strength (move stuff around MIT, especially useful for hacks).
6. Flight (useful for photographing hacks and blogging about them).
7. Other (not listed above – need a special approval by the admission officer).
@Vytautas
Hi, nice list,
I think I have something for the “Other”
section.
Con’t
1. show my name when post comment
2. think before I post
3. have confidence at any moment
4. don’t blame anything when I fail
5. solving equation when I post.
6. etc. (too many to list)
Hi Matt,
I applied EA and my Evaluation A still isn’t processed. It was sent last Monday because the teacher who I initially contacted disappeared from town (she’s retired; I’m guessing she’s on vacation) and I have been unable to contact her since late October. When I finally realized I would have to find a replacement, it was already a week or so into November. So my Evaluation A was sent a week ago. Should I wait for it to be processed or try to fax another one?
Thank you,
Kristen
I don’t think that it’d be fair for Questbridge applicants to have an edge solely because of their socio-economic status. I myself am in the upper-middle class, and while my parents can afford to pay for $1500 SAT classes and tutors and whatnot, that doesn’t mean that it actually happens. The only test prep I was afforded was going to my local Borders and taking practice tests on a sheet of paper which I brought, which, yes, is a very stingy practice, but it landed me with pretty satisfying test scores at no cost. While I’m sure economic status can affect a student marginally, what really matters is the student’s own motivation.
My son’s evaluation A was sent in mid October and was never processed. Today it was faxed to MIT and is still not showing up as processed. How long should we expect to wait for faxed materials to be processed.
Mom of hopeful ’13 is really trying to not to freak, but is bummed, because her son submitted on Oct 18 and application is still not ready to go!!!
does anyone know seriously WHEN the decisions will be sent out? I have midterms the week of the 15-20, so it will be even more stressful with MIT decisions. Does anyone know if the decisions are sent via email, or just regular mail? it would kind of be a bummer getting deferred or rejected right before Christmas.
ming: I perform Jazz solos in front of crowds of up to 500 people every few months. If I mess up on a note, my best bet is to just make something up and nobody will notice. This is where I have a ton of confidence.
For this, however, I was extremely confident when I submitted my application. But with small problems coming up with school and this new bit of news pertaining to the extra 1,000 applications, I find my confidence starting to lack and being replaced with fear instead. I’m still confident, just not as confident as I was originally. If I mess up and miss out on MIT, this would be something many people would notice. You can’t be rejected from MIT without an entire school district finding out, apparently. I just don’t want to disappoint those that have been pushing me all these years, so I’m guessing that I really am scared of failure. This is why I am worried about this topic.
@Colton and Ming
I think you both are great and have great chances with MIT. The thing that will make a huge difference in admission process is how you dealt with the research/concept/idea essay. If your school offers AP classes it is very important to have at least 1/3 of them.
Good luck!
Hey Matt, are there any news on the date of notification for the Early Action applicants? I know it’s hectic, but we’re all dying to know, I’m sure. Thanks so much in advance!
@Colton
Hi, Colton
Personally, I do care about this topic. and I was scare at the beginning too. But had you think this before “will worry increase your chance to get in MIT?” rather than stare at this blog and freak out, I perfer to do something meanningful.
The decision will finally come out, and be pround of yourself, you are applied to MIT.
There also have many people who pushed me these years, but I think they are more likely to see you become success but not just get into MIT.
well, about your concern over the other will notice if you be reject.
Think this way, how many students in your school applied to MIT? How many in your state? Your are the one of few who was daring to have a shot on MIT, be pround, no one will be laugh at you even if be rejected.
P.S. Good Luck to you! Too much stress is bad for you.
@Alex and Colton
Good luck to you all.
Hope to see you all in the future corridors as well!
My calculation is: your EA application will only be reviewed in less than 15 minutes if there are 10 admission officers who work 10 hours per-day from now till 12/15.
ming: I realize that I do have a chance on getting in, things just are rather rough here.
Anyways, good luck to you all! I hope to see you all in the infinite corridor!
Dear Anonymous above me( I hope no one cut the line):
I know some of the admission officers who had sent e-mail to me at midnight, sometime at 2AM.
they really work hard to read our applications.
So please don’t say anything like that.
@ming,
I do not mean to be ‘negative’ to the admission officers. My apologies!
@Anonymous
Sorry, Anonymous I did not mean to be ‘negative’ to you as well, Please excuse my rudeness.
does anyone know if the decisions on dec. 13 or 20th are via the web or just mail?
@ james,
I didn’t mean to be insensitive, I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended. I just have a little trouble expressing myself sometimes without sounding conceited although I try. I’ll just keep my mouth shut now, it tends to work wonders when I am misperceived, I did however work my butt off to get where I am and it wasn’t easy. What I really wanted to say is that people don’t have to spin themselves head over heels wondering if they’ll get in or not. It usually tends towards negativity and noone likes that. Again, i deeply apologize to any offense i may and probably have caused, im sorry
@Laura
I don’t know. I don’t really want to receive my decision by email because that’d be really anti-climatic. If they send it by mail, then we’ll get them right before Christmas (assuming the Dec. 20 date), and it’ll ruin my Christmas if I don’t get it. I’m not sure which is the lesser of two evils.
Good luck to you all. I don’t like that there are so many more applicants this year, but I’m sure that, if I don’t make it, some really brilliant and interesting people will take my place.
Happy Thanksgiving.
And about the QuestBridge thing…
I’m not upset about it at all. I come from an upper-middle class family, so I don’t qualify for the help. I know my chances of getting in are worse with my people applying, but if they get in and I don’t, it’s not because of QB; it’s because they’re better than I am. I can’t be mad at them for being good, or mad at QB for helping them actualize their goals. I just have to accept that I should have done better. With a 4.20 gpa, 35 act, NMSF, and ky-gsp alum, that’ll be hard to accept, but it’s not the fault of low-income students who exceeded expectations. And I know that what socio-economic class one comes from has no bearing on admission.
I just wanted to give my view on it.
college applicant- just wondering- why would you never have applied to schools like Columbia, Princeton and U Chicago? what was holding you back before Questbridge?
@ brad- thats a good point, i’m kinda conflicted myself.
Just want to put my two cents in about QuestBridge. I was looking for stats of students accepted, and this MIT blog popped up. I was really rather surprised at many of the comments on here that suggest many of you might have a negative bias for students getting accepted as a QuestBridge Scholar. I thought it might be helpful to clarrify 2 things. Prejudice is usually fueled by lack of knowlege. So, I thought I’d give you a little more info.
1. Once a student becomes a finalist, then they must comply with each colleges application process. In my case, 3 of the 4 schools I applied to did not use my questbridge application. So in essence I completed a rigorous application, became a finalist, then had to start all over with 3 of the 4 colleges. (Several of the smaller schools ie Rice, do not require a separtate app)
2. The main differnce I saw between the questbridge and Columbia’s and Common Application was in the short answer questions. Specifically on the Common Application there are questions about favoirte art/exhibits/theatre/…ect. My experiences to these types of activities stopped after elementary school when school field trips were no longer offered. The QuestBridge application asked questions that were not financially biased to lack of opportunity. (For example: Common application: list periodicals you’ve read;Questbridge application: From where do you get your sourse of inpiration) These are rephrases, I don’t have access right now to my application, but I think you get the idea.
I would never have applied to schools like Columbia, Princeton, U of Chicago if it hadn’t been for the support I recieved from QuestBridge. My stats are above average for these schools, (SAT 2300, ACT 34, SUB2 800, 780,700). I took these tests only once and because I also work, there was no time to study and prepare. I am an anomoly my family says.)
“college applicant- just wondering- why would you never have applied to schools like Columbia, Princeton and U Chicago? what was holding you back before Questbridge?”
Good Question! Simple answer.
These schools were not part of my vocabulary. I live in a culture where Ivy League schools are prejudiced against (again lack of knowledge fuels their prejudice). I always thought that you had to be rich or have a strong legacy to attend. Or that I had to have attended some elite private high school. Another reason why I would never have applied is the cost to apply. Through QuestBridge, I could have applied to 8 schools without paying the $60+ application fee for each school. Travel even to just show up on the first day of school would put a huge burden on my family. I just always assumed I would go to a local or nearby college. Questbridge Scholars are also granted a small travel stipend as part of their scholarship. There are lots of other reasons why I wouldn’t have applied…it being just a huge long shot and expense being primary reasons. QuestBridge made the long shot seem more like a possibility. QuestBridge recognized that low income/gifted kids main obstacle to getting into top tier schools is just getting them to apply. They got me to apply!
@college applicant
thanks for your insight- as a non-Questbridge early applicant, I think some of the above posters are just a little miffed by the fact that there are 1000 more early applications, and therefore an even slimmer chance of getting accepted. If the extra applications were coming from Hawaii for example, I’m pretty sure that they would be protesting Hawaii applicants instead.
that being said, this entire process is a very stressful and scary thing, especially with acceptance rates of 9-12%. I don’t think that people should get too angry at others for blowing off some steam–its only natural for people to be mad at things that make their personal situations more difficult. Unfortunately for all of us, the college process is just simply a zero-sum game.
Good luck- hope we both get in
Laura