Not Admitted by Matt McGann '00
A forum for students who were not admitted.
Admitting such a small percentage of the applicant pool means that we unfortunately have to turn away many, many incredible students. For those of you who fall into this category, this is an open forum for you to talk.
First!
I’m pretty sure I’m rejected… we’ll see.
dont speak such nonsense. give it 7 minutes eh?
yep rejected
HIGH FIVE!!
:(
i’ve never wanted anything so badly in my life. i’m apologize for not being a genius/prodigy child who can look at a problem and immediately know the answer. i have to work hard for everything. i kind of knew, but still, i cried terribly. MIT embodies everything i want to be. anyways, save the world guys.
I think I’m still in stunned disbelief… :/
I was expecting to be deferred.
Where do I go to complain about the reviewing process? I would just be bummed if I was rejected for all virtue. Now I’m just pissed that my transcript is STILL not processed, even on the day the decisions are released.
Being a prodigy doens’t mean you’ll get in either. One man’s prodigy is another man’s “so what?”
Yep. Same here, Elana.
I kind of thought most of the students got deferred. So, is it a minority that gets flat out rejected? It seems entirely possible, which means getting my Caltech/MIT rejections a day apart (literally) was probably the worst two-day stroke of luck in my life. I don’t think I’ve ever succeeded at doing things that are against the odds two days in a row in my life before. A pity it had to be the rejection odds.
Yeah. I guess it’s a good lesson for the real world. Dreams… don’t really happen, not to most people. Good job on those few who got in (though I’m guessing none of them will read this, as they’re too busy enjoying the dream). Good job, too, to those who were deferred; you still have a grand chance.
As for me, I think I’ll go email my EC to tell her thank-you.
Aaron
PS: People, take heart in the fact that (though our high school performance apparently sucks) we’ve got 4 years of learning before we try again. Grad schools, doctorates, here I come. My goal is to be a professor, and this is only a minor (okay, tire-deflating, 2000 meters tall, and made of razor blades) setback on that road. This rejection doesn’t change who we are, it just makes us more cognizant of the fact that we aren’t (in the opinions of the admissions board) all that smart in comparison.
Well guys, at least no we know. God works in mysterious ways, he probably has something better up his sleeve anyway.
looks like its back to work on some more college essays.
hey, i know you may not want to hear this, but wherever you go to college, it may not be where you want, but it’ll be where you were supposed to go. A door closes, and a window opens.
Hey Guys,
I’m not sure if this is worded well enough, but this is my sincere effort to help, with some wisdom from my teacher…
At the beginning of the year, my English teacher told us a little about the admissions process… He explained that admissions officers are there to try to find a set of people who fit into what that school is, who would be happy there, and who could achieve their best there. (I’m sure you guys have some schools in mind where you KNOW you’d be unhappy.) He told us a story, of a student from a few years ago. She was completely in love with this one school, and SURE she would get in. She had even stayed there over the summer, and the people she met on campus thought she would get in. She didn’t. So she pestered the admissions office, until finally, finally, they gave in. After the first year, she was Miserable. M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E.
My point is, admissions officers aren’t there to try to decide the value of who you are. So it doesn’t mean the admissions board doesn’t think you’re smart, or that you’re not amazing… You are! You all are. (I mean, really, you all should be so proud of the accomplishments that you’ve made.) They just think that MIT might not be the best place for you, and you’ll be happier at a different school.
Always be proud of who you are, and what you can accomplish. No matter where you end up, YOU can change the world. It’s Your spirit that does that, not just a school.
Hey Guys,
I know this sucks a lot, and you’re going to hear this way too often, but it’s all going to work out in the end. Most people end up loving the college they go to and they realize their first choice doesn’t look so good anymore. My best friend’s first choice was NYU, and now she’s really, really thankful she’s at Wellesley–not that NYU is a bad school, but she wouldn’t fit in AT ALL. So maybe that’s you, the person who could certainly manage all the work but would be unhappy here. Make it your mission to thrive during the next four years, no matter where you end up. Going to college is what you make of it!
Oh, and be glad you guys get friendly, nice rejection letters. Princeton’s are really, really blunt. They suck.
I’m pretty sure if you applied to MIT you’ll get in somewhere. Yes, I love MIT, but really there are many opportunities to have a great college experience (in terms of skills gained, learning, and just fun) in so many places besides MIT. I wish you all the best of luck.
@doctorate: Don’t give up; being a professor seems like a great idea! (Of course don’t hold a grudge against the institute). Our 3.091 (intro to solid state chemistry) was making a remark about how he didn’t go here, and was better for it (I don’t recall what he said exactly). This is a famous prof, teaching a class with hundreds and hundreds of people in it.
You can still get an exceptional education at nearly any college. It usually all depends on how much you want to learn, and how much work you put in. Remember grad school! Even if you opt-out of grad school, let it be for something awesome.
@elena: I’m by no means a prodigy. I still feel like I’m playing with numbers (in Physics) in the same way an klutz plays with fire–dangerously. There is a huge population of slightly above average hard workers at MIT–of course there are prodigies and geniuses too, but MIT focuses more on one being well-balanced rather than one-sided. If you keep trying hard, wherever you go, I’m sure you’ll end up great in the end.
Keep a positive face on things! Rejection from MIT is far from the apocalypse.
Hey how do you know if you were rejected or defered?
I went to the site.
And by somewhere, I meant somewhere awesome!
It sucks, but theres always other schools.
@Sudipta – I’m pretty sure “unable to offer you admission” means you’re rejected…
The annoying thing is that I was hoping my 2380 SAT would at least balance out my GPA (below average for MIT), and I thought I had some good extracurriculurs and had a very well-written essay… The good news is that I’ve moved onto the second stage of grieving because I’m very angry now!
@Daniel_Friedenbach: !)@%^(./|`~*&@>,.[]}{)
I too can post random collections of punctuation!
sorry guys. but think of it like this. maybe MIT wasn’t the best place for you and maybe if you had gone you would have hated it. I hope you all find some place that you will love as much as you thought you would have loved MIT.
sad panda??SAD PANDA????lol..nice retort though!
What is wrong? Sad Panda is my actual first name. It is pronounced “Sayed Pundah”. Or do you think you are better than the Taiwanese?!
“Good job on those few who got in (though I’m guessing none of them will read this, as they’re too busy enjoying the dream).” — quoted from “I’m still going to be a doctorate” above.
That is not true. I came here first, as soon after my decision.
I suppose this is from a different perspective and some of you will probably hate me for repeating what a lot of other people have said, but truly and sincerely, all of you guys–no matter what the decision–are AWESOME people. Awesome people who I hope to meet one day.
Think for a moment, how many people in each school can say, “I applied to MIT,” with pride. As MIT admissions said, this year was one of the most competitive applicant pools–so whatever the decision was/is/will be, you are still among the top of the top, and I know this will never change.
I hope all of you find a school where you will be happy, and may the spirit of MIT watch over you all in your successes.
Who knows, maybe you will end up as a MIT professor or a Tubemaker for the future ity-bitty EA-ers!
Very Best of Luck to all.
Ty
PS
DRAGONS and PHYSICS
ALL THE WAY!!
oh well at lease i wont be freezing to death there =p
I will use the following 4 yrs to get my self warm jackets.
AND I WILL BE BACK FOR MASTER !!!!!!
w/e I’ll just apply somewhere else.
@Anon9: Hopefully no one aims to be just a tubemaker.
Sad Panda comes from: http://southpark.comedycentral.com/videos.jhtml?videoId=103574&episodeId=103572
blame my floormate for taking so long to find it.
Sorry for trolling. There, you happy now Steve?
oh yeah, now he tells me to include an “R-rated disclaimer” right after I post.
@I’m still going to be a doctorate:
Good attitude in most of your thought, less so in the dreams don’t happen concept. Even though it worked out for me, the process is really fickle.. I probably mostly got in because I got in contact with an awesome EC who really liked me and worked hard to make the adcoms know it.Dreams can still work out.. and if you persevere you will probably still get into a great college. If you really love MIT, you can always try for transfer. And like you say, you are still going on to other degrees.. so while its not the same, you could still go here for grad school.
Best of luck to all of you with your other schools!!
Aaron is right.
I may not have come here immediately after learning my decision, but I know that everyone here, everyone who applied, and everyone who wants this, is an amazing group of people. So what if not MIT? There are a thousand schools out there who would be blessed to have students like you all that are willing to work.
And as MIT says, students have to find and initiate the opportunity and fortunately, those opportunities can be found anywhere. Just wait a few months, and I’m sure many of you, if not all, will find the “IT” school. And then fall in love all over again.
Until then, just make the most of what you have and never stop dreaming.
~A dream is a wish your heart makes.
MIT was probably THE #1 choice for me since it as someone wrote earlier truly embodies everything I am and want to be. When I applied I was actually expecting to be deferred but..may be not. I think I know the reason for my rejection- one tiny screw up!
Congratulations to anyone who got in (especially my friend who I am truly happy for) and everyone who got deferred- good luck on round 2!
In the mean time I am going go look for schools I really don’t want to go to.
“In the mean time I am going go look for schools I really don’t want to go to.”
I know what you mean.
This is hard to hear or accept right now, but a rejection from MIT is not a judgment on your value as a person or as a scholar. It simply means that, in the admissions officers’ eyes, you would be happier attending college somewhere besides MIT.
Is that cruel? Maybe. But in the long run, I think you’ll find that they are right. Don’t give up your dreams simply because of this. Getting into college is important – but why should you let it define your entire life, all your dreams, from this point forward? Take the time to mourn, to scream, to come to grips with the decision. And then, get back on your feet and do what you all do best –
Fight for your dreams.
As usual, I second Paul’s advice. =P Be who you are and have a wonderful experience an another university. Keep MIT in mind for grad school!
at*
I did not apply to MIT. I applied to Brown. I haven’t even considered applying to MIT because I have no clue what their anthropology program is like.
Brown admission people suck.
I had letters from the Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, the Mayor of Providence (who went there with JFK Jr), Richard Bushman, and five Brown faculty members. I STILL got rejected! Twice! Plus, Vartan Gregorian called and tried to get me in. Didn’t happen.
I guess, at this point, I’m humoring myself that my emotions and desire to attend Brown count.
However, I know this probably isn’t the board to post crap about Brown, so I won’t go on anymore. I just posted because Brown admission doesn’t have their own. Maybe their too busy drinking out of their pilsner glasses in a building walled with rich mahogany discussing Hillary Clinton’s next visit to the Watson Institute to create a new page. Or, maybe their just d-bags.
I’ll go with the latter.
I have two things to say in response to Nic’s post that I think would be good advice for everyone.
One, if you think you’re going to major in X, you’ll probably change to closely-related Y. I changed from 20 to 10B (or maybe 7). Pretty close, right? And yet had I chosen to focus ONLY on biological engineering programs I probably wouldn’t have applied to MIT’s because it’s so new – but then, I would’ve missed out on MIT only to change my major. Whether you’ve wanted to be X since you were 6 or 16, keep in mind that it may change and you need to be flexible.
Two, letters of recommendation are important. Get them from people who really, really know you – names aren’t as important as what they have to say about you. And you have to stand on your own merit, too.
Hello Everyone,
Each of you are a beautiful star. Stars need to be sprinkled around our planet. MIT is just a compilation of some of the stars. Please, help the universe by finding that other compilation of stars that makes life on Earth so beautiful. The college that will make you shine brighter is out there, embrace it!
I was the first one to post I was rejected in this post. After spending some time away from anything related to MIT and college in general, I’ve come to realize that life doesn’t revolve around getting in where you want. It is about what you do in the time you are given wherever you might be.
Write that down.
“Life doesn’t revolve around where you go. It is about what you do in the time you are given wherever you might be.” = better format, applies to many more things.
*bad words*
Well, see you in four years. :/
*bad words*
Well, see you in four years. :/
Ouch, so sorry ’bout that. No need to repeat those words twice. :D
Nic Rossi-
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH has an AWESOME anthropology program and would probably snatch you up if you’re grades were good enough to be considered at Brown. Prove them wrong by excelling where you do go.
Well, I haven’t applied yet.
I will apply within a few days and will get the sad message within a few months. I am certain.
Nothing to worry about.
Look at the educational qualification of the MIT faculties. Most of them are outsiders.
So, you (also I) still have the hope of becoming an MIT teacher. Who cares your undergraduate institution!
However, wait for 4 years and again try hard.
Just a few words to you guys. I know it’s very hard to be rejected so bluntly. I’ve been through it too (although looking back, I’m happy I was, because I was rejected by people who were jerks about it, and I wouldn’t be here if I was accepted).
Most of you are probably applying straight from high school. I was the same spot too. I did very well in high school, but I wasn’t the best of the best. I was about to apply to MIT and plenty of other unis but I knew back then that I just wasn’t good enough.
So, I went to a local uni, took up a uni diploma in elec engineering (which is about half a bachelor’s degree :/). And guess what.. I think the past 3 years of my life, after I got out of high school, were the best years of my life. I’ve learned everything from studying techniques to flirting techniques, philosophy, psychology, art, music, and even gained 10 kgs of muscle. And I’ve learned a lot about how people think and what I want to do in life. In 3 short years I went from high school nerd to well.. those all rounded guys that I used to be envious of.
So, don’t worry. Maybe your destiny is in your journey. Sometimes when you have to trip and fall to bottom before climbing to the top. And maybe like me, the things you learn the most will come to you while you’re climbing to the top.
And remember, if you really, really feel like you’re destined for MIT, you can try again in a few years as a graduate student..
These blogs amuse me a little. I don’t mean to belittle anyone’s dreams and aspirations here, but just take a step back and read all of this for what it is. If you think for ONE second that somehow a SCHOOL defines you, there is something terribly wrong. Institutions don’t define you, YOU define yourself. If you think the only way to get ahead in life is by going to a school that screams PRESTIGE and ELITE, then you must have very little going for you. All I have to say is: Peter Jennings, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison,Ted Turner, Michael Dell…hmm they all appear to be men, oh my. Anywho the point is that MIT won’t make you into anything you aren’t already so if getting in is all that matters to you, then you have nothing to show why you ought to get in. Honestly, it isn’t about being bitter, it’s about knowing that you are gonna do some great things in life and MIT just missed out the opportunity to stake a claim in your greatness. Besides, we need you bright people in our state universities, trust me on this one, regulated tuition ALL the way!!
For those who did get into MIT, just a word of advice: PLEASE PLEASE when you get here, don’t become a workaholic, college is about exploring who you are not how much work you can get done. Perhaps I want to relive my state school undergrad days at a private school during my grad school years, but there is little in the ways of “power to the students” around here. At least the college town that is Boston makes up for what MIT lacks.
It’s hard getting shot down so bluntly. No second chance. I really felt like this was the place for me and no amount of sugar coating my rejection will change that. Felt like a bullet to the head that forgets to kill you. For me, this was my number one choice (probably the same senario for alot of others), so it’s difficult to accept.
It also just seems like MIT’s rejection letter diminished any and all achievements I aimed for and got. Because MIT was what all my credentials were for. And it wasn’t good enough. Again, won’t lie, this can thoroughly change one’s perspective on themself.
the only consolation for me is if I can make MIT regret their decision a few years down the road.
To everyone who didn’t make it in this time around from a current grad student:
Five years ago when I was applying to colleges, I had a dream of going to MIT, but I knew that I wouldn’t get in. I had a good GPA in high school, but I only had a 1280 on my SAT (this was before they added the writing section), and I didn’t have that many extracurriculars. I would have applied, but I knew my money was better spent on other applications. Despite this, I didn’t let that dream slip away. I was admitted to RPI, and during my four years there, I strived to set myself apart from my peers by working hard, getting involved in research, taking on leadership opportunities, and most importantly, enjoying myself while I was doing it. After all that, I was in a much better position to apply to MIT for grad school. When I finally did apply, I was accepted with full funding for a Ph.D.
If you eventually want a graduate degree, you still have four years to build your resume and try again. Plus, having experience at a different college in invaluable if you’re going to get a grad degree! Getting a BS, MS, and PhD all in the same place is sometimes looked down upon anyway.
If I could go back in time and change things knowing what I do know, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I loved RPI and realized later that being in an atmosphere that wasn’t so cut-throat like MIT was important for my emotional development and leadership development in college.
The moral of the story is that this is just one chapter in the story of your life, and you have many more to write. Best of luck wherever you end up, and don’t give up on your dreams and aspirations!
@Paul’G
I guess you’re right. well, i KNOW you’re right even if I’m not willing to accept it right away. There’s still a small hope in my mind that it was a mistake, even though i know that’s not the case. You’re right about the chapter thing, I just turned 16, I’ve got other options. I applied RPI too, I guess just take the best of what I do get accepted into and see where it goes from there.
But i refuse to not be depressed for the next month or so about this. Otherwise, I don’t really have a choice but to move onto something else.
Yep, got turned down. I was in the middle of a robotics competition at the time, so breaking down and all that wouldn’t really have helped. I count myself lucky that I was rejected. I would have absolutely hated being deferred.
Keep in mind that not getting in is not the end of the world. There’s absolutely nothing that you could do at MIT that you can’t do somewhere else. In fact, being rejected gave me the motivation to start working even harder. I’m going to bust my ass so hard that I’ll get an undergrad experience BETTER than MIT – and at a fraction of the price.
Hey, everyone…I got deferred, but my AP Calc teacher told me something a few years ago when I thought I had my mind set on MIT, and it may interest you:
“You’re a spectacular student, and I know you can make a name for yourself anywhere you go. You might stand out more when you’re not at MIT, and although you may be fixed on ‘just fitting in’ and not being ‘the best’ anymore, but you’re the kind of person that can make any college mold to himself for a great fit.”
I just noticed this thread today–and I think creating it was a real class act by the MIT admissions folks. I haven’t received my rejection letter yet (Regular Action, I’m still in limbo)–yes, this is the most probable outcome for me. I’m borderline in some unusual ways, since my first two years of high school were unremarkable, but I earned straight A’s in the last two with heavy courseloads. Really all I have as far as extracurriculars are concerned is Varsity Track and Field and the stuff I do with my friends on the weekends. All that is noteworthy about me are my essays (I think), my interview (I think), and my SAT scores (pretty sure).
But when that rejection letter comes, I believe peace will come with it, because for better or for worse “the war” will be over. And then by jingo! We’ll show ’em that isn’t just valedictorians and club presidents that can change the world! HOO-RAH!
nice…..i sort’f agree
Woah! Some people talked to me. Might as well reply, I guess.
@Michael McCanna: I’ve wanted to be a professor since I was 8, and the desire has only grown with time. This setback isn’t going to change any of that. Perhaps I’ll be that professor someday, telling kids how I’m glad I didn’t get into MIT. I’m starting to come around to that point of view, very slowly. And indeed, I’ll be around for Grad school. Thank you for your kind words.
@Anon9: If one ends up as a tubemaker with a friggin’ grad degree… MIT’s got some seriously overqualified tubemakers.
@donaldGuy ’12: Dreams are nothing more than wishes the heart strengthens… but when the day is done, they are but wishes and wishes alone. In this case, for many of us, unfulfilled. Not all dreams come true. Few do. No matter how hard you work for them. Nevertheless, the spirit of the dream lives on; work hard, do well, get a job as a professor. While the specific dream is shattered, the goal will still guide me through whatever lies ahead. And in that sense, yes, dreams do live on. Thank you for your tidings.
———-
A few final words for everyone else who got rejected. We’ve had an opportunity taken away, yes. There’s no denying that all of us would have preferred to have gotten an acceptance letter. But don’t despair. There’s a certain freedom we all share, now. The freedom to find somewhere that fits other, more trivial standards. How about finding a school that’s cheap, with copious financial aid? A school in a town you’d want to live in? A school with a really good library?
I mean… really, yeah. We all wanted to go to MIT. That dream has been broken, and is no longer in the realm of possibility. We are who we are, whether we got into MIT or not. Peacocks don’t covet the feathers of the other fowl; be a peacock, make the most of that you’ve accomplished and channel your passions into another school. And someday, MIT will perhaps regret not having such a brilliant feather as yours to place in its cap! Perhaps they’ll even be jealous of the school you attended. Remember, Linus Pauling (my favorite scientist) went to Oregon State. OREGON STATE! It’s crazy, really! Getting in (or NOT getting in) does not guarantee that you’re a genius. Genius is the product of hard work, a bit of luck, and a lot of coffee. We all have it in ourselves, we only need to discover it.
May I see you all on the other side. To Academia!
Aaron
proSULGC: THAT IS THE MOST AWESOME POST EVER. Everyone who still feels even slightly bad about getting rejected: read that post. Seriously. Today’s Tea Party has been great for my spirits, but that’s perhaps even greater. Thank you for being awesome, sir.
I just got my rejection letter. i was hoping to be at least deferred…. i won’t lie, i’m still in shock, sort of hoping there was a mistake. i know there wasn’t but still… i now see how dependent i was on this school, still sort of am, and i’ve let their rejection define me. Which sort of goes against most of what i’ve been advocating about who we are and so on and so forth. I guess the simplest way to put it is, i can’t go the school i wanted and i don’t know what to do. or why i wasn’t good enough.
I too want to second what Paul said.
Don’t take rejection personally. It’s not the end of the world. Don’t think that rejection will make your life infinitely worse – and don’t think getting into MIT would’ve made it infinitely better! What matters most is that you take advantage of whatever opportunities you get. When I first came to MIT, I was miserable for a good while – but when I finally started taking advantage of what was around me, I became happy. And you can do that, too, wherever you go.
Not being admitted doesn’t mean you’re a poor student, a bad person, or anything else – heck, to apply, you must’ve been great. It just means, at this moment, you’re not the match they’re looking for. Try again in 4 years. Or maybe you’ll decide MIT’s not for you. Whatever the case may be, go on and live a great life. This is just a minor setback.
I’m just happy I got into Wisconsin Friday. Made rejection so much easier. Haha. Here’s to saving a fortune on tuition and plane tickets!
Guys, I wouldn’t take the rejection letter too personally. There are tons of great schools, especially for undergrad degrees, and in the end it probably won’t matter much where you went to school. The classes I’m taking at my “run of the mill” public university in my home state is teaching me the exact same material in my major, physics, that you would get here at MIT (verified by OpenCourseWare). Mind you, at a small fraction of the cost.
So there’s your plus side. Your safe school, is probably much cheaper than MIT, without sacrificing much, if at all, education.
I got my rejection letter 2 years ago and it really did hurt. Since then, I’ve been published 3 times in 3 different journals including the Journal of American Chemistry on the topic of nanotechnology. MIT isn’t the only place doing cutting edge research. Make sure you pick some safe schools that are strong in your fields of interest and get to know your professor. Many of them are brilliant and eager to have help from undergraduates who are smart and hard working.
I’ll reapply when I’m ready for grad school (that’s what brought me back to the site) and it’s much more important. Overall though, I’m very glad that I’m here with all my friends that I grew up with, cheap travel home for the hollidays for Mom’s cooking, and not having to live in the dorms. Which, in retrospect, I would have really really missed had I been accepted.
Keep your dreams alive, have faith in yourself, and remember that no matter what, you still had enough confidence (which is usualy justified) to apply in the first place. Continue to apply yourselves, and get ready for a wild ride.
hai ELANA
i clearly understand your feeling but i hope it is not your second time like me …………i will just use a single sentence to explain most of our rejection……” misinterpreted by numbers”……
If MIT doesn’t accept you, then that’s their fault, not yours. Become someone great, someone amazing, so one day MIT can realize that they should have accepted you. What college doesn’t say anything about you, you say something about you. One of my good friends at UWisconsin just rejected an internship offer from Goldman Sachs. Call me crazy, but that’s absolutely insane. He, in fact, got a better offer from McKinsey. My friends at Yale weren’t even given the opportunity to snatch those internships. You can work hard anywhere. It’s up to you to become something. Even if you got into MIT, MIT won’t make you, who you will become, they might help, but in the bigger scheme of things, you and God, alone, control your destiny.
I got IN!!!!
me too! yay for us mark!!
@donald guy’12
are you the same donald guy who used to blog frequently on MIT site?
congrats on the admission
Well, I’m regular decision. I haven’t applied yet and recently checked my app…been overwhelmed with loads of stuff. I wish I checked earlier because I realized I missed the deadline for an interview which I would have gladly taken. I e-mailed the lady…she must be wondering why I’m so irresponsible. Argh. Stress. Anyways, a lotta you are right. Being rejected is most likely a blessing in disguise. I hope I don’t cry when my decisions come in. I’m so sensitive -_______-.
=(
ehhh so scared for regular decision
yea rejected. it sucks.
@Samia
You might get in, so chill, no point fretting. and if you don’t, don’t worry. I cried heartily.
okay it only posted half of what i said. lame.
anyways, don’t worry about not getting in. Crying’s probably going to help. Greatest form of release and in all honesty you’ve got an amazing reason to sob the whole week through if you want. If you don’t make it, like everyone on here keeps saying, there’s probably a reason and there is some where else you are meant to go.
“I shall rise above the schools who reject me”
I’m regular admission, but when I get the decision in March and find out I’m not accepted, I’ll be really pissed that I won’t get to see snow for another four years.
P.S. Just because you won’t attend the school, doesn’t mean you can’t go there and do a hack if you’re really motivated.
“I wish I’d gotten in.”
“So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
Ok I’m quoting Gandalf, which is like an ubernerdy thing to do, but you get my point. If I’m turned down, I know I can still teach physics/write music/design golf courses/play chess/run a homeless shelter/learn karate elsewhere. And I will get to say, “Screw them! I can go to UFlorida, where everybody loses their virginity at freshman orientation!”:D
whoops I forgot the name field^^^
I am an EC and Course XII grad. I was actually in Course XIX, Meteorology, but there was no undergrad program in XIX, so I was in XII. I met a lot of the grad students in XIX and most of them came from outside the Institute. One PhD got his BS at Lyndon State in New Hampshire. He’s now the head of a national government research lab. Another, a BS from Drexel in Philly, a professor at a school in Connecticut. Conclusion: Many of you will want an advanced degree. Bust it where you are and MIT becomes a grad school option.
I interview many GREAT kids who don’t get into MIT and they make the best of where life leads them. Keep moving forward and you’ll do great. By definition, you wouldn’t have tried for MIT if you weren’t a great student to begin with.
All the best.
Hey, don’t take the rejection too personally. Look at the bright side.. at least you don’t have to wait for months before being rejected.
It’s not that you’re not qualified. It’s just that you don’t have what they’re looking for. Let’s say, for example, you invented something that’ll cut 10% off fuel requirements for your car. And you tried to apply for MIT because you heard that they’re researching fuel technology or so. In that case, perhaps MIT has had 3 dozen people a year who actually cut off 30% off fuel requirements.. or even worse, they’re not even dealing with the same fuel type you worked with.
But then, maybe, say at Caltech (or some other great uni not known for it’s fuel research), only 3 other people worked on fuel tech. So, there, they’d accept you pretty quick. Maybe a less science-based college like Yale would actually be looking for someone who’s in your field.
Get what I mean? It’s not that there’s anything missing with you or that MIT didn’t like your personality. It’s just that in comparison, you don’t look as good as everyone else. Don’t take it too personally. I’m RA so I haven’t been accepted/rejected yet.. but if I did get rejected, I know I’d be as disappointed as most of you, but I’ll probably try again in a few years.
Well, I’m not sure if anyone really cares for the tough love speeches anymore, but I still wish to offer my perspective.
Before I logged in to get my decision, I took a moment to think about the process that I had been through and, accepted or otherwise, what I had learned from it. As these thoughts went through my head, I realized something very important: I had learned about myself. Through five essays, a two hour interview, great teacher reviews and a lot of support from my family, I had come to discover strengths and self-awareness I had not known before….
Getting denied to MIT was hard. I had prepared myself for the probable rejection, but it still stung. As I though about it, I began the thought process I’m sure a lot of you also experienced: “I thought most people got deferred. Does that mean I had no chance?”. I became leery of finishing my other applications, thinking “What if no one accepts me?”. It a lot of thinking to make myself stop such silly thoughts, and I’m glad I did.
I know my personal worth, and it may be very likely that MIT just wouldn’t fit who I am right now. I slacked the first two years of high school, but came back strong with As and AP classes these last two. I got a 34 on the ACT, and thought I had good, insightful, personal essays. Do I doubt myself for this? No. I am taking rejection as a learning experience. I know more about myself and the process of applying to college. Heck, I have an interview for another school tomorrow, and am looking forward to the process of applying there.
Admission here was being judged off of high school, and I’ll be the first to say that I didn’t always try my hardest or do my best. Just wait, four years from now, when applying to grad school, you can be judged on your ability within your chosen field; that’s when I know we’ll shine.
I thank everyone at MIT who was involved with the admissions process for the learning opportunity this created for me. to the fellow rejectees: Try to see what you gained; remember, we lost nothing in applying (application fee aside). Rejection is hard, but it is also temporal. Learn from it and keep moving forward. As others have said, go do something great and make MIT jealous that they didn’t accept you
@ David Katz ’75
Are we allowed to get interviews after the Dec. 15 date? I lost track of time getting all my applications ready, and I conveniently overlooked the interview–is there anyway I could still get an interview (because I’ve heard MIT really values the interviews)?
@proSULGC:
You say that your school doesn’t define you. I agree. But I can’t agree that the only difference between MIT and a state school is prestige. I came to Penn State expecting MIT-style rigor in my classes. I didn’t get it.
Yes, book-learning is only half of what college offers. But I fought to leave high school a year early, just so I could find rigor and challenge in my coursework at a college. MIT was (is) exactly what I was (am) looking for–an awesome culture built around surviving some insane academics.
I guess my point is…you can’t compare MIT to a state school (such as Penn State). It’s apples and oranges. MIT has opportunities that state schools don’t. Or at the very least, you have to work ten times as hard, just to get the opportunity at a state school.
That’s my experience, anyway. (And by the way, I’m not trying to put down state schools or Penn State–I’m just saying that I, and perhaps many others reading this blog, don’t belong there.)
I guess this is the first time I’m going to respond to one of these long posts here. I spent day and night on my MIT application, perfecting it as best I could… To tell you guys the truth, I don’t have anywhere near the grades/test scores to get into MIT at all… I applied here because I know MIT is right for me, because the way I have lived my life and things I have invovled myself in are what MIT prides itself on. But to all the guys that got differed or not admited… Please know this. A number does not define a person, its the quality of their character and personality that due, hence the reason its the only box MIT checks as “Very Important” on their application review. In the end the kids with the numbers aren’t going to be remembered but rather the kids who changed the world against all odds.
Good luck to all the guys going RA (aka me) but like I said, even if I do get denied, I plan on framing my letter and putting it in my office some day.
Jack
@Matt, PSU’11
I can’t argue about the quality of education, since it varies so much. One of the main reasons I wanted to go to MIT was that I knew it would be a challenge and that I would have the opportunity learn at my full potential if I got in.
I sometimes find the quality of my classes somewhat lacking. I usualy shore up my education using the OpenCourseWare materials. Not to mention that the OCW classes usualy serve as great review material for exams.
I’ve even thought about trying to transfer into MIT, as I still think it would be a better fit for me personally.
And that is something I don’t hear a lot of people mentioning. You guys can always try to transfer in if you really don’t fit in where you end up and you still think that MIT would be a better choice. It supposed to be even more competitve, but another chance is another chance.
wow!thanks to Matt for the blog!! Even though I did not receive the rejection letter yet(I am applying RA) I am pretty sure I would, but I guess then I would be a lot less frustrated because of going through this thread of messages….
up until now I believe that MIT really looks into your persona more than portraying you in numbers but somehow my belief is getting blurry aroud the edges!right now I truly eat, sleep and think only MIT…I hope I get the chance to do the same for the next four years!!
Cheers to all of us!! we rock…MIT/no MIT!!!
Mr.Paul says-Getting a BS, MS, and PhD all in the same place is sometimes looked down upon.
So don’t apply for UG admission to MIT- How funny? Mr. Paul will never realise the frustration.
well, I applied just before the deadline and really don’t expect to be accepted, but the hope dies last, right?
I’m an international student from Slovakia and already have an offer from Imperial College London (it made me to jump my feet off :D .. I am happy as I’ve never been before, I guess Imperial can go equal even with MIT (except for the funding lol) )
I take MIT as a bonus but my life doesn’t hang on the letter of acceptance (although I know the rejection sucks a lot).
… I also don’t do that many extracurricular and have an excellent social life I’m not willing to sacrifice .. a friend of mine is a MIT undergraduate and after talking with her while we were hiking together, I got an impression that she doesn’t sleep at all and barely lives (although she loves the way studying on MIT works 
)
Moreover, I’m not etirely convinced that MIT is the best place for me.. I mean I know to work hard and I AM probably one of the 3 best students at my high school (which is the best school in my country lol) yet I somehow never needed to study for my grades and results (I got 750 MathII and 800 Physics SAT after mere 4 hours of reading the prep book just the day before the test day and I’m not gonna repeat it :D), it just goes
well, congrats to all accepted, hope you are those MIT types and will love the life on MIT; I’m just a normal guy with other things to do than just studying and doing everything to get to the university (sadly, it’s what MIT look for) … anyway, let the officers decide .. I guess maybe I’d like even the stress on MIT
@ michal polak: dude you need to come off a lot less arrogant, IMHO
@ inordinatelycandid
oh i really didn’t want to sound that way, you probably didn’t get what i wanted to say, which is: when talking about tertiary education, i wanted to embrace the fact that MIT is not the ultimate heaven and the final end towards the lives of us all shall head to…
moreover, i wanted to point out that
1. all of the rejected applicants (same as me and you) definetely HAVE their values (which doesn’t have to be the “i’m worth only as much as the college i’m studying at” at all)
2. there are also OTHER things to consider when applying at a college than academic excellence and name
3. imo it’s far more important to know one’s value (not just as a scholar but as a person as well) than to constantly try to define yourself by the institutions you take part in … if you know what you’re worth and capable of – it’s not arrogance, it’s mere proudness and self-awareness
imho things may be that way as well..