The Case of the Disappearing Admissions Officers by Matt McGann '00
Where have the Admissions Officers been lately?
How long has it been since I last blogged? So long that it took me 9 tries to remember my blogging username/password.
So then, where have I (and Ben and Nance) been? Reading applications. Lots and lots of applications. It’s been hard to find time for much else (like blogging and email), though I’ve been sure to take some downtime for Heroes, Veronica Mars, James Bond and Borat.
It looks like our early application numbers for this year will be up more than 10% versus last year. I know this will be a very challenging year in which to select a class. Nevertheless, I’m really enjoying this year’s applications; I know that we have a lot of great people to chose from.
To answer an FAQ, our goal is to release decisions online on Saturday, December 9th at 12 noon Eastern Standard Time. We will also send out decisions via postal mail around the same time. We won’t be able to confirm 100% until we’re a bit farther along in the process, but we’ll let you know if anything changes.
Meanwhile, there’s been lots of other exciting news, including the production of the first 1,000 of the “$100 laptops” (currently coming in at closer to $150). One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a non-profit humanitarian project to put technology into the hands of millions of the world’s poorest children. This ambitious and inspirational project is headed up by Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab. You can read more in thousands of articles across the web, including one at Technology Review.
More updates soon…
I am intrigued by the $100 laptop endeavor; I too believe that those in less fortunate circumstances would benefit from technology.
I hope the application reading is going well.
Hmm… You are posting the decisions online at the same time you are sending the postal decisions? :- I was sort of looking forward to getting the package/letter in the mail, but I understand, especially with the postal decision crisis last year.
Those $100 laptops are really great, I hope that the project works out as well as it sounds it will!
Well, good luck with the decision making. Up 10%? That is a LOT.
There was an overall admission of 22.66% of EA applicants last year, according to the admissions statistics, and if the same number of EA people are admitted this year, it’ll only be 20.60%. Meh. Its going down fast. I wonder what it’ll be in 10 years..
Well, Thanks for the post!
-Adam
Where have you guys been? James Bond and Borat before us?! That’s not right! :p
That is cool regarding the laptops.
Do these children have access to the internet?
The laptops for the poorest children is really a nice idea! I mean I do not know what I would do without the internet. Quite interesting to see what is happening with humanity and internet! We are so dependent upon computers these days! As far as the decisions….I am very very very anxious to know what will happen to me. But whatever happens, happens for the better! Ohw and everyone have a happy turkey day tmorrow!
will you be posting on the my.mit.edu site?
Now with a date, I can already feel the sleepless, panicking nights on the way
. I just have one quick question, in my profile on my.mit.edu it says that my standardized test scores were never received, but I’ve always had them sent to MIT. Is that a glitch in the system?
Heroes is such a great show.
The children in that picture are adorable, and the project itself is just really inspirational.
Yeah! That and the Disco Floor were both in Popular Science. The laptop deal was one of their grand award winners for the Best of What’s New. Here’s a link w/ a Video.
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2006/product_31.html
How Awesome!!
Nice! Hope to be among the increased no.’s .
The Bond Movie this time is nice. Daniel Craig does well as the rough bond; as for the suave Bond, no one but Brosnan!
Happy Reading!
Just realised that you meant 10% more applicants have applied this year; not that 10% more will be accepted. Oh damn!
Well; enjoy your reading!
I can imagine how hard the admission process at MIT must be. For 100 kids, the majority are perfect on anything, but you and your fellows have to send the “sorry” letter to >86 kids. I certainly don’t think i would be able to assume the responsibility of an admissions officer. Just hope you to have fun, esp. when you read my app
). How many applications do you usually read per day? And how many time do you spend on an application (a solid, a weak, an exceptional one)?
A prospective student from Vietnam
This is really wonderful. It really benefits the poorest societies in the world. And I think that is what technology and science need to do. We need to use technology and science to bring benefits to mankind- the cheaper the cost, the better it is.
I wish to go to MIT because it was founded as a polytechnic school, where knowledge is used to “invent” technology / science. But I also think that technology and science is but a tool. It is our responsibility to use to tool
for the benefit of mankind, especially the poor and less fortunate in other parts of the world.
Another thing that we need to remember (as we try to improve technology) is that the fundamentals of science cannot be broken.
Ya this are what I belive. And I really wish to go to MIT to learn to equip myself and be a part of s programme similar to this laptop program to help and contribute to society. This is why I wish to go to MIT in short
However, 100 US is still pretty expensive. It is about 800 RMB. That amount is the average household income of a family in a small city in China. This is sad but it is pretty much of a fact. The people may still prefer to have traditinal books made of paper. However, this is not meant to discourage this program. I still love this program and believe it is wonderfully good.
betr give the poor children food clothes and shelter than laptops!!
Have the societal problems that the laptops could cause been considered?
I can very easily see parents taking their kids computers to sell them (for food, at best, but maybe alcohol or drugs). I can see families telling their kids that they don’t need them learning about computers, they need them to go to work. I can see bitter, older kids seeing the kids with computers as targets for multiple reasons. I can see cultures disencouraging girls from using them….I can see a lot of things going wrong because some societies are sadly unready. Will MIT keep up with the computers after they’ve been distributed?
Matt Mcgann, you are my hero.