Waiting by Matt McGann '00
(is the hardest part)
While you wait…
For those who are curious about envelope sizes: the defer letter and the deny letter each come in a standard #10 window envelope (4.125″ x 9.5″). As for the admit letter, it is unlikely to be mistaken for anything else.
Jane asked, “I always wondered….why is MIT’s early acceptance rate so low compared to other selective colleges?”
Well, there are two factors at work here. First, we are committed to admitting no more than 30% of our class during early action. We feel that the pressures to apply early are too high, and don’t want to further contribute to that by leaving only a very small number of spaces for regular action, further pressuring people to apply early. Additionally, we don’t want to penalize those students who apply regular action.
Second, our last few classes, because of an increased yield (the percentage of admitted students who decide to enroll), have been quite large. So, given our 30% constraint, and our increased yield, there you have it — 377 admitted students, a record-low 12.2% admit rate.
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| EA Admits | 525 | 438 | 383 | 377 |
While this is a much smaller percentage of the class admitted early than many other places, remember that here, being deferred is not a “polite rejection.” Deferred students are given full consideration again during regular action, where most (~75%) of our admitting is done. Many students were deferred, and I expect those students to be competitive during the regular action process. More on that in the weeks to come.
Out of fairness to applicants, we also turned down more students than we did last year during early action. Many of these students are really excellent, but given our applicant pool, it was clear that these students would not ultimately be admitted to MIT regular action. We wish these students our best in their applications to other great schools.
Unfortunately, I suspect that the mail won’t make it much farther than Eastern Massachusetts inside of Interstate 495 (based on last year’s mail patterns), with most students receiving decisions on Monday and Tuesday. For those of you not in Massachusetts, do yourself a favor and have a fun, relaxing weekend… maybe check out some of the great movies that are out now… (I saw “Memoirs of a Geisha” last night, with a talk beforehand by author Arthur Golden!)
Well, you guys did your part!
Nice to hear, I suppose I should look out for the “obvious” envelope then… or the regular *shudder*.
On another note, Memoirs isn’t showing anywhere near Minneapolis. It’s not fair… such an amazing book, me and my friends want to see it so bad.
WOW, number of EA admits went down ~150 over the past 3 years; THAT IS CRAZY. This makes me nervous, but yeah, I’ll just relax and enjoy the weather in San Diego.
Hi again!
I need to ask if we can put down more than one activity for the “leisure” short answer question, i.e, Q12a) tell us about something that you do for the pleasure of it?
Thanks!
Since I’m in South Florida, it looks like I’ll just have to wait.
Thanks for at least keeping us informed, even though I’m probably far more anxious now than I would be otherwise…
Wonder why the admission result is not made available through the MtMIT web page. It is afterall password protcted.
i know right, its kinda ironic that MIT doesn’t have upto date technology. As long as I get in I’ll forgive them.
I’m so happy it’s over. No more waiting, no more anxiety. I just wanna thank all the admissions officers for guiding us through this process. You guys did a great job. All the other colleges make the process seem so impersal, MIT on the other hand really cares about each and every applicant.
I hope I got in!!!
I finished my application a few weeks ago with the exception of my AMC scores. I have had difficulties obtaining them from school. Is there any way I can submit my application now, and, as soon as I get the scores, send them?
You guys KNOW that getting a letter is so much more climactic than checking online. It wouldn’t be nearly as exciting online. Getting the mail is somethink you’ll remember, though.
But online is faster.
Hmm…”Memoirs” seems like a good movie
It’s releasing limited on the 16th, and all over on the 23rd…luckily I’m in New York, so it’s already been released here on a limited number of screens
This decision thing is nail-biting for me; I’m just glad the letter is about to arrive. You really should not make it that obvious envelope-wise, but then again, I guess that works.
Trying not to think about it…
I heard the acceptance letters come in tubes rather than envelopes…
I’m still awaiting my most probable small white envelope… A deferral if I’m lucky. I live in southern New Hampshire, but given small town mail I probably won’t find out until Tuesday.
did any one of you have 2.1 GPA?
I am afraid that I will be rejected.
Still, I want to be accepted.
Waiting really is the hardest part….
I know its not going to come in the mail today… but I checked the mail anyway… and it seems the mail guy chose today to slack off… I checked the mail 3 times… and we haven’t gotten our mail yet…
mines gonna be small..i can feel it..
5 to 10 says that if they let us check online we’d either crash the whole system or some wiz-kid would hack it. We are applying to MIT after all. Small envelopes suck
Did anyone get their letter yet?
Just because they don’t allow checking online doesn’t mean they can’t.
I personally would far rather open it and see. However, I’d prefer everything be the same envelope size and get an admit pack later, but that’s just me.
but it takes too long!!!!! by the time i get it i’ll be crazy and it won’t matter whether i got in or not
actually it will…if i don’t my brain will be permanentaly damaged
Don’t be so negative, just remember there’s a good chance the 1 out of every 10 of us will get in. Mabye even more. Personaly I think most of us on this blog will make it.
Anyone got any ideas on how to pass the time. Please don’t do your other appps cus thats what I’m doing.
I’m watching the whole LOST season one over again so that my mind wont be thinking about the MIT deferral letter.
That’s MY Lost Season One DVD, Yi!
I dont know which is worse… waiting for a letter or getting it online. I do know that calling for AP scores and checking online got my heart pumping pretty hard. For the IB scores, I noticed that the website was on atomic time (my watch gets signals for atomic time) so just waiting for the right second to hit refresh was pretty stressful. My heart felt like it was going to explode several minutes before they came out and just got worse until I finally got the scores. Either way, this whole mail thing is pretty stressful. I am going to be driving home from school like a mad man on Monday and Tuesday looking for my letter. Lets just hope I dont crash.
can everyone please calm down? you making me even more nervous. i really think i got denyed after the first rejection i might cry for a few weeks but i will get over it hopely. damn i saw a RPI enevelope the colors are like the MIT. my heart alwost jumped out my chest but it was just RPI.
I think someone else said this earlier, but getting the paper copy through snail mail is better than online notifcation.
Tearing up piece of paper: cheap.
Punching Computer Monitor: Expensive.
Tearing up piece of paper: Stress relieving.
Punching Computer Monitor: Hand hurting.
in fact, Im sure someone on one of the blogs said that already… oh well. I stole it.
I bet you the admissions officer are all laughing at us right now. Why can’t they just tell if we got in or not. They know, they know all. LOL I’m going out of mind, I gotta go to sleep.
Pobably to screw the the applicants or mabye to bring back the feeliong of opening a letter.
oh man…
i live in brookline ma (in other words, right across the river from MIT) and all of my friends got their acceptance tubes today! I got absolutely nothing in the mail… no small envelope and no tube.
this is probably the most nerve-wracking situation i’ve ever been in.
Oh my…the numbers are daunting…I was totally chill until I read the numbers–> the significant increase of applicants from 2002 to 2005 and the significant DECLINE from 2002 to 2005. Wow…! But then I feel better and I hope you do too knowing that this is just the beginning. It’s EA. Not RA.
If it was RA, there are no more chances. But EA there is- think about the ppl that didn’t apply early anywhere…they won’t know anything until April, but atleast we get a glimpse of our potential early on.
So it’s CHILL OUT time, so relax, and don’t forget to watch the finale of APPRENTICE live this thursday! GO RANDALL!!!!!!!
Peace everyone. This is NOT the end of the world. It’s just the beginning.
list of worries:
#1: big latin translation test– covers 220 lines of the Aeneid.
#2: LinAlg final– covers a whole semester.
#3: Christmas concert/ Christmas caroling– losing my voice rapidly due to the cold weather, dehydration and general lack of sleep.
#4: MIT decision letter– nuff said.
#5: figuring out what to get all my friends for christmas.
I’m chill. I’m so chill im FREEZING to death in my 20 degree home. I wish the MIT decision letter were my only source of anxiety. My life would be so much easier because I’m simply expecting a big red stamp on the letter that says “DENIED” and then I’ll still be sick and sore and tired. And yes, I’ll be studying hard for that exam.
Peace out!
do i know you Soccerchick?
Good luck to all of you, guys! Please wish the same thing for me next year.
bbwavefan: I don’t think you know me cuz I don’t know anyone else who’s applying at MIT.
I startled the mailman today when I rushed up to him asking for the mail…. when I saw all small envelopes, my heart sank, but then I saw there was nothing from MIT
. The waiting is terrible, though.
i’d rather have my decision online..
waiting is excruciating… haven’t been able to think of anything else since saturday! pains to know that your fate is decided but you have to wait days to know!
My heart hurts …
but stressed spelled backwards is desserts maybe i should get some
Watching the numbers on the clock change…I should be reading the Iliad
Wow, the waiting can be a killer. I’m applying RA but I can still imagine how bad it can be. Especially looking into the mailbox everyday, hoping for that big fat envelope. Come mid-March, that’s what the rest of us will be doing.
Let’s list other things to worry about:
#1 My school doesn’t have dances, we have banquets. So, for my date for our Christmas Banquet, she’s ewaring a plum dress. Now, since guys are supposed to match the tie to the dress, I have ot find a plum tie. Problem is, I’ve never seen the dress (she won’t let me see it, like it’s a wedding dress or something) and I’m like any other guy who can’t tell the difference between a lavender and a plum or any other arbitrary shade of purple.
#2 In a group for a school competition thing, my group has had a ton of drama going on. There are three people who do most of the work (I’m one of them) and the other 3 are pretty much unreliable. We had a meeting yesterday, one guy showed up an hour and a half late saying his alarm didn’t go off. And then one of the 3 that does work wants to quit. It’s quite worrisome.
#3 Said group’s competition is in January and we have to have a ton of practices and whatnot, total time consumer. And it’ll take a lot to get up to snuff.
#4 My computer monitor’s dying. It’s a sad, sad day.
#5 The whole college process beyond just waiting for admission decisions. There’s still a lot to think about beyond just getting in or not.
Ahh… waiting for a letter or tube doesn’t seem quite so bad now. I’ll be out of the home all day tommorrow too when I’ll most likely get my decision. It’ll torment my poor parents more than it’ll torment me. Heh. At least part of the reason I’ll be gone is for a big band concert and I must say that music has healing qualities, though it’s more fun to play.
Good luck to everyone and try not to stress too much! Everything has reason…
Time to chillax even though i’m wicked nervous
WI will receive on Wednesday? (dang…)
Wow! I can’t believe its been a year when I last posted the SAME kind of messages on the blog
goodluck everyone!!! =)
Ah, thanks for all the information guys. But I must agree with my pal nalin…the envelope information is just a tad bit too revealing for me.
….tries to breathe
LEts all come down. We probably all got in. But lets say we didn’t, is it reallt gonna be that bad. We’re still gonna do what we do no matter where we are. Getting into MIT would be great, but would not getting in be so bad.
Don’t get me wrong I want to get in just as much as any of you guys, but if I don’t I’m not going to hang my head. I’m just gonna take the loss and move on with my life. Remeber there’s still grad-school!
Wow I can’t type. I need some sleep. Matter of fact lets all go to sleep and stop worrying about MIT. The decision is already made, us posting on MyMIT wont’t change anything.
I hope everyone gets in.
I’ve heard how strenuous it can get when the time comes to wait for the acceptance letter, but words can’t do the anxiety I’m feeling now any justice.
Well, here’s to Friday! Good luck everyone.
its..a tube?
yay~
i luv MIT even more now
Good luck to everyone applying this year. Wow, those EA numbers are kind of scary….
Next year is going to be suspenseful when applying, I believe so…
Wow, just to think if I ultimately choose to apply to MIT for EA… I’d probably become freakishly anxious all through November ’06.
At least looking at the envelope would give one an idea if one has been accepted or not.
Yet again, good luck!
Will it help with the increased yield problem if I put “MIT is undoubtedly my first choice and I will surely attend if admitted” in my application?
Just wondering if it might aid with the monumental task of admission…
A TUBE!!!! now that is awesomeness in itself…
posting won’t change anything…true…but it sure does help w/ the stress! besides it’s fun
I’m a junior right now, and reading this is getting me really nervous for next year! When does the 2006 application come out? Pretty much I want to devout as much time as I can to it.
the 2005 app came out online in august
i think…thats wut i remember
Remain strong guys! You’ve almost done it. Mental strenght is a quality of all of you, I guess
A Question: do I have to set a title on top of my essay or does the “an app to Mit is much more than just a set of…” title suffice?? thank you so much if you could answer my question
If you really wanna work on it now (dunno why…) you might as well. It’ll most likely be the exact same as this year’s.
geezzz… and i thought applying was the most stressful part. waiting is sooo much worse. especially if i get the normal (non-exciting) envelope that i’m expecting. monday seems sooooooooooo far away… btw the fact that MIT’s got blogs on their admin site is way cwel. prolly tops of the fact that it’s the best admin site i’ve seen but then it is MIT, lol… monday… …or tuesday…
Benefits of living in WI: I probly won’t get rejected til Wednesday.
*checks mailbox*
no dibs
:| waiting is bad.
Such heart-pounding stress.
What a nightmare.
Waiting for that deferral.
OMG I looked in my mailbox just now and I found a big envelope. I was so excited I thought I got in. Then I looked at it and noticed it was from CUNY. All this waiting is getting to me. I just wanna know already.
faster is soo much better than climatic…
just out of curiosty, why have so many colleges decided to no longer e-mail admissions decisions to applicants?
The suspense augments every single day. Every time I even think about the letter that I will receive from MIT, my heart begins to race and my breath becomes quicker. Oh why, Oh why, did you have to use snail mail, especially when it is snowing?? Why make us EA applicants suffer this agonizing pain of wait? I am so scared about what type of envelope I will receive; and if it be the tiny white envelope, what decision will be printed in those 12 font Times New Roman English characters…deny or defer? While I go about my daily almost mechanical routines of life, the knowledge that the decision letter will be getting ever more closer to Atlanta; and I hope, by the time the letter reaches my doorstep, that the ice will have melted off the white paper-like envelope because of the radiant glow of the word ACCEPTANCE.
Probably there’s more than one reason other colleges aren’t e-mailing
admissions decisions. Common reasons are risk of fake e-mail, or the
college thinks online notification is too low class for such a
momentous occasion.
The reason that occurs to me is e-mail accounts shared with parents.
Some kids I know have a separate e-mail address they use only for
college apps. They let their parents read this e-mail so their parents
can nag them about stuff.
Oops! I really meant to say “so their parents can help them keep track
of deadlines”
So… notifying online might mean more cases where parents see it
first.
Oh, about mailing a tube for an acceptance: I think it’s not fair. If
you live outside the city and have a mailbox on the street, the tube
will fit and you’ll be all set. If you’re in the city and have a slot
for your mail, or a little box for your apartment, the tube won’t fit
and you’ll get a PS Form 3849.
So how is MIT towards siemens finalists as far as admissions go, do you think many of them got in EA?
National finalists, you mean? I would imagine that most of them got in, especially since national finalists probably have a lot of other notable credentials anyway…
Semifinalist/regional finalist probably doesn’t hold as much weight, because there are so many…
Good luck everyone!
What’s the likelihood of getting in if you’re deferred? Does anyone know? Is it absolutely awful?
matt,
i also have a question about deferrals. of last years deferred apps, how many (or what percent) were admitted in regular decision. of this year’s deferred apps, how many (or what percent) do you think will be admitted?
I think ALL of us have that question.
…except those accepted already.
yi,
LOL! if i ever get that letter i will be happy…if i get rejected at least i will be able to hate MIT for a good reason…as if i could ever hate MIT!
Wow, Yi.
The guy who wrote that is a comedic genius.
Lol, you would no wouldnt u……
(Of course I am in No WAY hinting that you had made it, ganesh)
And i feel the same way April, if i get something like this, i’ll frame it and post it up on my wall.
i’d post it in my college dorm room (where ever that would be)
did u write it ganesh? doooooooood..awesomeness
*GASP* My plot has been REVEALED.
…yeah, it was me.
i am impressed…no can u do an acceptance one? it’d make me happy to have a MIT acceptance letter (even if it is fake)
i’d frame it and make everyone bow to it
I’d make tons of copies of it. Laminate each one. Then when I die I’ll put the letter on my grave right in between the 2 Nobel Prizes. LOL I have the same echance of winning 2 Nobel Prizes as I have of getting into MIT. Come one tube or deferal letter. Only one day away. Good luck everyone.
Well, I guess I could just have the same letter and make your t-value 2. …and change the giant REJECTED stamp to ACCEPTED.
like 24 hrs now..
true..that’d work…and i want one…just to show all my relatives
and the pple in my church who won’t leave me alone
Until they see that it’s signed by
“Someguy at MIT,”
oh well..at least they’d shut up
well…2morrow is another day…for worrying..maybe it’ll come 2morrow! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
good luck pples
Last year, 267 of the deferred applicants (2240 were deferred) were eventually offered admission. This information (and much more) is available at the “Who’s at MIT” button at the top of the myMIT screen.
Loved the sample rejection letter – I’ll compare it to the real rejection letter when I get mine tommorrow.
Best of Luck!
this definately cheered me up, the irony that it was a rejection letter. Cant wait wats next from the Awesome Ganesh of Awesomeness.
I must admit, Ganesh, that is one rejection letter I’d actually feel (a little) good about getting.
But only because I did that thing where I stop reading the problem and try to solve it myself, and got it right.
Save for the part where I equal -5.
Heheh. Thanks.
If I had gotten the math wrong, that would’ve been REALLY embarassing.
Also, Yi was after me about making an acceptance letter. So…
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d158/Guy__Incognito/Acceptanceblur.jpg
If you want to inflate your ego, just replace my name with yours. It’s just that simple.
Yay, bout time, Props to ganesh again and again and again….
this is actually taking my mind off of waiting for the letter
Nice Ganeesh, although I would have preferred another math themed one.
Praise be to Ganesh Na– oh wait too much info
So one of my dear MITES friends got in already!! I’m sooo excited for him! Go Phil in Boston and I know more of you MITES are going to be very very happy in the next two days so I congratulate you ahead of time! …and I hope that I hear good news as well…but if not, I am still crazily happy for you MITES ppl! Whoot-whoot!
MUST MUST MUST READDDDDDD –HEY HOPE FOR SOME OF YOU OUT THERE:
~My older brother got deferred from THREE top schools including MIT during early action. (this is a few years back when you can do early to how ever many you want)-he wasn’t upset at all either cuz he’s an amazing optimist…which is what I strive to be
~and where is he now? He is at MIT majoring in Mech E with a 4.9/5.0 GPA and happy as ever can be.
SO Moral of the story: CHILL CHILL CHILL
p.s. IMPORTANT!!! if you got get a small envelope in the next few days and think your world and life is over…I will immediately hook you up with my doctor. Let me tell you what the end of the world literally means:——>
My friend last year died of brain cancer at the young ripe age of 18. She never got to experience college life or enjoy the end of senior year…she was in the hospital on graduation day. So Whenver I start freaking about getting into MIT and thinking my life is over if I don’t get in…I think of my dear precious friend…She was so young, so optimistic, and even as she lay in bed during the last months of her life…she said she was very happy simply because the love of family and friends and support she was recieving.
I know you are nervous like no other…but don’t forget about the big picture in life. This is but one little step in life in your big huge journey left to live. So LIVE STRONG…BE HAPPY…and don’t forget about the precious things in life: love of family and friends and good health.
Peace. I will leave it to this. You guys are pretty quick so you understand me. But good luck anyways.
the reject and admit letters seem just fine, but for a defer I’d
like to see some reasons… for example:
MIT has reviewed your application, which you titled “Me: The First 17
Years, Volume 1.” The selection subcommittee loved your academics,
loved your activities, but expressed some concern about Essay B. You
indeed attempted to convey how your world shaped your dreams and
aspirations; however, you didn’t use the expected textual medium but
instead rendered your thoughts using Play-Doh. The E-3 card noted that
it was “bold, powerful, but a tad difficult to interpret.”
Nance dug into the MyMIT archives and uncovered that on September 23
at 8:09 PM you saved draft text for Essay B, but later deleted it.
There was a heated discussion of whether it was proper for us to look
at the September version, ultimately reaching a conclusion of “yeah,
whatever.” Nance then quickly read it and spotted that you had quoted
Holden Caulfield. “Not a good match,” he concluded.
Matt pointed out your 740 SAT I Math score. He observed that your part
14 discussed how you spent your time that otherwise would’ve been
spent on an unnecessary SAT retake. He explained that, in lieu of
teacher evaluations, you submitted two eyewitness accounts documenting
that you watched Bollywood films during the testing period on both the
October 8 and November 5 SAT test dates. Matt strongly recommended an
admit. “It’s all about the context,” he added.
There was other discussion. Stu was dismayed that you didn’t follow
the directions about contacting your EC, and you instead painstakingly
tracked down and spoke with all alumni within a forty-mile radius.
Jenny was impressed that MIT’s English Department appealed to you. Amy
was intrigued that you spelled MIT four different ways, which she
believed was a new record.
Marilee, visibly annoyed at the deadlock, climbed up on the table and
began belting out the lyrics to her favorite Lovin’ Spoonful song:
Did you ever have to make up your mind
Pick up on one and leave the other behind
It’s not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind
Did you ever have to finally decide
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There’s so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide
Within seconds, Ben was accompanying her on air guitar.
In short, we didn’t get anywhere. Have a nice winter; we’ll get back
to you on or around the vernal equinox.
That’s hillarious!!!!!
Hello Fellow Stressed Out Ppl:
My good friend applied to MIT EA just like me and since we live in NYC, we didnt get our letters yet. We were so bored and stressed out that my friend actually made a rejection letter he imagine that he might get. (hopefully and prolly not) Since we are all so stressed out, i think it would be a good to have a laugh.
Disclaimer: if you might suicide when you see the word rejection, do not go to the following link.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d158/Guy__Incognito/Rejectionblur.jpg
Waiting is awful.. but just think, if we are all applying to a school like MIT, then what are the chances that we won’t get in anywhere else? If we don’t get into MIT then at least we are still going to college!
But don’t get me wrong, I’m still scared out of my mind.
Good luck to everyone!
On a different note, does anyone happen to know who discovered that the mass of a supermassive black holes at the center of a disk galaxy is proportional to the mass of the galaxy’s bulge?