<p>I just wanted to know if any MIT admission reps are still active on this forum.</p>
<p>How does MIT weigh student leaders with 'average' scores against students who do research and have perfect scores/grades?</p>
<p>If you want a response from an Admissions person, I recommend you place a comment on one of their admissions</a> blogs, where it is more likely to get a response than waiting for benjones to comment here. It's reading season now, and while they'll keep up with their blogs, they're unlikely to be visiting CollegeConfidential a whole lot for the next few months. Use the blogs.</p>
<p>It's also not as simple as "weighing" different factors against each other.</p>
<p>The MIT admissions officers have said in the blogs (and here on CC) that above a certain threshhold, scores are all equivalent. Getting a 2400 on the SAT, for example, doesn't give an applicant a boost over someone who got a 2250. Getting an 800 on a subject test doesn't give an applicant a boost over someone who got a 750. The scores are used as guidelines, but the exact value of the score isn't particularly meaningful above a certain benchmark.</p>
<p>MIT also isn't looking for certain things in student extracurriculars. There are many applicants and admits who do research, but that shouldn't be particularly surprising -- a lot of kids apply to MIT because they want to do science or engineering, and they do research as high school students because it's something that makes them happy. If an applicant hasn't had the opportunity to do research, or simply doesn't want to, it's not held against him or her. The majority of admits have not done research prior to coming to MIT.</p>
<p>The best extracurriculars you can do to get into MIT are extracurriculars that fulfill you personally. If an applicant would rather be a student leader than do research, that's fine. It's certainly better than doing an extracurricular just to "look good" on college applications.</p>
<p>i hate you mollie.</p>
<p>you actually make me believe that i have a chance of getting into mit. but then when i get that rejection letter im gonna drive 15 miles from quincy and cry in your face.</p>
<p>Honestly, the best way to think of it from your perspective is that it's a lottery.</p>
<p>It's not really -- the admissions officers have reasons for admitting everybody that they do. But from our perspective, it's most reasonable to see it as a lottery, because I think it helps people not take it too personally if the outcome isn't what they wanted.</p>
<p>always believe in yourself; let go of everything and just relax once you submitted your application; best of luck!</p>
<p>Hmm...how much do MIT summer programs ACTUALLY weigh into admissions? People always go "You did RSI/WTP/MITES?! You'll get in FOR SURE!" Is it just that people who get into those programs generally have the stats for MIT, and so it's just coincidence, or does going to those programs actually make a difference in your application? Basically, coincidence or causation?</p>
<p>Of those programs, RSI is probably the most intensive... and there's never been a year where every RSI admit has also been admitted to MIT.</p>
<p>That being said, yes, a lot of people who do RSI get in. In fact, a very great percentage of them. But that's not because they've done RSI... it's just that the RSI admission process is just as (if not even more) competitive than the MIT admission process, so they people who get into RSI typically have what it takes to get into MIT (and many other fine institutions).</p>
<p>Separately, the experiences you have during RSI/WTP/MITES may be helpful in providing context for something on your application, but the simple fact that you attended one of these programs doesn't mean much at all.</p>
<p>I'm here from time to time, although reading apps is my life at the moment. :-) mootmom's right about using the blogs for a quicker response. or just ask mootmom or mollie because they're brilliant.</p>
<p>Olo's brilliant too, but he never leaves the Haus. :-(</p>
<p>I leave the Haus! Quite a bit at that!</p>
<p>The problem is I have class straight from noon to 4:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays... and you all are out reading apps on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays... makes it hard to meet up.</p>
<p><3 you benjones.</p>