<p>In the end, I think the best hook is a match. For those who were deferred, or are applying RA, take these words to heart: you can write yourself in to MIT. You gotta show them that you get off from science-not literally, but almost, and that you are a resilient person-I personally recommend the end of the world prompt, b/c you can show passion everywhere else. Also, the first thing they read is the "pleasure" question. If you succeed in convincing them that you are a real KID who likes having fun doing non-intellectual *<strong><em>, then you will greatly increase your chances. This assumes baseline academics, obviously, but according to Ben, 70% have that. Then in question 2, show that you have researched MIT. Don't say you like BioE or ChemE, say why you like MIT's BioE or ChemE department. Also, have some theme running through your app. If you do research, thread it into every question somehow. Seriously, go through their "match" section of their website, and make sure you covered everything. Everyone who belongs at MIT has met those criteria. Your teachers should write not only about personal intelligence, but also about a love of learning and helpfulness-MIT wants to make sure you are going to give and receive help from your floormates on PSETs. Make them smile when they read. Language is powerful. The way you construct sentences makes a difference, don't waste a word. Also, writing well shows that you will be a COMMUNICATIVE scientist. Basically, show off your personality more than your accomplishments. Everyone's done enough *</em></strong> to get in as long as they can convince admissions that they are also going to MIT for the right reasons-the culture, not the prestige. </p>
<p>For something to inspire your quest to write your way into college:</p>
<p>"Writing is like an honest man?s religion...Prayer is revision, the contemplation of what exists and what can be changed for the better. Penance is the acceptance of the craft, knowing that a writer must be his own toughest critic. And for both writing and religion, you damn well better have faith."
- my english teacher.</p>
<p>yea he's got a masters degree in creative writing and is definitely a genius, and never went to school for teaching, but they got him to teach ap classes his first year.</p>
<p>Good advice, I believe what you said is very true. And now that I'm deferred, I'll have months to express my passion with an extra letter or something of the sort ;) I fear I focused too little on the school itself during my app and forgot to really tell them I want to go to MIT (duh!), but as with everything college apps is a learning process....</p>
<p>I got in early and I absolutely agree, though I think the particular application of this will vary person to person. I mean, my end of the world essay talked about overcoming my deathly fear of shower curtains, my what you do for fun essay compared sailing to transcendentalism, and my what major question opened with "I blame my love of biology on my feet."</p>
<p>Just be you, and let you shine through. That's all you gotta do. (I couldn't resist rhyming. Bad habit.)</p>
<p>nice post. i agree on all those advices.
im a more serious and less creative person than ducktape, but apparently, you do NOT to be crazy creative in writing your essays.</p>
<p>end of world essay for me was (obviously) about how katrina helped me become a more optimistic person. (resiliency)
what do you do for fun essay was about volleyball. no, its not BS. i REALLY want to play club volleyball at MIT. if i cant--im only 6 feet :( -- ill definitely do intramural. ("real kid")
the major one was about watching greenspan on CNN when i was in middle school in china and how that first drew me to the study of economics. (i didnt put any thing MIT specific, but i did get the course number correct. XIV all the way!)</p>
<p>yes, be yourself. and even if you got rejected, i think what my friend (at caltech now) said was really nice: "college admission is a matching process. they wouldnt admit you if you arent going to be happy at their school. so if you dont get in, dont consider it as a rejection; it only means that that college is not the best for you."</p>
<p>^^ agree with these also
don't be afraid to be yourself! even if you think it's nerdy or cliche... and don't be unique for the sake of being unique (in ducktape's case, she IS unique lol)</p>
<p>my "for fun" essay was about reading, one of the simplest and most enjoyable activities there is lol.. the major one was about biology/biochemistry, just what i liked about MIT's program and how it sort of related to my science research projects</p>
<p>for the "how your world has shaped you" one, you need not write about everything (i believe they suggested your family, community, school, etc). i chose something that was important to me (science research) and talked about its value and how it shaped my dreams and aspirations... possibly the most nerdy thing ever, but it fits me and probably MIT as well
my optional one was about designing a dream house in GATE in 8th grade, i was proud of it lol</p>
<p>so don't worry and if the match is meant to be, hopefully they'll see that too! :)</p>
<p>obviously, the match is an infinitely dimensioned space, and if you allow each element of the match to be a vector, each of those vectors in turn has numerous components. The magnitude of the vector is obviously based on these numerous components, so you can achieve the right sized vector in an infinite number of ways. You just have to achieve it. Also, you could say the magnitude of your own personal qualities vector's projection onto the MIT Match vector must have a certain magnitude. Sorry, had an urge. But yea everyone's right-match is important, but there are numerous ways to achieve it, my post was based on personal examples.</p>
<p>Great advice all around here, but still, a word of caution:</p>
<p>If you have to FORCE your app to sound like a perfect match, that should be a big ol' red flag right there.</p>
<p>Otherwise, as I'm sure this thread was intended, if you just need to articulate a bit better who you are and what you love, go for it! Be you! Be passionate! And good luck!</p>
<p>Of course, you can be passionate, write truthfully and well, and do and be everything else mentioned above, and still get rejected! It happens. And in the end, it will be ok.</p>