Anyone know if there’s something like interphase EDGE but for international students?
I’ve never heard of anything specifically for international students. There might not be because getting accepted as a non US citizen is so very tough that anyone who does is already super prepared academically.
aw, guess I’m an outlier then lol. Eh, it’s fine - I’m mostly worried about math but I think I can learn that on my own pretty easily
Anyone can apply for Interphase.
@nw2this source? The official website says it’s for US citizens/residents only
Maybe anyone can apply, but the program falls under the umbrella of minority education so my guess is that the chance someone who isn’t disadvantaged gets in is slim. Any admit who feels a bit unsure can and should study on his or her own over the summer. It’s time to take responsibility for your success without a teacher guiding you. The internet which provides more than you can possibly learn is your friend.
@MITChris
I was disappointed to learn that a student I know well was accept EA and invited to Interphase Edge. This person lives in a home valued at nearly $2 million. The mom voluntarily doesn’t work. In other words, the admit has had every advantage, but was considered disadvantaged because the high school attended is very low income. I realize the admissions staff is overworked. However, considering how precious each slot is at MIT, checking Zillow for house prices to verify that the student is indeed disadvantaged before sending out an acceptance is important. It’s only one slot, but there is a person who really is disadvantaged who could have used the boost that an MIT degree could give who now won’t get it.
What makes you think he was solely accepted based on the school he attends? @cocofan
appreciate the concern, all the right reasons, but:
- you don’t know why they were invited to apply
- invitation != acceptance; there is a separate application process to interphase
- re zillow specifically: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2014/06/10/how-accurate-is-zillows-zestimate-not-very-says-one-washington-area-agent/?utm_term=.6b13769fd8dc
As I stated, I know the student well. He wouldn’t have gotten accepted without being considered a URM which he isn’t. He’s Asian. There are so many strong candidates getting rejected, this shouldn’t have happened. If Zillow isn’t accurate, fine. There are easy ways to verify an applicant is economically disadvantaged. Ask each student to check a box that the family income is below a certain threshold which can be cross checked with the financial aid office later. If better practices aren’t implemented, everyone reading this post now has a loophole to game the system. Go to a very poor public high school if you can where you compete with student who have little means of excelling to the level of wealthy students.
@cocofan I don’t understand why you’re so focused on the student’s wealth, especially in relation to his acceptance? You’re honestly starting to sound a little like m_quinn and it’s getting annoying. MIT makes it VERY clear - way clearer than any other school I’ve looked into - what they look for in an applicant. Of the many things that make someone a good fit for the institute, being high income while going to a low income school means very little unless you use that info to look at how he’s used or created opportunities for himself to pursue his passions or whatnot. Also, I’m pretty sure interphase edge has more to do with how effectively your school’s been able to prepare you for MIT rigor than how much money you have in the bank.
Obviously something has been lost upon you if you believe a family’s income has nothing to do with the probability of acceptance. A rich kid can hire tutors, has connections that can land him research opportunities, hire educational counselors to help file college applications, participate in summer camps, or travel. A poor kid has none of this. MIT admissions staff gives preferential treatment to disadvantaged applicants which means if the GPA and standardized test scores show he is able to survive MIT’s curriculum and he has done whatever he can with his limited resources to show passion in the sciences, he has a good chance of being accepted. A rich kid who isn’t an athlete has to be nearly superhuman. Near perfect GPA and test scores do nothing to help his cause. He has to be one the best in the country in his area of interest (Math Olympiad, Intel Science, patent, publication type of achievement) to have a shot at getting in. My concern about the boy who got in EA is that he has the money and should therefore he held to a higher standard. However, because he went to a high school with very poor kids, he only had to achieve a lower level. Admissions incorrectly assumed he was disadvantaged. It has to make sure a kid going to a poor high school is actually poor and not just getting in through the back door.
@vik0likes0cs I’ve met some non-US citizens who participated.
@cocofan You don’t know what you don’t know. The fact that this person doesn’t fit your expectations should tell you that.