<p>Just a reminder that if you are applying, contact your interviewer RIGHT NOW. If you do not get an interview, odds drop to 2% of being accepted.</p>
<p>I would also encourage RD applicants who are on the fence to contact their interviewers today and set up an interview, but I think caution is warranted in assuming that the low acceptance rate for students who don’t interview is caused by not having an interview. </p>
<p>It’s more likely that students who have an interview available and choose not to avail themselves of it are less strong/serious applicants overall, and those traits are also reflected elsewhere in the application. It’s certainly not that MIT directly penalizes students who don’t interview.</p>
<p>… except they do. Especially if you live in an area with a lot of ECs. Which is basically everywhere!</p>
<p>What’s the evidence for that?</p>
<p>They are STRONGLY recommended, so yes… you can be penalized. </p>
<p>“Interviews are strongly recommended. In fact, last year, of eligible applicants, we admitted 10.8% of those who had an interview (or who had their interview waived) but only 1% of those who chose not to interview.”</p>
<p>[Interview</a> | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/interview]Interview”>Interview | MIT Admissions)</p>
<p>but what if im an international applicant and there’s no interview available at my region?</p>
<p>Again, the admission rate alone is not strong evidence that applicants who choose not to have an interview are directly penalized. Correlation is not causation.</p>
<p>I’m assuming it will also be waived for you. I never suggested that it is causation, but it is a good thing to include.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sounds like causation to me.</p>
<p>From Stu Schmill, dean of admissions, [here](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/advice_on_how_to_approach_your]here[/url]:”>Advice On How To Approach Your Interview | MIT Admissions):</a>
</p>
<p>if im deffered, is there a way i could interview again? i was fairly happy with my interview, but it was my first one and now that ive done a couple, i feel like i could have done better</p>
<p>MDNeuroHopeful, nope, sorry.</p>
<p>Daviddong, these statistics if read in fill indicate that they are based on dividing the applicant pool into two, those who either had an interview or had their interview waived are in one group and those who has the possibility of an interview, but chose not to interview are in the second pool. If you did not have the possibility of an interview, then it will not count against you.</p>