<p>Hello, I seem to be having an impossible time scheduling an interview. My first interview was scheduled for the 20th of October, but on the 19th my interviewer had to cancel and never responded again. I called the admissions office and they assigned me a new interviewer Tuesday and I instantly emailed her to ask for an interview. She responded back after an hour saying that Saturday morning would work well for her. I asked where she would like to meet, but she has not responded since, and Saturday morning is almost here. I have checked my spam and re emailed her to ask if she received my email but I am getting nothing. I am just really frustrated because it seems I can not get an interview and the EA deadline is Saturday. What do I do?</p>
<p>If I were you, I would call admissions and ask them. Also ask to know who your regional EC coordinator is (email address). I would email the EC (copy the regional EC Coordinator) and tell her Saturday Morning is perfect, but you would like a time and location. Also give your voice/text number. It should not be this hard. Don’t worry- this level of assertiveness, while uncomfortable, will not at all reflect against you. People are busy- she likely has you on her calendar- choosing a time and place just hasn’t bubbled to the top of her “to-do” list.</p>
<p>While the interview (and report) technically are due Saturday, if it late and it is the EC’s fault, she will still get it in to your file to be reviewed and it will have no negative impact on you.</p>
<p>Basically, don’t worry, everything will be alright. 
Let go of the frustration. And don’t take responsibility or worry about the deadlines. You have done your part and everyone is clear on that.</p>
<p>But do take another stab at it.</p>
<p>What a relief, she responded. I probably over reacted but I was just a little on edge since it is close to the deadline. Thanks for the advice though, it really helped my calm down.</p>
<p>Speaking as a regional chair of the Educational Council, I think that ItsJustSchool gives very poor advice. From my perspective, we do try very hard to ensure that everyone who had contacted us by the deadline gets an interview, and in cases where that is not happening because of an EC’s issue, MIT is very understanding. </p>
<p>Look life interferes, and interviews do need to be cancelled at short notice sometimes. Last year, I had an EC in my region whose parent died unexpectedly the day before an interview. The student was moved to another EC, and got very stressed, but the original EC simply could not have conducted the interview, and even if they could, the student really did not want to be interviewed by someone whose mind was not on it.</p>
<p>That being said, while writing to <a href=“mailto:interview@mit.edu”>interview@mit.edu</a> to let the admissions office know what is going on is a really good idea, Itjsjustschool’s idea of going to the admissions office to ask for the RC’s contact details is a really bad one. Take it from the perspective of anyone evaluating you for anything. Suppose you have problems with a teacher who has to give you an oral test or a grade on a presentation. Itsjustschool’s idea is basically to write to the head of the academic department to complain about that teacher’s shortcomings just before you go into the teachers’ classroom for your evaluation. You can do that, but I am not sure that I would recommend it. That’s not an MIT thing, that’s just how to get by in life. Be assured that if one of my EC’s is not responsive, MIT does let me know.</p>
<p><jaw agape=""> Really, I never said that! You must have heard it somewhere else. What I said is to call MIT admissions and ask what to do and politely ask for the email address of the EC regional coordinator. Then send a positive follow-up email to the EC and courtesy-copy it to the EC coordinator (just so that he/she is aware and if anything has gone wrong, perhaps can intervene). That’s not an MIT thing, that’s how to get by in life. ;)</jaw></p>
<p>Well, you can see what I wrote; it is posted above. It may be more fun to deal with what you imagine I might have written. Carry on. Thank you sir, may I have another? ;)</p>
<p>I am so happy the OP had his/her stress relieved and now has a confirmed interview!</p>
<p>OK how about me…can you please offer me advice for my son?</p>
<p>My son is a Questbridge Finalist, who didn’t find that out until late evening Oct 21.</p>
<p>Never dreaming he could actually have an opportunity to attend a school like MIT, he hadn’t requested an interview prior to the deadline of Oct. 20. </p>
<p>He did make that request with his EC through MyMIT on Oct 22, and apologized for being late and explained the circumstances. (MIT also states in MyMIT that they specifically asked the EC’s to TRY and accommodate the QB finalists after the deadline.) But he received No response.</p>
<p>He then sent a 2nd request the Oct 28. Also No response. </p>
<p>We’re thinking about writing to interview@mit but didn’t want to be too pushy or piss anybody off or get somebody in trouble… kind of like @Mikalye was saying. </p>
<p>We don’t know what to do next. I did read the RD Interview continue till Dec. 10 so I know their still doing them, and if he isn’t matched with a school through the NCM then he’s App is automatically sent through again with RD.</p>
<p>Please help with some advice!</p>
<p>THANK YOU!!!</p>
<p>@Kids2smart4Mom, pick up the phone and call. I, too, was taken aback by the response from @Mikalye. I have never in many, many, many years seen any personal coloring or retribution ascribed to any applicant. I do not think it is a valid concern unless you are rude and demanding, and even then, they will cut you some slack. As I said, I have never seen it.</p>
<p>MIT understands the unique stress of being in this position. Please continue to try, either via email or voice. It is a busy time, but your son should be a part of that business, not excluded because of it.</p>
<p>If you are pleasant and persistent, I am confident you will get an interview. It is not at all necessary, but it is very helpful to both the applicant and to MIT, to have an in-person conversation. It is worth an email and a phone call TODAY!</p>
<p>I would ask what major city you live near, but really, if you contact MIT, they will help you. By email, you may wish to include your son’s date of birth, high school, and home address, just so they are sure of having the right person. It never hurts to be thorough. And it will not count against him!</p>
<p>My D’s story is Georgetown and not MIT but she was assigned 1 person to interview her…after two polite emails, nada. Then she was assigned a 2nd. Ditto. But at that point, she went to humourous route with the organizer…sending a 'could it be a body odor problem known to everyone but me" the organizer laughed and then tried a 3rd interviewer and that one was amazing…they spoke for 90 minutes at a coffee shop (was supposed to be 20 to 30) and it gave her a tremendous boost of confidence that this is the right school…</p>
<p>Absolutely @Kids2Smart4Mom, that is precisely what <a href=“mailto:interview@mit.edu”>interview@mit.edu</a> is for. Life does happen. A few years back, one of the ECs in my region died mid-season. Not surprisingly, that EC’s applicants did not get any response. Also not surprisingly, I did not know (when someone dies, notifying the regional EC chair is not usually a high priority). Contact the admissions office. Let them help you. They want to help. We want to help.</p>
<p>I am sorry if my advice was misinterpreted. I was specifically objecting to " call MIT admissions and ask what to do and politely ask for the email address of the EC regional coordinator. Then send a positive follow-up email to the EC and courtesy-copy it to the EC coordinator (just so that he/she is aware and if anything has gone wrong, perhaps can intervene)." I stand by not doing this.</p>
<p>Absolutely talk to the MIT Educational Commission office (this is where <a href=“mailto:interview@alum.mit.edu”>interview@alum.mit.edu</a> will take you). Kathy and the team there will fix this. If they need to contact an RC, they will do so. As an RC, there is an awful lot I do not know or see. I am in a large region. I have EC’s who are a plane flight away in my region. I have plenty of EC’s I have written to but never met. It may work differently in a region where every EC knows everyone else, but that is not my experience at all. If anyone writes to any of my ECs and copies me in, then they are doing so that I can react. They are calling on me to take some action. So at the least, I would have to write to the student and the EC and say something like “Don’t worry, I will get to the bottom of this and act so you will be fine.” And yes, the EC directly addressed will almost always hate that, if nothing else, they will be very embarrassed. I do not think that that would adversely take that out on the student, I certainly would hope not, but I would not want to go into any interaction like that with anything other than a positive start. </p>
<p>That being said, while I did disagree with what @ItsJustSchool said earlier, I do find that most of what @ItsJustSchool says makes a lot of sense. I did not mean any insult to @ItsJustSchool, and I apologise for rashly doing so. Mea Culpa.</p>