Hi, not sure if others on the Forum are MIT alum parents, but we got a letter today thanking us for DS’s application and warning us that legacy doesn’t count and that admission is more competitive than ever. Is this sent to every alum parent, or is it a “sorry in advance” unlikely letter? Obviously I hope for the former. 
We got the same letter for all three of our kids from Stanford.
Our youngest was eventually waitlisted, and he was really busy with his high school requirements, so he couldn’t take any more time to beg for a spot, that probably wouldn’t be realized, so he went with 2nd choice.
Thanks @“aunt bea” - did your older two get accepted after such a letter, from Stanford?
@fretfulmother, With the eldest, we thought she had a chance, because she was “high stats” and swim/tennis/volleyball athlete. Strong EC’s and LOR’s. (Biotech internship @ UCSD as youngest lab assistant/researcher in diabetes, and, translator for FE Mandarin grad students. Multilingual.)
Stanford rejected her. She got into most of her East Coast schools including Hopkins.
The middle daughter didn’t have the high stats that her brother and sister had, but she had high GPA, great, strong sports-recruited athlete, and great EC’s (Food Bank leader, multilingual, Homeless shelter receptionist, Girl Scout, etc.). Rejected.
Youngest won National Merit Corporate, won local aerospace scholarship, high stats (missed two questions total-on SAT), great EC’s, Eagle Scout, Sports leader/athlete etc. Waitlisted but he was also waitlisted at Harvard and MIT.
All three were classical (Suzuki) violinists at our CSU state university. HOOKS: URM-Mexican-American kids.
So, after the first letter to us, we knew our kids had been rejected. Needless to say, we couldn’t afford to donate any more money to Stanford after all three were admitted to their universities.
Oh, dear. Thank you for the info, though!!
I doubt that MIT mails out unlikely letters. At least I’ve never heard of that before. Good luck to your son!
It sure sounds like a “sorry in advance” letter.
I got a letter like that from Yale. I didn’t think of it as an unlikely letter. My daughter applied SCEA and was deferred, which was pretty much what I was expecting.
Having received a similar letter (different school!), my hunch is that when they get a legacy application, they first check in with advancement to see if it needs special attention (as in, applicant’s family built the new football stadium, etc.) If not, advancement mails out its standard "we’re so glad you the confidence in our alma mater that you encouraged your kid to apply here, we’ll give it special attention, and in spite of how we like to say that x% of the incoming freshman class are legacies, we get a ton of applications and we’re way more selective than when you were here " letter. I wouldn’t read a decision into it at this point.
It’s a very strange tension between admissions and advancement.
Thank you all! I can tell you one thing - if it ends up that DS is admitted, I’m going to contact them and tell them how the letter made us feel.
I would think that was sent to all alumni parents in advance of admissions decisions coming out to prevent alumni from inquiring about their student’s rejection (if that is the way it goes). MIT is very up front about legacy status not helping. Although there is a place on the application that asks about relatives that attended, I think. Try not to read too much in to it and enjoy the admission process with your student. My son was deferred EA at MIT, and accepted during the regular round. It was so amazing for him to get that acceptance, but also totally unexpected, which made it that much more exciting. Admissions these days is so competitive. Goodness, I don’t even know what to say to aunt bea, I can’t believe not even one of your children got accepted to Stanford, and they do consider legacy status.
Keep us posted on the admissions decisions!
If I am not mistaken, MIT does not breakout a legacy percentage in their announcements unlike the other schools under discussion. It is believed to be a truly non-legacy school.
I believe that is true, @texaspg - but non-legacy doesn’t mean they never allow legacies to be admitted - what I would like to know if anyone in the CC community knows this, is, does everyone get this letter or are we special in a bad way.
@fretfulmother I don’t believe they are saying legacies wont be admitted, only that they don’t add any weight. I know at least one alum whose son got a diploma from MIT 4 years ago.
Here is an MIT adcom clearly stating they don’t do legacies. He even accepts messages on CC.
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/just-to-be-clear-we-dont-do-legacy
@texaspg - Yes I read that too. 
- Does that adcom read the boards? Maybe he will weigh in on whether the letter is universal or an “unlikely letter”.
@MITChris does post on MIT threads.
I would think with your son’s acceptances (already), and the decision date still 3 weeks off, that they would not be sending an “unlikely letter.” I think it is more likely they are managing expectations, reminding that competition is getting very tough, and that legacy is not a major driver. It sounds to me like they do not want an admission decision for your child to affect your relationship with the Institute.
I would not read anything about your child’s prospects into that letter. It seems to be a reminder to keep the two issues separate (alumna status and application to school).
Thanks, guys, that is very helpful! I do love MIT and I probably always will, regardless of DS’s results. It was such an amazing experience for me back in the day. But you know, not every kid is a match for every college, so we will take what comes and be very thankful that DS does have good options!!
MIT had a 5.8% admit rate for males in 2014 (not sure what it was last year). Only Stanford and Harvard have lower overall admit rates.
I know a highly-qualified URM double legacy who was rejected early from MIT so I firmly believe that they “don’t do legacy”.
I believe you’ve said that your son was accepted early to Princeton and got a likely letter and invitation to Yale YES-Weekend. That would suggest to me that he’s a more than viable candidate for MIT and since they are still making decisions, the letter is probably just a formality sent to all alumni parents. I hope I’m right and your son is accepted!