<p>I was just starting my app for MIT and was wondering how much the "optional" interview mattered in everyone else's application process. I know that every "optional" thing should really be mandatory if you really are set on getting in, but I am still considering if I should go. Also could someone tell about their interview experience (ie. questions asked, the interviewer, how you felt, etc.)?</p>
<p>So the optional material are actually incredibly important to the admissions committee. To see why, I'll post a paragraph from my college application guide:</a></p>
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In this game, optional = mandatory. Yes, there are many stories of people being accepted without the optional essay, but statistically you have a better chance of getting in by answering it. Don't you want to do everything in your power to convince the admissions committee of your worthiness? Ok, in most cases I'd recommend doing the least work possible to excel, as my Physics teacher always said, the first tenet of Physics is laziness, but for this, writing an optional essay allows you to express more about your passions and dreams. It gives the admissions people more to chew on. In my case, the optional essay provided an additional outlet to express myself. One essay felt too restricting. The word limit stifled me and relegated my full writing potential to a cage. The optional essay, on the other hand, has no rules. It's the "Joker" essay (The Dark Night ftw), the essay where you can unleash your writing talents for hours on end until you have a literary masterpiece.
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<p>So I realize you aren't sure about going, but what happens if you apply and then become sure? That happened to me. I was not intent on MIT until November when I had started reading the blogs and becoming enthused about the school's culture and what it stands for. By that time it was too late. I hadn't sent in any updates and left the optional material untouched. I suggest doing everything possible no matter what. It won't take too much extra time.</p>
<p>The interview I had with a local MIT alum was informal. We met at a Starbucks and discussed a whole range of topics from my goals to neuroscience. It lasted two hours and by the end I felt confident and excited. The alum seemed happy with me. I think it's hard to throw an interview unless you have nothing relevant to say. For my interviews, I found practicing the night before beneficial. Try to cycle through all the extracurriculars you have done and think about why you have whatever goals it is you hope to achieve.</p>
<p>My interview was just like chatting with an acquaintance, but less awkward because I know we know one thing in common- MIT. In my interview, there was the "why do you want to go to ____" question in the very beginning. Afterwards, it was just exchanging what I have done in high school (some things I didn't have space in my MIT app, but wanted to talk about). We talked about IAP, and UROP. I knew what they are when she mentioned it, so I guess that showed her how much research I did about MIT and how much I want to go. She told me about her experience at MIT also including anecdotes of her friend's experience. We did the interview at her home.</p>
<p>MIT interview was the only one I bothered to go to. I heard the Harvard one gets 50 applicants in a room and call them in one at a time... much less personalized.</p>
<p>But DO THE INTERVIEW, it is probably one of the more fun ones you'll get to do in your life (job interviews are CREEPY... feels like they are interrogating me)! I was like super paranoid... sent them an art portfolio, wrote the optional "is there anything else you would like us to know", did the interview. I end up getting deferred EA, so I added another "something I've created" essay, and a short update. I knew i was close to the borderline of getting it or not, so I did everything I could.
For applying to colleges, my thought was, worry about getting in first; I don't have to go to all of them, but more choices the merrier.</p>
<p>My Harvard one wasn't 50 applicants in a room. It was just me and two Harvard alums who interrogated me in a large conference room (the kind in a university). I thought I did better in that one than in my MIT one, but I guess it didn't turn out that way...:)</p>
<p>my friends' one was at Microsoft.... and with 50 applicants....</p>
<p>My Harvard interview was one-to-one with an alum at the nearby Starbucks =).</p>
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I know that every "optional" thing should really be mandatory if you really are set on getting in, but I am still considering if I should go.
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What are your reasons for going vs. not going?</p>
<p>My feeling is that you shouldn't have an interview if you don't actively want to have one -- an apathetic or outright bad interview could be the kiss of death for an application.</p>
<p>Regardless of how much these interviews matter in the admission decision, I personally think that college interviews are a good way to get practice for "real" job interviews. My 3 college interviews surprisingly prepared me for internship interviews for this summer, and I'm really happy about that.</p>
<p>That said, when I visited MIT, the ad-com described a strong correlation between people who got interviews and people who were admitted. I think it's a combination of a show of interest AND the type of people who seek an interview. Either way, it's up to you. If it's a comfortable distance and time, my attitude is: "why not"?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input guys! The reason I'm not too sure about the interview is because I have always thought that MIT was way out of reach for me. I only recently decided to apply in the spirit of "hey, why the heck not?". I live in a suburb of Houston so I hope my interview will be as informal as the ones most of you had. One of my graduating friends (a super-genius -.-;;;) actually was accepted so I'll be asking him about the interview/ interviewee as well. Side question, being deferred early action just means that they gave your application over to regular admission?</p>
<p>Don't worry! I had this same mentality that I probably won't get in a year ago. But if you don't apply, your chance is zero,and you might be wondering the rest of your life "What IF I applied?" If you are applying, then give them all you got or else your are wasting your application fee.
If you are deferred EA, they'll review your application again during regular admission. It is generally a good idea to send in an update of some sort if you still really want to go and have some new awards or info after you get deferred. Getting deferred isn't the end of the world either, plenty of people get in after getting deferred. I was one of them!</p>
<p>Yepp, I'm another deferred admittee, as are several hundred other applicants! It's a very good idea to send them an update, and show them that you haven't forgotten about MIT!</p>
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Thanks for all the input guys! The reason I'm not too sure about the interview is because I have always thought that MIT was way out of reach for me. I only recently decided to apply in the spirit of "hey, why the heck not?"
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<p>Ah, you find yourself in the spot I found myself two years ago =). I decided very last minute to have an interview - a nervous interviewer, I was sure it would be bad, but I decided to do so after Bryan Nance spoke nearby and urged anyone applying to get one. And I'm very glad I did. From my understanding, interviews are rarely a kiss of death in an application, and usually help the application, not hurt. I suggest you go for it =).</p>
<p>You guys have been awesome! The input and advice given on this site and thread has be amazing!</p>