Wow, did not know you could skip that question. My D is an Asian and we answered that question honestly in Common app. D did not apply for MIT anyway, so it does not matter now.
Don’t pretty much only big city kids know about the American Math Competitions?
As an employer I’d be glad that MIT recruits a diverse class.
If you could please list anything specific that you believe helping your admission, we are grateful to read.
Most schools know about the AMC stuff because the information is sent to the math department chairs because most of them are also part of the same organizations or NCTM etc and go to the same conferences, events etc. But even so, just because they’re out there, it doesn’t mean kids take the tests. My son completely forgot to sign up to take it this year and it wouldn’t have mattered. It just isn’t a big deal at our school and it’s just not really pushed.
To @Eggy_s_Mother Test Optional means just that. I know you’re looking for something specific here as far as a test or exam or AP test or whatever, however, there does not seem to be a smoking gun. You don’t know what was in @shyg739 letter of recommendations. You don’t know what courses he took. You don’t know if MIT is well aware of the rigor of his courses and what they mean at his school relative to another school. So he/she may very well have the rigor and grades in those courses from a high school that MIT is very familiar with that they didn’t need to see any SAT score to know that any math class taken at MIT is manageable. Also did you ever stop to think that maybe @shyg739 is not even in a major that is math related. From the comments it sounds like he/she is but MIT is not only a STEM major producing school. You can be a humanities major like Anthroplogy. So, instead of making baseless accusations, perhaps just accept what he/she is saying and that Test Optional truly means TO.
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Most applications say “prefer not to answer” or something to that effect, but I don’t know anyone that doesn’t answer the question and if they looked hard enough they could easily find out. The biggest issue is really don’t lie about your race.
For the applicants that they’re not sure about with proficiency, I’m sure that they would do the work to familiarize themselves with the school or one of their teachers if the AOs believe that they would be a competitive applicant for admission 
They do not admit students who they’re unsure about with academic preparation
Any RD athletes or deferred EA recruited athletes that made it via RD? Are you considered walk-ons? Thanks.
Might I remind members of the forum rules: “Our forum is expected to be a friendly and welcoming place, and one in which members can post without their motives, intelligence, or other personal characteristics being questioned by others."
The conversation is getting a bit salty; please be mindful. Additionally,
“College Confidential forums exist to discuss college admission and other topics of interest. It is not a place for contentious debate. If you find yourself repeating talking points, it might be time to step away and do something else. Some topics, such as politics, religion and moderation on the forums, lend themselves to debate. If a thread starts to get heated, it might be closed or heavily moderated.”
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/guidelines
The conversation is going in circles. Several posts deleted. Let’s move the conversation forward.
Congratulations on being admitted!
One thing I am curious about in discussions of TO admissions is whether a statement like yours, “I did not submit scores,” means (a) you did not submit an SAT/ACT or (b) you did not submit the results of any standardized testing whatsoever. For example, did you submit the results of any AP tests, SAT Subject Tests, IB tests, or PSAT (including National Merit status)?
Because SAT/PSAT data is sold to many colleges (triggering the tidal wave of admissions junk mail), it strikes me that “blind” could mean different things for different admissions offices.
I tried to get recruited, but I was not a top pick for the coach at MIT. After being deferred the coach said I would most likely not get in. I did end up getting in (I am assuming on my own merits, not with a favorable word from the coach) and the coach emailed me saying I could try out to be a walk-on.
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Thank you for responding and congrats!
Did the coach tell you were not top of the board and you took a
chance anyway? Was there any coach’s support? Did you forgo
an ED to try to go to MIT?
No, MIT was always my top school, it was just a plus that I might have a chance to play a sport there. Realistically I knew that my sport was not the most impressive thing about my application. I am not completely clear if I had coach support for the EA round but I am fairly sure I did not have the coach’s support for the RD round.
If you have a coach’s support, he/she should make it clear to you. If you’re not sure (“we’d really like to have you on the team” or “there’s a place on the team for you when you get in”), then you likely don’t have full support.
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In general, MIT coaches have little to no pull in admissions for EA. And few coaches at any college will lend support to an applicant not applying in the early round.
My son was recruited to MIT and a bunch of other similar schools. He was top of their recruiting board for at least two of them. He decided to give up recruited athlete status so he could apply out regular decision to the Ivies, etc.
he got into MIT RD. A walk on is more of a term for those schools that give scholarships. At any D3 school, I think you are recruited if you have spoken with them and they have expressed interest. Even the Ivy League schools welcome walk ons. The Yale coach suggested he walk on. I might reach out to a current player or the coach and ask where you stand. I hope this is helpful!
Spot on. The MIT coach was supportive and helpful but was very honest about the process. There is no way into MIT other than earning your spot!!
Not accepting my spot on the waitlist guys, after careful consideration and being in-tune with reality I will most definitely not survive MIT if I were to get in. I really do think I got the waitlist by accident, I mean there’s no way they would’ve considered someone with a 3.6 GPA, so I’m making things right and giving that opportunity to someone that will thrive at MIT. Good luck everyone.
Of course, if you don’t feel like MIT is a good fit for you and what you want to do and are certain beyond any doubt that you don’t want to go there, then don’t take a spot on the waitlist, but if MIT even has you on their waitlist, much less admits you off the waitlist, it’s because they know that you know how to thrive there. It’s very easy to compare yourself to others and not understand how you can possibly keep up with them, but everyone who gets into MIT feels that way. You should be confident in yourself that you deserved everything you’ve gotten. Obviously it’s easier to say that than to actually process it internally, but you should not let that type of imposter syndrome affect your decisions; MIT has thousands of applicants who would thrive there and if they weren’t certain that you were one of them, they simply would have rejected you. Please make the decision that will make you happiest, not the decision that seems the least intimidating.
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So I’m in a bit of a situation. MIT rarely accepts anyone from my country, and only very few (to my knowledge the number is usually 0 or 1). This year, a friend of mine was accepted, while I was waitlisted. Is there a chance that if he decides not to enroll (which is an option he is considering), they will accept me? As I understand it universities want to fill all the niches to make a diverse campus. I would be the science guy from my country that would essentially be his replacement, in this case. I know MIT seldom accepts anyone off the waitlist, so I’m really wondering about this.
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I have no idea, but if the wait list were categorized in some way, it would probably be international vs. domestic not by country.