MIT FAQ for application year 2010-2011 (with answers by MITChris)

Colleges & Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
181

<p>@Jobbin

  1. You should only do that if you’ve taken the AP exam. I’m listing my self-studed AP’s. The application does say “(If you have taken the test, please list date and score.)”. I take it as to mean I can report self-studied AP scores.
  2. Use the supplemental section
  3. You should talk about it in your essays/short answers, but not in the actual AP course list.
  4. Use your judgement. Doesn’t matter either way
  5. No. This was brought up in another thread. You should try to find out what it is. Look here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/979557-amc-aime-scores-app.html?highlight=ballpark+AMC[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/979557-amc-aime-scores-app.html?highlight=ballpark+AMC&lt;/a&gt;
  6. If there are no official record of it (no credit, no test or anything), just write about them in your essay.
  7. Probably not. Use that box below to say you self-studied calculus
  8. It would be at a disadvantage. Since you didn’t even complete the application
  9. No. From what I’ve read, they hate people submitting extra/unnecessary stuff like resume if it’s already in the application.</p>
182

<p>is a paid internship a summer activity or summer employment?</p>

183

<p>my school guildance counselor just retired, but kindly agreed to write some of my college recs. but, i don’t want to be too annoying, so i don’t know if i want to ask her again for the midyear report. is it ok if a different person than the person who filled out the counselor recommendation form fills out the midyear report? and, then would it hurt my application if the midyear report is filled out by someone who doesn’t know me very well at all? the form isn’t availible online, so i don’t know if it’s like another rec, similar to the common app, or just grades information.</p>

184

<p>The midyear report is, IIRC, just grades (and any update since the application that you would like to provide). It’s fine if your new counselor fills that form out.</p>

185

<p>Is the only way to submit the teacher references via mail, even for International students?</p>

<p>Postage takes anywhere from a week to 3 weeks from where I am (NZ), and I just thought it was slightly strange to have bits of the application done online (Part I/Part II) and bits posted.</p>

186

<p>

</p>

<p>See now that part just doesn’t seem slightly strange to me at all. Having an applicant go online, create an account, and then submit parts 1&2 online seems reasonable. But the idea of asking a teacher, who for many international applicants may not speak any English, to go and create an account at some random website and fill in an electronic application, now that’s the idea that seems slightly strange.</p>

<p>This is one of the reasons why the deadlines tend to be POSTMARK deadlines. And don’t worry. In past years, the internationals are evaluated after the domestic applicants. Three weeks for mail to arrive is no problem whatsoever. </p>

<p>Mikalye</p>

<p>PS: I carry a kiwi passport. In all the years I lived in Wellington, it only very rarely took three full weeks for post to reach Massachusetts. I should also note that I am not an EC in NZ today.</p>

187

<p>I don’t know if this was already answered, but is there any difference between scholastic and non-scholastic distinctions? (Like a school award for integrity?) Also, would qualifying for AIME be an award if I was invited to a school board meeting and given an award there? I know it’s not a big deal, but only a few people in my district qualified.</p>

188

<p>How absolute are the word limits? For the short answer about free time, I have a 130 word answer. I think I will be able to cut it down to 110 without losing too much of the effect, but that is still over the 100 word limit.</p>

189

<p>

Matt McGann said last year that it was fine to divide your awards into scholastic and non-scholastic as you see fit.</p>

<p>

It’s okay to be a little over the limit, but the writing-lover in me would like to remind you that brevity is a virtue. </p>

<p>Everybody should check out [this</a> blog post](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/ea_deadline_your_questions_upd.shtml]this”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/ea_deadline_your_questions_upd.shtml) from last year by Matt – it contains a lot of commonly-asked questions about the application, and if you read it, you may find that your question is answered already.</p>

190

<p>Hi- I’ve been looking around for clarification on what exactly a “humanities” teacher is. I know something like history, spanish/french, or english would qualify. How about something more obscure like music theory, studio art, or something of that nature?</p>

191

<p>For MIT, it’s probably safe to assume that anything that would fall in a HASS department would work. Music theory and studio art both seem to be arts to me, so I think those would be ok :D</p>

192

<p>studio art is fine. </p>

<p>music theory is ok but is a little quantitative; go for something more humanities if you can</p>

193

<p>MITChris:</p>

<p>How are the ECs assigned? I live on a US Air Force base in rural England; my assigned EC lives in Philadelphia. He advised me to contact MIT directly; I sent them two emails but have received no response. How can I get a new EC who lives nearer to me or (if necessary) get my interview waived? Thanks!</p>

194

<p>my school only really has one math/science e.c. (and it didn’t fit with my schedule). should i mention this in the optional section of the app or is something adcoms look into themselves?</p>

195

<p>irishpyro93, If I am not mistaken, I know both the EC regional chairs for the UK and for Philadelphia. I will contact you by PM and get this resolved. Don’t worry, we will try to find you an interviewer in rural England. See, simple. Isn’t CC great? </p>

<p>PS: EC’s tend to be assigned based on mailing address.</p>

196

<p>How does MIT look at candidates from schools which don’t award grades (therefore obviously there is no GPA or rank). Do APs have greater importance? SATIIs? Thanks.</p>

197

<p>@Aniger - </p>

<p>No easy answer to that question, but we look at such unusual cases very closely. In general, yes, standardized tests (especially APs) would have a comparatively higher weighting to establish academic qualification. </p>

<p>@jn2011 - </p>

<p>Good thing for your GC to include in their letter.</p>

198

<p>should teacher evaluations be sent here?:</p>

<p>Office of Admissions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room 3-108
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307</p>

199

<p>yes, just what it says on the PDF</p>

200

<p>okay, thanks! i’ll try to get in touch with her. sorry about all the questions, but i have another one about portfolios. i do some graphic design work for my job and i was wondering if it would be appropriate to include a couple of examples in my art portfolio.</p>