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

[molliebatmit]

<p>I love the BCS department, and my education there provided me a really great foundation for my graduate work (I’m now a PhD student in neuroscience). </p>

<p>I wrote a blog entry about the department [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/learning/majors_minors/a_lot_about_course_9.shtml]here[/url”&gt;http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/learning/majors_minors/a_lot_about_course_9.shtml]here[/url</a>], and you can also look at the undergraduate student organization, the [url=&lt;a href=“http://web.mit.edu/bcss/www/]BCSS[/url”&gt;http://web.mit.edu/bcss/www/]BCSS[/url</a>].</p>

<p>The undergraduate major is very flexible, and it’s a common double-major at MIT because it’s fairly easy to fit another major in with the departmental requirements. It’s definitely possible to be involved with music ECs, or to complete a double major with music, while completing a degree in BCS. There are also a number of classes on the neural basis of hearing and auditory perception, although not, to my knowledge, any classes on music’s effect on the brain. :)</p>

[lake42ks]

<p>^ Thanks for the links. As for offered courses, we have to believe that new courses (even new fields) will emerge in the next few years.</p>

[hanaanhashim91]

<p>Greetings Chris:)</p>

<p>My first time entry in this. I am high school junior (15),from India and spend two of my years doing research. I have formally completed high school fresher year,but my sophomore year is treated to equivalence of my research ( officially),now that for(this year) junior year,I would be taking Harvard credit physics course, and for senior year I would be formally studying at a U.S high school to experience the value of U.S education and utilize it to most( fall of 2011). I have previously worked on cosmology,which is due publishing this 2012.another research work on AIDS,cancer and other dreadful disease ( a cure) - due on 2012.solar astronomy : due 2011. and the research which i am currently involved is building prototypes using quantum technologies.(for that i m trying the samples now), and that is due publishing December 2010.
I am passionately involved in quantum physics & cosmology, EEE but its my dream of trying different professions, and I am sure that works. I study myself,apart from the time alloted for research in which i take graduate course work.</p>

<p>I am very poor at extra-curricular, as i find myself involved too much in academia & research,and I dint keep a balance between both.But I assure you, those school years, I was involved in both very much, but not any of these days. Will that work?
I have mailed one of the professor in MIT for my research work data queries, and he has asked me to apply to MIT, when I finish my course work/( mail dated 2009 email.So I plan to apply for fall of 2012 for then, I will hold some position before entering into a reputed uni. My inventions are leading me to become a innovator( ISEF’11).</p>

<p>So far, I have won ( from mid school-fresher(6/ 7th -9th) 28+ curricular recognitions &awards including
for my research excellency,that was given very recently to me and 11+ non curricular awards.</p>

<p>I have also done a course on aeronautics & engineering ( credit), and arts course</p>

<p>Lots of things lies within & above me, yet I am find that I am nowhere, i want something more that dazzles in me. How can I move with this career and polish the MIT application? I want to still build more out of me,any advice/suggestions?</p>

<p>The work I involve now or previously involved are the following ; Professional Networking, innovation, entreprenuership, technology research, elec.engg, electronic design( curricular),medicine and in co-curricular ( arts) & music. Music is my another passion, and I have been taught music for 4 months.</p>

<p>Let me know if I have to apply for fall of 2011, or after finishing the senior year in fall of 2012? In both cases, I feel fine, but I am looking out for your suggestion, if you feel you can add more to my work,I will do in that year.</p>

<p>Thanks in Advance</p>

[Jimmy797]

<p>

@molliebatmit

I’m now a PhD student in neuroscience

Hey, awesome, my sister’s doing that too! I’m actually considering BCS as a double major as you noted.
My sis is over in Florida, but attended this - um, lecture program (?) - in Woods Hole, Boston. Started in July or so and finished beginning of August. You wouldn’t happen to have been there as well, would you? :D</p>

[PiperXP]

<p>^ Going above and beyond in your academics and doing research certainly counts as extra-curricular, in the sense that you are actively doing something besides some number of classes you need to graduate. I think you’re ok there.</p>

<p>As an international, you’ll need your application postmarked by January 1st of your senior year. Though, if your senior year ends sometime during the fall (I wasn’t sure if you meant spring 2012 or not), I don’t know what you’d need to do there, so I’d wait for Chris’ reply.</p>

[hanaanhashim91]

<p>Oh thanks, @ piperxp.
Since I have nt done course work, after 9th grade, but I have felt research & independent study was everything to me, that made me count research was a part of academics,rather than in extra-curricular ( mid of 10th grade, 11th grade)- self study</p>

<p>But I would be formally doing my 12th grade in a U.S high school for fall of 2011,so my senior year would end mostly like all other U.S high school ( May 2012).</p>

[molliebatmit]

<p>Woods Hole is actually pretty far from Boston (about an hour and a half drive), although the WHOI grad students are officially MIT students and come up to MIT for classes. The WHOI summer programs are supposed to be a lot of fun, though. I bet she had a great time.</p>

[Jimmy797]

<p>It was definitely a bit of both - the program was grueling and very difficult/intensive [almost 6 days a week of just courses/studying and sleeping] but she loved it and had a blast over there, especially with the new people she met.
My mistake about the location :)</p>

[ripemango]

<p>How do I find out my AMC scores? I forgot them. Also, I remember the test being a lot harder this year, the cutoff was in the 80’s or something. Its okay if your score dropped from sophomore to junior year, right?</p>

[CalAlum]

<p>From the AMC website: [MAA</a> American Mathematics Competitions - AMC](<a href=“American Mathematics Competitions | Mathematical Association of America”>American Mathematics Competitions | Mathematical Association of America)
American Mathematics Competitions
P.O. Box 81606
Lincoln, NE 68501-1606
“Q. #8. How can I get all my scores from past years if our school didn’t keep everything?
A. #8. Write a letter or an email to the AMC office with your request. Our postal address and our email address are on all of our literature.
• Be sure to specify your name, exactly as it was used on the contest, the years that you took the contests, which contest you took, the name of the school where you participated (the school’s CEEB will help us look it up faster, if you know it), the city, the state and the Zip/Postal Code.
• Requests for scores are answered only for the student who took the test and received the scores, their parent/guardian, or school counselor.
• Please allow up to two weeks for an answer.”</p>

[MITChris]

<p>@ehz - </p>

<p>Doctor is fine. </p>

<p>@ripemango - </p>

<p>If your scores dropped, they dropped. For a lot of stuff on the application, it’s not a matter of good or bad - it happened, tell us about it!</p>

[ripemango]

<p>MITChris, I have an important question.</p>

<p>This is what the common app says about the race question.</p>

<p>

@Common App

The ethnicity question on the Common Application has been updated to meet the Department of Education reporting requirements. Answers to the ethnicity question are not required for submission. **If you choose to answer this question, you may provide whatever answer you feel best applies to you or any groups of which you feel you are a part. ** You can answer all or none of the questions. If you wish to answer the ethnicity question but feel that the established categories do not fully capture how you identify yourself, you may provide more detail in the Additional Information section of the application.

</p>

<p>Clearly, you may self identify as you wish. I contacted a Princeton admissions officer about this, and she confirmed that you can select the groups “you feel you are most a part of”. This means that if you are half black half white, you may choose to identify as just white or just black. If you are a Japanese or Taiwanese American, you may identify as Asian, Pacific Islander, or both. Even if you are biologically less black than you are white, you could report yourself as just black if you feel you are most part of that group.</p>

<p>So, is this the case for MIT in reporting your race?</p>

[MITChris]

<p>@ripemango - </p>

<p>I thought about how best to answer your question, but instead, I’ll share two emails sent recently by David duKor Jackson, our Director of Minority Recruitment, to students who sent similar questions, modified somewhat to be broadly applicable: </p>

<p>

The ethnicity question is intended to determine how you identify yourself.
We do not set any particular criteria or requirements for being [A RACE OR ETHNICITY].
You should check the race and ethnicity that best reflects who you are.

</p>

<p>

For the purposes of clarification, race and ethnicity have been separated on the application in accordance with federal reporting guidelines. </p>

<p>The next item on the application asks for a racial category from which you would select from among others: Caucasian, Black, Asian, Native American, etc.</p>

<p>The other important point here is the notion of “qualifying” as a particular racial or ethnic category. While race and ethnicity are culturally definable, they are also an imprecise combination of self-identify and identity imposed by society. The best way to respond to these items on MIT’s application for admission, and anywhere else, for that matter, is to ask yourself “How do I define myself?” or perhaps “What do I consider myself to be?”

</p>

[resilient193]

<p>@MITChris.
me:

Does that mean the EC is see listed right now may potentially change? Even though I haven’t contacted yet, I want the keep the current interviewer.

You said

It will probably not change.

My interviewer changed today . Darn Murphy’s law. Darn it
Oh well… lols</p>

[ripemango]

<p>MITChris another question</p>

<p>One of my teachers retired this year, and she is writing my recommendation. So she may want to leave her phone number blank on the evaluation, because it would be her home phone number. Is this fine, as long as she gives you the email?</p>

[MITChris]

<p>yes, that’s fine.</p>

[phxfire]

<p>Hello MITCHRIS, first question, hopefully last :P</p>

<p>Ok on the “Marital Status” section on part one do we use our biological parents or the parents we filled in above? Because I listed my stepdad as my parent 2 who is currently married to my mom.</p>

<p>Ok this was kind of already asked but…if we won major awards in extracurricular activities do we put that in the description or in the honor section or both?</p>

<p>Thanks alot.</p>

[MITChris]

<p>Do whatever you feel is appropriate.</p>

[phxfire]

<p>^ Haha ok.</p>

[ripemango]

<p>Last question: if a 700 up on each SAT section is golden, is a 30 and up good for the ACT?</p>