MIT FAQ for application year 2011-2012 (with answers by MITChris)

<p>

No, there’s no need to do this.</p>

<p>

It won’t be a problem if you give your teachers the forms this year. MIT doesn’t even actually require teachers to use its form, but does ask that teachers who don’t use the form address the form’s questions in their letters. </p>

<p>

Yes, or else address the questions in the form in the letter.</p>

<p>

Yes, that’s something you’ll want to address in your application if you apply after a gap year. Of course, you can apply to MIT this year and, if you are admitted, you can get a deferral for (I think) up to two years with minimal questions asked.</p>

<p>Thank you! =)</p>

<p>My school uses Naviance to send letters of rec through the internet. The Naviance site lists MIT as an eligible receiver, but I’ve read MIT doesn’t accept anything but hard copies for letters of rec. Should I send in hard copies or just use Naviance?</p>

<p>Dear Chris or Mollie or anyone willing to answer, </p>

<p>On the MIT app, are science fair awards considered “scholastic” or “non-scholastic”? How do you differentiate between the two?</p>

<p>^ I’d consider it scholastic, while others wouldn’t necessarily consider it so. Admissions has said that how you classify those types of awards is up to you :)</p>

<p>agree with piper</p>

<p>Dear Mollie and Chris,</p>

<p>When you submit November SAT II scores for EA, can you send your scores after you take the test? Can you send them after you actually see your score (3 weeks later)? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>I also have a question about that, do we have to rush report them when we register?</p>

<p>My links to download the evaluation forms have been disabled because my school submitted the standard common app rec letters they have for me. I thought I had downloaded all the forms but I don’t have the B form. I’m going to ask my teachers to fill out the forms in addition to the previous letters they’ve written, since they weren’t MIT specific. Should I just make an additional copy of the A form and line through the Math/Science part? Or should I contact Admissions to get an actual B form? </p>

<p>Thanks for any help!</p>

<p>

You don’t need to rush-report November SAT scores for EA, but I would advise sending the scores at the time you take the test rather than waiting until you see them. Based on a few not-so-great experiences I had while applying to grad school, I don’t trust ETS any further than I can throw them.</p>

<p>Also, when you report your current classes for EA, do you just not indicate the grades?</p>

<p>I was just wondering, I’ve been finding that many students who have been accepted into MIT did some sort of tremendous thing in the summer, such as research with high level professors or some enriched engineering college program. All I did was help my contractor dad with is work. Is kinda enginneering like isnt it? I was wondering if it factors alot in admissions…</p>

<p>Should we report all AP/ SAT Subject scores or is it better to leave out ones that aren’t particularly great? like quanity or quality?</p>

<p>@mrwongburger: I can’t speak for how it’s factored in, but I spent my summers working at in the main office at my high school (work study) and doing local theater, neither of which is remotely engineering-based. :)</p>

<p>i take my question back, I found my thread</p>

<p>MIT is the one college I’m applying to that is VERY selective. I have a few more days to decide whether or not to take the subject tests in November, but I’m having trouble deciding whether I should or not. </p>

<p>I got a 680 in physics and 710 in math ii (i’m a horrible test taker, but i have excellent grades for both subjects). Are these scores high enough to convince admissions officers that i’m capable of working hard, or must I have something 750+? i’ve already taken these exams twice and am not interested in feeding the CB more money than I already have, but if I need higher scores, I can push myself. What do you guys think?</p>

<p>i know my post is very specific, but i ask because my scores are above average for most other schools i’m applying to</p>

<p>westcal00, I would leave the scores as are and and focus on other aspects of your application. MIT wants the big picture.</p>

<p>westcal00 - You’re fine. Don’t worry about it.</p>

<p>Should we report all AP/ SAT Subject scores or is it better to leave out ones that aren’t particularly great? like quanity or quality?</p>

<p>Why does MIT ask about parent’s biographical situation, is it absolutely neccessary to fill in all the spaces?</p>

<p>Will it be a tragedy if I write something wrong?</p>