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

<p>So, the latest blog post from Matt says that MIT prefers updates using the Midyear Report.
I already submitted mine, but I have a few updates from this past week that I really want to send. Can I still email them??</p>

<p>I sent my ACT scores to MIT and other colleges on 12-13 December. They have reached other colleges but havent appeared in MYMIT. I have been keeping patience but should I write to admissions now? My application without ACT scores looks very bad as the other scores are very old.</p>

<p>Hi
My question does not need a answer now. I just got my result of 14 Jan TOEFL IBT and earned above 90. When I registered, I listed MIT as a score recipient so admission office will receive my score in a few days.
I have a another question. I sent my SAT reasoning test score and MyMIT indicates that they received my score.
I don’t have to have both SAT reasoning test score and TOEFL score but in my case they concern on my both tests or only on TOEFL IBT?</p>

<p>Ugh, I just answered all of these questions, and got a database error when I submitted, so all the text was lost. SO ANGRY.</p>

<p>Please forgive the brevity – these answers really were much better the first time around.</p>

<p>

To be considered a Native American for the purposes of admission at MIT, you need to provide documentation of your heritage. I’m not sure what other sorts of documentation (if any) are accepted other than a tribal registration number. It’s not a problem if you can’t or don’t want to provide documentation, but you won’t be considered Native American in the admissions process.</p>

<p>

I don’t have access to the freshman application, so unfortunately I can’t answer these sorts of technical questions.</p>

<p>

The admissions office generally considers the highest section scores across test dates, but I’m not sure whether that’s the policy for the TOEFL specifically.</p>

<p>

I was talking with Chris about this when I saw him last week (yeah, we hang out IRL; true story), and he mentioned that the record-matching process is particularly behind this year. Continue not worrying about your missing test scores/rec letters/etc. – everything will work out in the wash.</p>

<p>

You can add other information in the MYR, if you’d like, but it’s not really my place to say whether you should.</p>

<p>

I can’t really say anything beyond what Matt et al. have already said – the MYR is the preferred format for updates, but as far as I’m aware, you’re still able to send additional information via the traditional routes (fax preferred, then postal mail, then email). </p>

<p>

They will use whichever score makes you look best, whether that is the SAT or the TOEFL.</p>

<p>

I think it would be best to give the admissions office a call and ask. My suspicion is that quarter grades would be better than none, but I don’t know for sure.</p>

<p>Due to snow, my high school’s midterms (which were already scheduled kind of late anyway) are now delayed to the beginning of February. I may not have my final semester grades in time! Should I email the office of admissions about it and send in my quarter grades as a temporary?</p>

<p>Hi Chris/Mollie,</p>

<p>I would like to send updates on some recent competitions that I have participated in and have gotten significant awards.</p>

<p>How can I get that added to my file so that my admissions officer gets a chance to look at it? Should I email my admissions officer as well?</p>

<p>Thanks,
Trish</p>

<p>^ Have you sent in your MYR yet? If not, add the information to that.</p>

<p>Hi Chris/Mollie,
I’m a deferred EA applicant. MIT already has all of my necessary SAT scores on file, but I’m taking a new science subject test this weekend because my first didn’t go so well. However, I’m scared that this new test won’t be beneficial unless I do significantly better. Do I need to send my score directly to MIT, or will I have time to find out what my score is before sending or rush reporting it? As I said earlier, I already have enough scores on file, but I don’t want to submit my score after my application has already been reconsidered. Thank you so much for your help!</p>

<p>Hi Chris/Mollie,</p>

<p>I was wondering, do we need to send in Midyear Report before our application is considered complete? My school doesn’t have any midyear reports, I finished school and my finals grades have been sent. But I also take the A levels and the results will be out in March. So I was wondering, should I just submit the update during March or should I write something now (on the myMIT page it says that we can send in a joke) so that I can get a small tick on my checklist?</p>

<p>emmy72,
Go to MyMIT. Click on “Tests and Scores” and scroll down to “Testing Deadlines and Reporting Scores.”</p>

<p>Third paragraph down, in italics, detail is provided that for RD that you have to choose to have your scores sent to MIT when you take the test. “. . . if you take the January test, you must list MIT as a school to receive your scores or we (MIT) will not receive them in time for our review.”</p>

<p>Check it out for yourself.</p>

<p>Good luck!
Mr. VC</p>

<p>

The best way to do this is to include the information in the mid-year report. Otherwise, you can write a short update and send it via traditional means (preferably fax, though acceptably by postal mail or email). There’s not really any way to contact “your” admissions officer, because you don’t have a single person in charge of your application – it will be read multiple times by different admissions workers.</p>

<p>

For January tests, you do need to send the score directly to MIT, or it will not arrive in time for review.</p>

<p>However, you shouldn’t worry about sending the score before seeing it – if it’s not better than the other scores you have on file, it will just not be used. There’s no harm whatsoever in sending a score, since the admissions office will pick your best scores to evaluate your application.</p>

<p>

You should write something now – March will be too late for MIT’s review, as the admissions committee usually goes into selection around February 15 and decisions themselves generally come out in mid-March.</p>

<p>For the midyear report, if our school gives us percentages instead of letter grades, should we put in percentages or letter grades? Also, what is the conversion from percentages to letter grades?</p>

<p>In addition, if a student is accepted, does the high school receive direct notification from the college?</p>

<p>Thnx!</p>

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>My school only sends grades from the first two terms to colleges (excluding midterm exam grades, which will be on the report card issued to me at the end of this week). Factoring in the midterm exam grades helps my year-to-date grade in several classes, including calculus and biology. Would it be alright to list the year-to-date grades on the midyear report, even if they are slightly different than the grades on the transcript MIT will be receiving from my high school?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Hello to anyone who can answer this,</p>

<p>Does anyone know how the supplemential material is being processed, musical supplements in particular???</p>

<p>Thanks in advance)</p>

<p>Regarding midyear report, is it alright to tell a funny, some what true story since the midyear report instruction said that we can tell a joke/inspirational quote. I am an early action accepted student.</p>

<p>

If your school reports your grades in percentages, then you should write your grades in percentages on the MYR.</p>

<p>

I don’t believe so.</p>

<p>

If your high school will be sending grades to MIT, I would strongly suggest that your self-reported grades be the same as those your high school will be reporting. In general, you should report your grades in the same format as your high school would use to report them.</p>

<p>

I believe all supplemental material gets sent to the appropriate department – in the case of a musical supplement, that would be the music department.</p>

<p>

Yes.</p>

<p>@molliebatmit. I have a question. I actually submitted a lot of supplementary material via email/fax. Is there a way to check the status of additional material? . I wanted to make sure that it has been added to my file. I would be extremely grateful of your reply.</p>

<p>^ no, supplemental information is not tracked. If it is “required” info that has been sent in late, yes, that will be tracked and reflected on mymit.</p>

<p>@ahmehmood: i submitted mine in early January and received a confirmation email a week later. Did u receive yours?</p>

<p>^ no i did not . Did you submit it via fax or email?
And was it supplementary or required material?</p>