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

<p>People generally say it is not the case because it is true. We are not a regional office. We basically just go into committee and admit whom we think the best candidates are, period.</p>

<p>Chris, Mollie,
Do you evaluate the application differently whether a student applies for business major than engineering major?</p>

<p>When and how will MIT release admission decisions?</p>

<p>“when” has not been announced yet (it will probably be on or around March 14th like usual). There will be an official announcement soon with the specific date and time. Decisions will be available online at decisions.mit.edu</p>

<p>@Chris and Mollie. What are some grounds for rescinding? I was recently suspended 1 day for cyber bullying, yet I apologized heavily and admitted my mistake over and over, expressing remorse over the entire situation both to the victim and my counselor and everyone who has supported me my entire high school career. if i send the admissions office a detailed explanation as to the situation and my subsequent apologies, do you think they will forgive me for this?</p>

<p>I don’t know. We take each situation individually.</p>

<p>

Certainly a student’s interests and plans are considered, but MIT doesn’t admit by major, so it’s not as though it’s easier to get in if one is interested in one department or another.</p>

<p>My daughter didn’t take AP physics. One would think that class is not as important for business major as for some engineering majors.</p>

<p>Assuming it is offered AP Physics is important for everyone at MIT.</p>

<p>Hi Chris, Mollie,
How does MIT evaluate a student who takes the most rigorous STEM courses that his/her school offers, say, taking BC Cal, AP Physics Mech, E+M in 10th grade (and got all 5 in AP Exam), and Fluid Mechanics and Classical Mechanics (which is at Herbert Goldstein book level), AP Chem in 11th grade, and Oragnic Chem plus IP (which is at Cornell’s 4th-year undergraduates level) but not necessary getting all As? How would MIT see this type of student, say compare to some students who take a bit “easier” courses and got all As? Also how important are math competition results in admission decision? For example my S is at a boaring school and he has two hours of daily team sports practice and match year round and has no time to “prepare for” any academic competitions and has no acccess to SAT/ACT tutoring service like some other kids do. It seesm boaring school kids are in “disvantage” here since not only they have very rigious academic/sports load at school but also has no access or no time for lots of academic competitions. Any comments?
Thanks.</p>

<p>Well…</p>

<p>We want to see that students have challenged themselves. And if you are challenging yourself and you have a B, yeah, that’s not going to take you out. </p>

<p>But it doesn’t get any easier at MIT. So if you’re say a solid B student in admittedly advanced math, that will give us worries about you being able to handle the even more advanced math at MIT. </p>

<p>It’s not about your class rank or whatever; it’s about having data to make us comfortable in your academic preparation. </p>

<p>Boarding school kids are not “at a disadvantage.” They may be spending their time differently than other students but that’s stuff we understand.</p>

<p>I saw in one of the thread that this year’s decision will be available online on 15th March. Is that true?</p>

<p>

Since all students at MIT, regardless of major, are required to take physics (mechanics and E&M), calculus (single- and multivariable), biology, and chemistry, it’s important for applicants of all stripes to show that they are able to handle MIT-level work in those subjects. That’s not to say that there’s any required set of high school courses necessary to be admitted to MIT, but a prospective management major needs to show preparation in science and math courses in the same way as a prospective mechanical engineering major.</p>

<p>

MIT generally releases results in mid-March, often on 3/14 (Pi Day), but the decision date for this year has not yet been announced.</p>

<p>So i got a 3.6 and 3.8 my freshman and sophomore years UW GPA. Realistically, how reduced have my chances of being accepted right out of HS become?</p>

<p>Chris! Could you respond to this good question of MITdecode which also lingers on my mind?
Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Sorry, Post No.303 by MITdecode.</p>

<p>

As far as I’m aware, it’s only possible for freshmen to start in the fall, so a student who defers for a year will start the following September.</p>

<p>Thanks, mollie.</p>

<p>Out of curiosity, I submitted my Midyear Report on February 15th but I would like to know if it is still considered “on time” for review. In other words, does the selection committee begin reviewing applications before Feb. 15 w/o the Midyear Report or is it safe to say that if I submitted my report on Feb. 15 the selections committee will take it into consideration before making any decisions?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<p>Also, are there any differences for Questbridge applicants? What distinguishes a Questbridge applicant from the regular applicant pool when it comes to the selections committee?</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>