MIT FAQ for application year 2012-2013

<p>Is there any way to see if MIT has received parts of your application yet? (test scores, recommendations, etc.)</p>

<p>If you do an activity year round (and put 52 weeks/yr in the activity section) is it necessary to list the activity again in “Summer Activities”?</p>

<p>Couple questions regarding ACT:
-The SAT & ACT scores appear on High School Transcripts, are we required to still have the ACT & SAT scores sent from CollegeBoard?
-My daughters ACT score is WAY better than SAT score, but the 2 SAT Subject scores need to be submitted. Does admissions just “over look” the regular SAT score? Or should my daughter just not put down her regular SAT score on the application?
-I have always heard that the regular SAT score gets “super scored”, but the ACT score is just the best one sitting score. In this thread I thought I got the indication that MIT “super scored” the ACT test. If that is the case, with ACT being an average, do we avearage the ACT subscores to create an ACT super score or what?</p>

<p>Thank you in advance.</p>

<p>I took the October SAT Subject tests and they are due to come out in a few days but I already finished my part 2. Currently, the self report SAT subject sections only list the subject and October date but no score. Should I just wait for the scores to come out before submitting or is there an easy way I can just add it in later?</p>

<p>

Yes. Your EC will let you know the latest date he or she is willing to conduct an interview (there’s a deadline for the EC’s report). </p>

<p>

Yes, there’s an application component tracker on MyMIT. It often takes a week or two (and more at the busiest times in the season) for paper components to be opened, filed, and updated on MyMIT.</p>

<p>

No, although you could list it twice if you wanted to. You should have your most cherished activities represented somewhere in the application, but there’s no need to write them twice.</p>

<p>

Yes, MIT requires an official score report for standardized test scores.</p>

<p>

The admissions office will use the set of scores that put the applicant in the best light, and won’t use lower sets of scores. So, in your daughter’s case, they would consider the ACT and two SAT subject tests, and would not consider the SAT.</p>

<p>

Choose one single ACT sitting to report on the application – it’s sensible to choose either the sitting with the highest composite or the sitting with the highest math. MIT will look at all reported ACT scores and choose the one that puts the applicant in the best light. My understanding is that they do superscore the ACT, but I’m not entirely sure, and there’s no need for you to do it on the application.</p>

<p>

If you’re otherwise ready to submit the application, just go ahead and do it. MIT will fill in your scores when they get the official score report.</p>

<p>

Yes. Your EC will let you know the latest date he or she is willing to conduct an interview (there’s a deadline for the EC’s report). </p>

<p>

Yes, there’s an application component tracker on MyMIT. It often takes a week or two (and more at the busiest times in the season) for paper components to be opened, filed, and updated on MyMIT.</p>

<p>

No, although you could list it twice if you wanted to. You should have your most cherished activities represented somewhere in the application, but there’s no need to write them twice.</p>

<p>

Yes, MIT requires an official score report for standardized test scores.</p>

<p>

The admissions office will use the set of scores that put the applicant in the best light, and won’t use lower sets of scores. So, in your daughter’s case, they would consider the ACT and two SAT subject tests, and would not consider the SAT.</p>

<p>

Choose one single ACT sitting to report on the application – it’s sensible to choose either the sitting with the highest composite or the sitting with the highest math. MIT will look at all reported ACT scores and choose the one that puts the applicant in the best light. My understanding is that they do superscore the ACT, but I’m not entirely sure, and there’s no need for you to do it on the application.</p>

<p>

If you’re otherwise ready to submit the application, just go ahead and do it. MIT will fill in your scores when they get the official score report.</p>

<p>Hi, I was wondering about the academic awards section. I have one space left and I can fill it either with being an AP Scholar or with receiving a Gold Award on the German National Exam. Because we self-report our AP scores, is it already obvious that I’m an AP Scholar, and stating it in the awards section would be redundant? Which of those two awards would be most helpful for the admissions office to see? </p>

<p>Also, I took Freshman Physics as a freshman and I’m taking AP Physics C and Modern Physics as a senior. When it asks me (at the end of the self-reported coursework section) if I’ve taken physics, and, if so, when, should I say I took it in 9th or 12th grade?</p>

<p>Thank you so much for all your help!</p>

<p>Hi, I took both the SAT with writing and the ACT without. Since the application requires either, should I put my SAT scores and ACT minus the writing portion, or should I leave my ACT scores out completely? The scores are pretty much equivalent, so neither makes me look much worse than the other.
Thanks!</p>

<p>Is there any kind of limit to how long the optional section on page 9 can be, or maybe should be? I have an internship that I’d really like to talk about (a lot about, actually, substantially more than any of the required essays’ word limits would allow).</p>

<p>freeman94, from my experience the optional section will prevent you from writing an overly long response with the same error message as on the other pages. I’m not sure what the exact number of words is though.</p>

<p>My parents are convinced that if I don’t get my application in soon (they think tommorow) that I am significantly hindering my application. Personally, I want to wait until my October SAT scores are in. Is there anyway the extra two days could matter? Other than the electronic signature, is there anything on the submitted application that states when it was submitted? Is this considered in the application process?</p>

<p>

I agree with you that the AP scholar award is probably redundant, but the decision is up to you.</p>

<p>

Either would be correct, so either is fine.</p>

<p>

You can leave out the ACT score. I assume you’re not going to send it, since it’s without writing – no need to put it on the application.</p>

<p>

Nope, when you get your application in has no bearing on how favorably your application is viewed. Even if you get your part I and II in, your folder will not be sent to readers until your letters, test scores, and school report have been received and filed. </p>

<p>In addition, applications are read by multiple readers, so an application that is sent out and read early by one reader will be returned to the pool and read late by another, and so forth.</p>

<p>Hi Mollie,</p>

<p>I was just wondering about the 2 teacher recommendations.</p>

<p>What if both were from non-Math or Science teachers?</p>

<p>I don’t believe my Math/Science teachers are capable of writing an in depth recommendation about the type of student I am since I had to use the help of my peers and my own abilities to learn the Maths and Physics in my years 10-12 (Sophmore-Senior). As a result, I am certain they won’t have any insights to the type of person or student I am?</p>

<p>What would you recommend?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Just noticed that the short answer that my son included in the Part 1 of his application isn’t showing up on the Part 1 pdf (we both looked it over before he submitted, but I guess we were just looking for incorrect info and not missing info.) Looking at the pdf, there isn’t a big space missing information - it looks like there’s no spot for it at all. Just wondering if it’s supposed to show up on the Part 1 pdf or if is in the MIT system and will show up somewhere else? If the former, I’m thinking maybe he should just put it in the “other” section in Part II?</p>

<p>Oh and another question Mollie!</p>

<p>What if the teacher that is writing the recommendation does not teach at that school anymore and is unable to use the school letterhead due to school policy?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Apologies if this question was asked earlier–in the “self-reported coursework” section, if the quarter or semester has not yet ended, should we leave the grade field blank, or put the ongoing grade we have now?</p>

<p>mollie, please disregard earlier question . . . son found the answer on the MIT Admissions Blog. In case anyone else has the same question, the response to the cultural question in Part I shows up in the pdf for Part II - you have to do the preview for Part II to see it.</p>

<p>First, are Senior classes supposed to be listed under Self-reported coursework?</p>

<p>Second, if it is we have a problem. My daughter is on the Trimester system and has too many classes than there are lines available. What does she do?</p>

<p>Note, she decided to put her historical classes under the subjects & is having her Senior year classes “spill over” into the Other catagory - but, there still are not enough lines.</p>

<p>Thanks again. You have been very helpful.</p>

<p>Anyone have this experience. My two rec letters were mailed the same day from the same location. Three days later one of the rec letters showed up in the MIT app as being in, 7 days later there is still no record of the second rec letter being in. Could be just that MIT is overwhelmed with processing but for the first one to get in so quickly casuses me to be concerned. Thanks.</p>

<p>peckave, I would guess that it’s just MIT has too many papers to deal with. My science recommendation has already been processed but my humanitities, which was sent the same day if not earlier, hasn’t. I’m sure it’ll all turn up.</p>