MIT: Master Interview Thread

<p>that's awesome..yeah mine is at the guy's house...which I thought was in a way unprofessional but w/e... any tips?</p>

<p>Interject little things about yourself... in a fitting, not-obnoxious way!</p>

<p>Try to be funny (if you are a funny person, if not, don't push it)</p>

<p>Most importantly, just be yourself. Interviewers are like Perez Hilton -- trained to sniff out fakes. :P</p>

<p>Just had mine--it went great!
I like that it was totally informal and just fun; he talked a lot about how there are very few nerds at MIT and was really nice and told me the things that stood out about me. And to think I thought it would go horribly considering the fact that I have a horrible cold!</p>

<p>Anyways, it's NBD...just take it easy; have fun!
P.S. Just submitted my app!</p>

<p>just be glad, because my interviewer NEVER called me back, so i had to get a new one, and the new guy hasn't gotten back to me either... it's been a nightmare!!!</p>

<p>My number one tip: don't stress about it. Obviously, show the interviewer that you care, but know it's just one more part of your application.</p>

<p>Mine was just fine, even though I was internally freaking out because I want to go so bad.</p>

<p>I just had mine today, and it was a lot less scary than I thought it would be. My EC was really nice and I enjoyed talking with her! I hope I gave a good impression of myself... I think I did</p>

<p>just had it, super easy, you just talk about yourself</p>

<p>I thought mine went well. But I think that my interviewer had seen so many kids that he was seemingly disinterested in me and not excited by the process. That was a bit disheartening.</p>

<p>i had mine last week.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>just be yourself, and relax. they can smell bs a mile away. when i say relax, i don't mean apathetic. get really excited about things! they love that.</p></li>
<li><p>i wore a suit. normally that's a little too much, but my interview was in my EC's office, where everyone else was dressed up. dress appropriately for your interview location. if its starbucks, dont wear a suit. :)</p></li>
<li><p>dont JUST answer the questions. make sure you answer the questions first, but go off on tangents! and then ask the interviewer questions too!</p></li>
<li><p>dont talk about grades, test scores, etc. that's what the rest of the app is for. I MEAN IT. talk about other stuff.</p></li>
<li><p>dont research your EC's job. the less you know, the more questions you will have, and questions show interest.</p></li>
<li><p>if you've ever been to mit, talk about it. talk about things that are unique to mit. i did the mites program last summer, and i talked about that.</p></li>
<li><p>show that you want to go to mit more than anywhere else. idk how, just figure out a way to do it. my EC told me that she felt like her other interviewees were only applying because their parents made them. DONT be one of those. show passion.</p></li>
<li><p>bring a resume or a guide, NOT for your EC but for yourself. you might lock up and forget all the things you do outside of school. feel free to offer your EC a copy but he/she will likely not accept it.</p></li>
<li><p>bring STUFF. and by stuff, i mean bring pictures of work that you've done, things you've made. if you program or do web development, you might even want to bring a laptop. if your an artist, bring in evidence. i've heard submitting supplimentary material can hurt your application. the interview is a free time to show mit who you are. you might not even take any of it out, but bring it anyway.</p></li>
<li><p>prepare some questions for your EC about mit, but dont read them off a paper. memorize them. bring a notepad and take notes.</p></li>
<li><p>don't try to get it over with. if anything, try to make it last at least an hour. at least. they need to learn enough about you so they can write up a good review.</p></li>
<li><p>dont apply to mit and make me look bad with your awesome grades and extracurriculars. jk jk jk</p></li>
<li><p>see #1, #7, and #4. those are the biggies.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I still haven't scheduled my interview, but I know I should.</p>

<p>I'm worried about what the interviewer might ask me, etc.</p>

<p>Any helpful hints or questions they might ask?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>its easy, mine just asked me to talk bout myself. no your top e.c.s cold too</p>

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I was recently scheduled a MIT interview for the 16th of November, which is next Saturday, and it's at a Starbucks.</p>

<p>Well, I've never been to or had an interview before, especially for a top notch school like MIT. For those of you who have had experience, can ya'll please shed some light and give me some advice as to what to expect.</p>

<p>Like what questions do the interviewer normally ask? </p>

<p>What topics are covered. </p>

<p>How long does an interview usually last?</p>

<p>How should I dress for the interview? (Full suit w/ tie?, Casual?, Other?)</p>

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

<p>Just had my interview and it was awesome; my interviewer was really nice.</p>

<p>But I felt I was being really egocentric (even though in real life I'm not)--but my interviewer asked me questions about all of my activities, so I answered accordingly. I think I might have unintentionally come off as a braggart...is that bad or do interviewers want you tell them about everything you do?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>flux</p>

<p>i just did my interview! i'm rly happy because it's all completely out of my hands now =) i'm done with the entire app! now just waiting on decisions.</p>

<p>my interviewer told me that i was very obsessive :p is that good?</p>

<p>depends on what, it can be a good thing, but if you mean about youself=bad, obssessive over some other thing =good. Yeah....</p>

<p>depends on what, it can be a good thing, but if you mean about youself=bad, obssessive over some other thing =good. Yeah....</p>

<p>lol...i wasn't obsessive about myself...it was more like the things i liked to do LOL - so thats ok? :p</p>

<p>2 days until judgment day for me! </p>

<p>I know they tell you to be yourself and to talk about what you like ... what defines who you are. The problem is ... I'm not too comfortable sharing that with a stranger ... because in front of a stranger I'm not too sure about what to say. </p>

<p>Any advice? And ... what does it exactly meant "to be yourself"?</p>

<p>I had my interview two weeks ago at my EC's (educational counselor aka MIT alumni) house as opposed to the standard meeting at a cafe of some sort. Though I knew from friends who had the same interviewer that he would be dressed down in a sweatshirt, I came dressed in shoes, slacks, and a dress shirt (no tie). To me, this was a small step up from polo/slacks/shoes and I'm sure really didn't make a difference. </p>

<p>Depending on your specific interviewer, it's better to be safe and dress up than dress down. Unless you have a laid back EC, T-shirt and jeans might not make the same impression that dressing up could.</p>

<p>
[quote]
do interviewers want you tell them about everything you do?

[/quote]

Yes, they do. Or at the very least, my interviewer kept telling me to explain all of my main activities and interests, saying that it was my "opportunity to shine."</p>

<p>As for how my own interview went, it lasted a solid hour and 45 min. After my interviewer wrote down all of my answers relevant to his questions about my academic interests, extracurricular activities, etc. he stopped writing and that's when the conversation really began. As my guidance counselor told me, interviews should be a conversation and not a question and answer session. My interview started out Q&A but evolved into a two-sided conversation about anything that came up.</p>