<p>I'm trying to decide if my application is worth sending in. As much as they say not having the interview counts against you, I would assume that those without the interview would tend to be much less qualified. So would it really be impossible to get in without it provided you had a hook or two? Has any done it or know someone who has?</p>
<p>5% of those who apply without an interview get in (historically), and that is not abysmally lower than the number with an interview (15%) when considering the likelihood that a highly qualified and anxious applicant would the old statistics and think they have to take an interview, whereas the other group might be more relaxed/un-comprehensive concerning the whole process.</p>
<p>You won't LOSE anything by sending your app in. Go for it.</p>
<p>Why don't you have an interview?</p>
<p>What's your "hook"? </p>
<p>But why not send in the application? Statistically, without an interview you don't have a good chance of getting in, but it's not impossible, and if you've already finished the application, you might as well send it in.</p>
<p>Not having an interview doesn't make you less qualified.</p>
<p>I didn't interview, and I got in.</p>
<p>You know what they say...</p>
<p>Apply, apply, apply, apply!
There ain' no chance if you don' try!
But MIT, no interview?
Looks like commun'ty coll'ge for you!</p>
<p>;) But seriously, go for it.</p>
<p>Does that 5% include international people and people living in areas with no MIT ECs who have their interviews waived?</p>
<p>@turtlecloud, no it doesn't.</p>
<p>Alright, thanks guys. I guess it's worth the application fee not to think "what if."</p>
<p>Chances of getting in without applying = 0</p>
<p>Also, it depends on who your interviewer is, but they often will interview you even after the deadline if they're nice...at least it doesn't hurt asking. I was obscenely late requesting an interview (eep) but I got one anyway.</p>
<p>My son applied with his interview waived as there was no one in our area to conduct one. The nearest interviewer was a 3 hr round trip . Son does not yet have a license and though I was willing to drive him the EC said that it was ridiculous to expect an applicant to travel that far. The next nearest is a 6 hour round trip - basically out of the question.
I wonder though, why do they not conduct phone interviews in cases like these, or have they discovered that, at least like my kid, some kids have a way with words and others "no have way", especially on the phone. I am still willing to drive my son to his interview that is 1.5 hours away, if it will increase his chances, however, I do hope his not having an interview will not count against him.</p>
<p>I think the interview is for MIT to get to know you better. So if you have an interview MIT will have more information about you and easier to decide if your MIT material or not. Just my personal reasoning.</p>
<p>correlation does not equal causation
The magic rule of statistics</p>