<p>After going through the decision thread, other threads, and the MIT admissions site I was able to come to these conclusions regarding the admissions process. </p>
<p>If you were a white/Asian male, no stats were enough for acceptance. You had to have some hook such as USAMO, Intel/Siemens, or other activity/award of similar prestige.</p>
<p>If you were a URM/female, impressive stats and/or exhibited passion in math/science was enough to earn an acceptance.</p>
<p>This is not meant to offend anyone and is simply patterns I was able to make while reading through all of this. Obviously there are going to be exceptions to this so personal anecdotes don't really invalidate the overall trend. Good luck to all of those deferred in the RD round!</p>
<p>I realize those are the trends you personally feel that you observe.</p>
<p>Just please realize the following things:
1. The cases you are able to see are not all of the cases available. You're not seeing everybody who was accepted, you're not seeing everyone who applied.
2. Nowhere even approaching all of the white/Asian male admits to MIT have participated in USAMO, Intel/Siemens, or garnered some prestigious national award. Of my male friends at MIT, one did RSI. Period. The two white male MIT students sitting on my couch right now were just smart airplane crazies in high school.</p>
<p>I realize that people are going to see the trends they want to see in the acceptances. But it's patently false that white and Asian male admits "need" some prestigious national award to be admitted to MIT -- it helps, just like it helps anybody, but it's nowhere near a prerequisite.</p>
<p>Personal observations being what they are, 10 of the 13 students admitted to MIT from my son's class two years ago were male. All of them were white or Asian. One of them had done RSI. One of the others helped out in a lab, but it couldn't really be considered "research". That's it for research, Intel, you name it.</p>
<p>Anecdotes are anecdotes. The people whose responses you observe here and on the blogs are a tiny subset of the 390 students admitted and the >2500 who were deferred this month.</p>
<p>NYWonder you realize that without an intently scientific study, people are going to believe whatever they've always believed regarding favorable admissions, whether they're for or against it. Posting an informal trend won't due much to persuade anyone.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you were any applicant, no stats were enough for acceptance. You had to have some hook such as USAMO, Intel/Siemens, or other activity/award that demonstrated a significant passion for learning, science, and technology.</p>
<p>If you were a URM/female, impressive stats and/or exhibited passion in math/science was not enough to earn an acceptance. Applicants have to demonstrate both that they are qualified AND fit for MIT... just like every other applicant.
<p>Ok obviously you don't HAVE to do USAMO or RSI to get into MIT if you're white or asian. In my class alone, there are probably around 200-250 asian males. All of like what, 15 did USAMO, and maybe 7 or 8 went to RSI (if I don't count Indians as asians). That's like 10%.</p>
<p>The reason it seems that way is probably that those people stick out the most. I would agree that it probably is easier to get in as a girl or an URM here though.</p>
<p>^ Well, I think his theory is that the ratio of guys accepted to girls accepted is higher than that of guys applied to girls applied. But another idea is that girls who apply are more self-selected than guys, which would explain the numbers as well. I personally say whatev.</p>
<p>The USAMO thing is a myth. Trust me. There are many a good student with USAMO who, for one reason or another, don't make it in. RSI is good, but seriously, how many people get into RSI? </p>
<p>Yeh, girls and URM have advantage, but (coming from an Asian male) there's really little you can do about it. I mean if we were somehow given advantages in the admissions process, honestly, most of us whom are held to more rigorous standards would make the most out of them. It's better for you to just concentrate on your own effort</p>