<p>thx karthikkito, ben and h88...
good info on matt's posting.</p>
<p>to me the world is divided up into two parts: a. ppl who want to go to MIT and b. ppl who dont care enough about MIT. By not letting EA/D round for intl, MIT is lumping both these population together. Having said that, it does make a lot of logistical sense from MIT's perspective.
But less than 5% acceptance...geez, thts brutal...</p>
<p>Thanks again Ben... I wish I would have sent it now, but when I asked admissions if that would be something appropriate they just told me that if i was going to send it, then send it soon. Plus, my dad's veto... :(</p>
<p>EDIT: Hey looks like the company who has the photo still has it up, here it is:</p>
<p>h88- thanks so much for finding that! That's exactly what I was looking for.</p>
<p>KirbusPrime, that's a great pic! :-)</p>
<p>Haha, thanks Ben. There are a lot of weird things about that picture. If you read my app (and you probably can't comment or remember if you did anyways), that is my weightlifting coach in the back... lol, he's airborne. And also, I actually missed that lift. I wasn't able to quite stand up with it. Fortunately, someone managed to snap a photo the exact moment before I dropped it :)</p>
<p>Oh, my friend told me to ask another question for next year. He is scheduling his SATIIs... are any of them preferred (for example, physics over bio)? Is it better to take IIC than IC?</p>
<p>They say that IIc and Ic are considered equally, but maybe for an international student, the stronger test would be more meaningful? Don't know. Take whatever will best represent your academic preparation... :)</p>
<p>The following info is for entry year 2006 (NOT for entry year 2005)...</p>
<p>Make sure to take 3 total - one of which must be in a science and one of which must be in math (third can be in any area of your choosing). No preferences for specific subjects within those divisions. Non-native English speakers can take two (one in math, one in science) and the TOEFL.</p>
<p>ive always wondered...i took 6 (yes...6...) sat2's. how does this play into admissions? or are only three scores considered strongly and the others more of a "well he has interest in those subjects..."</p>
<p>The top three count the most, but all will appear on your summary card. From my experience, however, taking more than 3 really isn't necessary. Hopefully you enjoyed them all though! :-)</p>
<p>i enjoyed the classes (didnt exactly enjoy the tests, though =p).</p>
<p>and...wow, that was a really fast reply!!</p>
<p>Ben, in terms of math, would the admissions committee give higher merit to grades earned than SAT scores? My math SAT scores are in the upper 600s, however I have had consistent A's in all of the math classes I've taken at my school, which are the hardest ones available. It would seem that one's consistent performance in upper level high school math would be more indicative of future performance than scores on a test designed to trick the tester.</p>
<p>Upper 600's are still competitive, and also just one part of the overall big picture, so I wouldn't worry about it.</p>
<p>Ben, is one of the math tests preferred?</p>
<p>No, I don't believe so. Either is fine.</p>
<p>Is there a cutoff point at which you deem a student able to do the work? If there is such a point, and if it is reached by a student, what is the most important part after that that you look at? Recs, ECs?</p>
<p>Wow, I absolutely love the instant replies...</p>
<p>Me too, that's why I'm taking advantage of it right now =)</p>
<p>Yes, at a certain point, we can be fairly confident that someone is qualified to do the work here. That "point" is not quantitative; it's more of an instinct that is guided by grades, scores, recs, interview report (if available), etc., none of which need to be perfect (I mean really, does someone with an 800 really have greater academic potential than someone with a 790? Hardly.). </p>
<p>Thereafter the question becomes "what will this applicant bring to MIT? How will this applicant contribute to our amazing community? How will this applicant inspire his/her classmates?"</p>
<p>My favorite section of our website says this, which really sums it up:</p>
<p>"When we admit a class of students to MIT, it's as if we're choosing a 1,000-person team to climb a very interesting, fairly rugged mountain - together. We obviously want people who have the training, stamina and passion for the climb. At the same time, we want each to add something useful or intriguing to the team, from a wonderful temperament or sense of humor, to compelling personal experiences, to a wide range of individual gifts, talents, interests and achievements. We are emphatically not looking for a batch of identical perfect climbers; we are looking for a richly varied team of capable people who will support, surprise and inspire each other."</p>
<p><em>tear</em></p>
<p>.</p>
<p>I can imagine the satisfaction the committee would have when they've selected a class.</p>
