<p>I'm an international. So - if I got into MIT, obviously I'd be psyched (why wouldn't I be?). However, there'd be one thing stopping me from going. My [so far] 17 years of life have all been in this country, bar 2 months in the States when I was really young, so my whole family (seriously, like all of it) and all my friends/relations/whatnot are all here. Everything I know is here. I'm basically already accepted in the top college in the country here, which is great, but MIT seems like such a perfect fit for me based on what I've seen/read/heard, especially in regards to its student body and my goals in life. But with everyone/thing I know here, it's going to be a hard decision (the norm here is to go through college in-country, then do grad somewhere else.)</p>
<p>So, my question: If I am accepted (in March, I believe?) is there a program where I can visit Boston/MIT so that I can be further informed and feel confident in making a choice before deciding to go/not go in May? I saw the FPOP thing on the MIT 2014 forum and I'm wondering if that's it and how it works :)</p>
<p>To those of you who made a similar decision (and went to MIT), how did you feel about it? And how was the transition [what was most difficult about it, what made it easier or made you feel more comfortable about it, is it easy settling in with the people there, etc.?]
Thanks in advance :)</p>
<p>^Ah, thanks, Campus Preview Weekend was what I was looking for.
On an unrelated note, I just came across this on the MIT website:
I wasn’t aware that MIT awards merit-based scholarships. Since the admissions process is holistic, how exactly are the candidates for those scholarships chosen?</p>
<p>MIT doesn’t give out merit-based scholarships, but students can apply for scholarships from outside sources and apply them to MIT.</p>
<p>Also, I am not international, but I do have some experience with this. MIT is over 3000 miles away from where I live in California, which is quite a distance (I don’t go home more than most internationals do, IME). It is difficult. Moreover, it’ll probably be more difficult than you think it will be, leaving everyone behind. I found, for me, it was well worth it :)</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“MIT Student Financial Services”>MIT Student Financial Services]Source[/url</a>]
Well I hope you’re right about it being worth it It seems like everyday the university’s appeal to me just grows. Hopefully I’ll make the right decision. At any rate there’s still the overwhelming odds that I’ll be rejected (and the like, what, 10% chance that I’ll be accepted?) to beat I guess I’ll think of it when I get there.</p>
<p>“70% of undergraduates receive either a need-based or merit-based scholarship. Undergraduates receive more than $87.5 million annually in scholarships from all sources.”</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m pretty sure the merit-based scholarships they’re talking about are not MIT-given ;)</p>
<p>Actually, Jimmy797, you have a 3% chance of acceptance (this year’s international admit rate was 3%). And MITChris said that the international admits were “out of this world good”.</p>
<p>That’s me before MIT! I don’t know what to tell you except you’ll be okay. The first semester is the toughest for most people (not really for me, I think I partied a bit too much that semester…). It was second semester when it kicked in for me. The nostalgia part will most def come at some point, but as long as you don’t let it control you you’ll be fine. I move around quite a bit (I’ve lived at more than a month in five different cities around the world since coming to MIT), and it’s always hard in the beginning, but once you get the hang of the place you’ll wish you don’t have to leave (this happens to me now at the end of every semester at MIT now, pretty much, ahaha -____-)</p>
Right, yeah, I forgot that statistic. However, there was this one guy from my school accepted a year earlier, and he and I have quite a similar application on paper. And I assure you neither of us is “out-of-this-world good”. My friend ended up choosing some other college though, due to some financial aid issue I believe.</p>
<p>@oasis
Thanks for the reply. I get what you’re saying, I’m sure going would be the start of an excellent part of my life, but it’ll still be difficult leaving it all behind. Isn’t the month of January full-off though? As in I can visit for ~3 months in the summer and 1 month in winter? That’ll definitely make life easier. I’m not usually sentimental you know, and I’d be caught dead before I tell someone I’m not going to *MIT<a href=“!”>/i</a> because I’d miss them, but I sure as hell will ^^ Somehow I’m just becoming more and more convinced each day that I should go if I am accepted.
A random question just popped up in my mind: I can get my guitar to my dorm right? People wouldn’t kill me for playing? Because there’s literally no way I’d survive without it… :D</p>
<p>Hey Jimmy, off topic but what country are you from? </p>
<p>Just wondering since I’m an international as well! I always wondered about that whole “out of this world good” meaning… It’s not like one has to cure cancer to get in as an international, I don’t think…</p>
<p>I’m from Lebanon. “Out of this world good” doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be a USAMO finalist or whatever. Just, perhaps, something as simple as the admissions officers seeing that you’re a perfect fit for the college in regards to your interests and ambitions. You do have to be very qualified though, because the international pool is very competitive, and acceptance rate is very low. Your odds aren’t that great, frankly - no one’s odds are, at 3%.</p>
It seems like everyday the university’s appeal to me just grows. Hopefully I’ll make the right decision. At any rate there’s still the overwhelming odds that I’ll be rejected (and the like, what, 10% chance that I’ll be accepted?) to beat 
I guess I’ll think of it when I get there.</p>