<p>In answering my essay questions, I find that all my essays are about science. My main essay is about a science club (though it focuses more on me as a collaborator/leader), one short essay is on science fiction, another short essay is on why I want to do physics. This doesn't quite reflect me -- while science is very important to me, there are a lot of things beyond science that are also a big part of who I am. Should I add an essay mentioning these other parts of me, or should I just assume the admissions committee will see these other sides from my activities, recommendations, summer camps, etc.</p>
<p>Honestly
everyone will talk about something 'sciency'</p>
<p>MIT doesnt wanna hear about this.. Maybe talk about only ONE short essay about it..</p>
<p>Talk about what drives you.. What has encouraged you to pursue higher education.. Not why MIT?, rather why college?, why life?</p>
<p>Some may disagree with me.. But try to be well rounded.. try to tell MIT .. "hey I dont need you.. I know who I am and I know what I want to do with my life"</p>
<p>Dont be so begging.. Confidence is key.. and if they may be turned off by it.. At least you stayed original and spoke your mind.</p>
<p>Just as everyone says on these boards.. MIT isnt everything.. Life does go on after Rejection</p>
<p>I agree in that you should focus more on trying to get YOU out on the paper, not your interests. You can do this by means of your interests, but the chief purpose of the essays is to reveal more about you and your character and personal qualities, not just what you like doing in your free time.</p>
<p>Going back to the original topic of the thread, I am a little confused on the feedback I have been getting. So should I add the supplemental essay or not? If I did, it would show what I do in my free time, and talk to the value I put on my family and community in general.</p>
<p>If there are "a lot of things beyond science that are also a big part of" who you are, you should be sure those things are reflected in your application. It's up to you to decide which essays are the best places to reveal those parts of yourself, but if you feel the optional essay would be a good place, by all means, do it!</p>
<p>All right. My issue now is with time. MIT is really high on my list, so if need be I'd rather rewrite my essays than send in essays that won't reflect all of who I am and as a result keep me out (I've been working on these since August...). However, the stats are against my getting into MIT, so I want to make sure I do a good job on my other schools. So it is a compromise: will the representation of my other side in the manner described be enough, or need I neglect my other schools to revamp my MIT essays?</p>
<p>Hmmm...sran, I really don't think you should worry TOO much. I tried the approach of writing about other factors, but I think my essays weren't focused enough. Individually, they were great, but as a whole, they didn't really work well. Definitely DO NOT write about science in your free time essay if that's not what you really enjoy doing in your free time.</p>
<p>And the stats are NOT against you. Trust me. I can count the number of RSI rejectees from MIT on one hand. You'll do great...</p>
<p>All right...I guess that seems to be a consensus.</p>
<p>BTW, I am on a little crusade against misinformation. There is a myth on this site that RSI admission = MIT admission. That is not true. Matt McGann told me that he could not recall one year where every RSI applicant had been accepted. Correlation is strong, but there is no causality. So, we are all in the same boat, which is why I really want to submit good essays.</p>
<p>Well, what usually ends up happening is the people who are qualified to get into RSI are usually qualified for MIT, considering RSI is an extremely rigorous program. I think the benefit that comes from RSI is proving that you're capable of doing the work, you still need to fit the school to get in.</p>